3 individuals looking at a table

Interviewing at Ciena

Tips to prepare yourself for your Ciena job interview

We asked several members of our Talent Acquisition team to provide advice on how to ace job interviews at Ciena. Here's what they said.

1. Be Yourself

"YOU" are your most unique selling point.

At Ciena, integrity is one of our core value. Therefore, be your as authentic self as possible. This will not only help to ease your nerves but also will allow you to talk about your experiences more confidently. This will also help us understand who you are and how you would fit in at Ciena. All you have to do is let us know why you're the best person for the job and how your skills and experiences could contribute to the team. You might be exactly who we're looking for, and we'll only know if we get to know the real you.
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2. Be Prepared to Tell Us a Story

Short anecdotes reveal your strengths and character.

It will also help us discover what kind of person you are, especially when faced with various situations. Tell us a story that best describes how you overcame a tricky situation. Share a moment when you were able to demonstrate your best traits.

Are you adaptable? Can you remain composed and focused under pressure? Are you able to work in a very collaborative environment? Your stories could be a differentiator between another strong candidate.
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3. Familiarize Yourself with Ciena's Products and Services

Ciena is a networking system, services, and software company.

Everything that we do is geared towards bringing the digital age into the next century. How you relate to our products and services will impact how much you'll thrive here.

Ask yourself:
  • Can I relate to Ciena's products?
  • Is what Ciena doing something I'd be interested in?
  • Do I have experience or interest in handling their products?
  • Do I have the skills and the passion to improve their products and technology?
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4. Research the Role and the Company

An organization is not limited to its products and services.

Take the time to learn about our leadership and culture, then reflect if this is the type of environment you would thrive in. Reading up about us shows us that your interest is not only in the role but for a professional life in Ciena. Go through our 'About Us' page and learn what we are all about. It may even bring about some questions, and the best time to ask is during your interview. Understanding our core values will also allow you which traits to highlight and will help you reflect whether or not our principles align with yours.

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5. Ask Yourself: Why Ciena?

A job interview is a two-way conversation.

It's an opportunity for our hiring team to assess your fit in our company culture and a means for you to decide if you want to be a part of it.

​​​​​​​Ask yourself:
  • Will Ciena help me realize my professional goals?
  • What about my personal goals?
  • Is Ciena the best company for me, right now and in the future?
  • ​​​​​​​Can I relate with the culture and values of Ciena? Are they aligned with mine?
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Before your interview, make sure you want us as much as we want you.​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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6. Build Rapport

The key to a call back is a memorable interview.

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Relax your shoulders and have fun during your interview. Your interviewers are the same people you may be working with. How you interact with them is a glimpse of what it would be like working together in the future.

Also, just because you don't get the job offer now doesn't mean you never will. You may be better suited for another position in the future. And when we do have it, you might be at the top of our minds.
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photo of whitney, a ciena employee
Whitney Hatchett
Talent Acquisition, Sales, Supply Chain, & PLM - North America
photo of asif, a ciena employee
Mohd "Asif" Reyaz
Manager, Talent Acquisition - India R&D
photo of allicia, a ciena employee
Allicia Draper
Leader, People Business Partner
photo of thomas, a ciena employee
Thomas Schmitz
Sales Director, DACH & CEE Accounts
photo of whitney, a ciena employee
Anne Marie Lever
Vice President, People & Culture - Global Products & Services
photo of anindita, a ciena employee
Anindita Mukherjee
Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition - India

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