2017 Fit Interview Workshop II
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This document provides an outline and guidance for a fit interview workshop. It discusses the importance of fit interviews, how to prepare, common question types, and best practices. Students are advised to learn about consulting, the firm, themselves, and to use the STAR method to structure stories demonstrating soft skills. Common mistakes like generic answers or irrelevant stories are highlighted. The workshop involves partners practicing sample questions like leadership examples using the recommended approaches.
![GENERAL VS. SPECIFIC
RESUME QUESTIONS
Walk me through your resume
Tell me about yourself
What experiences have made you who you are
today?
Tell me something about you that is not on your
resume
How did you choose to study/work at X
school/company?
Tell me your role at X [company]. How did that
grow or change and why did you leave?](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fitinterviewworkshopii-sk-170821161034/85/2017-Fit-Interview-Workshop-II-8-320.jpg)
![RANDOM CURVEBALL QUESTIONS
Some questions are unpredictable
How do you feel about [a current business event]?
What is the most interesting business problem that
[pharma/biotech industry] faces today?
Intended to determine how you react under
pressure
Strategy: Breathe, take time to think and
demonstrate confidence in your answer](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/fitinterviewworkshopii-sk-170821161034/85/2017-Fit-Interview-Workshop-II-32-320.jpg)
2017 Fit Interview Workshop II
- 1. FIT INTERVIEW WORKSHOP II
- 2. OUTLINE 1. Importance of fit interview 2. How to prepare 3. Types of questions 4. Best practices and common mistakes 5. Partner up and practice
- 3. IMPORTANCE OF FIT INTERVIEW Fit interview (10-15 min) Ice Breaker (1-5 min) Questions (1-5 min) Case interview (25-35 min) Full-time position interview Fit interview is just as important as the case interview, if not more Determines your likability Contributes to how helpful the interviewer will be during the case interview
- 4. PURPOSE OF THE FIT INTERVIEW 1. Assess your ability to prioritize information and communicate succinctly 2. Gauge how you mesh with the firm and office Professional presence Airport test 3. Evaluate your understanding of consulting and the specific firm 4. Assess your soft skills and character Leadership Teamwork Communication Drive to achieve Problem-solving
- 5. OVERALL STRATEGY KNOW: 1. The consulting industry 2. The firm 3. The job 4. The interview process 5. Yourself
- 6. RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT CONSULTING YouTube videos Victor Cheng Managementconsulted Management Consulting Prep Consulting prep websites www.vault.com www.caseinterview.com www.managementconsulted.com www.mconsultingprep.com www.glassdoor.com Firm websites Case interview prep books
- 7. TYPES OF QUESTIONS 1. Resume-based General Specific 2. Why consulting and why the firm 3. Self-awareness 4. Story 5. Curveball
- 8. GENERAL VS. SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTIONS Walk me through your resume Tell me about yourself What experiences have made you who you are today? Tell me something about you that is not on your resume How did you choose to study/work at X school/company? Tell me your role at X [company]. How did that grow or change and why did you leave?
- 9. ANSWERING GENERAL RESUME QUESTIONS Highlight your education followed by relevant experiences (consulting or business, if any) Underscore soft skills Use reverse chronological order Do not rush or ramble (aim for 1-2 minutes)
- 10. Structure your answers Mention consulting soft skills and key words Quantify your achievements when possible Highlight any awards and honors Be concise (~1 minute) ANSWERING SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTIONS
- 11. SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTIONS My role as a teaching assistant for the Cell Biology course consisted of three aspects. First, I served as the communication liaison between instructors and students; second, I organized weekly Q&A sessions; and third, I assisted the instructors in grading students’ performance. I worked as TA for 2 consecutive years, serving more than 10 instructors and 80 students, and was 1 out of 50+ awarded the best TA prize last year. EXAMPLE ANSWER: SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTION
- 12. SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTIONS My role as a teaching assistant for the Cell Biology course consisted of three aspects. First, I served as the communication liaison between instructors and students; second, I organized weekly Q&A sessions; and third, I assisted the instructors in grading students’ performance. I worked as TA for 2 consecutive years, serving more than 10 instructors and 80 students, and was 1 out of 50+ awarded the best TA prize last year. SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTION: STRUCTURE
- 13. SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTION: KEYWORDS My role as a teaching assistant for the Cell Biology course consisted of three aspects. First, I served as the communication liaison between instructors and students; second, I organized weekly Q&A sessions; and third, I assisted the instructors in grading students’ performance. I worked as TA for 2 consecutive years, serving more than 10 instructors and 80 students, and was 1 out of 50+ awarded the best TA prize last year.
- 14. SPECIFIC RESUME QUESTION: NUMBERS My role as a teaching assistant for the Cell Biology course consisted of three aspects. First, I served as the communication liaison between instructors and students; second, I organized weekly Q&A sessions; and third, I assisted the instructors in grading students’ performance. I worked as TA for 2 consecutive years, serving more than 10 instructors and 80 students, and was 1 out of 50+ awarded the best TA prize last year.
- 15. WHY CONSULTING Really asking: Why are you a good fit to be a consultant? Demonstrate a clear understanding of consulting Display a genuine interest in consulting Answer why you can succeed in consulting Highlight relevant achievements Touch upon soft skills Develop a unique and creative story Average: Only a simple reason Good: I have three reasons Great: Let me tell you a story
- 16. WHY THE FIRM Really asking: Why are you a good fit with the firm? Demonstrate a genuine interest in the firm by knowing: People (networking) Specific aspects of past achievements or cases Staffing model Unique culture or initiatives Do not compare the firm with the others Convey what you can do for the firm, not just how great the firm is Develop a unique and creative story
- 17. SELF-AWARENESS QUESTIONS What are your strengths and weaknesses? What would your mentor/supervisor say is your biggest weakness/strength? What are your short and long term goals? What would you miss about academia? Tell me about a time when you failed Give me an example of a time when you had to resolve a crisis
- 18. SELF-AWARENESS QUESTIONS What are your strengths and weaknesses? What would your mentor/supervisor say is your biggest weakness/strength? What are your short and long term goals? What would you miss about academia? Tell me about a time when you failed Give me an example of a time when you had to resolve a crisis
- 19. STRENGTHS Pick 3 strengths that are consulting soft skills relevant Provide brief, supporting illustrations Highlight achievements Quantify results Be confident, not arrogant Try to tell stories
- 20. WEAKNESSES Pick 2 weaknesses Choose examples that are: from the past to distance yourself distant from the consulting soft skills Acknowledge assertively and say how you have improved Try to tell stories
- 21. STORY QUESTIONS Specific examples of how you have demonstrated key consulting soft skills Leadership Teamwork Communication Drive to achieve Problem-solving
- 22. STRATEGY FOR STORY QUESTIONS Look at your resume: how do your experiences demonstrate key soft skills? Generate relevant stories for each soft skill Formulate the story with the STAR method Practice being structured but natural-sounding Refine the stories and receive feedback
- 23. THE FIT MATRIX Story A Story B Story C Story D Problem solving X X Leadership X X Teamwork X Communication X X Drive to achieve X X X
- 24. STAR METHOD FOR ANSWERING STORY QUESTIONS Situation Task or trouble Action Result
- 25. STAR METHOD: SITUATION Clearly describe the context of the situation Who What Where When Why
- 26. STAR METHOD: TASK OR TROUBLE Identify the task or trouble at hand Highlight specific constraints or challenges such as (for example, deadlines or costs) Mention potential consequences if the issues were not resolved
- 27. STAR METHOD: ACTION Clearly describe specific actions that you took to complete the task Highlight your rationale behind the actions Did you consider any alternatives? Demonstrated consulting soft skills
- 28. STAR METHOD: RESULT Conclude with the results/outcome of your actions Quantify the impact if possible Did you meet your objectives? What did you learn from the experience? What are the implications?
- 29. STAR METHOD: LEADERSHIP EXAMPLE Situation: Students in the department felt they were not getting enough exposure to other research topics outside of their lab. Task: Other departments have had success bringing in external speakers for weekly seminars. Thus, I decided to try to institute a similar program in my department. Action: I spoke to departmental administrators about funding for honorariums. I created a committee of interested students to send invitations to potential speakers and arrange the logistics for the program. Result: The department granted me $3000 in funding. With this fund, we have hosted >30 external speakers since June, and >100 students and faculty have attended each seminar. With our success, the department supports the permanent installment of this seminar progam.
- 30. COMMON MISTAKES WHEN SELECTING STORIES Using stories: Irrelevant to the question Too far in the past That can not be backed up with details Point: Avoid using the same story multiple times in the same interview session
- 31. COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN PRESENTING STORIES Giving a rehearsed speech Using “we” instead of “I” Being vague or generic Not structuring the story Spending too much time on the context Telling stories with so many facts that the interview does not know how to follow up
- 32. RANDOM CURVEBALL QUESTIONS Some questions are unpredictable How do you feel about [a current business event]? What is the most interesting business problem that [pharma/biotech industry] faces today? Intended to determine how you react under pressure Strategy: Breathe, take time to think and demonstrate confidence in your answer
- 33. QUESTIONS?
- 34. PRACTICE SESSION Choose one 1. Why consulting? 2. What is your proudest achievement? 3. Tell me about a time when you led a team 4. Tell me about a time when you worked with a difficult person Apply the STAR method Partner up and share your answers
- 35. APPLICATION DEADLINES DATE/TIME EVENT September 4th (Monday) LEK 2018 Life Sciences Specialist No due date available ClearView Life Science Strategy Consultant (Experienced Hire) No due date available Putnam Associates Life Science Consultant (San Francisco and Boston)