Interview Resources 

How to Prepare For Your Interview

We know interviewing can be stressful, so we've outlined several resources to help you prepare.

CANDIDATE WELLNESS

What's your pre-interview vibe?

Whether you need a moment to find some calm or to pump yourself up, we've got resources to meet you where you're at prior to your interview.

  • Medito Meditation
  • Interview Pump-up Playlist
  • SoFi Employee Wellness In the News

LEARN MORE  →

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INTERVIEW TIPS

Tips to help you succeed in your interview

LEARN MORE  →

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INTERVIEW QUESTION

Know what questions to expect and how to best answer them

LEARN MORE  →

Candidate Wellness

Our goal at SoFi is to ensure our candidates feel supported throughout the interview process, so we've put together a variety of resources to help you manage stress, pump you up, and make sure you feel prepared for your interview.

Medito Meditation

Interviewing can be stressful and there’s no better way to calm your nerves than to take a deep breath and re-center yourself. Our favorite way to do this? Take a pause via the Medito website and app - we’re big fans of the Work Life Meditation and Walking Meditation.

The best thing about Medito? It’s free!

Try Medito
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SoFi’s Interview Pump-up Playlist

Your outfit is ready, you tested the interview zoom link, read through our company values a dozen times, and maybe even stalked your interviewer(s) on LinkedIn. You're ready to nail this interview - there's only one thing missing: your pre-interview playlist. Queue the music and listen to these hits to get in the zone!

Interview Tips

 Tips to Acing your SoFi Interviews 

It starts with understanding our values and how you can translate relevant experience to put those values in action.

At SoFi, we conduct behavioral interviews based on competencies for each role and in accordance with our company values to hire the most qualified candidates and to provide an objective and inclusive hiring process. Each of our values is translated into a number of competencies that are then addressed through behavioral interview questions.

For example, our value of “Make your footprint bigger than your foot” can be redefined as whether a candidate has the ability to solve complex problems in a scalable way and think outside the box. Think about an example in your career where you’ve lived this value and be ready to communicate it during the interview process. 

We’d also suggest you look at ALL of our values and find connections in your professional experience that demonstrate that value in action. 

 The Three P’s: People, Position, Product/Company 

We know interviewing is a two-way street.  You’re learning about us just as much as we’re learning about you! We see an interview as a chance to have a conversation about what we call the three P’s: People, Position, Products/Company.

During your interview - whether it is with a recruiter, hiring manager or the team - be prepared to discuss the three P's:
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People
Our team will ask behavioral questions that will identify how you prefer to work, your communication style, and what type of factors are the most important to you as you consider your next career move. You’ll also have the chance to ask questions around the team dynamic, manager/leader philosophy, and more.
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Position
Your interviews will provide the opportunity to share your expectations and understanding of the role with our team so we can make sure everyone is on the same page. As you progress through the interview process, you will also get a chance to learn the expectations of your future teammates and/or manager.
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Products/Company
Our team will want to know what you already know about SoFi - what led you to apply for the role? Was it our mission-driven values or member-first approach? Was it our comprehensive product suite? It's important for us to identify what you’re passionate about with regards to our company and culture, so everyone is crystal clear on what you need from a company in terms of community, purpose, career development, and impact. 
Together, these three P’s help us make sure that our interview process is transparent, expectations are set clearly, and that you ultimately feel supported throughout every interaction with our team.

 How to Prepare For Your Remote Interview 

Video interviews conducted online are increasingly common, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rapid rise in digital job interviews, what are some ways to ace the video interview?

1. Confirm Video Interview Logistics

Knowing the interview logistics can help you build confidence for your remote interview. Some video interview logistics questions could include:

• Will you get a calendar invite or event link for the interview?
• What time zone will the interviewer be calling in from? 
• Which video conferencing platform will be used? 
• Will you need to download software to be able join the interview?
• Do you have a strong WiFi signal and well-lit space?

2. Practicing to Make Perfect

Different companies or organizations may use different platforms to host the interview—from Zoom to Google Hangouts to other programs. You don’t need to become an expert in these features but, it’s a good idea to become comfortable at: 

• Using the video software, download and try it out well before the actual call.
• Dialing in to scheduled calls 
• Checking the audio and the camera
• Understanding what the interviewer can see

3. Settings the Surroundings

When prepping for a video interview, put yourself in the position of whoever will be interviewing you. Be conscious of: 

• Make sure you have a strong WiFi signal.
• What can the interviewer see of your space? If you are able to, a virtual background is a great way to look professional while interviewing from home.
• Are you easily visible or is more light needed? Try to have a light source in front of you rather than behind you so you are not backlit. 
  Light source in front vs. behind (Zoom) 

• Are there any distractions in the camera frame? Try to remove any distracting or moving objects that may distract the interviewer.
4. Minimize Off-Screen Distractions

On a similar note, it’s worth remembering that the only person the interviewer wants to interact with is you–not your adorable pets, lovely roommates, or kid sister. Plan ahead so the interview isn’t distractingly interrupted by unexpected visitors.
5. Wear Headphones (if you have some)

It would be a shame to have the audio cut out mid interview. Nothing can derail a smooth interview back-and-forth than the inability to hear the other person. There’s no need to invest in fancy, studio-quality headphones, earbuds should work fine.
6. Dressing for the Video Interview

While the job interview location may now be a digital platform (and your couch), certain interview expectations stay the same—namely presenting yourself with professionalism and dressing for the job, especially when you’re interviewing from home. There’s an old adage—dress for the job you want, not the role you have. In a video interview, this could mean opting to dress a touch more formally—even if HR said the employees usually go for business-casual. (And, yes, you should wear pants during video interviews.)
7. Remember to Be Yourself

After preparing for the logistics of a video interview, it can be easy to forget one simple thing: Be yourself and be prepared and share who you are!

Learn more about how to crush your remote interview  → 

Interview Questions

 How to Answer the #1 Interview Question 

This section was created and written by SoFi Career Expert, Ashley Stahl. Read the full article here. 
Prior to your interview, it can be helpful to practice your responses to common interview questions, especially how you answer the interviewer’s likely opening prompt: “So, tell me about yourself.”

This conversation starter can have many versions: What got you to apply for this job? How did you find us? What got you interested in [industry]?” You need to have your ear trained and ready for this invitation to use this question to share your elevator pitch.

The best way to answer this question is to have something prepared! Don’t just talk through your background and resume, but develop an elevator pitch that has four key elements: your story, your cuff, your golden skill, and your goal.
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Your Story
Recruiters are looking for someone who is living a purpose-driven life and who wants to work at their specific company for a real, heartfelt reason. This is why it’s powerful to start your pitch off with one or two sentences that paint a picture of a deeper meaning to why you are there. This can connect to a defining moment in your life that influenced your career path or helped you make a career pivot.

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Your Cuff
It’s important to take a moment to address any spots in your resume or job history that may leave recruiters with questions - it should be brief and “off the cuff.” Perhaps you have a gap on their resume, you are transitioning out of industries, or you’re trying to leave a job they just started. Interviewers may wonder about something in your application, but instead of asking about it, they will give you the opportunity to address it. So use the cuff to clarify what you think needs explaining, and do it quickly!

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Your Golden Skill
Recruiters are hiring for a particular role, so it’s important you share a skillset applicable to the role at hand. This can be a testimonial from your boss or a colleague who has given you praise for that one golden skill and presents it in an honest and not overly boastful way. If you aren’t sure about your strongest skill set, ask the people you work closely with for their insight.

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Your Goal
At this point you’ve shared a bit about your career journey so it’s important to highlight your goal to get the job. You’ll want to speak to the importance of the company’s mission and how that relates to you and the work you would do in this role.

With some preparation and a compelling elevator pitch, you can provide all the information a recruiter or hiring manager is looking for to learn.

 What Do Behavioral Interview Questions Look Like? 

Example Questions

Give an example of when…

Describe a time when…

How do you handle…

Have you ever had to…

How do you prioritize…

How would you go about…

What have you done when...

Behavioral interviews are considered to be the best indicator of a candidate’s future performance because it focuses on past behaviors, and helps our recruiters and hiring managers identify how you work, learn, collaborate and problem-solve. 

We also find behavioral interviews create a more equitable interview process because all candidates for a given role are measured against the same competencies.
Want to learn more about interview logistics?
Check out our FAQ Page. 
Frequently Asked Questions