Most likely, you know what skills you’ll need every day if you get the job as Director of IT. However, what separates IT directors from managers is how they manage team members and projects. Not only will your salary go up, but you will also have a lot more to do besides mastering technology. You will have to lead others, manage projects and collaborators, and make decisions. Prepare real-life examples and short answers to questions about your technical background and how you work with stakeholders who aren’t technical. We’ve put together a list of questions and answers you can use to land that IT director role. These aren’t just for aspiring technical leaders, either. As a VP or CIO, you can use them to screen for the best prospects for your role.
Nextiva is a leading business VoIP and unified communications provider. Landing a job at Nextiva provides an exciting opportunity to join a fast-growing, innovative company However, you’ll need to showcase your skills and experience during the interview process.
Understanding the types of Nextiva interview questions you’ll likely encounter is crucial. With preparation, research, and practice, you can master your responses and wow your interviewers.
In this article, we’ll explore examples of popular interview questions asked at Nextiva across roles from sales to engineering. Read on for insider tips to help you ace your Nextiva job interview.
Overview of Nextiva’s Hiring and Interview Process
Let’s start with a high-level look at what to expect during the hiring and interview process at Nextiva:
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Initial application – All roles are posted on Nextiva’s careers page. You’ll need to submit an application and resume online to kick things off.
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Prescreen call – If your background is a fit, you’ll then have a short prescreen call with a recruiter to learn more about the role and share details of your experience.
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Technical interview – Many roles also require completing a brief technical interview or assessment to evaluate hard skills. For engineering roles, you may need to complete a coding challenge.
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1-3 interviews – Nextiva interviews typically involve 1-3 rounds of more in-depth behavioral and technical interviews, either over the phone, video or in-person.
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References & background check – Your references will be contacted and a background check completed before a final offer is made.
Overall, the multi-step Nextiva interview process aims to thoroughly assess candidates’ skills through resume screening, technical assessments, and a series of interviews.
Questions Asked in Nextiva Sales Interviews
The sales team is critical to Nextiva’s growth. Sales roles involve managing inbound leads, conducting product demos and presentations, and building ongoing customer relationships.
Some examples of common questions asked in Nextiva sales interviews include:
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Walk me through your sales process from lead to close. Explain how you organize your pipeline and handle each stage – prospecting, initial outreach, presenting solutions, handling objections, closing the deal.
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How do you keep yourself motivated when facing sales rejections? Share your mindset around persistence and having a short memory for rejections. Emphasize learning from no’s.
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What sales metrics do you rely on? How do you use CRM systems? Show you understand key sales metrics like lead conversion rates and know how to leverage CRM tools like Salesforce.
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Tell me about a challenging client situation you faced. How did you handle it? Share examples demonstrating patience, creative problem solving and commitment to client satisfaction.
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Why do you want to sell Nextiva products specifically? Show passion for Nextiva’s VoIP and unified communications solutions and how they can solve customer pain points.
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How would you describe your sales style? Share your approach to consultative, customer-focused selling and making the buyer’s journey smooth.
Thoroughly preparing sales pitches and customer scenarios will help you provide smooth, compelling responses to the sales interview questions you’re likely to receive at Nextiva.
Technical and Engineering Interview Questions at Nextiva
Since Nextiva develops innovative VoIP products and services, technical roles are crucial. Key areas include software engineering, cloud infrastructure, and VoIP engineering.
Some common technical and engineering interview questions at Nextiva include:
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Tell me about a complex technical or engineering problem you solved. What was your process? Demonstrate your structured approach to diagnosing issues methodically. Discuss root cause analysis.
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What existing Nextiva products or technology are you most excited about? How would you improve them? Show you’ve researched Nextiva’s offerings and can propose thoughtful enhancements.
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How do you stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in VoIP, cloud infrastructure, etc? Emphasize you are continually expanding your technical knowledge and skills.
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What qualities make for a good engineer? Share important traits like problem-solving ability, persistence, curiosity, attention to detail, and collaboration skills.
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Explain a time you had to collaborate closely across teams to solve an issue. Give examples of cross-team project experience and partnering well.
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How would you explain a technical concept or solution to a non-technical colleague or client? Demonstrate you can break down complex concepts clearly.
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What existing projects or code are you most proud of? Be ready to discuss and potentially present past work highlighting your skills.
For technical roles, expect an emphasis onhands-on skills like debugging complex issues, rapidly learning new programming languages, leveraging various tools and frameworks, and communicating with non-technical stakeholders.
Customer Support and Remote Work Interview Questions
Many Nextiva roles, especially in customer service and support, are remote-based. Here are some key questions specific to these areas that you may encounter:
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How do you stay focused and productive when working remotely? Share tactics like setting daily goals, minimizing distractions, and regular communication.
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What challenges have you faced working remotely and how did you handle them? Demonstrate self-motivation and overcoming remote work hurdles like loneliness or communication issues.
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Tell me about a time you had to resolve a customer complaint. What was the outcome? Share examples highlighting empathy, communication skills, and commitment to customer satisfaction.
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How do you balance speed with quality when managing customer issues? Convey your customer service approach focused on urgency as well as precision.
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What metrics are most important for customer support roles? How do you use them to improve? Discuss KPIs like customer satisfaction (CSAT), first contact resolution, etc.
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How have you monitored and improved your productivity in past roles? Discuss tools and systems you’ve used to manage performance working remotely.
Overall, emphasize the organizational and communication abilities that allow you to thrive in a fast-paced, quality-focused remote support role at Nextiva.
General Interview Tips for Nextiva Candidates
While specific questions will vary across departments, here are some general tips for a standout Nextiva interview:
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Show passion for Nextiva’s mission and products. Thoroughly research Nextiva’s company values, history, leadership, and offerings.
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Prepare 3-5 stories highlighting key skills. Craft anecdotes from past experiences that exemplify abilities like collaboration, troubleshooting, and sales.
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Practice aloud until responses flow naturally. Ask a friend to conduct a mock interview or record practice responses to polish your delivery.
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Plan questions to ask your interviewers. Inquiring about leadership philosophy, company culture, training, etc demonstrates sincere interest.
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Review common behavioral questions. Refresh yourself on general prompts like “Tell me about yourself” or “Discuss a challenge you overcame.”
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Brush up on VoIP/cloud concepts if needed. Technical knowledgeability will be valued, even for non-engineering applicants.
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Send thank you notes post-interview. A brief, polite email thanking your interviewers can strengthen their positive impressions.
With Nextiva still in a high-growth mode, opportunities abound to join this dynamic company. Preparing sufficiently for the interview process will help ensure you have the chance to become part of the Nextiva success story. Use these common questions and success tips to ace your upcoming interview!
Q10: How have you improved efficiency or made process improvements during previous roles?
The best IT directors have a sixth sense for cutting costs and increasing revenue. This question is meant to test your ability to think about the needs of the business from a financial point of view instead of just a technical one.
How to answer:
- Address ‘hidden’ costs like ongoing maintenance. Every new technology makes things harder for your IT team and your overall work flow. How do you plan to keep and support the new technologies you bring in over the long term? According to one estimate, a cloud PBX is around 60% cheaper than an on-premise setup. Instead of just getting rid of old hardware, think about how it helps the business work more quickly.
- Show your ability to work to a budget. You’ll probably have to find a solution that is “good enough” most of the time—one that gets the job done without breaking the bank. Try to remember times when you had to balance these different project needs.
Q11: How do you approach working with outside vendors?
As the IT team’s decision-maker, you’ll regularly work with outside vendors. Interviewers will want to know that you can do your homework on solution providers and consultants and keep an eye on the relationship over time.
How to answer:
- Show how you understand the entire vendor management process. Find a time when you went through the whole vendor lifecycle, from figuring out what you need and sending out bids to choosing a vendor, the terms of the contract, and renewing (or ending) the relationship.
- Discuss ways you validate claimed expertise. Because you make decisions, the company trusts you to check out any vendors or consultants you hire. Talk about your approach to validating claims and checking references.
What Are the Top 5 Nextiva Features? Let’s Ask Jessica!
FAQ
What questions are asked at the next job interview?
What questions do interviewers ask a new employee?
For example, an interviewer might ask you to describe a VPN or VoIP to a new employee. Be patient. An interviewer wants to see that you deeply understand the concept and don’t get frustrated answering ‘simple’ questions. Relate to business needs. Rather than ‘dumb down’ your answer, explain it from a different team’s perspective.
What is a good interview question?
This interview question is a classic leadership prompt, and for a good reason. Interviewers want to see how you handle conflicts or disagreements that are bound to happen. Explain your conflict-resolution playbook. What’s the first thing you do when there’s a disagreement within your team?
How do you interview an IT director?
Instead, the typical IT director interview process covers these five categories: Experience and background: Why you’re a good fit for this role. Technical skills: What technologies you’ve mastered. Strategic vision: Where you see the company and industry heading. Leadership: How you communicate, manage projects, and lead people.
What questions should you ask during a director position interview?
This is the most general question asked during a director position interview. An interviewer might also phrase this as “How did you hear about this role?” Don’t overlook the importance of this question. Instead, use it to frame your career narrative and create a connection to the organization. Show your career growth.
