1. CAREER INTERVIEWING
“Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: it is not to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”--William Jennings Bryan

2. “I MAKE AN OFFER WHEN…” (Tim Fisher—former Microsoft VP and BYU professor)
Is he or she qualified for the job?
Is he or she a good fit for the hiring profile of our company?
Does what we offer as a company fit with his or her career aspirations?
The company gives you a bit of information/scenario on the future position, and sees if you:
See yourself being successful
Give an impression that you know what you are doing/ confident/intelligent

3. 5 Keys to Successful Interviewing
Start now!
Do your homework
Create quality questions
“Know thyself”
“Don’t BYU it,” (Tim Fisher—former Microsoft VP and BYU MBA professor)

4. 1. Start Now!
Ultimately, school/BYU is just a means to an end. That “end” is placing a good job
Set aside time
Must have your resume polished and done first. Put on the resume what is relevant to their hiring profile, eliminate stretches
Attend workshops, career fairs, clubs
Set up appointments with counselors at the career placement center
Interview career mentors and respected friends in your desired field, do mock interviews, keep and review notes from these

5. 2. Do Your Homework
Do 2-3 hours of research on the industry, the company, and the position
If possible, find out who is interviewing you and what their background is
Find ways to naturally utilize this information during the interview—shows interest, preparation, initiative
Find their hiring profile. Understand what the needs of the company are for this position and tailor both your resume and interview answers to these needs. If you haven’t done your homework on the hiring profile, ask them up front what the attributes are of their most successful employees
Know the interview format going in—case interview, behavior based interview,
If planning for grad school, research what type of work experience will be most relevant

6. 3. Create Quality Questions
Don’t think this isn’t a BIG deal
Beware of what NOT to ask
Don’t sit and wait for them to ask you if you have any questions, ask THEM questions! Remember, you are interviewing them as well
Your questions reflect your preparation, allow you to interview them/find out needed information, show you’ve gone “the extra mile”
Ask questions and give responses that show you are already trying to get your arms around what it takes to be successful there and make improvements

7. 4. “Know Thyself”
Know your strengths, passions, background, goals, and interests. Focus on the interviewing for positions that fit best with these.
Relevance is the name of the game
Find ways to differentiate yourself. Leave them with something that resonates about you/that is unique
Ask yourself what 1 to 5 things do I want this person to remember about me?
Go through this list and prioritize what is most important and what I want him/her to remember the most
Anything on your resume is fair game. Be prepared to give a clear and concise explanation for any given experience, point, etc.
Review “most commonly asked questions” frequently
Prepare a thoughtful response relevant to the hiring profile
Find your best, most relevant experiences to use as examples

8. 5. “Don’t BYU It,” (Tim Fisher—former Microsoft VP and BYU MBA professor)
The MBA’s and BYU students are generally too humble/reticent
If you converse and ask questions in the interview you will set yourself apart from the others at BYU
Don’t be afraid to tell them that money motivates you
Careful, mission was a great experience (but on campus everyone has done it as well as language)
Tell them they are your #1!!!
You are selling yourself and aggressiveness and confidence are attractive
Be sure to include a strong close to the interview.
“Do you see any reason why I wouldn’t get this job?”
On way out sincerely say, “I’m excited about this, I hope I get a chance to be on your team”
Only ONCE you have received the offer do you then need to sit down and make an honest decision

9. 5 Keys to Successful Interviewing
Start now!
Do your homework
Create quality questions
“Know thyself”
“Don’t BYU it,” (Tim Fisher—former Microsoft VP and BYU MBA professor)

10. IN CONCLUSION
“Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: it is not to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”--William Jennings Bryan
Remember the law of the harvest; keep interviewing, have faith, and keep going. Often, there are unknown variables that are out of your control that may influence decisions.
If there is one thing I’d have you take away from this, it would be to realize that things aren’t going to just happen unless you make them happen.

11. MISCELLANEOUS TIPS Question on career aspirations:
“Where would you like to be in five years?” Might not know everything, but tell them what you DO know and nothing more. Be honest
After finding out the challenges of the position, give on-the-spot ideas to increase revenue, growth, cut costs, and get results
Don’t know the answer to a question? You can say, “I don’t know, ask me another question.” Or, “I don’t have the data on that. Would you like me to gather that and get back to you?

12. MISCELLANEOUS TIPS (cont.)
If you sense that it has gone bad or that you are not going to get the offer, ask “Do you have any reservations? I sense that you might not feel that I am the right fit for the position.”
This kicks open a door and brings out a very honest conversation
Have top three geographic preferences picked out before the interview
Use the BYU alumni networking website to or call alumni and get inside information about the industry and company, gain references, and possibly get interviews
Handle this resource carefully. Always show appreciation for alumni’s donated time

13. MISCELLANEOUS TIPS (cont.)
Polish your answers and more concise
When faced with a yes no answer and other questions that ask you to pick between two alternatives, be decisive and confidant in answering
Regarding past experiences/jobs, try to quantifiably define performance
Show that you can be effective working with a team AND individually
What’s your biggest weakness? Possible answers: “I’m a perfectionist,” or, “I have a problem with never being satisfied. I’m never content enjoying my accomplishments.”

14. MISCELLANEOUS TIPS (cont.)
Don’t be apologetic; dwell on the positive
Sell yourself by basically building up those you worked with; indirect selling…we were able to accomplish a great result (individual and team contributions)
Another really good interview technique:
Ask the question back to them. i.e. just finished talking about your coach or something, then ask them if at Bain their process was the same or leadership the same. I found X and Y problems in Costa Rica, did you find similar problems in your company in X issue?”