Most companies dont get the interview process right. For some, its because their process is super sloppy – leaving a bad first impression. For others, its their interrogation-like approach – which doesnt make candidates feel welcomed. Either way, the results are the same: these companies often hire all the wrong people.
But I get it – the interview process is tough to get right. Especially because the stakes are high, and there are so many moving parts.
We don’t like to brag, but Trainual has really nailed it (I just went through it and can confirm that it’s great).
ð Dont just take my word for it. See what our employees (and ex-candidates) have to say about our interview process. Look on Glassdoor.
So, Im here to break down Trainuals exact interview process. And Ill even give you insights into what it was like when I went through it first hand. That way, you can get it right (and hire the right people for your business) – every time.
Interviewing at Trainual can feel intimidating. After all, they are one of the fastest growing SaaS companies out there.
But here’s the thing – Trainual wants you to ace your interview Because they know that top talent allows them to build incredible products that scale companies quickly
That’s why they designed an interview process that removes the pressure and awkwardness that comes with most job interviews
In this complete guide, I’ll walk you through Trainual’s entire interview process step-by-step. I’ll even give you the inside scoop on the types of Trainual interview questions you can expect.
That way, you can nail your Trainual interview with confidence.
Overview of the Trainual Interview Process
While the exact number of interviews depends on the role, you can generally expect 4 separate interviews over the course of 3 to 4 weeks
Here’s what the full Trainual interview gauntlet looks like:
- Initial phone screen with HR
- Interview with the hiring manager
- Complete a candidate project
- Meet-and-greet with the team
I know – that’s a lot of interviewing!
But Trainual designed their process to be as pleasant as possible. The key is that they take the time to get to know you as a person first before diving into the technical stuff.
This removes so much pressure from the situation. And it allows them to see what you’re really made of.
Now let’s walk through what you can expect during each step of the process. I’ll even give you tips for how to prepare for each interview round, so you can really stand out.
Round #1: The Initial HR Phone Screen
First up is a 30 minute phone or Zoom screen with someone from Trainual’s People Operations (HR) team.
Think of this as more of a friendly conversation versus a stressful Q&A. The goal here is to get to know you and your background. And assess if you seem like a potential culture add.
Expect lighter questions like:
- Walk me through your background and experience.
- Why are you interested in this role and Trainual?
- What are you looking for in your next job opportunity?
- What do you know about Trainual and what excites you about us?
Pro Tip: Do your homework before this initial call. Get familiar with Trainual’s mission, values, and culture. And be able to speak genuinely about why those resonate with you.
At this stage, you’ll also want to come prepared with thoughtful questions about the company and role. This shows the interviewer that you care.
Some good questions to ask are:
- How would you describe the culture at Trainual?
- What’s your favorite part about working there?
- What qualities make someone really excel in this role?
At the end of the call, the HR rep will let you know if you’re moving forward to the next round. If so, celebrate! That means you made a great first impression.
Round #2: Interview with the Hiring Manager
Next up, you’ll have a 45 minute Zoom interview with the manager you would report directly to.
This is your chance to really showcase your abilities for the role. Expect the manager to ask more in-depth questions about your skills and experience.
Some common questions from hiring managers include:
For customer-facing roles:
- Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer. What was the situation and outcome?
- How do you handle an unhappy customer? Walk me through your approach.
- What metrics and tools have you used to track customer satisfaction?
For marketing roles:
- Walk me through a marketing campaign or initiative you led from ideation to execution.
- Tell me about a creative marketing tactic you came up with. What results did it drive?
- How do you stay on top of the latest trends and innovations in marketing?
For sales roles:
- Tell me about your track record of consistently meeting or exceeding your sales quotas.
- Walk me through your sales process from prospecting to close.
- How do you go about building strong relationships with customers?
Pro Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, and result) to frame your answers. This makes it easy to showcase specific examples and what you achieved.
You’ll also want to come armed with thoughtful questions that show your interest in the day-to-day responsibilities you’ll take on.
Some questions to consider asking:
- What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?
- What are the most important day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
- What are the key skills and qualities you’re looking for in your ideal candidate? How would I compare?
At the end of the call, the hiring manager will share feedback on how you did with the HR rep. From there, they’ll decide collectively if you’re moving on to the final round.
Round #3: The Candidate Project
If you make it to the third round, things get really exciting!
Here, you’ll be assigned a candidate project that resembles the actual work you’d be doing. The goal is to give you a test drive of the role – while showcasing your abilities in action.
For example, if you’re interviewing for a marketing role, your project may involve drafting a blog post or developing a social media campaign.
A sales role may include delivering a mock sales presentation. And an engineering role may include building a mini-feature or fixing a bug.
You’ll receive the project prompt and specs via email, and have 5 business days to complete it. This gives you a chance to put your best foot forward by wowing them with your skills.
Once submitted, the hiring team will review your project and decide if you’re a fit to move on to the final round.
Pro Tip: Treat this like you would treat an actual work project. Put in the time and effort to produce truly standout work that shows off exactly what you can bring to the table.
Round #4: The Team Interview
The final step is meeting with the team you’ll work closely with. This typically takes place over a 1 hour Zoom call.
Rather than firing off interview questions, this is a more casual conversation that gives you and the team a chance to get to know each other.
It’s almost like spending a lunch break together! You’ll chat about lighter topics like hobbies, food, family, and weekend plans.
The goal is to simply get a feel for whether or not you vibe with the team’s energy and culture. And vice versa.
Pro Tip: Be your authentic, charming self during this conversation! The team wants to ensure you’ll mesh well together if you join.
At the end of the call, you’ll hear back very shortly from the HR rep if Trainual is ready to extend you an offer letter.
If so – congratulations, you aced the Trainual interview gauntlet! Time to celebrate .
If you aren’t selected after the final round, don’t get discouraged. Be sure to ask for feedback so you can continue improving for your next opportunity.
5 Pro Tips to Crush Your Trainual Interview
If you want to maximize your chances of interview success at Trainual, keep these pro tips in mind:
1. Research the company and role thoroughly. You’ll impress your interviewers and stand out if you can speak in-depth about why you feel aligned with Trainual’s mission and values. And why the role excites you.
2. Prepare questions to ask. Thoughtful questions demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm. Plus, they give you valuable insights to decide if Trainual is the right fit.
3. Practice your answers. Use the STAR method to craft compelling stories that showcase your skills and achievements. Having clear examples ready to draw from makes a big impact.
4. Treat the candidate project seriously. Knock it out of the park by submitting work that blows them away. This is your best opportunity to showcase your abilities.
5. Let your personality shine. Trainual wants to get to know the real you. Being authentic and personable goes a long way in wowing them.
Common Trainual Interview Questions and How to Nail Them
Here are some of Trainual’s most frequently asked interview questions – along with tips for delivering perfect responses:
Tell me about yourself.
Trainual starts every interview by getting to know you and your background. Be concise – limit yourself to 3 to 5 sentences focusing on your role titles, companies, and most relevant experiences.
Example response: “I’m a digital marketing manager with 5 years experience driving growth for SaaS companies. I started my career at XYZ Agency managing social media campaigns. Then I joined 123 Software where I led all digital acquisition efforts including SEO, paid ads, and nurturing. In that role I increased trial signups by 200% year-over-year. I’m passionate about leveraging data to optimize every stage of the funnel, which is what excites
Step 5: Choose who moves to the next round
As soon as the interview ends, have the interviewers give feedback on the candidate.Â
Following the initial screen, only the People Ops person will provide feedback. But later interview rounds will have several interviewers, and all of them will provide feedback. Â.
To make sure the feedback is apples to apples, use a standardized feedback form. That way, its easy to gauge who should move on to the next round. Â.
And make sure there are open-ended questions, so your team can elaborate on their thoughts.Â
Trainual’s feedback form asks if the interviewer would recommend the person, how they felt about the person in general, and what they thought about the interview (from their point of view). Â.
We send this feedback form through Lever, so interviewers get it as soon as the interview is over. And they can immediately provide feedback – while everything is still fresh in their mind. ð¥ Tip: Before your team submits feedback, use Trainual to host a team-wide bias training. That way, your team can be more aware of their personal biases to impact your interview process. Try for free.
What will you ask to get these metrics?
You want to get to know the candidate better, but you also need to get information for your hiring rubric. And that wont happen by happy accident.
Youll have to be strategic with the questions you ask. That is, every question (except the “get to know you” ones) should check off one of the traits you want in a candidate, both in terms of skills and culture.
But to do it right, you cant ask leading questions. This will only get an automatic “yes,” even when the answer is no. So, opt for open-ended questions instead. Â.
For example, imagine youre looking for a customer experience role. And your rubric says you need someone who can resolve customer requests. Do not ask, “Have you ever dealt with customer requests?” Instead, ask, “Tell me about a time when you handled and solved a problem a customer had.”
To make the most of your time, you can (and should) prepare your questions before the interview. This way, you can get the answers you need in the hour-ish that you have with the candidate. And there wont be any awkward silences. Â.
Just make sure when youre asking your prepared questions, you dont sound like a robot. An easy way to do this is to personalize the questions to the candidates background. In other words, if you want to know about a skill they had in their last job, name the job and the company.
Questions You MUST Ask in an Exit Interview! (Read Between the Lines)
FAQ
What is your training style interview question?
Why should we hire you as a trainer?
How many interviews does trainual do?
At Trainual, we typically ask candidates to go through 3 to 5 interviews. And we keep their hiring manager in close contact throughout the interviewing process. That way, candidates don’t feel like they’re left in the dark. We ask all the candidates we’re interested in to come in (or hop on a Zoom call) for their first scheduled interview.
Is interview training a natural skill?
Interviewing isn’t a natural skill for tons of people – and often, the interviewer can be just as nervous as the candidate. Not to mention the fact that as much as you’re interviewing your candidates, they’re also interviewing you. So, put your team’s best foot forward with interview training.
Why is interview training important?
So, put your team’s best foot forward with interview training. That way, everyone your candidate meets asks the right questions and is prepared to answer anything that comes their way. Plus, when done right, interview training helps stakeholders become more aware of their unconscious biases. Which helps keep these biases out of the hiring process.
How many interviews should a candidate go through?
Just make sure you’re not overwhelming your stakeholder’s calendars with interviews – space them out a bit. At Trainual, we typically ask candidates to go through 3 to 5 interviews. And we keep their hiring manager in close contact throughout the interviewing process. That way, candidates don’t feel like they’re left in the dark.
