Landing a job under normal circumstances is something to be proud of, but receiving multiple job offers – that’s impressive! Each September, first year CRMBA students participate in Interview Day – an event which requires them to deliver an elevator pitch to a room full of potential employers followed by a hectic and stressful day of corporate residency job interviews. For Patrick Brousseau, Alison Conrad, Kurt MacLeod and Alexandrea Malakoe, their exceptional performance through the Interview Day process resulted in them earning multiple job offers. Learn the strategies that they used and how to apply them to your next elevator pitch or job interview experience.
Here are some tips from:
Elevator Pitches:
Be Prepared to Stumble
The biggest part of preparing for my elevator pitch was getting comfortable with the idea of making a mistake. You only have one chance, and knowing how to recover can make all the difference. For me, this meant knowing the key points I wanted to hit, even if the wording was off; I even came up with a line to use in advance if I forgot what to say.
Mean What You Say
The most important aspect of preparing for my pitch was truly believing in what I was saying about myself. Audiences are very adept at telling when someone is lying or not entirely convinced about what they’re saying. I chose a subject and way of speaking about it that I could sell. In the end, you will sound more genuine and be less likely to make a mistake when the time comes.
It’s All In the Delivery
As much as the content of your pitch is important, a good performance is dictated by delivery. For me, I took delivery to include pretty much everything non-verbal; walking in, posture, eye contact, hand gestures, etc. I practiced each of these as much (or more) than my actual speech.
Interviews:
Sell Yourself in the Organization
Selling yourself is about more than just reciting your resume and past accomplishments. Employers want to know how you will fit into their organization specifically. What value will you add? How are you as co-worker? If they can imagine you in the position, you are halfway there.
Don’t Be Afraid to Add Some Colour
Whenever I interview, I try to showcase something that’s not on my resume. Sometimes it’s a hobby, other times it’s a cool extra-curricular activity I didn’t list. The point is to show the interviewer you are more than what is on your resume. This can really help differentiate you from everyone else.
Treat Every Interview the Same
I never walk into an interview with the intention of not landing the job. If they are taking the time to meet with you, it’s your responsibility to show respect by doing your homework. For me, this meant researching the company thoroughly, coming up with specifically tailored questions, and combing my past experiences for relevant examples. In the end, some of my best interviews and jobs came from the most unexpected places.
Always Follow Up
I don’t know how much it helped me on interview day, but I always take the time to follow up with my interviewer afterwards. It’s surprising how many people don’t do this, and in the past has really helped distinguish me from other candidates. It shows what kind of a person you are and can often make that little difference.
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The Right Research
There is such thing as too little research and too much. You want to be knowledgeable about a company, but you don’t want to sound like you memorized the website. My rule of thumb was to understand the basic background of the company, why I wanted to work there, what the position entailed, and a few extra facts, such as any current news or some information from their annual report. These things became very useful in my interviews and I really think they helped me stand out.
Looking up the values of the company is also something I did and I really do think it helped. This way, when I was asked why I wanted to work there, I could show that my values and the company’s values aligned and I could illustrate my passion for working for the company. Don’t be afraid to say that you would love to work for their company. If you show your passion and interest, they won’t be able to forget you.
Know Yourself and Be Yourself
Going into interview day I focused on two main things: knowing myself and being myself. Getting someone knowledgeable to ask you practice interview questions and having them give you feedback is a great way to refresh your mind about the experiences you have had and what you learned. Using the STAR approach for each answer is an effective way to answer interview questions, and the more you practice, the more comfortable you become with it when it counts.
It’s All About the Connection
Employers are looking for someone who is the right fit, and if you let your true self shine through, they will notice and you will stand out from the other candidates. Once you get an interview, they already know you are qualified on paper. They want to see who you are as a person. I went in not being afraid to smile, crack a joke, ask questions, and just all-around have a good time because interviews are a conversation about yourself, and who doesn’t like to talk about themselves? I think this is one of the biggest reasons why I was successful – being my genuine self and not being too rehearsed.
The networking event the evening before Interview Day was also a great opportunity for me to connect with the employers I would be seeing the next day. Don’t be afraid to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. If you make that connection, they will remember you the next day, and you can stand out even more.
You Can Do Anything You Set Your Mind To
One of the great things about the CRMBA program is that everyone is from a different background, which means we all learn from each other. I knew that I wanted a job in finance, and in coming from a science background, I knew that I had to stand out in order to show employers that I would be an asset. I went into it willing to learn and knowing that even though I did not have that financial background, I was just as capable as anyone else because I have my own knowledge and experiences to bring to the table. Don’t set limits on what you think you can do. If you want something, go get it! By focusing on the things above, I was able to succeed and I am extremely excited to start my residency at Scotiabank in January.
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It’s Not An Interview, It’s A Conversation!
One method that I employ regarding the interview process that I believe sets me apart, is the way that I conceptually think about the interview process itself. In my opinion, I believe most students get hung up on the idea of an interview. You walk into the room expecting there to be a bright light shining in your eyes and a scary shadowy figure asking you impossible questions. At the end of the day, it’s still a conversation between two (or more) people, no different than the hundreds of conversations we have every day. If students frame interviews in their mind as a conversation instead of an interrogation, they will not only come across in a more natural light, but they will allow for a more natural connection with the interviewer.
Discover Your Passion For the Job
Building on this idea of a conversation, before the interview, spend less time thinking about why you are perfect for the job. Instead, engage in a mental conversation about why you would love to have the job and what attracted you to the job. If you can discover the reason why you feel passionate about the job, you will connect with the employer in an authentic way that will make you stand out from the many other candidates.
Enter In A Good Mood
My last piece of advice involves the last few minutes before you enter the interview. Many students would see this time as the last chance to cram the company’s history, vision and share price statistics in their heads. Instead, I recommend instead you do something that always puts you in a fantastic mood. This can be as simple as listening to a favorite song, dancing in the lobby or scrolling through hundreds of cat GIFs. Employers look for people who are personable, and if you enter the interview with in a positive mood you drastically increase your ability to connect with the interviewer and make a lasting impression.
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For Elevator Pitch Day:
Record yourself giving your elevator pitch using your phone or your laptop. Even if you aren’t going to memorize your speech it is important to see your facial expressions and body language. Do practice and have a mapped out idea of what you want to say.
Dress up for your pitch. Wear something in which you feel comfortable and confident! This is your time to shine.
For Interview Day:
Do ample research on the company with whom you are interviewing. There are many CRMBA students who have worked for the employer partners so get in touch with them to learn more about the company. Also, connect via LinkedIn.
Talk with your fellow classmates about potential interview questions. Together you can come up with the bank of questions from which you can practice. This will help put you at ease if questions that are similar come up during the interview – you will have already thought of something to say.
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