What​ ​you​ ​should​ ​know​ ​before​ ​interviews

1. Be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​articulate​ ​why​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​do​ ​this. 
We'll​ ​ask​ ​about​ ​your​ ​motivations​ ​for​ ​wanting​ ​to​ ​build​ ​a​ ​startup.​ ​Why​ ​is​ ​this 
fundamentally​ ​important​ ​to​ ​you?​ ​How​ ​does​ ​it​ ​fit​ ​into​ ​your​ ​life​ ​goals? 
 
2. What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​level​ ​of​ ​ambition? 
We’re​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​individuals​ ​who​ ​have​ ​exceptional​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​ambition​ ​and​ ​who 
believe​ ​they​ ​have​ ​a​ ​unique​ ​chance​ ​of​ ​making​ ​a​ ​big​ ​impact​ ​with​ ​their​ ​careers. 
Make​ ​sure​ ​you​ ​can​ ​describe​ ​and​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​your​ ​ambition​ ​-​ ​what​ ​do​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to 
achieve?​ ​What​ ​does​ ​success​ ​and​ ​impact​ ​look​ ​like​ ​for​ ​you?  
 
3. What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​edge? 
There​ ​is​ ​an​ ​opportunity​ ​cost​ ​to​ ​the​ ​startup​ ​you​ ​build — it’s​ ​the​ ​other​ ​startup​ ​you 
could​ ​be​ ​building.​ ​A​ ​simple​ ​way​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​you’re​ ​building​ ​the​ ​most​ ​valuable 
startup​ ​possible​ ​is​ ​to​ ​leverage​ ​on​ ​your​ ​edge,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​the​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​knowledge 
you​ ​already​ ​have.​ ​During​ ​interviews​ ​we’ll​ ​discuss​ ​a​ ​potential​ ​idea​ ​you​ ​may​ ​work 
on​ ​in​ ​EF​ ​and​ ​how​ ​that​ ​is​ ​aligned​ ​with​ ​your​ ​edge.      
 
Technical​ ​Edge  
Technical​ ​Edge​ ​candidates​ ​are​ ​a​ ​specialist​ ​in​ ​a​ ​particular​ ​technology​ ​or​ ​research 
area​ ​due​ ​to​ ​their​ ​academic​ ​or​ ​industry​ ​experience.​ ​You​ ​should​ ​discuss​ ​ideas 
directly​ ​related​ ​to​ ​your​ ​area​ ​of​ ​expertise,​ ​and​ ​we’ll​ ​ask​ ​you​ ​to​ ​think​ ​about​ ​the 
commercial​ ​possibilities​ ​of​ ​your​ ​work.​ ​If​ ​you’ve​ ​got​ ​significant​ ​industry​ ​experience 
in​ ​a​ ​particular​ ​technology,​ ​we’ll​ ​be​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​demonstrate​ ​your​ ​depth​ ​of 
understanding​ ​in​ ​that​ ​technology,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​explain​ ​its​ ​applicability​ ​within​ ​a​ ​startup. 
 
Product​ ​Edge  
Candidates​ ​with​ ​a​ ​Product​ ​Edge​ ​will​ ​range​ ​from​ ​seasoned​ ​programmers​ ​to​ ​fresh 
graduates​ ​of​ ​technical​ ​degrees.​ ​The​ ​strongest​ ​Product​ ​Edges​ ​show​ ​ideas​ ​where 
they​ ​can​ ​build​ ​high​ ​quality​ ​products​ ​that​ ​people​ ​want​ ​to​ ​use.​ ​They​ ​also​ ​present 
the​ ​convictions​ ​they​ ​have​ ​about​ ​the​ ​world​ ​and​ ​how​ ​those​ ​convictions​ ​could​ ​be 
useful​ ​for​ ​founding​ ​a​ ​company.​ ​Think​ ​as​ ​well​ ​about​ ​the​ ​role​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​play​ ​in​ ​a 
startup.​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​lead​ ​on​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​and​ ​commercial​ ​side​ ​or​ ​are​ ​you​ ​more 
comfortable​ ​being​ ​in​ ​charge​ ​of​ ​the​ ​technical​ ​aspects​ ​of​ ​the​ ​business.​ ​The​ ​more 
self​ ​aware​ ​you​ ​are​ ​about​ ​your​ ​goals​ ​and​ ​abilities​ ​the​ ​more​ ​convincing​ ​you​ ​will 
come​ ​across​ ​in​ ​interview. 
 
Domain​ ​Edge  
We​ ​are​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​hearing​ ​about​ ​your​ ​industry​ ​insights​ ​and​ ​which​ ​problems 
from​ ​your​ ​industry​ ​you​ ​are​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​work​ ​on.​ ​We​ ​will​ ​be​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​gauge​ ​the 
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depth​ ​of​ ​your​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​your​ ​field,​ ​to​ ​see​ ​how​ ​valuable​ ​and​ ​how 
technically​ ​challenging​ ​the​ ​problems​ ​in​ ​the​ ​field​ ​are,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​see​ ​how​ ​well​ ​you​ ​can 
explain​ ​them​ ​to​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​who​ ​is​ ​not​ ​an​ ​expert.  

Will​ ​EF​ ​sign​ ​an​ ​NDA? 

We​ ​don’t​ ​sign​ ​NDAs​ ​at​ ​EF​ ​interviews.​ ​If​ ​this​ ​a​ ​concern,​ ​drop​ ​us​ ​a​ ​line​ ​before​ ​the 
interview​ ​and​ ​we​ ​can​ ​explain​ ​our​ ​reasoning​ ​in​ ​more​ ​detail.​ ​We​ ​also​ ​don’t​ ​want 
you​ ​to​ ​breach​ ​any​ ​existing​ ​contractual​ ​agreements​ ​you’ve​ ​made:​ ​don’t 
demo/discuss​ ​anything​ ​proprietary​ ​you’ve​ ​built​ ​for​ ​someone​ ​else​ ​which​ ​they 
would​ ​wish​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​secret.​ ​We​ ​also​ ​do​ ​audio​ ​recordings​ ​of​ ​our​ ​interviews​ ​for 
quality​ ​control​ ​and​ ​decision​ ​making,​ ​and​ ​these​ ​recordings​ ​are​ ​strictly​ ​for​ ​internal 
usage​ ​only.​ ​If​ ​this​ ​is​ ​a​ ​concern,​ ​do​ ​let​ ​me​ ​know. 
 
Any​ ​questions? 
If​ ​you​ ​have​ ​any​ ​questions​ ​before​ ​your​ ​interview,​ ​don’t​ ​hesitate​ ​to​ ​get​ ​in​ ​touch. 
You​ ​can​ ​speak​ ​to​ ​applysg@entrepreneurfirst.org.uk​.  
 
We​ ​look​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​meeting​ ​you. 

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