preparation for interviews_guidelines and tips

8/8/2019 Preparation for Interviews_Guidelines and Tips

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Gabinete de Apoio Profissional

Career Management Office

Preparationfor

Interviews

Guidelines

And

Tips



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The interview is a bilateral conversation between the candidate and the employer to see if

there is a fit between the candidate and the organization.

Purpose of the Interview

For the candidate:

• Sell your strengths, skills and experience;

• Learn as much as you can about the position and employer to check if it meets your ca-

reer objectives;

• Convince the recruiter that you should be the candidate accepted - you are a good fit

with the organization;

For the interviewer:

• To confirm his/her impressions after reading the candidate’s CV and Cover Letter;

• To assess the candidate’s profile in comparison with the job requirements;

• To gather information in order to decide which candidate will be recruited;

What are the employers looking for?

Employers are looking for critical skills and competencies, such as:

• Confidence (assertiveness; initiative; persistency; results’ orientation);

• Communication skills (written and verbal);

• Organizational skills (meeting goals; establishing priorities; leadership, multi-

tasking);

• Analytical / Problem Solving skills;• Team Player skills;

• Time management skills;

• Stress management skills;

• Drive / Motivation / Enthusiasm;



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TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Preparing for the Interview

The single biggest mistake candidates make is lack of adequate preparation. You must

have done your research and be able to articulate clearly what your skills are and how

you can contribute to the interviewer’s organization.

Advantages of preparing for an interview:

To improve your argumentation ability;

To be confident and control nervousness;

To increase the probability of success;

Before the Interview, you need to:

• Research yourself - What are your accomplishments, skills, experiences and coursesattended that best match the organization's needs;

• Research the industry - Key players, goals, ...

• Research the organization - Find out specific facts about the company — Where are its

offices, factories, regional headquarters? What are its products and services? Who are its

main competitors? Where has its growth been? What are its major challenges?

How to research:

Read everything you can about the organization;

Visit their website;Use online search engines;

Use online databases;

Speak with current employees;

Use your network;

• PRACTICE

• Know the exact place and time of the interview, the interviewer’s full name and his/

her title.

• Stalk out the location beforehand and check the path and the time to get there.

• Study carefully the job advertisement.

• Read your CV.

• Refresh your memory about the facts and figures of your former work experience /

internships.

• Anticipate likely questions and train your answers - You should promote you best

selling points and talk about yourself in a positive way.

• Prepare questions you will ask during the interview. The employer will try to

determine through your questions the level of interest/motivation you have in his/her

company and what your concerns about joining them are.



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On the Interview Day

• Arrive 10 minutes early and don’t get mad if they are behind schedule;

• Remember first impression counts - Generally it takes most people two minutes

to form their first impression;

• Dress conservatively and professional - Avoid bright colors;

• Be sure your shoes are polished and appropriate;

• Pay attention to your grooming — haircut and hairstyle, shave, cleaned and cut

nails, aftershave / perfume in moderation;

• Wear sober makeup and jewelry (women);

• Proper knot tie (men);

• Be in your “interview mode” as soon as you arrive and be nice to everyone;

• Turn off your mobile phone;

• It’s normal to be a little nervous.

Remember to bring:• Extra copies of your CV;

• Copies of your transcript;

• Pen and paper;

• Calculator (especially for Finance or Consulting interviews).

During the Interview

Do’s

• Smile, shake hands firmly, greet the interviewer and establish good eyecontact during the introduction and throughout the interview.

• Introduce yourself clearly.• Be prepared and be yourself.• Sit upright and talk with enthusiasm.• Mirror the interviewer’s body language to the extent that you’re comfortable.• Show a pleasant, educated and natural appearance;• Show self-confidence;• Answer in a genuine and honest manner;• Be objective and answer with determination;• Give concrete examples.• Avoid words or expressions meaning doubt or indecision;• Focus on your strengths - Make sure that your good points get across to the

interviewer.• Be prepared for challenging or embarrassing questions that the interviewer

may ask you to observe your response to stressful situations;• If you don’t understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat or clarify it; • Pay attention to the questions, don’t rush to answer before the end of the

question;• Avoid signs of tension and nervousness.• Listen for cues from the interviewer.• Pause and think before you answer.



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• Keep your answers short.• Ask intelligent questions.• Feel free to take notes — it shows your interest in the company.• Always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job.• Remember to ask for the interviewer’s business card.

Don’ts

• Don't worry if you need some seconds to prepare your answer.• Don’t project an attitude of “what can you do for me?” by appearing aggressive,

arrogant, superior, bored or by enquiring about salary/holidays/bonuses at the initialinterview.

• Don’t sit down before you are invited to do so.• Don’t overuse clichés like “I am a workaholic”.• Don’t lie.• Monosyllabic answers.• Don’t cut the interviewer’s speech.• Don’t chew gun.• Don’t use jargon;• Don’t make negative comments about former companies you’ve worked with.• Don’t over-answer questions. The interviewer may steer the conversation into

uncomfortable areas that are personal or political. Try to answer the questions ashonestly and as briefly as possible, and steer the conversation back to your skills andexperience.

At the end of the Interview

• Take the chance to clarify any aspect about yourself and your experience that you feel

you didn’t explain well.

• Confirm your interest in the job and make sure you know the next steps i.e. when you

should expect a decision, how it will be communicated to you, etc.

• If you have any time restriction for the next steps of the recruitment process, inform

the interviewer.

• When leaving the interview room, thank the interviewer and give him/her a firm

handshake.

After the Interview

• Follow up during the appropriate time frame if you have not heard from them;

• If you are not chosen for the next round of the recruitment process, ask for

feedback (what you did right and what you should improve).



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Forms of Interview

• Face-to-face - traditional one-to-one interview.

• Group Interview - It can be with a panel of multiple interviewers asking questions

or you could be answering questions with a group of candidates.

An increasing number of companies are conducting interviews by telephone or video-conference. You need to be just as well prepared as when you are physically meetingyour interviewer and there are some additional points to bear in mind:

• Video Conference

- Stay in the frame, avoid exaggerated movements and look at the camera;

- Always dress appropriately;

- Keep notes in view;- Speak slowly and project your voice clearly using short and structured statements

with frequent pauses;

• Phone interview

- Used by recruiters as a pre-screening exercise for decisions on invitations to firstround of interviews.- Prepare as you would for a face-to-face interview and dress for the interview as thiswill help you to be in the “interviewing mode”;

- Speak clearly, varying pace and intonation when appropriate and make an extraeffort to articulate; (practice leads to perfection!)



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Key questions

Always be ready to answer these key questions:

PERSONAL

• Tell me about yourself - Personal Pitch

• What are your greatest strengths?

• What are your weaknesses? (when answering discuss how you are working to overcome that

weakness).

• Have you ever had any failures? What did you learn from them?

• What can you offer us?

• Why did you apply for this job?

• Why should we hire you?

EDUCATION

• Why did you choose to attend Nova - School of Business and Economics?

• What led you to choose your Masters?

• How has university prepared you for a career?

• In which campus activities did you participate?• If you were to start over, what would you change about your education?

• Do your grades accurately reflect your ability? Why or why not?

• How do you think a professor who knows you well would describe you?

EXPERIENCE

• What do you know about our company?

• Why are you interested in this field?

• Tell me some of your accomplishments.• What experiences have you had or skills have you developed that would help you in thisjob?

• Describe a major problem you have encountered and how you have dealt with it.

• Give me an example of a time when you worked under deadline pressure.

• Give me an example of a time when your leadership skills were the key for success.

• Tell me about a time that you had to manage a group of people.

• What have you done that is innovative?

•

And some technical questions from your field of studies or the job you are applying for.



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Key questions (cont.)

Career Goals

• Do you prefer to work in a team or on your own?

• Where do you want to be in 5 years? In 10?

• Can you work on several assignments at once?

• How do you feel about the possibility of relocating?

• Do you have any questions?

Don’t pass the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview. It is the momentto gather more information, to show your interest and to help the interviewer decide if

you want the job.

Questions you may ask the interviewer

(if they were not answered during the interview)

• What do you like best about working for this department/organization?

• Can you describe a typical workday in the department?

• How long have you been with the organization?• What would be my primary responsibilities?

• What would I be expected to accomplish in the first six months on the job? In the first

year?

• What are the possibilities for professional growth?

• What are some of the department’s ongoing and anticipated projects?

• What type of orientation or training do new employees receive?



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Types of Interview

• Traditional: requires you to relay factual information.

• Behavioral: technique where the interviewer predicts future performance by howthe candidate handled various situations in the past. It requires you to offer

concrete, specific examples / stories to reveal skills - “Tell me about a time when

…”; “Give an example of …”

For behavioral-type questions, the STARS framework can be helpful in structuring the

answer:

Situation - Describe the situation, the context.

Task - Describe the task.

Action - What was your action, your role.

Result - What was the result / outcome.

Summarize and conclude.

• Case Interview: for specific industries like consulting and finance.

Skills assessed in the case Interview

Can be divided into two categories:

• Quantitative skills • Presentation / Communication Skills

• Logic • Energy

• Attention to detail / organization • Leadership Skills

• Focus • Maturity

• General awareness of business

practices• Composure

Analytical Skills Client & Team Skills



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For Consulting

Types of case interviews:

1) Business Cases - the most common type;2) Guesstimates;

3) Brainteasers;

1) Business Case

To be successful it is crucial to practice - Do mock interviews with your peers of the Con-

sulting Club.

Definition

A case interview is the analysis of a business question / scenario with the formulation of

a recommendation at the end. It is an interactive process.

Generally, the cases are based on the interviewer’s professional experience. The

interviewer describes a business situation and asks the candidate to work through a

course of action out loud.

Your job is to ask logical questions that will allow you to make a detailedrecommendation.

What the interviewer is looking for is a thought process that is both analytical and

creative; and also assessing your ability to communicate and to synthesize. All of these

qualities are required in consulting assignments.

Structure

Lasts between 30 to 45 minutes:- 10 / 15 minutes for behavioral-type questions, like: Why do you want to be a Consult-

ant; Why do you want to work for this company; Why should we hire you?;

(follow the guidelines given in the beginning of the booklet for general interviews)

- 15 / 20 minutes to solve the case. The interviewer can use just one case or two shortones.

- 5 minutes for Q & A.

The interviewer will present the case to the candidate either orally or in writing, more

likely, a mix of both.



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How to approach the business case

In addressing the case, it is important that you take a logical, well-structured approachand reach a reasoned conclusion.

Listening and Clarifying

• Make sure you fully understand the problem and its component parts.

• Ask for extra information or clarification to enlighten you and fill the gaps - Not

asking questions is a fatal error in a case interview!

• Break the problem into a logical structure and briefly state your understanding of it

in your own words.

Take notes

• Take notes when the interviewer is presenting the case.

Talk it through

• From the clarifying stage to the final summing up, talk through your thinking (but

think before you speak!)

• It is crucial to show your interviewer how you are thinking every step of the way.

• Formulate hypotheses and continue to question until you are confident with the

ones that will be more suitable.

State your approach

• Once you are clear about the problem, explain in a concise and clear way, how you

are going to approach it. Address the issues one at a time; Identify the factors or

headings you are going to use to shape your analysis.

• Be ready to listen and respond to any steering that your interviewer may give you in

response to your proposed analysis - Follow the clues given by the interviewer.

• It is very important that your response to the case is well structured and addresses

the important issues. It will demonstrate to the interviewer that you have the

logical thinking and analytical skills they seek.



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Proceed with your analysis • Work through it methodically and vocalize your thinking.

• Do the important calculations and analyses the best you can.

• If you decide not to pursue a line of thinking – explain why.

• Follow the interviewer’s guidance - he/she is there to interact with you, so ask for

assistance if you need it.

Be happy with numbers

• Make sure you are especially comfortable with percentages, ratios, long division

and multiplication, estimates and working with large numbers.

Use your common sense • You may not have any business experience in the areas that the business case

covers, so instead, make use of any perspectives that you may have acquired from

being either a user or a consumer of the products and services that are the

subjects of the business case.

Think creatively

• Think outside the box - be willing to be different.

• Approach the problem from different directions - look beyond the numbers to the

processes, products, people and politics behind them.

Be ready and willing to respond to further interviewer requests as you go along • Be ready to brainstorm ideas or to work through some numbers.

Work through to your conclusion and summarize your solution

• Synthesize your thoughts related to the terms of the problem, incorporate why you

adopted the approach you did and the significant evidence you accumulated

through your analysis.

• Deliver a recommendation - talk about what the next steps should be and which

ones are the most important.



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Do’s

• Maintain consistent eye contact and smile.

• Engage in a dialogue.

• Listen to the problem and make sure you are answering the question that you have

been asked.

• Begin by setting a structure - Think of a few sub-questions that you need to answer

before you can address the overall issue.

•

Stay organized - remember why you are discussing the topic and where it fits intothe overall problem.

• Communicate your ideas and thoughts clearly and with confidence - If you have

considered some alternatives and rejected them, tell the interviewer what and why.

• Step back periodically - Summarize what you have learned and what the

implications appear to be.

• Ask for additional information when you need it - But make sure that the

interviewer knows why you need the information.

• Watch for cues from the interviewer - Any information given to you by an

interviewer is given to help you - listen to them carefully and follow their lead.

• Be comfortable with numbers - You will almost always have to work with numbers in

a case. This requires comfort with basic arithmetic and sometimes large quantities.

You may also be asked to perform estimations.

• Think before you speak.

• Use business judgment and common sense.

• Show enthusiasm.

• Relax and enjoy the process - Think of the interviewer as a teammate in a problem-solving process and the case as a real client problem that you need to explore and

then solve.



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Don’ts

• Misunderstand the question or answer the wrong question.

• Proceed in a haphazard fashion - not identifying the major issues that need to be ex-

amined or jumping from one issue to another without outlining your overall approach.

• Fixate on "cracking the case" - It is much more important to demonstrate a logical

thought process than to arrive at the solution.

• Ask questions without explaining to the interviewer why you need the information.

• Force a familiar business framework to every case question, rather than simply using

common sense.

• Fail to synthesize a point of view - be sure to synthesize a point of view based on

where you ended up.

• Not ask for help - Whether it is a misunderstanding related to the overall problem or

whether you are struggling with a specific analysis, be sure to ask for help when you

need it.

How to be better prepared

⇒ Use Online Resources

• Vault - access available on the intranet - CMO area.

• Look at the companies’ websites - most consulting firms have business cases mate-

rial and tips available.

•

www.casequestions.com

⇒ Practice

With the Consulting Club Members you can practice the Case Interviews.

The CMO team can practice with you the behavioral-type questions, in small groups.

Final notes:

If you reach the case interview then you probably have enough analytical skills to be

successful. Practice to be sure you will be able to show your talents in the interview.



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2) Guesstimates - the candidate has to do some mental calculations. This can be part of

a case interview or be separate.

You are not expected to reach the exact number but you should come close. You shouldanalyze the question and form a conclusion by thinking out loud.

e.g. How many Ping-Pong balls fit in a 747 airplane?

Purpose: to evaluate the candidate’s poise and professionalism when facing a peculiar

situation.

Tips:

⇒ Don’t panic or lose control;

⇒ Take a minute to think;

⇒ Go through your reasoning out loud;

⇒ Put questions to the interviewer - if he/she refuses to answer you should makeassumptions;

⇒ Use round numbers;

⇒ Use pen and paper.

3) Brainteasers - similar with logic puzzles or riddles that can be timed. A less common

form of case interview.

Purpose: to test both analytical and out-of-the box thinking, as well as grace under

pressure.

Typically come in two forms:

• With calculations (resembles a math problem)

e.g. The area and volume of a certain sphere are both 4-digit integers. What is the ra-

dius of the sphere?

• Without calculations

e.g. Why are manhole covers round?

General guidelines:

⇒ Don’t panic

⇒ Take a minute to think

⇒ Use the paper

⇒ Break apart the problem

⇒ Demonstrate an analytical approach.

Don’ts

• Answer with a random guess;

•

Give up;



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The Case Checklist

Before the case:• Arrive on time;• Take time to assess the office;• Dress appropriately;

• Bring with you: a pen, paper, your CV, a transcript, a watch and a calculator (justin case).

During the case:• Don’t ignore the importance of the chitchat;• Be consistent but not monotonous;• Take notes when the interviewer is describing the case;• Repeat the case in your words;• Don’t be afraid to ask for help;• Don’t panic if you get stuck - ask for pointers.

After the case:• Ask for feedback;• Never discuss the case while you are still in the company's facilities.

Common types of Business Cases

1. Falling profits caseExploring the possible reasons behind a company’s drop in profits.

2. New product introductionRecommending a strategy for introducing a new product.

3. Entering a new market

Analyzing whether a company should enter a new market or develop a new line ofproducts or services.

4. Entering a new geographic marketAnalyzing whether a company should expand into a new country or region.

5. Where to locate a new facilityEvaluating where a company should locate a new plant or other facility.

6. Mergers & AcquisitionsDetermining if a particular acquisition is advisable.

7. Competitive responseRecommending how your client should react to a move by its competitor.

8. Changes in government / regulatory environmentAdvising a client in case of a change in governmental or regulatory laws.

Case frameworks

Classic models and business concepts can be useful in structuring your thinking. Just re-member that frameworks are just frameworks. You don’t have to say the name - you justhave to use it.

Examples of concepts:

- Cost-benefit analysis - Internal vs external market factors- Fixed vs variable costs - Opportunity cost ...



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For Finance

In general the Investment Banking and Finance interviews have two parts:

•

The fit part;

The interviewer will make behavioral questions and is looking to see if the candidate

fits with the organization and the role. He/she will assess your attitude toward work,

and interest in the industry and the job.

• The technical part;

When asking technical questions, the interviewer wants to assess the analytical and

technical skills of the candidate. You must show that you are competent to handle thejob.

How to approach the Finance Interview

• Show you are a hard worker - give examples of how hard you have worked in the

past. Don’t lie and don’t pretend your goal in life is to work 20 hours a day. You can

be honest about disliking the long hours; just convince your interviewer that you are

ready and able to cope well with that scenario.

• Show you are a responsible person - in this line of business you need to be capable

of delivering the analysis requested promptly and correctly. Think of examples to

give about taking responsibility and being competent.

• Show you have an analytical mind - the world of finance is largely about number

crunching and analytical ability, so you need to have an analytical mind to succeed.

Think of examples where you show problem solving and analytical strengths.

• Show you are a team player - teamwork is a very important concept in the jobmarket these days. And almost every finance position requires working closely with

others. Think of examples where you have excelled in team situations and shown

your team work abilities.



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Preparing for finance interviews

Research the industry (http://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/)

If you want to work in Investment banking you should gather information about theindustry and the position you are thinking of applying for.

• Go to the company’s presentation;

• Read industry-specific news;

• Talk with alumni working in this field or students that did internships;

Research specific companies

• Visit the companies’ websites;

• Go to Vault and other online databases;

• Talk and exchange information with other colleagues interested in the same

industry / company;

Practice

It’s advisable to do mock interviews with your peers or the NIC Club members and toprepare your answers to likely question such as:

• Why did you choose your university?

• Why are you interested in this industry?

• What are your strengths?

The best candidate should be able to do their personal pitch - describe their background,career history, strengths and goals.

• What are your weaknesses?

• Prepare questions for the interviewer.

(you have more examples of questions at the beginning of this booklet page 7 / 8).

Read carefully the NIC — Nova Investment Club booklet - How to apply to the Investment

Banking Industry.

The CMO team can practice with you the behavioral-type questions in small groups.



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Final Notes:

There is a possibility of you encountering some tough interviewers, just remember that

most people are trying to know you and assessing if you can handle the job.

Be ready to talk about you.

Remember why you want to go to that particular industry.

Overall, be confident. If you have done your research and practiced your answers you will

be able to answer most of the questions if you take the time to think about what they are

looking for.

Dress and act professionally.

Arrive on time.

GOOD LUCK!



GAP / CMO

[email protected]

+ 351 21 380 1683/32/36

Room 151

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