Former Spotify HR Expert Reveals Secret To Landing Your Next Big Job

When heading for a job interview, it’s crucial to be punctual, well dressed and well groomed, but preparing meaningful questions for the HR or hiring managers is also important. According to former Spotify HR expert Dan Space, asking questions shows an individual’s enthusiasm for the role. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who can quickly adjust and contribute with minimal training. Showing curiosity about the company and its culture signals that you’re serious about joining them. Dan Space suggests using ‘humblebrag questions’ and offers a few examples that can make a strong impression, and benefit both you and the employer.

A humblebrag question is a way to showcase your skills while expressing genuine interest in the role. For example, you might ask about how the company handles challenges that you’ve faced in past jobs or if they are bringing in new technologies you’ve used before. Another method is to mention a successful project you worked on previously and enquire if the company is doing something similar. Space shares that he used this technique to show his experience and connect with the company’s needs.

Speaking on CNBC Make It, Dan Space said, “I love HR analytics and data.” In past positions, he focused on creating models by studying patterns in hiring and employee turnover. He added, “I said, ‘Hey, we started to build some of these models at Electronic Arts. We got to about a 95% confidence rate for that. Do I have any opportunity to use something like that at Spotify?”

While the former Spotify HR expert advised using ‘humblebrag questions’ in interviews, speaking to the same portal, Bert Bean, CEO of Insight Global, earlier suggested avoiding questions about work-life balance. The CEO warned that asking about this topic might seem like the candidate is not interested, dependable or serious about the job. He pointed out that such questions could give the wrong impression about your career goals and commitment to the position.

He said, “Finding the right work-life balance is vitally important, but it’s a deeply personal issue, and something that should be owned by the employee, not the employer. Your future employer shouldn’t dictate to you what your boundaries should be.”

To find out how a company supports work-life balance without asking them directly, Bert Bean suggested checking reviews on platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed. On the other hand, if you have connections within the company, you could reach out to them to get their perspective on the company’s culture.