Tag Archives: interview preparation

First Job Interview

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I’ve always found it incredibly uncomfortable to brag, boast, or talk up myself. It’s something that I had been coached not to do, until I had to prepare for college and job interviews the past two years. With interviews, there are so many unknowns – the interviewer, the questions, the environment – that it feels impossible to prepare.

When I applied for my first job, I was so nervous. It was at the local library, a place I had been volunteering for year, and I wanted to step up and try for a paid shelving position. I had a friend that worked in the same job there, so I knew it was low-stress. It was the sort of job that you could wear whatever you want and listen to music on earbuds as you worked, and had relatively flexible hours. In short, the perfect high school job.

In preparation for the interview, I looked up practice questions online and spoke to my reflection, thinking about eye contact, body language, and tone (Tip #1: Scripps CP&R offers mock interviews http://www.scrippscollege.edu/careerplanning). Personally, I know I don’t always sit very still, so I tried to think about that as I practiced. (Anyone else a hand talker?)

Finally, the interview day rolled around, and I was still nervous, but a healthy amount so. I knew that I had done what I could to prepare, and I just had to get dressed and go. I knew that my work ‘uniform’ would just be street clothes and a name tag if I were hired, but I still dressed up in order to give a good first impression (Tip #2: Dress or overdress the part for the interview, aka always dress nicely)

When I got to the interview, I shook my interviewers’ hands (Tip #3: Have a firm handshake, not a limp hand or an aggressive grip) before we began to chat. I answered their questions honestly (Tip #4: Be real with your interviews, but also remember your audience) and worked in informational nuggets about my related experience and made sure to make myself shine (Tip #5: Show off yourself and why you’d be good at the position, but also try not to brag).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of the interview, I shook hands with my interviewers one last time and thanked them for their time. Afterward, I sent an email to follow up, nothing long, just reiterating my thanks and saying that I was looking forward to hearing back (Tip #6: ALWAYS say thank you, it shows your interest, and it’s a nice thing to do. If you send an email, keep it simple).

After what felt like years of waiting, I did hear back with a job offer from the library. I responded right away to confirm my interest and subsequently celebrated the good news with my family (Tip #7: Respond promptly whether or not you get the job, thanking the person for the offer/their time).

Funny enough, after all of that, I found myself working a different job my senior year. The library position fell through because of conflict of interest problems – as a member of the Library Board I couldn’t work at the library. I interviewed at Hy-Vee, a Midwestern grocery store chain (“Where there’s a helpful smile in every aisle”), as a prospective Courtesy Clerk (aka cart pusher and grocery bagger) and was hired as a worker in the floral department. Even though I didn’t end up with my first choice of job, I ended up somewhere where I was still very happy (Tip #8: Be optimistic). My coworkers are fantastic and fun to talk with, my managers are nice, and I’m surrounded by flowers (as well as Italian and Chinese food – we’re next to those departments) every time I work. It could easily be worse.

I wasn’t kidding about the ‘helpful smiles’ bit! It’s part of my job description.

 

The Interview

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Like the college application process, interviews are the only way an applicant can really show off their personality. If you have an interview for a job, congrats! You are really in a great position – you know that the employer thinks you have the credentials, work experience, and skill set needed for the position. Interviews are for confirming that you would fit in, that you’d be a positive addition to the workforce, and that you’re able to communicate clearly. Below is a list of websites that talk about what interviewers look for, as well as my responses to them. I draw on my experiences interviewing both in person and on the phone.

Positivity is a must – though interviewers want to see that you take the job seriously, speaking with anything but a smile is not going to win over your interviewer. Smiling also reinstates how confident you are and how excited you are about the job opportunity. Maturity is also needed, especially when you are up against other college-aged candidates because it will set you apart. I tend to speak really fast and use abbreviations/slang/”like” so I always watch myself and make sure I speak slowly during interviews. I have been interviewed by people who are young and seem buddy-buddy, and I’ve been tempted to disclose fun stories and start using slang. One interviewer started talking about concerts, and while I could have talked all about my concert-going experiences, I caught myself because it was not work-related. Also, appearance is the first thing interviewers register when they see you. There’s no “magic” outfit that will get you the job so anything goes as long as you look neat, clean, and professional.  I always wear a dress, blazer, black shoes, and no jewelry with my hair pulled back.

There are important qualities on this list that interviewers look for, though it is hard to get these qualities across sometimes. A common question in an interview is “tell me about your previous job”. I always have a 2-minute response prepared that shows I am a hard worker [I worked 40 hours a week in my last job], a team player [I explain a school project I worked on and what my role was in it], and a problem solver/prepared/detail-oriented [I explain a problem that arose during this group project and the steps I took to fix it]. When prepping for this interview question, I always think “ok, what qualities of mine do I want them to know I have,” then I memorize a few work/school experiences that show these qualities.

Do. your. research. Citing a recent article/news event that is relevant to the company, or even a study conducted by the organization, will show you are already invested in the job and that you have respect for the organization. I  do this when the hiring manager asks “how did you find out about us?” Speaking enthusiastically about what you learned so far about the company gives the hiring manager confidence that you will be a positive contributor. Also be prepared with a copy of your resume, references, transcript, and cover letter. One time I did not bring these materials in because I assumed they would already have them from my application – turns out they were somewhat disorganized and lost my materials, so when it was time for them to choose an intern, they did not have my cover letter, resume, or references.

If you stumble over words, forget the name of your old boss, or mispronounce something, don’t freak out! In my experience, it’s the overall impression from the interview that is important i.e. how you carry yourself. Interviews are inherently nerve-wracking, but have the confidence that you’ve made it this far, read up on the organization, and look sharp!

How I Made My Story

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Along the same lines as last week’s post, my post draws inspiration from How I Met Your Mother. For those of you who missed an epic 10 years, last year one of my favorite television shows ended. Ted Mosby told his kids the story of how he met their mother–for the purposes of my sanity, we are pretending that the alternate ending was the ONLY ending–for a really long time.

The ending of this show was horrible and never happened.

The ending of this show was horrible and never happened.

 

The great thing about Ted’s story is that he crafted his life into a narrative. It was not always smooth, but Ted made it seem linear. And while Ted was not applying for an internship or job, we can learn something about building narratives and drawing connections from Ted. In cover letters and interviews, your future employers want to see a story, growth, and that the position you’re aiming for builds upon your narrative.

Sadly no....

Sadly no….

I’m in no way saying that you should lie or make up a story about your career path. DON’T do that! But I’m sure there are connections between your positions that you may not see. For instance, I’m a Beyond the Elms blogger and a Phonathon manager. How do those relate to each other? As a manager, a huge part of my job is to coach and give callers advice. I don’t write a blog about it, but I use oral communication to achieve similar goals. By participating in both activities, I’m able to develop my leadership and communication skills.

See? It's legendary!

See? It’s legendary!

See? There are reasons you do what activities, internships, clubs, etc. that you do and there are connections, but you need to be able to communicate those connections in cover letters and interviews. Having a narrative makes you sound more confident and like this position will really advance your career in the way you say it will. This week, try brainstorming the connections in your life and discover your own narrative!

Good Luck :)

Good Luck 🙂

Taking the Scary out of Superdays

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Hi everyone! In two weeks, I’ll be flying home to San Francisco to interview for a summer internship with an accounting firm. From what I’ve heard from friends, recruiters, and current employees, their internship program is well-established. It sounds like the perfect place for me to develop my quantitative accounting skills and build my network–and to get a taste of what a post-grad, full-time position would be like. I’m really excited, but one thing has me a little terrified. I’ve interviewed successfully for on- and off-campus roles, and have practiced my elevator speech during Life After Scripps. But what’s scary and new for me this time is that I’ll be going in for a “superday”.

What is a Superday?

A superday is a common final step in the recruiting process for finance, accounting, and consulting firms. They typically last anywhere from three hours to a full day with a firm. According to Wall Street Prep, the firm flies out a group of candidates for on-site interviews. There is often an informal dinner/networking event the night before, which should be treated by prospective candidates as interviews. In some rare instances, firms might make hiring decisions after this event and simply confirm their decisions during the next day’s interviews, so be careful what you say. On interview day, candidates go to the office. They will probably meet other prospective candidates again. 63c2bce17c54df7eb20ac119b2f10caafaa7a9a7f35410791882091e15d1896dWSP advises candidates to take advantage of the networking opportunity and exchange contact information–“don’t view them as competition as you never know how they can help you later.” Candidates will then have round after round of interviews with different hiring groups. These interviews are one-on-one or two-on-one, and the type of questions will include both technical and fit.

Main Differences Between Superdays and Regular Interviews

The main differences are that a superday is longer (3 hours to a full day, instead of 30-45 minutes) and puts candidates in different social situations. Also, a superday usually includes a technical evaluation.

Superdays help firms better gauge your social fit–your soft skills. Can you carry a conversation with other candidates as well as a senior manager? Can you represent the firm appropriately at more casual professional events?

Superdays also test your technical capabilities. Study for this! Finance and accounting firms will ask questions like: What happens to the financial statements when COGS increases? GAAP vs IFRS? Pitch me a stock. Consulting firms will have case interviews, where candidates are given realistic problems or challenges and asked to resolve the situation.

How to Prepare for a Superday (Answer: As you would for any other interview!)

If you’re like me, you’re not sure what you need to know. A helpful book from the CP&R Library I’ve been reading, Ditch the Flip-Flops by Sylvia Landy, broke down what I should know. Landy recommended I research:

  • my employer (mission, growth story, names of the top executives, focus/geographic scope, revenues/profit/loss, number of employees, recent news, hiring patterns, and any potential alumnae connections);
  • the market (factors affecting industry growth or slowdown, competitors and how they compare with the employer); and
  • the interviewers (try asking the recruiter or HR, “Do you mind telling me who I’ll be meeting? Will I be meeting the person who would be my supervisor?).

Superday Prep Resources

General Interview Prep
I’m really lucky to have a friend who just accepted a post-grad offer at the firm where I’m interviewing. I’m planning to grab drinks with her at the Motley so I can ask questions about what to expect during my superday interview. If I didn’t know her, I’d look through my LinkedIn connections or the LifeConnections database, and ask my friends and professors for introductions to their contacts. See CP&R’s Networking page for more information on how to do this appropriately. My favorite online resources for general information are Vault.com and GlassDoor.com, accessible through CP&R’s Websites and Resources page.

Business-Specific Resources for Technical Prep
Finance and accounting firms will test what you cover in class. For consulting firms, you’ll need to find practice case interview questions. A good general business website is TheGatewayOnline.com. Interested in accounting? Check out GoingConcern.com. Banking and investment? Try DrunkBankers.com or StreetofWalls.com (see Training). Consulting? Note most websites that come up when you google “case interview questions” are sneakily selling books or coaching services. But they might have useful information and a couple samples you can use. Ex. AceTheCase.com. Another helpful resource is the book Case in Point, available at the CP&R Library.

Have you ever gone in for a superday? What was it like? Please, please (!!!) share any advice you have in the comments! (seriously. I will buy you a Motley drink.)images

 

SCUBA Life Lessons

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I put my SCUBA certifications on my resume mostly because I’m really proud of all the certifications I’ve earned and also because if my future employer or interviewer is a diver, we automatically have something to talk about. However, recently I have realized that I’ve learned something from diving that I can use in just about everything I do… It’s the #1 Rule of Diving: Keep breathing.

When I was 12 years old and my instructor explained this rule, I thought he was joking. I thought that was the most ridiculous rule. After my first open ocean dive, I started to understand because it’s definitely a reflex to hold your breath as you go underwater, but that’s dangerous and feels awful. But now, as I endure the stress that is the end of junior year, I’m starting to understand how this rule could apply to practically every part of my life.

For example, during interviews, I always feel like I have to jump and answer the question immediately, but then I end up talking very quickly (and kind of squeakily…) and not thinking about my answer before I say it. I met with two of my best friends before an interview I had last week and before I left I asked them for last minute advice and they both said the same thing, “BREATHE.” Got it. Noted. Breathing.

Similarly, if I don’t remember to keep breathing during presentations (or during my dance performances) I end up talking WAY too quickly. Plus, there’s also that whole light-headed-feeling that is quite suboptimal…

Also, when I’m stressed and overwhelmed with the amount of work I have to do and meetings I have to attend… Everything seems a lot less terrifying and a lot more doable if I just remember to take a few seconds to breathe. (And then I continue to breathe as I do my work and attend my meetings. That’s an important step… Apparently.)

Basically, as we enter these next few weeks of stress on stress on stress, I’m giving you the same advice my SCUBA instructor gave me nine years ago: Keep breathing. There’s only so much time we can spend in the library and there are only so many Motley coffees we can drink in a day, and ultimately, neither of those options are really going to be beneficial in the long run. It’s probably best to have a backup solution to help cope with stress long term, and breathing might not be the whole plan, but it’s a good first step. So as exams approach, I’m reminding you to keep breathing. (Also, please keep eating, drinking water, and sleeping… but the breathing one can cause the most immediate problems.)