Garima Shah, co-founder of B2B SaaS company Biller Genie, conducts dozens of interviews a week and believes they should last no longer than six and a half minutes.
Garima Shah, co-founder of B2B SaaS company Biller Genie, conducts dozens of interviews a week and believes they should last no longer than six and a half minutes.
«When I was managing sales teams, I was doing 30 to 40 interviews a day. She taught me to pay attention to some very basic things, like: Did they make eye contact? Did they shake my hand? Can they answer questions? Do they know the basics?» Shah told Business Insider.
She noted that she now conducts 15 to 20 interviews per week at Biller Genie, and has extensive experience in this field.
«When I interview candidates, we’ve already reviewed their resumes, looked at their LinkedIn profiles, and conducted a preliminary phone interview. We know they have the basic skills needed for the job. So when people come to meet with me, I don’t judge their abilities. I judge their desire and see if they’ll fit into our culture. Are we on the same page? Do you understand what I’m asking you? Can you keep up with me?» says Biller Genie’s co-founder.
Interviews at the company are scheduled for 15 minutes, she says, but she usually ends them almost 10 minutes early. Garima Shah warns candidates that this is a quick first conversation to get to know each other and see potential and compatibility.
«First, I ask them about what they’ve done in the past and what they’re looking for. Some people can talk for 20 minutes about what they’ve done. I say, ‘Stop it — just tell me the most important thing.’ Then I ask them to describe their ideal role. I want everyone to work in their zone of genius. To do this, I need to know not only what role they want, but also what daily tasks they enjoy doing,» the manager notes.
Garima Shah believes that you need to be on your best behavior during an interview because it’s «like a first date.»
«The way I look at it is: you put on your makeup, you do your hair. That’s how you look on a date, but that might not be who you really are. I don’t know that, and you’re not going to show me that in an interview. So if we seem like a good match, why not take a chance and see what happens? Sometimes it doesn’t work, but I look for that same chemistry, and it usually works out well for me,» Shah explains.
She added that candidates for management positions will have several more rounds of interviews, but noted that there are no resources for a lengthy interview process.
«We’re a small company. If you’re applying for a leadership or senior management position, I think it makes sense. These people will be leading and managing others from day one. But overall, we get hundreds of applications from candidates, and we usually screen at least 50% before they even talk to anyone,» said Biller Genie’s co-founder.
