With economic uncertainty and many tech workers facing layoffs, the global job market is more competitive and demanding than ever before. As a result, many workers are facing some of the most vulnerable moments of their careers.
I’m a Miro Business Recruiter, and I spend much of my time supporting candidates and advocating for their wants and needs. From the moment someone submits their job application to one of our open positions, we become a team. Our mission together: to help you tell your story, communicate your needs, and find your next career adventure in a role you’re passionate about.
Today, I’m pulling back the curtain on the interview process to share 5 common Miro interview questions and some key pointers on how to answer them. My goal is to give you the confidence and transparency you need to succeed in your interviews – whether they’re at Miro, or not. Let’s dive in!
“Tell us about a time you drove an initiative in your current role and its impact on the business.”
Miro is on a mission to help its 50 million global users communicate, collaborate, and build the next big thing. That’s a big mission, and to make it happen we need the passion and drive of every single Mironeer. A question like this one is the perfect chance for you to give specific examples, with data backed results, that you’ve experienced in your current role.
Feeling stuck on how to do that? On Miro’s Recruitment team, we encourage applicants to use the STAR technique:
- Situation
- Task
- Action
- Result
By describing a specific situation, the task you worked toward, the actions you took to solve the problem, and the data-driven results of those actions, you can impress your interviewers with concrete evidence that showcases your experience, skills, and overall fit for the position.
(Psst: You can read more about the STAR technique and access Miro board templates to prep here!)
“Tell us about a time where you worked with someone whose working style or communication differed from your own. How did you work across those differences?”
At Miro, we work across teams and functions every day to build a globally beloved tool, which means the ability to collaborate with people outside your immediate team is an essential quality of a Mironeer. Though you’ll most likely be co-located with your immediate team in one of Miro’s hub cities, you’ll also be working alongside folks across time zones, continents, and cultures.
When we ask you this question, we’re looking for more than a quick, “Oh sure, I’ve done that.” We want to know how you customize your communication style for both asynchronous and synchronous work, the challenges you’ve overcome in remote work situations, and how you’ve handled working with people from different backgrounds. Paint us a picture of what hybrid work looks like for you – and why it’s the right fit for your career journey.
“Talk about a time you received and implemented feedback.”
During an interview, it may feel stressful to talk about times when you’ve fumbled or failed. After all, who wants to show their weaknesses to the people who determine whether or not you embark on the next chapter of your career? But at Miro, we thrive in a culture of failing fast and constant iteration. We’re always looking for growth-oriented dreamers, thinkers, and builders. For us, being able to learn and grow from tough situations makes you stand out from the crowd.
So when your interviewer asks you this question, don’t be afraid to talk about a time you received critical feedback that influenced your work moving forward, or discuss how a failure led you to an important realization. Share the complete story of who you are, and how you got to where you are now.
“What excites you about this role?”
As a Miro recruiter, I find this is a question that stumps a lot of candidates. In my mind, there’s a pretty reasonable explanation for why: candidates are often applying to multiple positions at multiple companies at the same time. Keeping your facts straight about what excites you about specific roles and company cultures can be challenging.
There was a time when Miro was in an early stage of hypergrowth, but we’ve matured a lot as a company while still keeping true to our core values. We’re on the lookout for people who feel hungry and inspired to scale a company. So, when we hire, we want to know we’re bringing someone aboard who’s passionate about this specific role, on this specific team, within our specific company culture. Do your research and understand why you’re interviewing here. It’ll make a great impression, help you stand out, and highlight what a thoughtful candidate you are.
“Do you have any questions for us?”
When you’re interviewing at Miro, you and I aren’t just recruiter and interviewee: we’re a team. We move through the interview process together. And no team can work well together unless they’re transparent about where they’re at and what they need.
If I fail to deliver technical feedback after a round of interviews, you won’t know what you need to improve upon for your next round. If you don’t tell me that you’re applying to other positions at other companies, your future Miro team won’t know they need to act with more urgency than they might otherwise in order to make sure they can get you an offer. Similarly, if you discover that the role you’re interviewing for is no longer a good fit or what you want, that’s okay! I want to help you get a job that you enjoy for a long time, and if that’s not at Miro, then no one wants to push you towards something you don’t want.
Ultimately, our relationship is a two-way street, and the better we keep information flowing between us, the better your outcome.
