First Major Job Interview :(

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Samyy

Member
Welp GAF, I have my first major job interview tomorrow. I've looked over my experiences a dozen times, know my 3 biggest strengths and my greatest weakness but I'm still getting reallllly nervous.

If I get this job now I know ill be employed when I graduate in 2 years so I think thats why I'm stressing a lot, these internships turn into full-time positions 99.9% of the time.

The real big problem is that I still don't really know what I want to say for a question like "tell me about yourself" - I want to show a bit of my personality but I'm not quite sure how to respond exactly. Any advice here would be awesome.

Anyway its two 30 minute 1v1 interviews , also its behavioural :/ any tips?
 
Bring your own water to it. I always have to go get people water during our interviews and its kind of annoying sometimes.
 
Best advice I can give is if you get a difficult question, it's perfectly OK to take a moment to consider your answer. Rushing to speak as quickly as possible is where people tie themselves in knots.

Good luck.
 
Samyy said:
LOL!
lucky :p
Click to expand...

Lol yeah since the interviewer found out I spoke spanish we talked for a while so he could judge my fluency and the joke just kinda slipped out.
But seriously, just try and have a conversation. Don't treat it like a test, just talk with them if you get the chance ASK questions.
 
It's ok to ask questions as the interviewee

In fact it's a good idea if you do it right

Make sure to ask them about what the job entails and I personally always ask how they like working for the company and what brought them to it

You have to work it in right but it's usually rather effective at personalizing the interview

Edit: DAMN YOU Space ghost

You stole my thunder

shakefist.gif
 
Be energetic and enthusiastic! Also, it can be a good thing to have a question ready for when they ask (and they will) if you have any questions for them.

Edit: Man, beaten twice in a row about asking your own questions.
 
Very random tip:

When asked what your hobbies are, make sure to mention that you enjoy playing chess. Even if you've only played once or twice in your life, saying you "enjoy" chess isn't really lying. Playing chess indicates an interest in strategic thinking, planning ahead, and adds a hint of sophistication to your persona.

Other than that, be yourself, be positive, and be sure you have a very solid grasp on what the prospective company does, what their mission statement is, and how they earn their profits.

Good luck!
 
Telaso said:
Bring your own water to it. I always have to go get people water during our interviews and its kind of annoying sometimes.
Click to expand...

This is the weirdest advice I've ever heard. People need water because they are talking a lot. Is it really hard to go get a cup or bottle of water for someone? I've never heard of anyone being annoyed by that.
 
theaface said:
Best advice I can give is if you get a difficult question, it's perfectly OK to take a moment to consider your answer. Rushing to speak as quickly as possible is where people tie themselves in knots.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Yep, this is good advice. Don't say things like "umm" "erhhhh" and stutter and so on, if you get asked a question and don't know/need to think about it, just take a 10/15 seconds to think about it in your head.

Good luck :p
 
Emphasize diversity and communication. Bring your personality across during your tales of problem solving using creative solutions.
 
Don't try to BS your way around it -- if you're all fidgety you can tell them you're a bit nervous because this is a job you care about. You're excited at the prospect of working for them. Be clear about this, because you don't want to seem nervous due to not being secure about yourself though.

I would drink some tea like chamomile maybe an hour before the interview to calm you down some. When you're asked a difficult question, do take maybe 2 or 3 seconds before answering, so you can think of a good answer while being as honest as possible. Don't just blurt out answers.

Don't talk about your strengths and weaknesses like they're literally out of a list when they say "Tell me about yourself". That always annoys me. Instead, as someone said before, mention that you like chess. Tell them that you aren't afraid to ask questions if there is something you don't know. Do you like to go out for running? Do you care about your health and go to the gym to let your stress out? Y'know, things like that.

Finally, always keep eye contact and try to not move your hands all over the place, but don't stay frozen in place either lol.

It's all just a giant balancing act.

[edit] It's always good to ask them some questions too, like how long they've been at the company and if they like it. I would also ask them if they can think of a particular challenge they've had that was difficult, and how they overcame it. I would also ask if they ever do social things for team building.
 
Nephtis said:
Don't try to BS your way around it -- if you're all fidgety you can tell them you're a bit nervous because this is a job you care about. You're excited at the prospect of working for them. Be clear about this, because you don't want to seem nervous due to not being secure about yourself though.

I would drink some tea like chamomile maybe an hour before the interview to calm you down some. When you're asked a difficult question, do take maybe 2 or 3 seconds before answering, so you can think of a good answer while being as honest as possible. Don't just blurt out answers.

Don't talk about your strengths and weaknesses like they're literally out of a list when they say "Tell me about yourself". That always annoys me. Instead, as someone said before, mention that you like chess. Tell them that you aren't afraid to ask questions if there is something you don't know. Do you like to go out for running? Do you care about your health and go to the gym to let your stress out? Y'know, things like that.

Finally, always keep eye contact and try to not move your hands all over the place, but don't stay frozen in place either lol.

It's all just a giant balancing act.
Click to expand...

@_@ so many things to consider haha, thanks.
 
show them your johnson.

Seriously tho if you're a young guy interviewing for an entry level intern job probably 80% of everyone else applying are total jackasses; you'll do fine.
 
Just try and chill, enjoy yourself and be yourself (at least, your professional self)!

And while you definitely need to prepare, don't spend tonight prepping all night and getting super stressed out. In my opinion, anyway.
 
You're qualified for the job. Otherwise they wouldn't be interviewing you. So don't stress too much about that. Just be personable and don't be afraid to stray away from business. The interview is to see if you'd be a good fit with the people you're going to be working with. If you've got to fake who you are to get the job, it's not a job you'll be happy with. So just take it easy and feel free to ask your own questions.
 
SummitAve said:
Emphasize diversity and communication. Bring your personality across during your tales of problem solving using creative solutions.
Click to expand...

This one time, I spilled some soda on a pizza and so I used my straw to drink all the soda from the top of the pizza.

Also, I did this same exact thing one other time, only instead of a pizza it was a wedding cake.

Also, I just made up both of those stories on the spot as a creative solution to show how well I solve problems.
 
Be genuine, honest and positive. Keep it in mind that even if you don't get the position the interview will be a very valuable experience for you.
 
When went to interview for my auditing position, they asked me for four different types of deprecation, and three different types of accounting errors. So be prepare for some technical questions.

Good luck op.
 
Don't bring your own water.

Don't turn up to the meeting extremely early. Be at reception within 5 minutes. By all means go to the area and find somewhere to wait, but don't be inside the building until 5 minutes to your time.

If its a public company, know the stock price and roughly how high or low it is historically.

Relax and remember to silence your phone or shut it off.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice so far!
Im definitely not spending the whole day preparing, going to watch the Leafs game to relax for tomorrow.
 
remember, it's as much you interviewing them (as in, do you really want to work there?) as it is them interviewing you. if you treat it like a conversation and not an interrogation, it'll go fine.
 
Nephtis said:
This. I can't tell you how many people I've taken off the list for this alone.
Click to expand...

Oh yea I had this problem once when I was interviewing for a school, lucky it was in my bag and I could only barely hear it. Definitely learned from that one haha.
 
Don't think of it as a test that you have to pass, think of it as a conversation, like the first one you're having with someone you just met. They probably already know that you can do the job, they want to see if you'll be a good fit.
 
I'm assuming you're interviewing for Big 4?

Are you in a big city market or are you in a smaller city?

The interview is primarily going to be fit. You're going to probably interview with a manager, senior manager, and partner. The goal is you want to be a fit with the people you interview with. If they mention anything about themselves, see if you can run with it and relate your own interests to that interest. If you see they're a fan of a sports team from stuff on their walls, be comfortable enough to bring it up in an interesting way. Be ready to ask them questions as well. Talk about your fantasy team if you have any reason to think they might have one too. Be ready for at least 10 minutes worth of questions for them.

The point of this is you're going to be spending a lot of time talking directly to clients, and they want proof you can walk into anyone's office and start up small conversation. They know you have the grades if you're in the interview. Now they want to see if you have the people skills.

I wouldn't expect too many of those stupid interview questions. The manager may try a couple because they may not be used to those.

I worked in assurance in the Big 4 and transitioned over to business valuation. Let me know if you have any other questions.
 
Mii said:
I'm assuming you're interviewing for Big 4?

Are you in a big city market or are you in a smaller city?

The interview is primarily going to be fit. You're going to probably interview with a manager, senior manager, and partner. The goal is you want to be a fit with the people you interview with. If they mention anything about themselves, see if you can run with it and relate your own interests to that interest. If you see they're a fan of a sports team from stuff on their walls, be comfortable enough to bring it up in an interesting way. Be ready to ask them questions as well. Talk about your fantasy team if you have any reason to think they might have one too. Be ready for at least 10 minutes worth of questions for them.

The point of this is you're going to be spending a lot of time talking directly to clients, and they want proof you can walk into anyone's office and start up small conversation. They know you have the grades if you're in the interview. Now they want to see if you have the people skills.

I wouldn't expect too many of those stupid interview questions. The manager may try a couple because they may not be used to those.

I worked in assurance in the Big 4 and transitioned over to business valuation. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks, yea im interviewing at a Big 4, the Toronto office so I already know it will be very competitive, but this particular firm takes a ridiculous amount of people from my school.

I included a lot of personal information like sports teams and fantasy leagues on my resume, I got that tip from a senior so I think that may have helped me.

Im a bit relieved to hear there wont be too many of the questions, I much prefer a conversation!
 
theaface said:
Best advice I can give is if you get a difficult question, it's perfectly OK to take a moment to consider your answer. Rushing to speak as quickly as possible is where people tie themselves in knots.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

I got a technical question wrong on a interview I had the other day. However, I gave an answer so quickly that the interviewer later said "well, atleast he said it with confidence". Your comment reminded me of that.
 
If you want bring a notebook with answers to typical interview questions, and questions you might have about the company so you don't have to worry about forgetting anything. You can also write down notes during the interview you come up with anything else you can talk about.
 
Relax, I've been in your position many times and to be honest there are no formulae to perform well.

Do the basics and be centered, stay calm, avoid eating anything that might disturb your gastrointestinal tract, sleep early and check the appointment location at least twice.

And don't worry, everything is going to be just fine.
 
SwiftDeath said:
lol yeah

It's good advice

Asking questions of the interviewer pads the interview and personalizes it a bit
Click to expand...

Definitely doing that now.
Just got the name of my two interviewers, two managers no partner which kinda worries me because my friend got a partner and a manager, don't know if that matters :lol

Stalking their linkedins now and neither of them like hockey -sigh-
 
keep in mind that the company has a problem and you're there to solve it.

Focus on the ways you can solve their problems, not about bragging how perfect you are and why they should give you money.

Also, try to not use cliche catchphrases... things like: "my major weakness is that I'm too perfectionist"... c'mon, that's bullshit and recruiters know.

Just relax, be cool, be honest, wear a big smile on your face and tell them how you're gonna solve their problems.
 
I was about to make the same topic ;)

It's a 2 hour phone interview with an advertising agency for an account coordinator position.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT FOR TWO HOURS

(unless it's the last episode of Breaking Bad)
 
killertofu said:
I was about to make the same topic ;)

It's a 2 hour phone interview with an advertising agency for an account coordinator position.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT FOR TWO HOURS

(unless it's the last episode of Breaking Bad)
Click to expand...

You never know it could be! I had this part-time job interview im still waiting to hear from and me and the interviewer just talked tv shows for about 15 minutes haha.
 
Best thing you can do is ask them if they have any concerns or reservations about your candidacy. It puts them on the defensive since they have to talk about you to your face, but also gives you the ability to counter any arguments they might have against you.
 
Don't forget to say "I want this job" make eye contact. When I interview people I like to hear questions like:

What would the average day look like?

What doesn't work right now that I could work on?

Can you tell me a little bit about why you like working here?

How do you measure success in my role?
 
Samyy said:
Definitely doing that now.
Just got the name of my two interviewers, two managers no partner which kinda worries me because my friend got a partner and a manager, don't know if that matters :lol

Stalking their linkedins now and neither of them like hockey -sigh-
Click to expand...

I wouldn't come into the interview with questions that may pertain to their interests

I'd go more with what oktarb says

oktarb said:
When I interview people I like to hear questions like:

What would the average day look like?

What doesn't work right now that I could work on?

Can you tell me a little bit about why you like working here?

How do you measure success in my role?
Click to expand...
 
SwiftDeath said:
I wouldn't come into the interview with questions that may pertain to their interests

I'd go more with what oktarb says
Click to expand...

Yea I know, I just like to know a bit about the people. My last interviewer was a huge Jays fan so at the start of the interview when he asked me how my week was I mentioned that awesome Jays game. I just like to have the info just in case haha :p

Thanks for the info Oktarb! I actually learned some stuff I wouldn't have thought about asking :)
 
In addition to the advice already given, I would suggest doing some research on the firm you're interviewing for. Take a quick look at their values or the things that they emphasize. I'm sure the work for any of the Big 4 is going to be nearly identical, but try to mention something that is unique about the firm you're interviewing for. It'll show you did your research and makes for a more convincing argument that they are the place you want to work for.

Also, I'd be careful about putting too many sports teams and fantasy teams in your interests section. I would try to show a diversity of interests maybe something unique. I know in my interviews, I fielded a lot of questions about ballroom dancing and caving, which was fun.
 
I'm guessing it's for EY.

If you get the interview for an on-campus recruitment gig, then rest assure your resume is good enough. It is time to sell yourself to see if you would be a good fit in terms of working in teams and just sociable.

I am 100% sure the first interview will be "Tell me about yourself". Don't tell your life story, however make it seem that you are very active in school in other organizations aside from studying and leeway something about working in customer service/retail/hospitality industry if you've had those previous experience.

Once you get the office visit, it's almost 90% that you will get the internship.

Goodluck!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

The Worst Job Interview in History
2
84
5K
dave_d replied
Shohei Ohtani becomes the first 50-50 player in the history of Major League Baseball
2
73
3K
Deleted member 1159 replied
Major Reddit Forums Ban X Links
News  2 3 4 5
213
13K
Bitmap Frogs replied
  • Locked
Kanye West does interview dressed as black KKK
3
712
HRK69 replied
I decided on my next major hobby/project: I want to learn 5 languages.
2
82
2K
Cfh123 replied
Top Bottom