How To Ace Your Axelerant Interview

Introduction

Interviews can take a toll on our well-being. I walked on that stretch of coal recently. Appearing for at least two to three interviews a day while juggling a full-time job.

Wheeew! Nobody wants to experience that. Am I right, or am I right?

At Axelerant, we don't want you to feel like that, either.

Because you're more than a mere resource. You're a person, and we want to treat you with the respect and kindness that you deserve.

I've written this article with the help of our team members to help you bring your best while interviewing with us.

Why Apply At Axelerant?

You may or may not have another offer at hand. Whatever the case, the question of why join Axelerant would definitely cross your mind if it hasn't already. 

That's an excellent place to start your journey of becoming a part of our team. In fact, I asked the same question to my interviewer.  

"What's the Axelerant difference?" I had asked. The reply I got holds true to this day. 

We are not just offering you a job. We are offering a lifestyle.

Of course, we would be delighted to offer you a job. But labeling it as just a "job" would be unfair to what we have in offer for you. 

You May Be In Just For The Perks

You may be interested in joining us just for the sake of working remotely. Or you may be looking forward to some of the progressive benefits for our team members. 

For me, it was primarily about the values. 

For Sreenivasan Viswanathan, Director of Customer Experience, Axelerant, it was about remote work in the beginning. His wife's job would have them relocate often. For Sreenivasan, working at a physical office would've meant staying away from his family. 

Or, Something More Than That

Axelerant Quality Assurance engineer, Annam Sreenivasan, was annoyed at women's limited role in one of her previous organizations.

"I felt like an outsider when I wanted to give my best, take on complicated tasks or challenges," she confessed.

Annam wanted to make an impact.

She didn't shy away from working the graveyard shift till 10 AM for over a year or taking on challenging tasks.

"I was up for a promotion. But they gave it to a male colleague instead." When she asked why she was passed over, her manager replied: "You're going on a pregnancy leave soon. Why bother?"

Her colleague, who got promoted, graciously explained, "You can't get everything in life. You've to choose what matters more."

"But at Axelerant, it's different. I've seen women leading teams and guiding their team members. Here, they are being the best and the coolest that they can be," she shared, laughing.

It is not unusual for women to feel undervalued at work. Such feelings are only natural when you consider the facts.

According to the United Nations, worldwide, women only make 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. 

Fortunately, at Axelerant, we don't tolerate discrimination. Everyone is paid equally based on their work.

Whatever’s The Reason, We Got You Covered

"One of the best things about being a part of this organization is that people are always ready to listen to you," said Akanksha Singh, Senior Drupal Engineer, Axelerant. Interestingly, many of our benefits originated from team members' requests.

For The Interview 

Akhil Nair, Axelerant Recruitment Manager, explains the various stages of the interview process.

All You Have To Do, Is Connect With Our Values

The most important thing you need to understand is that Axelerant is a values-driven organization.

We behave, interact, and base our decisions on our values: Openness, Enthusiasm, and Kindness.

Ankur Gupta, Axelerant CEO, believes: "Culture is what helps fire people up to get to work every morning, makes them want to stick around for years."

Our values are the building blocks of Axelerant's progressive culture. 

Each value has tangible actions or sub traits. During onboarding, team members learn about these traits in detail.

"For instance, some traits within enthusiasm are self-management and taking action independently," explained Michael Cannon, CSO, Axelerant. "But it doesn't mean being a lone wolf. We also know when to ask for help." 

Vibe With Our Culture

We are proud of our culture. It's what sets us apart. 

"We listen without judgment, introspect on the human aspects of any situation, and focus on growth through feedback," said Michael. 

"One fundamental reason why you should work with Axelerant is that your voice matters. We expect you to ask questions, share suggestions, and express your opinions," Sreenivasan shared.

Here's what Ankur has to say to team members.

As you can see, most of our benefits, especially performance coaching, focus on helping our team members grow.

Ask Questions, Even If It Feels Uncomfortable

The interview is a two-way process. We will check if you're the right fit for us during the interview, and so should you. After all, you'll spend a chunk of your day here if everything checks out.

Questions are good.

Nathan Roach, Axelerant's Director of Marketing, shares why it's vital to ask the right questions. 

If you’re wondering about what to ask during the interview, here are some things that you can focus on:

• Your role at Axelerant
• Mutual expectations about the job role
• Career growth opportunities and interests
• What would a working day look like when you join us 

Clarify all your doubts. If you forget something, reach out to the interviewer via LinkedIn later.

Be Open About The “Why”

“We are perceptive and kind towards your openness. Share your wins and falls with us,” shared Shalini Neelakantan, Performance Coach, Axelerant.

One of the best things about being open is the possibility of genuinely connecting with others.

Tell us why you want to work with us. What makes you feel inspired? What springs you out of bed every morning feeling like a creative butterfly?

• Do you like working with bleeding-edge technologies? 
• Do you want to grow your career and take it to the next level? 
• Do you enjoy working from home for its flexibility?
• Or maybe you're looking for an organization that puts people first. 

Take a deep breath, think about the reason why you want to join Axelerant, and share it with us. 

And, Take The Assignment Seriously, Seriously!

Assignments are a great way to display your skills and alignment with our core value of enthusiasm. Timely submission of assignments makes us confident about going forward with your application. 

We want to work with people passionate about their craft.

"At Axelerant, you will be working on some of the world's largest projects with people distributed worldwide," said Bassam Ismail, Director of Frontend Services.

Some of our clients include Stanford University, Wunderman Thompson, Red Hat, to name a few. 

We have a fondness for quality and strive to improve ourselves regularly. Our team members use the education allowance to take certification courses, read books, and pursue continuous growth.