How to Navigate the Interview Process: Insights from Founders

The interview process can be daunting, especially when you're unsure what employers are really looking for beyond your technical qualifications. Understanding how founders approach interviews and what they're trying to evaluate can help you prepare more effectively and present your best self.

This article, based on our 'Why Work Here' video series, captures some of the key attributes that startup founders look for when interviewing candidates.

🧩 Beyond Technical Skills

While technical competence is essential, founders repeatedly emphasized that they're looking for much more during the interview process.

Lukas Biewald of Weights & Biases states: "We hold an extremely high bar. A big part of what I'm looking for is, would this person fit well on a team of otherwise insanely impressive people?"

Andrew Brown of Check adds: "High agency, high work ethic, really positive minded, you know, we're entrepreneurs, we're optimistic, we're trying to do new things. You want people who are going to push that forward. And obviously, you have to be competent in your domain, as well."

This means founders aren't just checking if you can do the job—they're also asking themselves: Will this person work well with our team? Do they share our company values? Can they adapt and grow with us as we evolve? Technical skills might get you an interview, but these human factors often determine who gets hired.

📚 Revealing Stories and Examples

Candidates should share specific examples demonstrating their work and problem-solving approaches.

Sagiv Ofek of LibLab shares his favorite interview question: "Tell me about the thing that you built that you're proud of the most. You can really assess their skill set of ownership."

Sean Kelly of Amperon emphasizes: "By having 100 employees, I, by proxy, have worked at around 500 companies. And so if you can tell me, I love hearing people come in and say, hey, this is what we did right. And also, hey, you're going left here. My last company went left here as well. And for us, it wasn't a good result."

These stories give interviewers insight into not just what you've accomplished, but how you think, collaborate, and overcome challenges.

🧪 Work Samples and Simulations

Founders increasingly rely on practical exercises that simulate actual work scenarios to evaluate candidates more accurately.

"The most illuminating thing we do is have candidates do an exercise that they present to the team," says Kevin Leland of Halo. "There's no better way to evaluate somebody than to simulate working with them."

Eddie Siegel of Fractional AI explains their process: "Our interview process is actually a pretty straightforward simulation of the job. We do some programming together. It's building programs from scratch in the same way that you would do it on the job. We allow you to use your own kind of environment, your IDE, your tools."

Ofek Lavian of Forage shares: "We put a lot of value in having some sort of startup experience. Someone who worked at Facebook for 10 years is obviously very probably talented, but you really need to have that boots-in-the-ground experience at a startup."

These practical assessments help both parties determine whether there's a genuine fit in terms of working style and capabilities.

🤝 Questions About Culture and Values

Does the candidate align with company culture and values?

Arjun Kannan of ResiDesk explains: "We have three key factors. First is, I would say research and intentionality. We try to put as much as possible out there in the job description. And I want candidates to come in and talk about specifically why they would be good for this type of role."

Varun Khurana of Wayfaster similarly looks for cultural alignment: "We joke around a lot. We look for people that don't take themselves too seriously, even if the work itself is very serious."

Jason Ball of Beautiful.Ai shares: "I think we're a culture of collaboration. We want people who work together. We celebrate achievement. Did you create the next great thing that we're going to use? Did you close the deal with this district that is going to impact thousands of kids with this product via teachers?"

These questions help founders assess whether candidates will thrive in their specific environment.

❓ The Importance of Questions

The questions candidates ask during interviews are just as important as their answers.

Anjali Menon of TBH notes: "What made this interesting, and you get to understand that some people are motivated by work-life balance, some people are motivated by remote, some people like equity. So that's where you get to understand what makes someone tick."

Zach Conway of Seeds Investor warns: "If you're not asking me questions about a different part of the business, even at surface level, to understand the product, to understand the customer, that to me is a red flag."

Charles Lee of Kovo adds, "Doing a little bit of research beforehand on the company really shows a lot of initiative and intelligence. There are a lot of candidates, a surprising number I've interviewed, who haven't even looked at the website."

Thoughtful questions demonstrate your genuine interest in the company and role, as well as your ability to think critically about how you might contribute.

📝 Final Takeaways

The interview process is more than just a test—it's a valuable opportunity to find your ideal match in the startup world. When you understand what founders are truly looking for, you can approach interviews with confidence and authenticity.

Remember these key takeaways:

Share your stories: Don't just list skills—bring them to life through specific examples that showcase your thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Embrace practical challenges: View work samples and simulations as opportunities to demonstrate how you'd actually contribute on the job.
Connect with the culture: Research the company's values and consider how they align with your own working style and goals.
Ask thoughtful questions: Show genuine curiosity about the business, product, and team—this often leaves as strong an impression as your answers.

By approaching interviews as conversations rather than interrogations, you'll not only perform better but also gain valuable insights into whether the company is the right fit for your career aspirations. The right match benefits everyone—you'll thrive in an environment that values your unique contributions, and the company gains a team member who genuinely connects with their mission and culture.

Your next interview could be the beginning of an exciting journey with a company where you'll do your best work. Approach it with preparation, authenticity, and enthusiasm, and you'll stand out for all the right reasons.