How Not to Derail Your Job Interview
Insight and Advice from Senior Technical Recruiter Branden Lodato
Wondering which single mistake will derail your job interview fastest? That mistake, according to Elite Technical Senior Technical Recruiter Branden Lodato, is hyping up a resume without substantiating your claims.
Hiring managers will want to know more than simply
what you did. They’ll want evidence of
how you did it. Be prepared to provide detailed examples of your work and contributions as well as your successes on individual and team projects. Let the examples you provide during your interview tell your career story for you. And, be ready to explain the results of your work.
To Demonstrate Your Potential
Often candidates wish to not only relate what they’ve done in the past, but also to play up their potential for success in a new job. If you want to highlight your potential to succeed in new situations, discuss examples of stretch goals you set and how you reached them. You can also discuss lessons you personally learned when dealing with past challenges and how those challenges helped you grow professionally.
To Succeed on Interviews
“My advice is simple. If you don’t have experience with something, don’t try to be something you’re not. Just lay it out the way it is,” said Branden.
On your résumé, include only those experiences you can back up and discuss in detail. Skilled interviewers who are knowledgeable about specific position requirements will see right through an embellished résumé, Branden explained..
For example, a recent candidate was unable to elaborate on claims he made during screening; he could not provide details or specific examples of projects he completed. Another candidate’s résumé had boasted proficiency with electrical engineering; on interview, it became clear he did not have the senior-level experience touted when he could not discuss the project in-depth. He was missing details the interviewer needed to hear. Both interviews tanked.
Lesson learned: Prepare solid examples of your work – and only apply to positions for whichyou are well suited.
How Recruiters Choose the Right Candidates
“A recruiter has got to be a bit of a detective to determine if what a candidate shows on paper is really who they are and what they know and do. To accomplish that, we ask many questions during interviews to ensure that each candidates we present will meet the mark for our clients.
“When recruiters don’t ask for enough detail, they are not serving either the candidate or the company well. We want our candidates to win not only the interview, but we want them to land the job. To achieve that, we need the nitty gritty up front," Branden said. "Digging deep during screening and pre-submittal interviews benefits everyone in the long run. Our goal is to submit only candidates who are a solid match for our clients’ needs."
Thus, Branden holds in-depth conversations to assess a candidate’s relevant knowledge and experience. “To evaluate skills, I ask candidates to explain what they did and how they used specific technologies. I am looking for case-study evidence. And it has to make sense,” he added.
About Branden Lodato
After graduating a program in computer networking in 1999 from Computer Career Center, Branden started his career providing desktop, MS Windows, and server support including tier III technical support for Optimum (now Altice), a cable company. He joined Elite Technical in August 2005, and after a hiatus to do missionary work, he returned to the recruiting fold. He now sources a wide range of technical professionals and has placed hundreds of technical professionals in great positions over the years.
Branden focuses on ensuring that candidates meet client requirements – which means drilling deep drilling into resumes and asking candidates questions that help all concerned: clients, candidates, and recruiters alike. He typically recruits for cyber security, network engineering, systems administration, engineering, and server administration positions.
Branden’s Perspective on Recruiting
“Beyond screening and interviewing, successful recruiting comes down to hustling – staying focused, following up, and trying to be available to the hard-to-reach candidates, even during off hours. It’s important to be available to connect with candidates when they can connect with you,” said Branden, who works diligently to locate, get to know, and evaluate prospective candidates.
“When it comes to clients, it’s not just ‘Get me a network engineer’ and be done with it,” said Branden. “Expectations run very high, and sometimes requirements are not fully clear. It can be difficult for hiring managers to know exactly the candidate they want until they see or don’t see the right person – which necessitates multiple candidates and interviews.
“Hiring managers are specific about the positions they’re looking to fill. But, it often takes interviewing the clients themselves to identify those details that will make a difference in locating the exact candidates they need. We sometimes have to dig for more information to ensure we get it right.”
“As recruiters, it’s up to us to ask the right questions to elicit the information we need to home in on just the right candidates,” said Brandon. "And that means really understanding the nitty gritty of technical jobs.”
Elite Technical also utilizes a technical quality engineer with hands-on, in-the-trenches technical experience to review requisitions and “optimize them” by providing recruiters with an insider’s view to specific on-the-job requirements. This extra step gives Elite Technical recruiters a deeper understanding of exactly what to look for.
Today's Biggest Recruiting Challenge
"Since the Covid lockdown, it’s harder to find fully qualified technical candidates willing to work on site. If you go back in time, job seekers were only able to look for positions in their own general neighborhoods, based on how far they could commute. Since remote options became more common, technical candidates have more choice and many can tie into jobs anywhere in the country; many candidates just hold out for a remote offer.
"The job openings our account managers bring in now include more remote opportunities than in the past,” he noted. At the same time, many companies are demanding that employees work on site – particularly in the engineering world.
Branden's Favorite Placement Story
“There are many! I’ve made hundreds of placements over the years, so it's hard to choose. What I’ve been most proud of was receiving Elite Technical’s Recruiter of the Month award six times last year.“
Branden's Favorite Part of Working at Elite Technical
“One thing that’s cool is that Elite Technical is a family-type environment. You’re appreciated and not just a number. Everybody, including management, is pretty balanced in expectations. They value work/life balance and recognize that life isn’t only about work and career, but life should be family friendly, as well," Branden noted.
“Co-founder Joseph Monaco said in a recent team meeting, ‘We don’t just want you to be the best you can be at work; we want you to be the best you can be in your personal life and for your family.’ That means a lot,” said Branden.
Community Support - Every Elite Technical Placement Results in Charitable Giving!
In addition to placing candidates in desirable jobs, Branden, and all Elite Technical recruiters, support their communities through
Elite Technical’s charitable giving program,
Recruit for Your Cause. Each recruiter chooses a charity that will receive a donation from Elite Technical each time he or she makes a placement. Branden chose to support the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization with his placement contributions. Elite Technical supports numerous other
charities, as well.
Recruit for Your Cause is a win/win/win: Recruiters stay motivated by knowing their work makes a difference in their communities; the charities benefit financially; and Elite Technical stays engaged with community organizations.
“Every month, Management reports to our team on total contributions made to each organization. And everyone feels good about that,” Branden added.
A Personal Glimpse
Branden is a sports enthusiast who was raised on Long Island, NY. His favorite sports teams include the New York Mets, Knicks, and Giants. He and Amelda, his wife of 12 years, now live in Winston, Salem, NC, with their young son, Nate,
Contact Us
For more information about Elite Technical recruiting services, please call 1.800.ELITE-50 or email info@elitetechnical.com.
If you are a candidate seeking a position, please check out our open jobs at EliteTechnicalJobs.com.
Or feel free to connect with Branden via
LinkedIn.
Let Us Know How May Serve You. #0e4971le
Diversity Certified
We value diversity! We believe a diverse workforce breeds innovation and productivity on the job, while fostering creativity and collaboration. As an equal opportunity employer and a certified Woman-Owned Small Business with the WBENC and New York State, our policy is to hire talented individuals with skill levels, attributes and experience that are a great match to our clients' requirements.
