As a company that works to connect people and spaces, we put a lot of effort into finding the right talent to join our team in this mission. As our product and goals keep growing, our team grows with it, and we are always looking for talented new team members to join us in revolutionizing access control.
While every job comes with a different set of expectations catered to different skill sets, the one thing that stays consistent is the fact that experience alone will not be enough to land a new job.
When looking for potential new Kisi Krew members, the team also relies on our four company values, Forward, Human, Trusted, and Responsible, to help us find our new colleagues. It can be hard to find the right balance between showcasing your abilities and why you fit into a company’s culture, but we want to help.
If you’re interested in joining the Kisi Krew, here is an overview of what you can expect from our interview process and how you can prepare beforehand to set yourself up for success.
The intro call #
After submitting your application for a role, our recruiting team will review your profile. If your background is a match, the recruiter will reach out to schedule a call.
The introductory call is your first chance to make a memorable impression. You’ll meet with someone on our recruiting team and have your first chance to express why you are the right fit for the role.
We want to hear about your background, motivations, ideal work environment, and of course, why you are interested in being part of the Kisi Krew. You’ll also get the chance to learn more about Kisi and our product and have the chance to ask any questions you might be curious about.
The important thing to remember is that the interview goes both ways. Just as the recruiting team is going to be evaluating if you are a match for the open role, you need to be making sure that our company and open role is the right fit for you as well.
Takeaway: Show up prepared to introduce yourself, do some homework to familiarize yourself with Kisi, and have a few questions in mind you want to ask the recruiter.
We are looking to see a glimpse of your experience, your motivation, and your reasons for considering Kisi. Be curious to learn details about the company, the culture, and the factors most important for you as you start the process.
The recruitment challenge #
This is your chance to really show us what you’re made of. At Kisi, we create all recruiting challenges to allow you to showcase the skills that will be most relevant to the role.
We will always give clear deliverables and share what is expected from you in the task. Going through it will give you a sneak peek at what working at Kisi would really be like and a taste of the work you would get to be doing. That’s all it should be though - a quick glimpse!
If something seems unclear in the instructions, ask us. If you have feedback on the task as you go through it, please share it.
The recruiting task is not designed to be exhaustive or take up hours of your valuable free time. In the end, it should be enough for us to know if you have the right experience to excel in the role, and for you to know if you would enjoy the work you would be handling at Kisi.
Takeaway: Read the task instructions thoroughly, ask questions if anything is unclear (we want it to be straightforward!), and always feel free to give us feedback on the task. We’re a startup company that thrives on suggestions and are always looking to improve.
We are looking to see that your skills are a match for the role. You should be looking to ensure that you will enjoy and feel invested in the work you will be responsible for.
The technical interview #
This is a chance to dive into any role, skills, and experience specifics we didn’t cover in the recruiting task. The technical interview will always be with the hiring manager for the role. Usually, another person from your potential new team will sit in.
Come prepared to discuss in more detail why you are the right match for this role. We will get into specific questions and scenarios related to day to day responsibilities of the position. We want to learn more about your communication style, your thought process, and how you can contribute and fit in with the team.
The questions in this interview will be more in-depth, so it’s important to remember that you can take a moment and prepare yourself before answering. If we ask you to provide specific examples or stories and you need a minute to think, say that. Sometimes it might take a minute to decide the exact highlight you want to share, and that’s okay.
After you answer these more detailed questions, we will also give you the opportunity to ask more detailed questions to your potential new manager and colleague. Use this chance to dig deep into their management style, the team dynamics, performance and KPI expectations, and any other essentials you might want to know about the role and team specifics.
Takeaway: Be prepared to talk in-depth about your experience and abilities. Be sure to ask the questions that are most important to you about your new role and team. And most importantly, take a deep breath and give yourself time to think about your answers.
We are looking to see if you have the technical knowledge, approach, and thought processes to excel in the role. You should be looking to see what your role would look like on a day-to-day basis, how you’d fit alongside the team and manager, and have realistic expectations set.
The culture interview #
The last step in our interview process. If you get this far - congratulations! It means you are a great fit for the technical abilities needed to succeed in the role, and now the last step is to see if you are the right cultural fit for Kisi.
To determine if candidates are a good fit, we will turn to our company values (Forward, Human, Trusted, Responsible), which are the cornerstones of what we’re all about at Kisi. In addition to the values, our team is consistently looking for candidates that show proactivity, ownership, innovation, transparency, and dedication to their work and its quality.
At the end of this call, you’ll have the chance to get out any final questions you may have about Kisi and the available role. This call is also a great opportunity to ask more about our culture and how we implement our values in our day-to-day work.
Takeaway: Read about our company values ahead of time and be prepared to talk about examples of how you are a great match for them. We are looking to see that your principles and communication style align with ours. You should be checking for the exact same thing.
Ready to join the Kisi krew? #
Hopefully, after completing the last culture interview, an offer will be on its way. At Kisi, we understand that while our goal is to make the recruiting process quick and seamless, it can still be stressful. That’s why our recruiting team is here to help ease things over and offer you support along the way.
You will only interview with the recruiter once. Still, they will continue to facilitate the process, guide you along each step, and be there to offer support and answer any questions that you have along the way, so utilize them.
There are a lot of tips and tricks to make yourself stand out at various points in the recruitment process. When reflecting on what has made previous hires at Kisi successful our Recruiting Manager, Rune Povlsen, shared, "To present yourself in the best possible way when interviewing with Kisi my advice is simple: show up prepared. Do your homework, understand the business and the role you applied to, and ask questions. Curiosity and initiative are cornerstones of a successful startup, and being able to demonstrate that you have these characteristics will benefit you a lot throughout your interview process with us."
Getting through an interview process is never easy, but at Kisi, we want to make it as seamless as possible. With the right preparation paired with research and some insights on what you can expect, hopefully, you will find it less daunting and easier to navigate.
Interested in entering into this process and joining our team? Check out our open roles and let’s chat!
Kristen Peroni
Kristen is a recruiter at Kisi whose passion lies within helping others on their job search journey, building meaningful connections, and finding great candidates to join our rapidly growing team.