Check out our article with diversity questions you should ask your interviewer to ensure your values align!
Behavioral interviews are an important part of the application process, but people often end up underprepared. There are a few key ways to get ready for behavioral interviews that we suggest to all of the fellows in our program. Following these steps can double your interview scores.
Company research
The first is to research the company so that you can get a solid understanding of their mission, values, history, and goals for the future. This knowledge will guide you as you personalize your responses to their questions. You can even practice your responses by going over these behavioral interview questions from top tech companies. Write down your answers and say them out loud to a friend or in the mirror. Make sure you add elements from your research as well.
Many people also forget to prepare the questions that they will ask at the end of the interview. It has become standard for the interviewer(s) to leave time for the candidate to ask them questions, but a lot of people forget to write down what they want to ask. While we do recommend asking questions based on your conversation, it is also important for you to have a baseline set of questions you want to ask.
These questions should cover a lot of ground. We recommend asking about the role and team specifically, the goals of the company, the interviewer’s experience working there, and the company culture. But, how can you be sure that the interviewer will be honest in their responses? In fact, their goal is to sell you on the company, just like your goal is to sell the company on you.
So, we’ve provided 7 specific diversity interview questions that you can ask that will let you see how the company values diversity and what they are doing to create an inclusive and equitable environment.
7 diversity interview questions to ask your interviewer
- How important is diversity, equity, and inclusion to your company?
- What does the company do to create equitable and inclusive spaces?
- How diverse is the leadership at this organization? What about the executive team?
- Can you describe how the company is working towards diversity and inclusion goals?
- Does the company do any diversity training as part of onboarding or at other times? Has the senior team members and leadership done diversity training?
- How do you ensure that recruiting and hiring is following diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices?
- I know the company values [xyz]. How do you ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are highlighted in these values?
By asking these questions, you can learn a lot about a company and their values. If the interviewer does not have strong answers, make a note. Often you will interview with multiple people on different teams, so see how the answers vary based on role and responsibility. If you get answers that do not make you feel comfortable, consider looking for a job elsewhere.
With these diversity questions in your back pocket, you should feel ready to find a position at a company that values diversity, equity, and inclusion as much as you do.
If you are looking for additional help with your job search, Pathrise is an online mentorship program that works with people on all components of their job search. If you are interested in working with our mentors 1-on-1, become a Pathrise fellow.
Apply today.
