5 interview tips to land a job at Buildertrend

Stuffy suits worn with too-tight ties or toe-crunching heels. A room of strangers grilling you for hours. Nervous sweating. Lots of it.

Job interviews can be a real party, right? No wonder so many people just love doing ’em.

In case you didn’t catch our sarcasm, we know traditional interviews are never easy – no matter how many you’ve conquered. However, when it comes to Buildertrend, we don’t like to do things the old way.

We’re all about bucking tradition for forward thinking. This is even embodied in our recruitment process.

Ditch the suit. Don’t be afraid, we don’t bite or grill you. The sweating we can’t help with, but we promise to keep things casual and cool.

Yes, we still do our homework to ensure we only hire those that are a 10 out of 10. After all, we got nearly 10,000 applicants in 2019 alone. Yep, that’s 10,000 with four zeros. So, we’ve got to do our part to find the best of the best. Those we’d be proud to welcome to the Buildertrend family. Workplace all-stars.

So how do you go from hopeful to hired? Straight from Makayla Hoover, our director of talent, here’s the top five ways to ace a Buildertrend interview.

1) Practice and prepare

Practice makes perfect … well, it’ll make you a lot less nervous at least. Run through a list of questions in your head and know how you’ll answer them. That includes the dreaded “what’s your biggest weakness” question.

Authenticity is key, though.

“Be authentic, just be you,” Hoover said. “At the end of the day, if you aren’t true in your answers, the job will likely not be a good fit long term.”

2) Put your positive foot forward

We have a saying around here: “No a**holes allowed”. It’s even on one of our walls.

We get it, the interview process isn’t immediate. And it begins from the moment your application is submitted and only ends when the final decision has been made. Remain eager and look at each stage as an opportunity to learn more while showcasing your shine.

“Even though you may start to feel like a broken record when selling yourself to multiple different people, be sure your delivery is direct and concise all the way through,” Hoover said.

3) Show what you know

At their most basic, interviews are just a chance to talk about yourself. After all, what do you know better than yourself?

Share your story. Go on and talk about those previous employers – just remember to stay positive. We want to see examples of your best work and know what you’re passionate about.

But we also want to know if you know your stuff. Research the company. Who do we serve? What are our values? What makes Buildertrend…well, Buildertrend? Even if you’re not asked about any of this, sprinkle these facts into your answers for automatic “wow, look at that” reactions.

4) Have fun

No, we’re not trying to trick you. Interviews and fun can go hand in hand … especially at Buildertrend.

Your onsite interview is your chance to get a feel for what’s happening on the floor and see our culture firsthand. Just be sure to stay engaged with the recruiter or hiring manager. Our conference rooms have glass walls – embrace the open environment but don’t get distracted.

And we weren’t kidding earlier when we said ditch the suit. We’re a casually dressed crew. Arrive comfortable yet put together, and you’ll be dressed to impress.

5) End on a high note

All good things must come to an end. Even really, really good interviews.

Be sure to come prepared with questions for the team to answer at the end. What does a typical day look like? What is the career path for this role? How will success be measured? All of these are brilliant questions as well as asking what the company’s next steps are in the interview process.

Your next step once wrapping the interview should be a follow-up thank you. It’s not a dated nicety, it’s what makes you stand out.

“Whether it’s over email or even taking it back to handwritten snail mail, those final touches can make all the difference,” Hoover said.

Ready to interview?

You’re almost there. Your resume impressed, you’ve landed an interview and now it’s time to get the job.

Follow these tips, and your perfect position at the #1 Best Place to Work in Omaha (hey, that’s us!) might just be yours in no time. If you still need to apply for your dream job, check out our careers page.

Life really is better here, and that starts with the interview.