Interview Tips

INTERVIEW TIPS Key to Successful Interviewing

2

Preparation

3 -4

Questions

5-6

Frequently Asked Questions

7-8

Questions for Your Interviewer

9

Networking-- Informational Interviews

10 - 11

Case Interviews for the Consulting Industry

12 - 13

OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES CABOT 509 +1 617. 627. 3060 [email protected] WWW.FLETCHER.TUFTS.EDU/OCS

Keys to Successful Interviews
DON’T interview for positions you don’t want. DO communicate to the interviewer that you want the position (and why) and that there is an excellent chance that you would accept their offer (if this is true).
BE PREPARED. Most interviews are won or lost based on preparation. Don’t assume that because the interviewer is a Fletcher alum you can be less well-prepared.
Have several good questions to ask the interviewer. Don’t be passive.
Frame whatever you say positively, even if asked negatively (“What did you like least about your previous work as a …”)
Get across your agenda: three or four selling points for that position. Give examples to demonstrate each of those selling points.
Connect your personal and professional experiences to the position description and the particular questions asked during your interview. The interviewer wants to get to know you. The more you create a personal connection, the better the impression, and thus, your chances of securing the job you want.


Know where you are on your career path and how the employer fits in. Having a clear idea of what you want to do and how you plan on getting there conveys confidence and drive. Scattered interests and vague plans, on the other hand, send the wrong signals.


Be honest with yourself and the interviewer. You don’t want to talk your way into the wrong position.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! (And do it before your interviews.)
Be prepared for questions you hope they won’t ask (e.g., resume gap, previous unrelated experience.) Be matter of fact in your responses, not defensive.
Even if you’re being interviewed for a summer position, know that the company is thinking about you long term.

Post-Interview Suggestions
ALWAYS send a thank-you letter reiterating why you are a good fit for the position. Ask follow-up questions or highlight something you failed to mention during the interview.
If alumni or references have championed you for the job, let them know whether you are going to accept or decline the job before you tell the recruiter.

2


If you decline a job, make sure the reason you give is framed in a way to consider the recruiters’ egos and reflects your professionalism. (“Bad” answer: “I really only want the job for a year.” “Better” answer: “This was a very difficult decision, but I have decided to accept another offer.”)

Preparation Prepare for job interviews as you would for an examination and you may be able to enjoy them as you would an interesting conversation with colleagues. Conversely, if you go into an interview without adequate preparation, the experience could feel like an exam for which you overslept! Spend time reflecting on your own goals, your strengths and skills, so that you can discuss them succinctly. Learn about the employer’s organization and current needs so that you understand how and where you would fit. OCS recommends a number of resources to help you prepare for interviews: •

OCS library--books and exercises on interviewing

•

Organization web sites and career-related sites, such as Vault.com and Wetfeet.com

•

Newspaper and magazine web sites, e.g. the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Washington Post, Economist. A keyword search can quickly give you a review of recent coverage of many organizations of interest to Fletcher students

•

Company and Organization files at OCS, Cabot 509

•

3

OCS referrals and alumni contacts - always check the Mentor Guide

Preparation Researching Yourself You know best how to reflect on your own goals and strengths. In the past, Fletcher students have recommended a number of tools that they have found useful. Some have enjoyed the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), a self-assessment tool that helps you think about personality type and work, or Career Leader, an on-line service that offers you guidance in analyzing the type of organization and function you would enjoy. While the answers will likely reflect what you already know about yourself, they can help you think about how to present this information to an employer concisely. To use the MBTI, make an appointment with OCS. To view Career Leader go to Services for Students on the OCS homepage. Another simple and very helpful exercise to prepare for an interview, recommended by an alum, is to create a matrix, listing your skills on one axis and the employers requirements on the other to see where they match.

Etiquette A punctual, well-dressed and well-groomed candidate is off to a good start. Always plan to arrive a little early and allow ample time for travel. Dress codes vary according to organization, but always be conservative in your choice. A clean, pressed business suit for men and a business suit or dress for women is most appropriate. Hair should be neatly cut, beards trimmed. Jewelry, scent, cologne and aftershave should be kept to a minimum.

4

Questions What kind of questions should you expect? This can be the hardest question to answer. In the course of your job search you may meet calm and skilled interviewers and others who seem as nervous as you may be. In some organizations interviewers will use a standard schedule of questions, and will be rating candidates on a standardized scale. At other organizations, a committee with no pre-assigned questions may interview you. Interviews also differ by sector. The good news is that, whatever the skills of those who interview you, your own careful preparation will be rewarded. Your enthusiasm and thoughtful answers will make the tired or bored interviewer sit up, and help the nervous interviewer relax and listen. In Get Hired (see OCS library), Paul Green identifies four types of interview styles: GutFeel, Conversational, Trait and Behavioral. Most human resources departments use behavioral interviewing in the belief that the best way to predict someone’s actions in the future is to know how they did something in the past. However, if you are interviewed by other people in the organization, they may rely on one or more of the other interviewing styles (see the book for details). The best preparation for any of the styles is preparation for a behavioral interview where you give examples of how you solved problems in the past. Many of the sample questions on the next page are behavioral. Typical Questions On the following page, OCS offers a list of questions that are commonly-asked. Read them through, and consider how many of them are open-ended. Open-ended questions give a well-prepared candidate the opportunity to tell the interviewer just what makes them an outstanding candidate. As you prepare answers, remember that you will stand out from the other candidates if you can describe specific situations, your actions and the results that highlight your selling points. Any candidate can claim to be well organized and detail oriented. The candidate who says, “My boss claims that the reason my favorite candies are M&M’s is because I can color code them” will prove the point and be remembered. Interviewers will often ask whether you have had a negative experience, or what you consider your weaknesses. A good answer will always be brief, keep the description of the downside to a minimum, avoid gratuitous criticism of others, and end on an upbeat note.

5

Questions Be Specific Many people give vague and general answers to behavorial questions. Give specifics of the issue, how you dealt with it, and be ready to give more than one example. Be Concise However good you are at thinking on your feet, in the pressure of a job interview it can be easy to ramble if you are caught by surprise, wasting precious interview minutes, so practice your answers aloud and time yourself. Afterwards... After an interview, always sit down and make some notes on how it went. If there were questions that surprised you, or that you wish you had answered differently, write them down now, and when you are relaxed, go back to your notes and prepare the answer you would like to give next time. Follow-Up Send thank you notes, which may be typed or handwritten, if your writing is legible. A note by-email is acceptable, but should be as formal as a note on paper. Address the reader as Dear ___, not Hi,___ Keep the letter brief, thank the interviewer for their time, and indicate your continued interest.

6

Frequently Asked Questions • Tell me about yourself. • What are your strengths and weaknesses? (Make sure you can list several of the former. For ideas, see our Self-Assessment handout.) • What is your greatest passion? • What three or four adjectives would a supervisor use to describe you? Why? Give examples to display those qualities. • What three or four adjectives would a colleague use to describe you? Why? Give examples to display those qualities. • How would you describe yourself? Are you a forest or a tree person? • What is the procedure you go through to make a decision? • How do you organize your time? • What do you do in your spare time? • What are the most important things for you in a job? • What achievement that is not on your resume are you most proud of? BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS • Give me an example of a time you demonstrated leadership. • Give me an example of a time when you worked on a team. (viz, as a team player, not leader). • Tell me about a time when there was conflict of personalities, and how you handled it. • Describe a situation in which you were presented with a task or instructions with which you disagreed. • How creative are you? Give an example of a creative idea/solution you developed. • Why did you choose Fletcher for graduate school? • Why should I hire you instead of an MBA candidate?

7

Frequently Asked Quesitons • Explain your decision to pursue a career in this sector after “x” years of unrelated work.. • What courses at Fletcher did you enjoy the most/least? Why? • Why are you interested in this industry? • Why did you choose to interview with this company/organization? • What did you do to prepare for this interview? • Describe the ideal position for you in our firm. • Who else are you interviewing with? • What qualities do you think make someone successful in this industry/organization? • How do you think you could contribute to the objectives of our organization/company? • What experience do you have in managing others? • What qualities make a good/poor manager? • How do you feel about travel, overtime demands of the industry? • Why do you think you are qualified for this position? • What did you like most, and least, about your previous positions? • Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? • What questions do you have for me (the interviewer)?

Other Sources for Questions Netscape Career Center: http://interview.netscape.monster.com

8

Wetfeet.com’s Private Sector Company Interviews: http://www.wetfeet.com/research/company_interviews.asp

Questions for your Interviewer Employers will also expect you to have questions for them. Below are some suggestions to help you think about what you may wish to ask. Remember that questions about salary, benefits, starting date, etc are always best left until after you receive an offer. • What do you see as the strengths of the organization? What do you see as the greatest challenges? • Tell me about the work environment. • How is the department organized in which I would work?


For past student feedback on job interviews, see the Last Will and Testament from the Class of 2000 binder in OCS.

9

• Does management encourage promotion from within the organization? • What would be the goals for the first six months I was here? • Why do you enjoy working here? • If you could introduce, change, or modify three things about your organization over the next year without additional resources, what would they be? (You will find that people reveal a lot about the organization in this exercise.) Take notes or remember the answers, so you can list them in your thank you note and say what you would do to address them.

Networking -- Informational Interviews Informational interviews are part of your networking plan and an important and on-going part of your job search. Talking with professionals in an organization where you might like to work is the best way to gather current information, and to prepare yourself for future interviews both there and elsewhere. Prepare as you would for a job interview, but this time think about what questions you would like to ask in a 20 minute appointment. Here are some examples: • • • • • • • • •

How does this division fit within the organization? What are your principal responsibilities? Why do you like working here? What courses did you take at Fletcher that are particularly valuable in your work? How do people get their first position in this field? How job-secure are people with your expertise? Are frequent moves among organizations necessary to move up the ladder? What is the hiring cycle? Can you recommend anyone else to meet with, either in this organization or another?

Don’ts Don’t ask for a job! It is considered bad manners and puts the person you are meeting with in an embarrassing position.

Do’s Do send a “thank you” letter after the interview thanking the person for his/her time and the help he/she gave you. ------The following page contains sample letters/emails requesting for informational interviews.

10

SAMPLE 1 Dear ---------(Fletcher alumnus/a): I will graduate from Fletcher in 2003 with fields of study in International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution and International Environmental Policy. I am very interested in learning more about your work on policy issues in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Would you have twenty minutes to spare for an informational interview at your convenience in the next week? I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, John Albert

SAMPLE II Dear Ms. Smith: A good friend of mine, Matthew O'Connell, recently suggested that I contact you. I am contemplating making a career shift toward interior design and am at a stage currently where I am exploring the field in general as well as the various options that may lie within it for full- and part-time opportunities down the road. To gain practical exposure, I have begun taking design related classes at the Boston Architectural Center. The research I'm undertaking currently will hopefully lead me to an educated decision about whether to undertake a more concentrated program of study there. Matt speaks of you highly, and your experience in both commercial and residential design would certainly allow me to gain valuable insight into comparing opportunities on both sides. Might it be possible to arrange an informational interview with you at some point this spring? Please kindly let me know your availability and what sort of arrangement would work best for you. Sincerely, Marianne Fremont

11

Case Interviews for the Consulting Industry Case interviews are the standard in the field of consulting. Applicants for positions with consulting firms can expect several rounds of interviews. In each round candidates are evaluated on their personal qualities, which are of great importance to the company as the prospective employee will work closely with others on a consulting team and will make presentations to the client. In addition, candidates are also evaluated on their skills, in particular whether they possess the intellectual ability, analytical skills and common sense approach to problem-solving to develop reasonable solutions to business problems in a limited time. Remember, consultants’ clients are seeking practical, affordable solutions to business challenges!

What to Expect Candidates should be prepared to answer all the standard interview questions, and also prepare for three types of questions which are used in assessing candidates in the consulting industry; brain teasers, estimating problems, and business problems. You may certainly take notes, and work out the numbers on paper. Round all your figures so you can work quickly!

Brain Teasers | Estimating Problems Brain teasers have only one correct answer which may be a deduced in a number of ways. Estimating problems require that you offer a reasonable answer to the question posed. In either case, the interviewer is more interested in the way you tackle the problem, than in the answer. Your answer should, however, be reasonable. Take the time to familiarize yourself with some basic numbers. (A book such as the Wall Street Journal Almanac may be helpful.) If you know the population of the USA, or metropolitan Boston or New York, you have some place to start to answer a question like “How many radio stations do you think there are in the USA?” For brain teasers, buy a Mensa-style book of problems, and try some out. It will get your mind running on the right course. Practice builds speed and confidence.

Business Problems The third type of question, a business problem, can be more challenging to prepare. Typically, an interviewer will describe a current or past case, and ask for your advice to the client. This is an opportunity for you to analyze the issues by asking lots of questions, as you work your way to a bottomline recommendation. Obviously, you cannot prepare the answer in advance, but you can prepare yourself in two ways. First, spend time reading about business in such periodicals as The Economist, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times so that you are well-versed in current issues. Second, (this is a recommendation from a young management consultant), take some time every week to think about local businesses you frequent: dry cleaner, supermarket, photocopying store. Analyze the business in terms of market, costs, competition, and capabilities. With this kind of regular practice in disaggregating problems, you will feel much more comfortable in discussing business problems in your interviews.

12

Case Interviews for the Consulting Industry Practice The OCS libraray has a number of books that will help you prepare for case interviews. Practice is essential. Students in the past have joined the consulting club and practiced case interview questions in small groups. OCS also brings alumni and case interview experts to campus to teach workshops early in the fall each year. Check the Fletcher online calendar for the schedule, or in OCS.

Sample Interview Questions Be sure to use all the resources listed in the bibliography at the end of this section to prepare for case method interviews. Many of these resources will lead you to sample business problem questions. Here are some general questions to get you started: • Give me an example of an analytical challenge: how did you address it, and how it was resolved? • What qualities make for a successful consultant? • Are you comfortable with the travel requirements and the periods of very intense work that consulting demands? • Discuss your style as a team leader and a team member. • How would you address the skepticism of a client? (“You have never worked in this industry. How could you help me?”). • Why should I hire you? • How do you measure a building’s height using a barometer?

Websites with Questions
ü http://www.bcg.com/careers/interview_prep/interview_prep_spalsh.jsp
ü http://www.casequestions.com

13