What hiring managers are looking for with Charles Robinson

In our fifth interview, we sat down with Charles Robinson, Global Head of Investigations at Logically, and spoke about their recruitment practices as well as what he is specifically looking for when recruiting OSINT practitioners.

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1. Where do you work now and what are your day-to-day tasks?

I’m the Head of Global Investigations at Logically.ai. Logically is an award-winning international team of data scientists, engineers, analysts, developers, and investigators with offices in the U.K., U.S., and India. 

Our unique combination of automated intelligence and expertise in intelligence collection and analysis allows Logically to apply scale and nuance to the problems of mis- and disinformation, detecting, triaging, and responding to issues, through predictive analysis to helping clients to prevent and respond to emerging threats.

2. How can candidates stand out right away?

Candidates stand out to me when they show a genuine interest in Logically and have taken time to understand the work Logically does, along with the ability to explain how their current experience or education relates to the work we do as an OSINT practitioner.

3. What does the recruitment process look like at your organization? How many steps are there?

Logically’s recruitment process starts with a resume review by the hiring supervisor, followed by a phone screening from one of our awesome teammates on our People team. After the initial phone screen, candidates will interview with the immediate supervisor for the position, followed by a second interview with Department Head or manager. In some instances, our more senior positions or those filling an international role may be asked to participate in a third interview with members of our leadership team. 

4. What kind of skill-sets are you looking for when hiring for an intelligence analyst within your company?

We look for candidates with varying skill sets, when hiring junior analysts, we focus on their potential more than a specific skill set. Successful candidates at the entry level will have basic intelligence related skills gained through their academic or personal experiences. When recruiting for our mid-level and senior analyst positions, we look for specific skills associated with intelligence collection and analysis and knowledge of OSINT specific tradecraft.  

5. What kind of character traits do you find beneficial during interviews? Is there any behavior that can be an advantage for the candidate?

I find it beneficial for candidates to show confidence without being overconfident, and to show they have a genuine ability to carry a conversation. Come prepared with knowledge about the position and the company and be prepared to ask questions. 

6. Do you have any advice regarding salary negotiations during the hiring process? And dos and don’ts?

Candidates should not be afraid to ask about salary. Logically often asks candidates about salary expectations or informs candidates of the salary range during the screening process. If you receive an offer and have other offers to consider, be honest and let the hiring manager know, there could be some options available to them in certain situations. 

7. Would you be able to share any outstandingly positive interview experiences you have gone through as the hiring manager or person responsible for recruiting? What blows you away during an interview?

I’ve had some tremendous interview experiences as a hiring manager, in particular to the OSINT community, I have been blown away be some of the technology solutions candidates have developed out of need. The OSINT community is constantly evolving and seeing candidates develop their own tools and share them with the community has always impressed me, not only from the technology point, but the fact many of these candidates share the tools they developed without hesitation.

8. Is there any other useful feedback for the OSINT community that you would like to share with us? For example, what are some of the most common mistakes made by interviewees, and how can they be prevented?

Don’t be rigid, let your true personality show. If I was looking for a robot, I’d ask the engineers to build one. We seek candidates who can think for themselves and are not afraid to say, “I don’t know, let me find out and get back to you.”

9. What type of interview processes or questions are outdated in your opinion? How can the hiring process be improved?

I avoid using behavioral assessment questions, I believe they are outdated and often force stale canned responses. I believe that if a candidate is not showing their true personality it will show during a genuine conversation. That said, I have set questions that I use as an outline, but I can honestly say I have never asked every one of those questions, I prefer to let the interview drive our conversation. 

10. What would you recommend to recent graduates or newbies? How can they best prepare for their first interviews? Are there any resources you can recommend?

Get to know the company, ask questions, and don’t let the interview process overwhelm you. The hiring manger you are talking with was once in your shoes, they know it and should put you at ease. If they don’t you should ask yourself if that is truly what you are looking for in a company.

[note: this interview has not been edited]

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