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TomBainMBAProgramCareerDevelopment:“InterviewSkills”15thJan,2016AdjunctFinanceProfessorTomBainAssociateDirector,MBAProgramDepartmentofFinanceCUHKBusinessSchoolTomBainAgenda1. Preparation2. Theinterview3. Interviewquestions4. Specialinterviewsituations5. Bodylanguage6. FinalthoughtsTomBain2TomBain1.PreparationInadvance1. Researchthecompany2. Researchtheinterviewers3. Preparesomequestionstoask4. Talktoanyfriendsorcontactsyoucanfindinthefirm5. Prepareforculturaldifferences6. Practiseinterviewingwithfriends,orfirmsthatmatterlesstoyou3TomBain1.PreparationArrival• Beextraclean,anddressappropriately(findarolemodel)• Arriveveryearly,andwaitnearby• Gotothetoiletinadvance,anduseabreathspray;nottoomuchperfumeorcologne(noneisbest)• Nogum,drinks,combs,cell-phones,sunglasses,hatsTomBain1.PreparationArrival• Nevertalkintheelevator• Holddoorsandallowothersthroughfirst,unlessaskedtogofirst• Treatbusinesscardswithrespect(neverwriteonthem)• Trytonoticeandadjusttoculturaldifferences• Beinthemoment:believethatthisisthejob!4TomBain2.TheinterviewDuringtheinterview• Entertheroomconfidently• Shakehands,makeeyecontact(ofeveryone),smile,walkswiftly• Takenotes,butdon’toverdoit• Useactivelistening(askfollow-onquestions)• Leanforward,notback• Trytocontrolyourbodylanguage• Focusonbreathingandgettingyourmusclestorelax5TomBain2.TheinterviewDuringtheinterview• Pretendthatyou’retalkingtosomeoneyouknow• Takenotes(butdon’toverdoit)• Whenintrouble,smile!• Never‘wingit’:say“Idon’tknow,butI’llfindout!”,andthenfollowup• Haveseveralpreparedquestionsreadyincasetheyalreadyanswersome;alwaysaskaboutthetrainingprogram6TomBain2.TheinterviewDuringtheinterview• Also,trytocreatenewquestionsduringtheinterview• HaveastoryreadytotellabouteveryitemonyourCV• Haveanexamplerelevantforthejob(e.g.whenyou’vesoldortradedinthepast)• Don’trunonor“babble”7TomBain2.TheinterviewDuringtheinterview• Withyouranswers,alwaystrytoshowthatyoubelievein“MERIT”:– Meritocracy– Excellence– Respect– Integrity– Teamwork10TomBain2.TheinterviewTraps• Neverlie• Neverwingit• Neveraskaboutsalary,benefits,perksorpromotions(askHRlater)• Nojokes• Noalcohol11TomBain2.TheinterviewTraps• Neverbelittleanotherperson,firmoruniversity• Avoidanswering‘Diversity’questionslike“Asawoman...?”(instead,say”I’dliketobejudgedonlyonmyabilities”)11TomBain2.TheinterviewAttheend,andafter• Saythankyoutoallyourinterviewers,withahandshakeandasmile• Askabouttheprocess:“WhenwillIhearfromyou?”• Sendthankyounotesimmediately:paperisbetter,butemailisOK12TomBain3.InterviewquestionsHistoricalinterviews• Thesefocusonyourhistory• TheyareoftenconductedbysomeonefromHR• TheyinvolvebasingtheinterviewonyourCV/résumé• Theycanbeveryrepetitiveandboring!13TomBain3.InterviewquestionsHistoricalinterviews• InterviewerswillcheckthedatesonyourCVverycarefully,toseeifthereareanyunexplainedgaps• AnythingyouputonyourCVis“fairgame”:theycanaskquestionsaboutit,andyoucannotrefuse(e.g.ifyousayyoucaptainedthewomen’sbasketballteam,theycanask“Whatwasitliketoleadagroupofwomen?”)14TomBain3.InterviewquestionsCompetency-basedinterviews• Today,manyfirmshavereplacedHistoricalinterviewswithCompetency-basedinterviews• Thefirmwillidentifyseveralcompetenciesthattheyconsideressentialforthenewjob15TomBain3.InterviewquestionsCompetency-basedinterviews• Forexample,ajobinSalesmightrequirethesecompetencies:1. Interpersonalskills2. Creativity3. TimeManagement4. Numeracy5. Integrity16TomBain3.InterviewquestionsCompetency-basedinterviews• EachinterviewerwillfocusonlyononeassignedCompetence• E.g.“IamonlygoingtoaskyouquestionsaboutyourCreativity”• Thismakesitharderto“bluff”inyouranswers!17TomBain3.InterviewquestionsCompetency-basedinterviews• It’sessentialtotrytofindoutinadvancewhetherafirmusesCompetencyinterviews,andgetsomeexamplesifpossible• TrytothinkofexamplesinyourlifeforasmanyCompetenciesasyoucan• Usually,HRwillalsoconductoneHistoricalinterviewaswell18TomBain3.InterviewquestionsSamplequestions• “Givemeanexampleof..?”• “Whatisyourstrategyforgettingajob?”• “IfIaskedyourboss/parent/teacheraboutyou..?”• “Wheredoyouwanttobein3years?”19TomBain3.InterviewquestionsSamplequestions• ““Tellmeastoryabout...”• “Whatwasyourroleontheteam”?• “Ifyouwereananimal,whatwouldyoube?”• “Givemea5minutepresentationonyou/thisfirm/salespitch...”19TomBain4.SpecialinterviewsituationsReceptions• Avoidallalcohol(ifnecessary,acceptthedrinkbutdon’tdrinkit!):itmaybepartofthetest!• Bepreparedtokeepmovingaroundtheroom:trytospeakforafewminuteswitheveryone• Havesomesimple“interviewing”questionstoask,butnottoopersonal:“Whereareyoufrom?”,“Howlonghaveyouworkedhere?”,“Tellmeaboutyourjob”20TomBain4.SpecialinterviewsituationsMeals• Again,avoidallalcohol(ifnecessary,acceptthedrinkbutdon’tdrinkit!)• It’snotaboutthefood!• Atmeals,taketheleadfromyourhost(e.g.wheretosit,whentostart,whatcutlerytouse)21TomBain4.SpecialinterviewsituationsMeals• Eatslowly,takingsmallmouthfuls(neverbiteoffpieces!)• Avoidusingyourfingersforanythingexceptbread• Neverhavemorefood• Peoplemaychangetablesduringthemeal22TomBain4.Specialintervie