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KelloggConsultingClubHowtosucceedtothePersonalInterviewSo,hereyouare,readingthisdocumentandtryingtofigureouthowtolandyourdreamjob.We’dliketohelpbytellingyouwhatwebelievetobethekeyareasofpreparationforasuccessfulinterview.Firstandforemost,rememberthatastandardconsultinginterviewhasfourparts:1)Apersonal“fit”partfor15to20minutes2)ACasepartfor20minutes3)Questionsthatyouwouldliketoaskyourinterviewerfor5minutes.4)WrapUp.Moreoftenthannot,peoplepreparethemselvesonlyforthecasepart,leavingthepersonal“fit”partunattended.Believeus,ifyoudonotsucceedinyourpersonalinterview,thecasewillnotcount!Therefore,thisdocumentwillbefocusedonthepersonalsideoftheinterviewprocess,andhowtosucceedonthatdifficultpartoftherecruitingprocess.IntroductorycommentsAsyougothroughtheprocess,youwillreceivetoughquestionsthatprobenotonlyyourintentionsandintellect,butalsoyourpsycheandpersonality.Yourdeliveryisasimportantaswhatyousay.Theonlywaytoshowpoiseandgracewhileansweringthesetoughquestionsispracticeandpractice.a)Knowyourself:Youneedtocreateastorylineforyourself.DescribehowyourlifehasdevelopedsuchthatajobwithfirmXisthenextlogicalstepinreachingyourgoals.Beabletowalkthroughthedetailsofyourresumeandfillinthedetails.Forinstance,whydidyoumakethemovesyouhave?Whathavebeenthemostsignificandecisionsyouhavemade?Wherewerethechallengesandwherewerethetriumphs?Thisisalsoyourchancetosetyourselfapart.Givetheinterviewersomethingtorememberyouby-tellaninterestingstory,talkaboutauniqueskillortalent,etc.Onewaytodothisistoincorporatewordsthatwillprovokecuriosityinyourresume.TheCMCoffersmanysessionstohelpyoupolishyourstoryline.Takeadvantageofthem.b)Knowthefirm:Whatdoesthefirmprideitselfon?Whatmakesthemunique?Ifafirmpridesitselfonbeingathoughtleader,showyouhavebeenathoughtleaderorwhybeingapartofafirmsthatleadstheindustryisimportanttoyou.Youmustalsoknowthebasicsaboutacompanysuchaswheretheyhaveofficesandhowtheyarestructured.Ifyouareunclearaboutanyoftheseareas,ask!!Youdo,however,wanttoshowsomeinitialunderstandingandthenaskforclarification.UseCompanypresentationstoasktheconsultantssmartquestions.Ifyouareinterestedinafirm,calltherecruitingmanageroraconsultantyouhavespokenwithandgetmoreinformationabouttheworkandculture.Don'tbeshyaboutaskingquestions,mostpeoplearehonoredwhentheyareaskedabouttheiropinionsandexperiences.c)Listenwell:ThisisVERYimportant.Insightsandcluesareallaroundyou.Evenbeforeyourinterviewbegins,youshouldtrytopickupanyinformationyoucan.Gotopresentationsandtakenotes.Whatarethebuzzwordstheyusetodescribethemselvesandthepeopletheyhire?Rememberafewhighlightsfromthecompanypresentation.Duringtheinterview,payattentiontoyourinterviewer.Whatmakesthemlookinterested?Whatdotheyaskyoutoelaborateon?Ifyouareweakinonearea,listenforachancetoshowyourskillsinanotherway.PreparationtothepersonalinterviewInordertoprepareyourselfforthepersonalinterview,youneedtoanswerthefollowingquestions:1)Whoarethefirmslookingfor?2)WhatshouldIdobeforetheinterviews?3)WhatshouldIbeawareofduringtheinterview?4)WhatquestionswillIbeaskedduringtheinterview?1)Whoarethefirmslookingfor?Therearefundamentalskillsthatyouneedtodemonstratetogetaconsultingjob.Doyouthinkyouhavethesequalities?Whatexampleswouldyouusetoshowwhatyoudo?Hereisalistofthe“criticalskills”thatconsultingfirmsarelookingfor:1)Analyticalskills:intelligent,abletofindpatternsandcausalrelationshipsinwhatappearstobeunrelateddata;createshypothesistodriveresearch,usesclearandlogicthinking,drawsonpastexperiencetosolveproblems,appliescreativitytocomeupwithsolutions2)BusinessSense:Entrepreneurial,staysoncurrentbusinessdevelopments,intuitivelyunderstandsbasicbusinessdynamics,converseseasilyaboutbusinessissues.3)QuickLearning:Solicitsandisopentofeedback,humble,wantstoimprovehimself/herself,learnsfrommistakes.4)Communicationsskills:Listenscarefullytounderstandothers,usestactfulphrasesandtimingwhencommunicating,hasagoodsenseforwhatpeoplemean,understandshowhe/sheisbeingperceived.5)Integrity:Doesnotwaveronethicalissues,hasbasicrespectforotherindividuals,isabletomaintainconfidentiality,followsthroughoncommitments.6)InterpersonalSkills:Mature,avoidsturningbusinessissuesintopersonalissues,genuinelyinterestedinotherpeople,cangetalongwithpeoplefromarangeofbackgrounds,positiveinattitude,keepscolunderpressure,thinksbeforeleaping,open-minded,abletoputthingsinperspective.7)Leadershipskills:Hasinfluence,canmakedecisionsquickly,providesleadershipinsituationswherethereisnone,understandsindividualspositionsonissuesandhowtoinfluencethem,abletotakerisks,takesactionwhennecessary,setscleargoals,ralliespeoplearoundasharedobjective.8)Motivationandenergy:Enthusiastic,hasacan-doattitude,hashighperformancestandards,motivatesothers,willingtoworklonghours,organizesworkeffectively,detail-oriented,willingtodounglamorouswork9)Quantitativeskills:Canapplyquantitativethinkingtoanalysisofissues,understandsquantitativerelationshipsinbusiness,comfortableperformingsimplemathmentally,academictraininginmath.10)Teamplayer:Likestoworkinteams,sensitiveandwillingtohelpothers,knowswhentobealeaderandwhe