Employee Spotlight: Malique Killing

How to have a successful interview at Alloy; tips from one of Alloy’s recruiters

I’m excited to interview someone on my very own team! Malique Killing, is “killing it” (pun intended) as our Business Recruiter, a.k.a. Rockstar Finder. He has been in recruitment for five years and hires in Sales & Operations at Alloy. As an expert in recruiting and fintech, Malique shares meaningful insights to candidates in Alloy’s pipeline. For this month’s Employee Spotlight, I sat down with Malique to find out his tips for candidates interviewing at Alloy.

What is the typical interview process like at Alloy?

The interview process at Alloy is subject to change depending on the role. In general, though, here is our typical interview process:

Round 1: Phone screen with recruiter

Round 2: Phone interview with hiring manager

Round 3: Take home assignment

Round 4: 2-3 hour video interview to review the assignment and chat with other team members

From the candidate's perspective, think of the interview process as an opportunity to not only present yourself, your interests and your skills, but also a chance to learn a bit more about the role, the company, and its culture.

What would you like every candidate to know before jumping on a call with a recruiter?

Interviewing is your number one opportunity to make an impact as a candidate in the hiring process. As a recruiter, our primary goal is to identify talent for the organization. However, we are also protectors of time. Our managers have mission-critical goals and targets, so it’s important to make sure we present the most qualified candidates for appropriate use of time, our most valuable resource! With dozens of direct applicants and aggressive outbound recruiting, standing out is going to be a critical first step in progressing through an interview process. Lucky for you, standing out in this arena isn't about a viral video or a popular dance craze. Things like a demonstrated curiosity and genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity during the interview go a long way in the initial conversation.

What would you advise candidates to do to prepare for a call with a hiring manager?

When engaging with a hiring manager, it's important to keep in mind the foundational aspects of curiosity and enthusiasm expressed in the recruiter call. Note that an interview is mostly an audition and a sales pitch.

Hiring managers have three key questions that need to be answered regardless of the position and its seniority. Those questions are as follows:

• Does the candidate want the job?

• Can the candidate do the job?

• Does the candidate fit into our team's culture?

Demonstrating a genuine interest in the role by researching the company and understanding its product, industry and recent announcements or press is a great way of showing an interest in your target organization. Clearly and effectively describing instances of your contributions to the team at your previous employers give the interviewers a solid understanding of whether or not your skillset meets the demands of the opportunity.

While culture fit determinations are largely out of your control, I’d advise bringing your authentic self to the interview to allow the interviewers to learn who you are beyond your technical or functional qualifications. In the end, deciding to commit to an organization is a tall task. As the interviewee, take the opportunity to ask pertinent questions that will allow you to make the most well-informed decision.

What are your top 5 interview tips?

1. Research the company

2. Come prepared with questions

3. Ask interviewers for their contact details at the end of the interview for follow up

4. Talk specifically about your contributions in past roles

5. Project enthusiasm for the opportunity

Have anything else you would like to hear regarding our recruitment process or company for our next employee spotlight? Connect and message me on LinkedIn!