How To Pass An Interview...With Me

Thanks Leo, much appreciated.

So, I’m often asked about how best to approach interviews (whether phone, video or in-person) and how to interview with Hudl. My general advice for interview preparation, on the whole, can be found online by sifting through interview advice articles, so I’d like to give some specific tips for interviews I conduct.

Some of you may be thinking, “hang on a minute buddy, you can’t be giving inside tips on how to pass your interview!”. Well, why not? Research is key for any interview, and if you’re a candidate I’m about to interview and have found this post then well done, you are doing your research. Also, I want candidates to perform at their best during the interview. 30 – 45 minutes is a short amount of time to assess someone, I want to see you at your best in this time.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

Hudl’s interview process differs by position, but one aspect that doesn’t change is the first interview with a Recruiter. Whether you’re interviewing for an Engineering, Sales, Support or Marketing role, you will always speak to one of the Talent Squad (cool name, right?). This will either be a phone call, a meeting in-person (most likely a coffee fuelled meeting) or a video call.

CORE VALUES

We’re assessing whether you match the skills set for the role, but more importantly, we’re figuring out if you’re a culture fit. Culture fit? We have a diverse workforce (genders, nationalities, introverts, extroverts, sexual preferences etc.) but what remains constant is the practice and belief of our core values.

Tip #1: Look at our values . Do they match yours and can you relate to them? Come up with multiple examples of times you have exemplified these values (inside and outside of work) and be ready to answer follow up questions.

STARTING THE INTERVIEW

I start every interview the same way. First I will ask “Why do you want to work at Hudl?” and second, I will ask for you to give me a brief account of your experience. These two questions, on some occasions, have given me enough insight as to whether the candidate is not a fit for the role and/or for Hudl.

In the first question I want to hear that you’ve done your research and are really excited at the idea of joining us! Perhaps tell me about an article you read, our use of open source tools and cloud computing, our impact on the sports industry etc. and get a strong idea of what our software actually does. Don’t tell me that you just saw the position, applied and don’t really know what we do.

Tip #2: Do your research and come up with a genuine answer for why you’re excited to join us. There are many different reasons why people enjoy working at Hudl, pick the reasons that relate to you. Also, really get an idea for what our software does (bonus points for downloading either Hudl or Hudl Technique).

When I ask for a brief account of your experience, don’t just read off your resumé/CV as I will have it right there in front of me. This is a chance for you to sell yourself, showcase projects and explain decisions related to your career path.

Tip #3: Even if you’re not in sales, being able to talk about yourself in a professional and attractive way is always a useful skill. Practice talking through your career, your aspirations, your achievements and the decisions you made to help you get to where you are.

THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW

The rest of the interview will then consist of questions specific to the role you’re applying for, but I’ll still be looking for key competencies that reflect our values, for example, are you positive, productive, a self-learner, ambitious, a good communicator, versatile and conscious of how your work impacts the bottom line.

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I hope this article was helpful. And if you’re interviewing at Hudl or anywhere else right now, then good luck! If you’d like to get in touch, my email is joe.burridge@hudl.com. Thanks for reading!