IUB Tech Connect

Guest Blogger – Zarena Galloway is a senior in the School of Informatics & Computing who graduates in May.

Being in the School of Informatics and Computing has afforded me great opportunities. I first began interviewing for jobs Fall semester of my junior year. I was enrolled in Mrs. Kerri Campbell’s career course at the time. That was when I first learned about the Career Services job website. Her class took us through the internship/job application process from the career fair to the interviews. Through her class, preparation, and my informatics courses I was able to intern with Kraft Foods this summer. It was a great experience and I want to share what I did to get to this point.  Here are my recommendations for getting thorough the interview process.

Things to remember during the interview:

Besides knowing your resume, being confident, and speaking slowly and clearly here are some helpful interviewing tips:

1. Remember the interviewer’s name: This person is usually in charge of recruiting and will be important in continuing the interview process. When you remember a person’s name is also a sign of respect and that you are being attentive.
2. Be attentive: It is very easy to let your mind wander and let the distractions of the day interfere with your interview. However, it is extremely important that you listen carefully to the questions presented. Focus on what the interviewer is saying so that you can answer the question appropriately.
3. Answer their questions fully: For behavioral interview use the star method to ensure that you answer the interviewer’s questions fully. Situation: give an example of a situation you were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome. Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation. Action: talk about the various actions involved in the situation’s task. Results: what results directly followed because of your actions.
4. Know the company and what they do: There is nothing worse than going into an interview and not knowing anything about the company. Most of the people interviewing you for the position have worked at the organization for a considerable amount of time. They want to know why you are interested in the industry and more specifically their company. More than likely a question they may ask you is: “Why do you want to work for this company.”
5. Have great follow up questions: This shows that you are genuinely interested in the company and have done your research in the field. Before the interview look at the job description and have a list of questions about the position, because you want to make sure that this position is the right fit for you.
6. Ask for contact information: Always ask the interviewer the best way to get into contact with them. They may tell you to use the contact information on the career services website, but they may also give you their direct contact information. This is great for writing thank you letters to the employers

 Guest Blogger: Lizzi Pomeroy is a senior graduating in
May. She is majoring in Informatics with minors in Business and German.

Completing an interview is the most vital part of any student’s career search. It is an exciting yet terrifying experience, and with proper preparation, you will be setting your career up for success. There are several different types of interviews, but one that I have faced often recently is the Case Interview.

Case Interviews are commonly seen in interviews with consulting firms, such as Deloitte, KPMG, or PricewaterhouseCoopers. In one of these 30-minute sessions, the student is presented with a business problem and is expected to walk through the situation with the interviewer until a solution is reached. An example of a Case Interview question would be, “Tell me how you would implement a CRM at a telecommunications firm.” There are many different ways to complete case interviews, but the most successful method I have found
is as follows:

1. Ask as many questions as you can think of. This is vital to your success in a case interview. Showing your interviewer that you can think on your feet and are
   curious and excited to be solving problems is key in a career as a consultant.
   Some questions to ask would be, “Is the company national or worldwide?” or
   “Have they implemented a CRM in the past?”
2. Explainthe case back to the interviewer. Before you construct your solution, run through the problem statement with your interviewer to make sure that you understand it fully before recommending your solution.
3. Ask totake 3-5 minutes to think. Interviewers favor a candidate who takes time to think about a solution instead of jumping right in. This shows that you can focus under pressure and allows you to gather your thoughts instead of
   rambling.
4. Construct a framework. For technology cases, understanding the Systems Development Life Cycle is key, and that’s what ultimately helped me with my Deloitte interview. If you know and can explain each phase of the cycle, you will do well.
5. Recommend your solution!  Your solution actually doesn’t matter, and there are many “right” answers. The interviewer just wants to see your thought process, and can see if you work well under pressure. If you’re off the mark but they like your style, they will guide you back to a more correct response.

Case interviews are the most frightening interviewing experience I have ever done, but the feeling of success after you finish one is fantastic. Remember, don’t panic and have fun! Informatics is all about solving problems – show the interviewer what you’re good at!