The Interview
• Use appropriate body language
– Sit up straight and do not cross your arms – Maintain eye contact – Maintain a pleasant facial expression
Interview Preparation
• Decide what you want to say in advance
– Think of the interview like a 30-minute commercial – Prepare 2-3 selling points and examples/evidence – Prepare to answer common questions
IMBA PROGRAM INTERVIEW WORKSHOP
November 2002 Stanford Lin Project Manager MIT-China Management Education Project
ACKNOWLEDGMENT: Selected portions of this presentation have been reprinted from materials published by the Career Development Office of MIT Sloan, the Career Services Office of Harvard Business School and .
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Answers, Please (2 of 10)
• • • • What can our company offer that your previous company cannot offer? Be careful here -- do not mention money. Stress opportunities for personal growth, new challenges, etc. You have not done this sort of job before. How will you succeed? Say that you are the sort of person who tries to succeed at everything you do and that you are very determined and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Why should we employ you? The answer to this question should based on your previous experience and achievements which relate to the company. At the end you could add that you think there is a good fit between you and the job. How long do you think it would be before you were making a significant contribution to the company? If you think that you could contribute from day one then say so. Then turn the question round on the interviewer and ask how soon would they expect it. What do you like and dislike about the job we are discussing? Likes: Stress things such as a new challenge or the opportunity to bring fresh experience to the company. Dislikes: Imply there is nothing to dislike about the job, which is why you are so interested.
• Read your interviewer - listen actively and adjust your actions accordingly • If you get a difficult question, say: “That’s an interesting question, let me think about it for a while”. Then take 510 seconds to prepare a response.
Answers, Please (1 of 10)
• • • • Tell me about yourself? Be prepared to give a short introduction of yourself – mention your key selling points here. But do not simply repeat what is on your resume. Why do you want this job? Why do you want to work for this company? Stress the positive aspects which have attracted you to apply for the job. Do not mention the negative aspects of your previous job. Emphasize the positive reasons why you want to join their company; talk about what you know about the company and why you are a good fit for the company. What qualities do you think will be required for this job? The job posting may answer this, but you should also think of the other qualities that may be required. These may include leadership ability, supervisory skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving, analytical skills, etc. What can you contribute? This is your chance to sell yourself. Tell them about your achievements in your previous position(s) which are relevant to the new position you are applying for. What do you know about this company? What interests you about our products and services? Impress the interviewer with your knowledge of their company. Briefly describe their products/services, customers, news, financials, etc.
Welcome to the job interview! You have one 30-minute opportunity to convince a complete stranger that you are their next great employee. Your interviewer has probably already seen many people today. Each of the other applicants is smart and ambitious -- just like you. What should you say? What should you do?
The Reception Room
• • • • • • Don’t be late Bring something to read Be polite to everyone Move first to greet the interviewer Smile and make eye contact Use a firm, one-handed handshake
Introduction
Your goal in the interview is to show: 1. You are qualified to do the job 2. You are motivated to do the job 3. You are a good fit with the company structure and culture How do you do this?
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Answers, Please (3 of 10)
• • Why are you changing careers? This question will be asked if you are making a career change. Be positive about your reasons for choosing your previous career. Then stress the positive aspects of a career change (e.g., looking for a new challenge) rather than the negative aspects of your previous career - you do not want to come across as someone who is moving just because you hate your old job. Discuss why you think you will be good in the new career – you should probably discuss your experience, achievements and skills (e.g., leadership skills). How much does your last job resemble the one you are applying for? What are the differences? The interviewer is trying to see how well you would fit in to the position. You should stress the similarities rather than the differences. When it comes to discussing the differences it will help if you can show that either you have done something similar in the past or that you can quickly pick up the new skills. What do you think of the last company you worked for? Why did you join them? Did they live up to your expectations? Why are you leaving now? Always be positive about your reasons for joining and leaving a company. Do not say anything negative about your former employer. You should stress the positive aspects of your former company saying that they were a good company to work for. Tell them about the training you received or the experience you gained. Then, say that you are looking for a new challenge and that you feel that the new company will offer this type of challenge.