The interview is your chance to humanize your resume, showcase your passion for the job, provide examples of your experience, and illustrate your interpersonal skills. “Interviews give you the opportunity to breathe life into your resume and demonstrate you have the skills for the job,” said Cindy.
Think of your Fidelity interview as your chance to get to know us better, just as we’re getting to know you. It should be a two-way dialogue where we each ask and answer questions. You can get a feel for the hiring manager and team, and potentially others you could work with if you get hired.
It’s also a good opportunity for the hiring team to understand your body language and how you carry yourself. If you’re applying for a customer service position, for example, we want to be sure you’re both confident and warm.
Where interviews fit into Fidelity’s typical recruitment process
Interviews play a large role in Fidelity’s recruiting and hiring process. “Fidelity puts a lot of emphasis on candidate experience and making applicants comfortable,” said Cindy. “Our recruiters, schedulers, and hiring teams are well trained. We care about the hiring experience.”
Every recruiting business group is searching for applicants with specific skillsets and experience, and every role is different. In the end, every recruiter and hiring team has the same goals: to give candidates a good experience and hire the most qualified person for the job.
Here’s how Fidelity’s recruitment interview process typically works:
Recruiter screening call
After you’ve applied and a recruiter has reviewed your resume against the job description, they reach out to you for a screening call. This isn’t an interview but rather a conversation to see whether the role, requirements, and salary range are in line with your expectations. You’ll have a chance to ask any questions about the role and get insight into the hiring process for this position. The recruiter will let you know which type of interview(s) you’ll have and schedule them at the best time for you.
Standardized interviews
At Fidelity, we work hard to create a fair interview process for everyone, so candidates are evaluated on the same criteria. “For example, the hiring leader will select the key competencies for the job and ensure all candidates are asked questions within those competencies, so we understand how the candidate has dealt with similar experiences,” said Cindy.
External candidates might have additional interviews to get to know Fidelity better and be more comfortable by the time they get to a panel interview.
Zoom-based interviews
Most of the time, Fidelity conducts interviews over Zoom because we know, especially if you already have a job, how difficult it can be to take a half or full day off for an interview. Zoom-based interviews can be more flexible with your schedule.
Cindy advises not to let the convenience of Zoom turn into casualness. Keep it professional with a quiet, neutral setting. Be seated rather than in transit or while you’re out and about. Dress professionally and appropriately for the role. “Show us you’re serious,” Cindy said.
360-degree interviews
Depending on the role, you might have several interviews. These could be with a hiring manager, a hiring team, or a panel of diverse associates so you can get a full picture of the role, expectations, and requirements.
After your interview(s), you’ll hear from the recruiter about next steps. They might give you feedback on anything that needs to be addressed in the next round or coaching for the future.
Feedback goes both ways. Just as we provide you with feedback, we want to hear how the process went for you. “We do read feedback from candidates,” said Cindy. “We’re always trying to improve.”
