Interviewing for a Disruptive Start Up

Are you considering an interview for a disruptive start up? Working for an innovative, disruptive start-up can bring exciting new opportunities. It can be an amazing career and educational experience with the potential for personal and professional growth for everyone involved. But before jumping into any opportunity, you must first do your due process and make sure the environment is a match for your goals and needs. Here, we’ll discuss the key points you should keep in mind while preparing for the job interview and how to stand out in the crowd.

Introduction

A disruptive start up can be defined as a new business or venture that offers an innovative product or service that disrupts an existing market or industry. Disruptive start ups may offer products that are simpler, easier to use, or better performance for lower costs. For many professionals, the rewards of working for a disruptive start up can outweigh the risks. The benefits of working for a disruptive start up include the potential for higher income, improved job security and career progression, greater learning and development opportunities, and the potential for playing a role in ground-breaking innovation.

In this blog, we will provide an overview of how to prepare your for an interview with a disruptive start up, including researching the company and the position, taking stock of the skills you have to offer, and constructing an effective "elevator pitch" to stand out in the interview process. We will also discuss the important questions you should ask to ensure that the position is right for you.

Preparing for the Interview

The first step to standing out amongst your competition is to be as prepared as possible. Researching the company and the position through resources such as Glassdoor can give you insight into the company culture, expectations, and opportunities. You should use this research to craft an elevator pitch and tailor your experience to the position. Make sure to emphasise the skills or experiences that make you the most suitable candidate for the job. Additionally, it may be useful to create a list of references that you can quickly provide, should the hiring manager request them.

It is also important to think about what you can offer the company. Take stock of your skills and experiences to make sure you can provide value to the team. Building a relationship with someone already working at the company can help you to better understand the company culture and the needs of the position. This may provide you with the opportunity to get detailed information and tips for the interview.

Questions to Ask

When you've done all of your preparation, you can then ask pertinent questions during the interview that will help you to decide if the position is right for you. Firstly you should ask about the company’s mission and values, as this will give you insight into how you will be expected to work. You could also ask about the company’s current objectives and any challenges the role may bring. Asking questions about team support, resource availability, career progression, work/life balance, and rewards will all help you to gauge whether this is the right job for you.

Here are some of the questions you should consider:

• What is the company’s mission, values, and culture?
• What are the company’s current objectives and priorities?
• What challenges will I face in this role?
• How has the company been performing so far?
• What kind of team support can I expect?
• What kind of resources will I have access to?
• What kind of career progression and development opportunities are available?
• How will success in this role be measured and rewarded?
• What kind of work schedule and work/life balance can I expect?

Conclusion

Getting a job at a disruptive start up can be a great opportunity to grow professionally and to have an influential impact on the world of business. Preparation is key to succeeding at the interview and getting a job with a disruptive start up. Take time to research the start up, reflect on your experiences, craft an effective elevator pitch and practice responding to challenging questions. Most importantly, at the interview, use the opportunity to learn about the start up and ask the questions that are important to you. Knowing all of this can help to ensure that the start up is right for you.