Interview preparation

Preparing for the Interviews

• Network with your undergraduate/graduate alumni associations, Georgia State alumni, your classmates.
• Get your professors involved in your recruiting process. You never know who will step up to bat for you. Eight of my professors called into Salomon when they requested a reference.
• Practice interviews with your friends and professors. Know your resume cold. Keep your responses simple and concise. Walk through your resume in less than a minute.
• Spend at least three hours in the morning working on your job search. Most of this should be on the phone setting up meetings.
• If you want to work on Wall Street, plan a trip to New York during recruiting season. Let the firms and your contacts know you will be in town. You’ll be surprised at how many of them are willing to meet with you.
• Call the firms five days a week until you talk to the person you need to talk to.
• Remember the names of assistants when you call back. Several of them promptly forwarded my resume to the right individuals, probably so that I would stop calling them.
• When setting up your schedule for first-round interviews, set-up the ones that are on the bottom of your list first. That way if you mess these up, you can receive candid feedback from the interviewers to help you better prepare for the ones you really wanted.
• Research the firm thoroughly to identify the type of candidates they are looking for. Each firm has a unique personality and it is important that you know how they differ. If at all possible, talk to someone within the firm or who have previously worked at the firm. The propaganda you read in their literature is not always accurate.

The Day of The Interview

• The best advice I received: Do not try to cram last minute details on the day of your interview.
• Relax. Have a cup of coffee or juice. Read the morning paper. Know your daily stats.
• If at all possible, schedule a meeting with the contact person (someone you are comfortable with) within the firm you are interviewing. They will be able to calm you down and put things in perspective. Keep in mind, they are your cheerleaders.
• Get pumped. Be confident, not arrogant. Have a good time with your interviews.

During the Interview

• The best advice I received: Do not try to bullshit the interviewers. If you don’t know an answer to a question, say so and move on. If the interviewer tries to help you, approach the question as if it were a case. Some helpful models: Porter’s Five Forces, Cost/Revenue, 3 C’s.
• Lean forward in your chair. This appears to engage the interviewers and makes you appear interested and excited.
• Second piece of great advice I received: Try to read your interviewers and mimic their tone, style, demeanor etc. When it comes to a matter of “fit”, the little details matter.
• Maintain a sense of humor. When possible, create entertaining stories that highlight your relevant experiences. This lightens the mood and allows the interviewers to put a face and personality to a sheet of paper.
• Prepare at least five questions you want to ask your interviewers. Chances are you will not be able to go through all five, but again, it signals the interviewers that you are interested in them and the firm. If you are unable to go through all of your questions, ask the interviewer if it would be appropriate to call them in the future to follow-up. Get their business card.
• Keep in mind that interviewers will form their opinion of you within the first two minutes of meeting you. The rest of the interview is semantics. Make the first moments count.
• Smile. Give a solid handshake. Make eye contact at all times.
• Close the deal. Demonstrate to your interviewers that this firm is the right place for you and vice versa. However, don’t outright ask for the offer.
• A positive indication that the interview is going well is when the interviewers start selling you on their firm.

Post-Interview

• Always send thank-you letters or emails.
• Call your interviewers within five days, regardless of whether you received a call-back. Use this opportunity to receive candid feedback on your interview.
• Keep an interview journal. Write down all feedback and start preparing for your next round of interviews. You will notice a demonstrable difference in your interview tactics from your first round to your last.
• If there is a social event during your final rounds, be on your best behavior. If you notice your hosts having an alcoholic beverage, feel free to have one (I recommend it). Again, this is their way of ascertaining your social skills and “fit” personality. Watch what your hosts are doing and mimic their behavior. If at all possible, DO NOT use this opportunity to talk about the recruiting process. This is the opportunity to sell yourself. Talk about anything else besides recruiting.
• If you are undergoing final rounds, the interviewers will hold a closed session immediately following the interviews to discuss the candidates. Bring a box of thank-you notes and quickly fill them out (men may not prefer to do this.) Definitely leave a thank-you voice mail to each of your interviewers, including the recruiter. Your host should be able to provide a list of their extensions. Again, every detail counts.
• Find the nearest bar, and have a stiff drink. You’ve done the best you could have possibly done. Congratulate yourself for that.