General Interview Tips
The case interview is a unique process. It combines conventional interviewing with a role play exercise that tests your thought process, communication skills and quant skills. While Case in Point goes into great deal about the case interview, this section is about general interviewing. It doesn’t matter if it is the part of the interview before the case, or if it is an informational interview, there are certain things you need to keep in mind.
Effective Interviewing
A good interview is a conversation, not a test. However, there are some similarities. Those who take the time to prepare do the best. The better prepared you are, the more confident you’ll be. Research and practice are the two key components to successful interview preparation.
Research
In preparing for the interview, there are two main topics of research: you and them. First, you need to spend time researching yourself. This means being able to answer questions about you as a person. You may be thinking, “Who knows more about me then me?” You can answer any question about yourself, right? True, but given the short amount of time to answer, you might not give the best answer. You might not give a memorable answer.
In an interview, you don’t want to have to think - you want to respond. The first step is to look at a list of commonly asked questions and then write out your response in bullet points. Bullet points keep you from trying to memorize passages. They will make you sound more articulate and will keep your answer linear. They will prevent you from rambling and repeating yourself. The inability to end an answer can be fatal. People grow tired of hearing the same answer more than once.
Also, if you take the time to bullet-point your answers, you will be forced to think about things that you haven’t thought about in years, or things that you may have never thought about at all. So, dig deep into the back of your mind and come up with memorable stories and accomplishments that you can use to substantiate what you are telling the interviewer.
Most interviewers will admit that they make up 75% of their mind about you in the first three minutes of the interview. You need to be enthusiastic and confident and your appearance (which we’ll discuss later) needs to be flawless. The other thing that they’ll admit is that they don’t usually remember how you answered a particular question.
Interviewers remember stories and accomplishments more than common answers. For once in your life, you want to get labeled. If you told me that you were a swimming champion in school, then I’m going to label you the swimming champion. At the end of the day, when I see your name on my list of applicants, I will say, “Right, she was the swimming champion,” and everything we spoke about will come back to me. If I look at your name and think, “Which one was she?” your candidacy is over.
Besides writing out the answers to the questions, you should be preparing a 1-2 page fact sheet about yourself. Be sure to include your strong selling points such as accomplishments and skills. Over time, you should be able to take this fact sheet and convert it into an elevator speech. An elevator speech is a 30-second monologue about yourself and what you are looking for in a job. It has to be clear, focused and direct. Practice it on tape and in front of family and friends and be sure to sound concise and enthusiastic.
Researching Organizations
Whether you have an informational interview or job interview lined up, the importance of researching the industry and company cannot be over emphasized. You need to appear to be well-educated on the subject. If you cannot demonstrate your knowledge of the field, then how serious do you think the interviewer is going to consider you as an applicant?
Think of yourself in the interviewer’s place. He’s trying to fill specific needs in the organization. If you have researched those needs and know the organization’s problems, you can plan to relate accomplishments from your experience that demonstrates your ability to solve similar problems. Bottom line - you want to be able to demonstrate a familiarity with the company’s activities and with the current issues in that sector.
Listed below, in order, are resources you should approach and examine:
- Company web page
Interviewers will have assumed that you have spent ample time on their website. Asking questions that are already answered on their website demonstrates to the interviewer a lack of real interest. Take the time to scour the website, know how the organization is structured, their mission, services or products offered, and the biographies of the top people. It also allows you to understand how an organization sees itself, by the image it portrays through their website. - Recent articles on the company and industry on Lexus Nexus or The Wall Street Journal and other related websites. It is easy to get caught up in school work and not pay attention to the outside world, but the interviewer wants to a see a demonstration of commitment and knowledge.
- Insider reports from Wet Feet Press and Vault
These guides are full of information based on countless interviews with former and current employers. They tell you the good, the bad and the buzz on the street. Their websites (wetfeet.com and vault.com) have bulletin boards where you can read about others experiences with the organization as well as questions posed to others. - Former employees
One of your best sources might be sitting next to you in class or in the MBA program across campus. Look in the back of the Student Face Book and find out who used to work where you want to go. For the price of a cup of coffee, you can get objective information about the firm and the people who work there. They don’t have to sell you the organization like recruiters do, they can be completely honest. If they are going back to the organization, that says a lot right there. If they’re not, there could be 1,000 reasons for the change.
You can use this resource two different ways. You can either talk with them to get information or you can talk with them to make an impression. To get information, you only need a basic understanding of the organization. You would do this if you just wanted to get a feel for the organization. To make an impression, you need to do all the steps mentioned above and have a solid grasp of the organization, a list of questions you want to ask, a clear focus of what you want to do for the organization, why you want to work there, and how your skills will match the organization’s needs. You are trying to impress them enough so that they will call the organization’s head recruiter or their old boss and set up an interview for you.
Occasionally, a faculty member will help out with a job search. If this happens be respectful of her contacts and keep her in the loop as you make your way through the process. - Current employees
It’s good to have someone on the inside that can share information with you and shepherd your application process along. It is extremely advantageous to have an insider that can tell you about the interview process in detail, what the organization is looking for in an answer, and give you a heads-up on
in-house personalities. This resource is invaluable, but before they stick their neck out for you, you need to show them that you are focused on the firm and on a particular position. They’re staking their reputation every time they pass along your resume or make a phone call on your behalf. Be respectful of their position and of their limitations. - Information meeting
Recruiters come on campus to present their company to prospective employees, provide you the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about their company and to meet their employees. Highly knowledgeable senior managers and recent alumni share what their day-to-day experiences are like on the job and provide additional information that you won’t find on the website or in the presentation.
The secret to information meetings is to go early. The recruiters are usually there a half an hour before the meeting to make sure their Power Point® presentation is all setup and the cheese table looks nice. The recruiters usually stand around talking amongst themselves. This is an excellent time to get in front of a recruiter. Most students don’t show up until the announced time or even a little after. However, if you show up early you’ll have 3-5 minutes of uninterrupted face time with a recruiter. If you do this, go with a list of questions that you want to ask and the answers to why you want to work there and what you can offer. Don’t waste this valuable opportunity by being unprepared. It’s okay to be assertive; it’s okay to be focused. Make sure you get their business cards and ask if it is okay to call them with other questions. When you do your follow-up call (and you should), make sure the questions are legitimate and not just fluff questions to get them on the phone.
If you wait until the end of the meeting, you are going to be competing with many other applicants for 30 seconds of face time at the end of a long night. And who do you think he’ll remember, the person who came early and he spent five minutes talking to or the person he spent 30 seconds talking to at the end of the night?
- If the company comes to a career fair be sure to do your homework before attending. Research the company and make up a list of questions that you want to ask the recruiter at the fair. Make sure that the questions can’t be answered by reading the website. You want to demonstrate your knowledge, and if you ask basic questions then the recruiter might not take you seriously. Always bring copies of your resume to the career fair, but don’t hand them out unless the recruiter asks for it. Make a concerted effort to get the recruiter’s business card and email address. Politely ask if you can email her if you have more questions - she’ll most always say yes. Then, wait a day or two and email her a question, but be sure that it is a question of substance - in other words, don’t waste her time.
Accept All Interviews
Initially, accept every interview offered and create your own informational interviewers. The more you get in front of people, the more accomplished and confident interviewee you’ll become. In addition, you may discover opportunities that you would have normally passed on because of preconceived notions.
When you are setting up an interview, find out with whom you will be interviewing and their position or title - then Google them. Read and review everything you can about them, such as interviews they’ve given, articles or papers they’ve written, etc. Next, develop a list of specific questions for each interviewer.
Informational Interviews
Informational interviews are interviews with company employees about the company and industry, but not necessarily about a job - although that is the ultimate goal. The difference might be that the person you’re having the informational interview with isn’t in a position to hire you, but might be able to introduce you to a hiring manager or at the very least give you good data about the company. Even if he can’t help you today, it is always good to keep in touch with him because circumstances might change. I suggest that you send him an email every three weeks just updating him on your search. The email should be designed so he doesn’t have to respond to your email - he just reads it and files it away. This keeps you in the back of his mind and makes him a stakeholder in your job search.
When going on an informational interview dress appropriately. If you are visiting someone’s office, dress as you would for a regular interview. If you are meeting the person at a coffee shop, then it’s okay to dress like a student - like a student the day after laundry day that is! Make sure your clothes are clean and neat. Also, offer to pay for the coffee. It’s a nice gesture. Chances are they won’t let you pay, but you should offer. And be sure to bring money, you don’t want to offer to buy and then have to hit the person up for a loan.
Your Questions
Regardless of whether you are having an informational interview or job interview, you need to make up questions to ask them before you meet. I suggest that you write them down. A wise man once said that the palest ink is stronger than the best memory, so if you blank out for a second, everything is right in front of you. Asking questions can be one of the most important parts of the interview process. Questions that show interest in, and knowledge of, the organization will give you important information and help your candidacy in addition to your own evaluation of the company.
With an informational interview, since you initiated it, you should be prepared to ask questions at any point in the meeting. During a job interview, it’s not wise to start off asking questions. The employer invited you to the interview and should take the lead. Some questions you have will fit logically with the dialogue and should be asked when appropriate. Other questions should be saved until the end of the interview, at which time most interviewers will ask if you have any questions. However, before you ask your first question, if there is anything critical that you didn’t get a chance to bring up in the interview, now is the time to mention it. Simply state, “Before I ask my first question, I just want to make sure that I get a chance to talk about…” Get it out before you leave the room. If you don’t, you’re going to kick yourself all the way home, and even worse, you’ll never know if that statement could have made a difference.
Do not ask about salary, benefits, vacation time, etc. in the initial interview. In fact, you should make every effort to defer discussion about these matters until you have received an offer. You have a lot more leverage in deciding these issues once you have received an offer.
Listen
A common mistake made by candidates is to be preoccupied with anticipating the answer and not listening carefully to the question. The result is not answering the question that was asked, or not answering all parts of it. Be an active listener: stay alert, maintain eye contact, and show interest through facial expression and body language.
Responses
Another common mistake is for candidates to take too much time in answering a question, typically through trying to include excessive detail or being redundant. Interviewers cannot cover all the subjects they had planned and the candidate loses interviewer attention. Most questions can be answered effectively in about a minute or less. Rather than giving theoretical answers to questions, tell stories or give specific examples that demonstrate that you used skills or made contributions in areas of interest to the employer.
Interview Dress and Behavior
Appropriate professional appearance is crucial to making a good impression. The success of an interview is often determined in the first three minutes, and being well-dressed and well-groomed are important to the “chemistry.”
A suit, preferably conservative in style and color, is always safe for men and women. Women should wear closed-toe shoes; men should wear loafers or lace-ups in black or cordovan with over-the-calf socks. Shoes should be polished and clothes clean and pressed. If you bought a new outfit, be sure to remove the price tag and stray threads before the interview. Hair should have been recently cut; beards should be neat and trimmed. Avoid excessive jewelry, perfume, cologne or aftershave. Keep in mind that the well-groomed candidate impresses employers.
Mock Interviews
Earlier we mentioned that research and practice are the two key components to successful interview preparation. Now that you have researched yourself and the company, you should set up a mock interview. A mock interview is a practice interview given to you by a university career services professional, a mentoring professor or a friend or family member. You prepare like it is a real interview. You wear your best suit and pretend that it is a real interview. If you can, try to video tape it. The tape picks up more of your mistakes than does the human eye. Almost all the mistakes that you make in a mock interview can be easily corrected. Just seeing how you present yourself on tape is incredibly helpful. Usually, the interviewee is much more critical of themselves than the mock interviewer.
The Day of the Interview
Key reminders: look professional, bring a handkerchief, go to the bathroom, arrive early and travel light (no heavy backpacks), bring extra copies of your resume, turn off cell your phone and find out with whom you will be interviewing. (Ideally you would have found this out in advance and have already Googled them).
Because first impressions are so important, looking your interviewer in the eye and giving him a warm smile and a firm handshake is critical. From the moment you walk in, to the moment you leave, body language is important. Remember that the interview actually begins as you enter the interview room. The impression you make as you meet the interviewer, engage in initial small talk and take your seat is important. Demonstrating friendliness, diplomacy, interest and enthusiasm at this point can set a positive tone for the formal part of the interview. Don’t forget that the receptionist, secretaries and other office staff in the vicinity of the interview room are also forming impressions of you and will not hesitate to share them.
The Interview
In the interview, sit up to the table or otherwise sit up straight, and engage the interviewer(s). Hands can be on the table or in your lap; gestures are fine, just don’t wave your arms too much. A laid back, overly casual demeanor can convey a passive attitude and lack of real interest.
If a panel is interviewing you, eye contact becomes more critical. Make sure that each panel member feels like they are part of the dialogue. Most people look away when they are thinking. If the interviewer asks you why you want the job and you look away, this will hurt your chances because the interviewer would have expected you, and rightly so, to have given that question a great deal of thought weeks before you walked into the interview.
Normally, although the interviewer will have read your resume and is familiar with your background, he will begin the interview with a general question to start you talking. Be an active listener: stay alert, maintain eye contact, and show interest through facial expression and body language.
Written Material
Generally, you should not bring written materials about yourself to the interview with the intent of passing them out unless certain information was specifically requested in advance. You want the interviewer to focus on you as a person and not thumb through papers during your interview. If you have information that is not included in your resume such as a list of publications, honors, professional involvement or references, bring them to the interview so that you can provide information if asked.
Self-confidence
Even the most confident and able person in other settings may have trouble maintaining confidence as they approach a job interview. The tendency is to view oneself as being at a significant disadvantage relative to the employer. You spend too much time in advance of the interview thinking about your weaknesses relative to the job rather than strengths. The problem with this approach is that lack of confidence is perceptible by the interviewer and diminishes confidence in you as a viable candidate. Remember, interviewing is a two-way street, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.
The keys to self-confidence in the interview are knowing why you are interested in the particular job and employer, knowing about the employer because of your prior research, and focusing in advance on your strengths relative to the job, not your weaknesses. Be sufficiently prepared so that you go into the interview knowing you have something of value to contribute to the employer.
Key Reminders
Be enthusiastic and focused, focus on the positive, think before you speak, listen to the question and take notes and turn the interview into a conversation. Use stories to substantiate what you have said, maintain a sense of humor and roll with the punches. And have fun!
Follow-up
If the interviewer has not discussed the next step in the selection process as your interview draws to a close, it is up to you to raise the subject. Also, inquire if there is any additional information you can provide.
Within a day, follow up the interview with a short note expressing appreciation for the opportunity to interview and, if possible, remarking on your continued interest in the position and organization, preferably with reference to something specific discussed in the interview. Thank you notes should be addressed to the person that interviewed you, to the chair of the interview panel or the person that invited you to the interview if the panel members are from outside of the employer organization.
Do not overlook the follow-up thank you note, even for the informational interviews. While writing a thank you note may not improve your chances of getting the job, neglecting this step could have an adverse effect. If you do not hear from the interviewer, you may call or email to determine the status of your candidacy after an appropriate period of time, usually about ten days.
Additional Interviews
It is unlikely that a job offer will be made on the basis of one interview. Your successful performance in the initial interview will most likely lead to one or more additional interviews. The emphasis in additional interviews will be even more on the personal style and fit than was the case in the initial interview. The approach is usually conversational and you can take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the people with whom you might be working.
Chances are that the second or third round of interviews will include a meal, with you and several people from the firm. Remember all the things your mother taught you about manners and etiquette. Don’t order anything that is difficult to eat gracefully. Only order something that you can cut into small pieces. The minute you put food in your mouth, they’re going to ask you a question. In addition, because there is only one of you and possibly three of them, you will want to take the lead and ask questions, otherwise you could be talking all through the meal and before you know it they will be done and your plate will still be full.
If you have additional interviews after lunch, you may want to bring a piece of chocolate with you for an added sugar boost. This will help you remain alert as the afternoon goes on. Also, if you have the choice between facing a window and facing a wall, choose the wall - the afternoon sun will make you sleepy.
In summary, distinguish yourself. Stand out from the pack. Recruiters look for candidates who have researched the industry, understand the business of the company, and are confident about themselves and their potential contribution