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For over fifteen years, I’ve been welcoming people through the doors of Lorien. As Lorien’s Talent Acquisition Partner, I’ve supported hundreds of excited candidates through their first steps of interviewing with our business, and I wanted to share my secrets to success. So, if you’re getting ready to apply, have an interview lined up, or just want to know more about the company you’re thinking about joining, here’s how you can stand out and put your best foot forward. Good luck!
Do your research
We’re interested in you, so we want to make sure that you’re interested in us too. One of the first questions we ask is what you know about Lorien. This isn’t a test and we’re not looking for you to reel off when we were founded or how many people are in the business – but what we do want to know is your perception of who we are. Take a look at our website, our social media, and Q&As with our people, to get a sense of what we’re like and how you align. It’s important that you understand what we do, but if you really want to impress, you’ll need to understand our culture and what we value.
First impressions count
Most of the time, we encourage our people to ‘dress for their day’ and wear whatever they feel most comfortable in for the work they are doing. However, when it comes to interviewing, it’s always a good idea to overdress than underdress. You won’t be expected to wear a full suit and tie, but a something smart would be perfect – this is also the case if you’re interviewing virtually. Try and arrive for your interview five to ten minutes beforehand to give you time to adjust and show you’re keen, and if you’re shaking hands, remember to make eye contact and smile. Body language is very telling, so try and be relaxed and open to present your best self.
Prepare some good questions
Interviews are a two-way process, so make sure you have prepared some questions that will help you know whether Lorien is the right match for you. And if it’s not – no hard feelings! A lot of the answers to ‘standard’ questions, like benefits or our approach to career progression, can be found on our website, so try and use this time to ask any deal breaker questions that will help you make an informed decision about Lorien. If you’re struggling for ideas, check out our top interview questions to ask for ideas. Creative questions will help you stand out, but remember that the most important thing is to know whether the role is right for you by the end of the interview.
Tell us everything you can
One of the most common mistakes when interviewing is to assume that your interviewer knows everything about you. Your CV – usually only a couple of sides of A4 – cannot possibly tell us everything we might need to know, no matter how strong it is. So tell us everything! We want you to make it impossible for us to say ‘no’ to you, so come prepared with lots of examples, stories, and anecdotes. One way to achieve this is by making a list of all the qualities you think set you apart – your resilience, your communication skills, your knowledge, for example – and then write out examples and experiences in your life that reflect these points. If you’re interviewing remotely, you can even use this as a ‘cheat sheet’ to make sure you get across all the points you want to.
Relax and be yourself
If we’ve invited you for interview, you’re already halfway there to securing the job. It means that based on everything we know about you so far, we think you could be a great fit for Lorien. So try and relax, and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine. Trying to be someone you aren’t is exhausting, and while you might be able to maintain it for an hour, you won’t be able to do it forever. Importantly – that’s not what we want! We love diversity and different ways of thinking; the more unique, the better! Being yourself is the best way to get noticed, so please, come as you.
We’re people too!
We’re in the people business, so what we’re after is realness, not corporate-speak or jargon. The best way to impress us is to be yourself and to be human. We like people that are warm, down-to-earth, and honest – so don’t be intimidated or feel like you need to put on a show. If you can show us passion, enthusiasm, and dedication, along with some great examples and experiences, then you will do well.
My last piece of advice is to make sure you know what you want, and to only apply for what you want. While it’s true that it’s always good to get interview practice, and that you might be surprised when you get there, I’ve seen many good candidates that aren’t selective struggle at interview, either from burnout or autopilot taking over, preventing them from really shining in the moment. Plus, when you’re comparing hundreds of opportunities, it’s easy to forget what really matters to you. This is why I always advise candidates to do their research and be confident in the opportunity, before committing the time and the effort to interviewing.
I hope these tips help you with your interview preparation for a role at Lorien. For more general interview advice, please click here, or if you would like more information on joining the company and advice from me, you can reach me at nigel.bigger@lorienglobal.com. Good luck, and I hope to see you making waves at Lorien very soon!