When you’re starting your search for a summer internship or your first full-time role after graduation, it can feel a little overwhelming figuring out where to begin - we get it!
If this is your first time interviewing, you’re not alone. At Appian, our interview style is designed to be approachable, structured, and transparent. We want to help you feel confident and prepared, so we’ll walk you through what to expect at each step and share a few tips to help you put your best foot forward.
Connecting with university students
We partner with many schools, mainly on the East Coast, to work with students from their first or second year onwards to support their growth and development, and share what a career at Appian could look like for them in the future. We’re looking for students studying in programs like engineering, computer science, data science, and business.
On campus, we participate in career fairs (if you see us, come say hello!) and sponsor career centers. Through these programs, we offer mock interviews, resume reviews, and LinkedIn workshops to best prepare students for internships and new graduate roles.
If you’re unsure if we’re working with your university, get in touch with us or check with your careers center!
Round one: The recruiter interview
Now that you’ve submitted your application, it’s time for your first interview. This will be a meeting with a recruiter to get to know your career goals and so they can share more about the role you’re applying for.
To prepare for this interview, do your research on Appian through our website, and read past early career experiences on our AppianLife blog. But remember, it’s not a quiz! Researching Appian will help you come up with questions for the end of your interview.
As a student, you probably know all about studying, but have you done a “self-study”? What we mean by that is to look thoroughly through your resume and your own experiences; everything from class projects, to campus club activities or volunteer work, and be able to articulate what you learned from these experiences, the skills you gained, and the impact of your work.
You’ll hear back from your recruiter about whether you’ve moved onto the next stage or not. This is a great time to ask your recruiter for feedback on how you did, and what you can improve on your next interview.
Round two: Virtual Interviews with the team
After a successful recruiter screen, the next stage is a round of virtual interviews with the hiring manager or other team members. Depending on your role, this session may include a technical coding exercise to showcase your skills - your recruiter will clarify this in your initial call!
The final step in our process: Super Day at HQ!
The final round is our signature Super Day. Super Days showcase Appian as an employer and community, providing a chance to learn about our mission and meet with leaders from across the team. We invite candidates to these events to experience a day in the life at Appian, featuring a product demo, a tour of the office, and networking with potential future teammates. You will also complete your final behavioral interview on this day.
We’re flexible with timing knowing that school is your priority, so we’ll work to coordinate a time that works for you. You’ll hear back from your recruiter within a few business days with feedback and potentially a job offer!
What we’re looking for in students
We value curious students with a growth mindset. That looks like someone who regularly asks for feedback, demonstrates that they can take guidance, and absorb information like a sponge.
We’re interested in getting to know you as a person, and better understand your willingness to contribute and learn.
This is what made Appian stand out to Caroline Kaczmarskyj, a previous Software Engineering Intern here at Appian.
“As an intern, everyone during my experience here is always open and willing to pull me into meetings to help me gain exposure. I found that at Appian, you can shape your work to your interests, meaning you are able to explore and try different things in the field you want to pursue in your career. This includes role changing like I did, which includes looking into other areas of the product. Within software engineering, you could switch from data fabric to AI to expand your experience and try new things,” Caroline said.
“The company culture is what drove me to Appian in the first place, and what kept me for a second internship.”
Join Appian and kickstart your career
In the interviewing process we provide opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and we aim to make candidates feel supported along the way because that’s ingrained in the culture at Appian.
It’s not enough to stay in your lane, work heads down, and do your job at Appian. Part of the culture is very much extending your time and talent to elevate others on the team, and continuously being curious and open to learning. It’s been amazing to see students who started with us in their early university years as interns and how they’ve impacted the company as full-time employees.
By starting your career with us at Appian, you’re joining a team of people committed to investing in you, and helping you grow.
Learn more about working at Appian as an intern here on our blog.