Your journey hasn't been easy.
You've faced numerous hurdles and made plenty of blunders in your career to reach where you are today. So, be a mentor wherever, whenever, and to whomever you can.
And sometimes, losing an interview can teach someone valuable lessons that will help them make the necessary adjustments or pursue further learning.
Today, I had two instances that I'd like to share.
Both involved candidates who didn't make it for specific reasons.
One of them decided to reach out to me to thank me for the time and ask for some guidance. This candidate certainly had skills, but there were a few areas that they lacked. I did my best to provide genuine feedback and offer tips. I hope it helps them prepare better for next time.
The other candidate, to our surprise, expressed appreciation for her interview experience and even referred a friend to the same role. Yes, candidate satisfaction is also incredibly important in building a world-class design team.
Our recruiter shared this: (Voice of Candidate)
"She really did acknowledge how great you were, so you did a great job, she wanted me to pass that on…Thanks”
"...….and even better, she has recommended another colleague to apply for the position, she asked me for the direct link for them to apply 😊"
I recall a kind Coca-Cola Director of Content spent 30 minutes with me explaining why I didn't get the job, despite the fact that I was confident it was one of my finest interviews. It's understandable that providing detailed comments to each candidate is difficult at scale. However, that one phone call encouraged me to make the required adjustments and continue my search, ultimately securing a terrific role.
Another instance occurred within the Amazon environment, around 2015/2016, when I was about to advance in Amazon's extremely competitive Prime Video role in Seattle. I was even invited to Seattle for the interview (pre-pandemic, of course). Even back then, this was uncommon. "You made it this time because they wouldn't have invited you here," my then-manager Jonathan Bergstrom said. To cut a long story short, I returned to Bangalore after a gruelling interview session and a long journey (I spent more time in travel than in Seattle). I was back in Bangalore, eagerly awaiting good news.
But I received a call from the Amazon Prime Video design team director.
He said, "Everyone enjoyed the interview and loved the case studies. We had a 50-50 split vote on your interview. Half of them felt you didn't have enough strategic experience; instead, you were too hands-on with the design."
That day, I changed my emphasis to work on my strategic and leadership design approach. Most designers struggle with this transition, and these career-changing tips are what some of them yearn for.
So please, don't be a Dick. Be a mentor. :)
Thanks to some of my incredible mentors along my design journey. Calvin Nguyen Biju Damodharan Deepak Pakhare Nirmal Pulickal Mike Bibik Hafiz Huda David Glaze CECILIA AMBROS William Barraclough and many more.
Oh man, I thought you were a shoe in on that Prime Video gig. I remember it was hard to watch you miss out, but so cool to see you double down, learn from it, and dedicate yourself to learning how to let it shape you into a better leader. Hoping our paths cross again, Shabeeb.
Jonathan Bergstrom | Brand and Marketing Leader | Amazon
You are killing me with this title Shabeeb Kutteery and how often it appears on my notifications!!!EVERY moment is a choice to show up with kindness, often we are too caught up in our own world to be present to what's in front of us. The candidate experience is nerve-wracking and highly-competitive. It's a mutual-relationship and exchange. You train others how to treat you, if you are disrespected, disregarded or ignored, move on and go where you are wanted and seen. It honestly doesn't take much to notice the effort, work, discipline it takes to keep on the interview marathon. Glad to see you are back in full form, my friend! 😇
CECILIA AMBROS | Responsible AI @ JP Morgan Chase
Shabeeb! Great to see this article…couldn’t agree more. Many congratulations on your well-deserved success! It was a pleasure working with you.
David Glaze | Creative consultant. Occasional painter. Serial remodeler.
I loved this post! I think any interaction with a candidate is a moment of mentorship and I absolutely agree with what you've shared. That feedback is so critical to help the candidate grow and if there's time and they appreciate it, it builds bridges for both of you.
Hafiz Huda | Creative Director
