Interview Workshop

Interview Workshop Alpha Chi Chapter

Outline • Finding Job/Internship in Current Environment • Before the Interview • The Why’s • Behavioral Interviews • Technical Interviews • Other Interviews • Finding Company Information

Internship Application Process • Learn what is out there and for you • Submit resume and cover letter • Interview • Super Day • Get an offer • Celebrate!!! • WORK YOUR BUTT OFF!! • Get the full time offer 

The Current Job Market • Know Yourself Thoroughly • Think and Plan Strategically • Prepare and Act Tactically • Network Relentlessly • Apply Everywherely • Try Persistently

What is an Good Interview? • “A job interview is generally considered to be the moment of truth, for both applicant and employer. In reality, it’s often the least honest, realistic or revealing conversation you’ll ever have at work.” – Page 73 GQ, Feb 08 • Interview is a Performance • Your resume can be only so good, but you can always improve on your interview

Acing the Interview • Pre-Interview • During Interview • General Behavioral Interview • Technical Interview • Stress Interview • Lunch/Dinner Interview • Other Interview • After Interview

Before Interview • Keep up with the news, read WSJ, FT etc. • DO YOUR HOMEWORK: RESEARCH • See “Where to Find Company Info” on slide 38 • Know everything you can about the company • The company, history, structure, culture, people, work, and your internship • Don’t forget the current stock price and name of CEO and other important people • Find out about your interviewer if possible

Getting Ready for Interview • Mock interviews • Finding any contact from the target firm and ask all the questions you can • Attend companies’ information sessions • Go through your resume to make sure you can talk about any item on the resume • Prepare for all the common interview questions • Come to as many interview workshops as possible

Appearance – General • Nothing stand out but will help to make a good first impression • Neatly groomed • Wear a clean pressed business suit • Dress conservatively • Get a nice black/brown padfolio and metal pen • Wear your glasses, depends on the person • Check your breath • Turn off your cell phone • Do NOT bring your ipod/mp3 player

Tips for Guys • Dark suit: solid dark navy or charcoal suits • Pinstripes are okay, but should not be bold • Suits should fit, tailored if necessary • White/blue DRESS shirts (No teenage brands), no Oxford • No flaming, logo or printed ties (Hermes) • Everything you wear should be coordinated • No white socks • Designer labels are not suppose to be left on the suit’s left sleeve • Choose a tuned down belt, no flashing logos • No French Cuffs or shining cufflinks • Not too much after save • Iron the shirt • Proper dress shoes go with business suit are solid black/brown oxford lace up dress shoes (get it with leather soles)

Ladies • Please don’t wear perfume • No heavy make up • No seductive wear, be CONSERVATIVE • No purses with designer label all over it (LV, Coach, Gucci etc.) • No open toe shoes • Tuck in your shirt • No fashion belts or anything flashy • DO NOT over-accessorize • Wear skin toned stockings if wearing skirt • Skirt should be around knee level • No cleavage, save it

Places to Get Your Business Wardrobe • Personal recommendations • TJ. Maxx – Buckhead • Filene’s Basement – Buckhead • Off 5TH Saks, Neiman Markus Last Call – Discover Mills • Brooks Brothers • NO Cheap Suits from Men’s WearHouse

Interview Time • When does your interview start? • The moment you drive onto the parking lot or step into the office • Arrive at least 15 minutes early • Turn off your cell phone • Watch your demeanor and language at all time • Be nice to the receptionist

First Impression • Warm up before go in, get the energy flowing • SMILE • Walk with good gesture • FIRM HAND SHAKE • Remember the interviewer’s name when he/she says it and use it during your interview • Professional exchange between colleagues • Lean forward during interview with a open gesture • Do not speak with upbeat, makes you sound inconfident

Before We Officially Begin • Interviews are to test your ability to communicate • Bring in good attitude • Learn when to SHUT UP • Smile and listen carefully • Answer the questions only, don’t dig a hole for yourself • When the interviewer stops listening, stop talking to get their attention back, then start again • Do Not adjust your tie • Look at the interviewer, just may not in the eyes • Interview is the best opportunity to learn more about the company. So Ask Questions! Not stupid questions though • Have a pleasant conversation

More tips • 30 minute sales pitch • Pitch 3 points for why they should hire you and incorporate them into the answers • Things you could offer to the company: Education, Potential, Drive, and Eagerness • Help the company to understand how you can solve problems • Emphasize qualification, training, and passion

And more tips • Answer the questions in bullet points of 3 with well articulated and concise language • Do the Homework and read the Vault Guide! • Ask about the next step • Ask questions! • BE YOURSELF!

The STAR to your Success • Situation – what was the background • Task – what was needed to be done • Action – what did you do • Result – quantified

Behavioral Interview • Tell me about yourself – 3 main points that make you special • Walk me through your resume • The Why’s: Why career, industry, firm, division, location, and position • Everything on the resume • Leadership, teamwork, and analytical skills • Greatest Strength & Weakness • One Minute sales pitch • Airport Test

Behavioral Interview • Think Strategically, incorporate the selling points into answers and stories • Organize the stories • Stick to the positive and put positive spins • Be Yourself!

Tell me about yourself • Almost guaranteed first question • DO NOT give lifelong story • Be concise, only a conversation starter • Five sentences or less, within 30 – 60 seconds • Do not make it sound scripted • Highlight the benefits you will bring to the employer • Disclose personal information cautiously

Possible Topics • Describe your values • Emphasize if similar to the firm’s values • Describe professional identify • Describe areas of strength/talents • Name the types and brand names of organizations where you have worked • Describe the opportunities you are looking for to further your experience and build your career • Building a personal brand, again, you are SELLING

Sample • I believe in integrity, fairness, beating the competition by working harder and being more innovative instead of bending the rules. I highly value my problem solving skills, using creative approaches to handle difficult situations, and my ability to work well on a team and get along with a large variety of people. I want to use these strengths to develop myself as a more visible and effective leader.

Walk Me Through Your Resume • Do not take more than 60 seconds • Highlight things on the resume that would emphasize the selling points • Do not read the entire resume • Incorporate the why’s into the answers

WHY? And WHY?! • Why this career? Investment Banker, Consultant, Accountant, etc • Why Industry? Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Operations • Why the firm? Know how the firms differentiate themselves • Why the division? Corporate Finance vs. Sales & Trading • Why the position?

Know Resume • Know everything on the resume inside and out • Have stories prepared for each activity • At least one story for leadership, teamwork, and solid analytical skills • Know favorite and least favorite classes and why • Know class projects that would demonstrate analytical skills or other skills and abilities

Greatest Strength & Weakness • Strength: skills that can contribute to your work • Love to work with people, good listener, analytical, caring, strong communication skills, hard worker, never give up, responsible, multitasking, organized, work under pressure, time management, etc. • Don’t say perfection • Weakness: “weakness” that you can put a positive spin on, how you are improving • Don’t say any of the above

One Minute Sales Pitch • Often asked at the end of interview • Great opportunity to restate your selling points and finish strong • Make sure it is powerful and concise • Remember the bullets • Under 60 seconds hence the one minute 

Airport Test • Not a separate section of interview • Incorporated throughout the interview to see if the interviewer can stand you for hours after hours • Testing your ability to interact with others and how likely do you get along with people • People with cocky, know it all attitude, and insincerity often are eliminated by airport test

Technical Questions • Know what’s going on in the market and industry • Know the basic vocab, their meaning, and how they relate to each other • Do not say anything that you do not have a good knowledge of • You can dig yourself in a deep hole in no time • For Finance/Accounting – know your financial accounting inside and out (the three statements and how they relate to each other in past, present, and future)

Stress Interview • During interviews, some interviewers will try to make you uncomfortable to test how you can perform under stress • Brain Teasers – evil, yet beatable, study Vault • Time limit • Hard technical questions • Interviews not paying attention to you • Rapid firing of questions

Brain Teasers/Thinking Problems • Not only to see if you can solve the problem, but how you approach the problem • Walk through the problem out loud, speak out he thinking process • How many McDonald’s fast food outlets are in the U.S.? How many gas stations are in the U.S. • How many golf balls can fill up Boeing 747? • What’s 1/32? Know it if you’re going to finance • Know your basic math like be able to answer 182 in 5 seconds, or 2161/3

Case Interview • Work on a business case within 15-20 minutes • You are introduced to a business dilemma facing a particular company. You are asked to analyze the situation, identify key business issues, and discuss how you would address the problems involved. • Quantitative skills, analytical skills, problem-solving ability, communications skills, creativity, flexibility, the ability to think quickly under pressure, listening skills, business acumen, keen insight, interpersonal skills, the ability to synthesize findings, professional demeanor, and powers of persuasion. • http://www.quintcareers.com/case_interviews.html

Lunch & Dinner Interview • Test how you react in social environment • EAT BEFORE YOU GO • DO NOT DRINK (alcoholic) • Use proper business etiquette • Let the interviewers eat • Hold the drink with left hand • NEVER let guards down • No out of the line behaviors

Other Interview • Information Interviews • Ask questions, intelligent questions that show you have done research on the company • Find out about the firm’s culture • Make contacts, ask for cards • “Not to waste your time, can I get your card?”

Phone Interviews • Find a quiet place • Lay out notes, files, and resume • Keep paper and pen by phone • Sound positive, self confident, and focused • Be a good listener • Write out response and practice reading aloud • Slow down when talking on the phone

After Interview • Ask for the interviewer’s card or the contact information • Send in Thank You notes/emails within 24 hours • Follow up in two weeks • Congratulations for your next round of interviews

Where to Find Company Info • Google is your best friend • Company Website • SEC filings and analyst reports • Hoover’s • Vault Guide • Standard & Poor’s • Factiva • Wetfeet • Keep the info you gather because they will be used later for your interviews

Company Website • What does the company do? • What is the Core Value or Mission Statement? • What is the internship program? • What is the position description? • What is the company looking for in candidate? • What is the company structure? • What is the company’s specialty? • WHY THIS COMPANY?

HOOVER’S • http://business.library.emory.edu/eresources/title/index.php • Look up Hoover’s Online under H • Gives basic company info and overview

Vault Guide • http://business.library.emory.edu/eresources/title/index.php • Find “Vault Report,” password: interview • Company Profiles • Industry Employer Guides • MAKE SURE YOU READ THE VAULT GUIDE!!

Standard’s & Poors • http://business.library.emory.edu/eresources/title/index.php • Find “Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage” • Stock Reports for publicly traded companies • Nice business summary, key statistics and industry information • Know your target company’s Stock Price

Factiva • http://business.library.emory.edu/eresources/title/index.php • Find “Factiva” • Username: woodruff, password: ethics7, Namespace= 16 • Username: emouni, password: travel, Namespace= 16 • Search for company news • Hint: Free Wallstreet Journal for the past 2 weeks , go to the news tab

WetFeet • http://business.library.emory.edu/eresources/title/index.php • Find “WetFeet” • Username: emory; password: ethics7 • Company profiles

Submitting Your Resume • Emory Eagle Opportunity Network • SEO and INROADS • Doostang, LinkedIn and other professional networking sites • Networking • Random listings • Spam all the companies you know, or don’t know • Most reliable connection: Your family network • Use the contacts within the companies to push/pull your resume in HR

Interview Workshop