Any last minute tips & tricks for the first round interview over webex?
BCG Round 1 Interview - WebEx
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Hi Anonymous,
the following are the tips I found more useful when preparing for video interviews:
# 1. Go the extra mile when presenting what you think. This is important in a face-to-face interview, but even more in phone/video interviews where the interviewer cannot see you or your notes. In short, this implies:
- Explain clearly upfront why you need some information. Eg don’t say “do we have information on price?”. Rather “In order to understand where the problem is on revenues, I would need to analyse price and volume for this segment. Do we have any information on how price and volume changed in the last year?”
- Present with numbers in a structured way each area you want to introduce. I would suggest to do that in two steps:
- STEP 1: mention first the macro areas of your framework. “In order to help our client, I would like to focus on three main areas. Number 1 we may work on [FIRST TOPIC], Number 2 on [SECOND TOPIC], Number 3 on [THIRD TOPIC]. If this is fine for you, let me go deeper in each of them”
- STEP 2: provide details for each macro point. “In area Number 1, this is what I would analyse. First, I would like to cover [FIRST STEP OF FIRST TOPIC]; second, I would like to focus on [SECOND STEP OF FIRST TOPIC]; next, I would like to work on [THIRD STEP OF FIRST TOPIC]. In area Number 2, this is what I would analyse. First,(…)”
# 2. Hang on the wall in front of you all the material you need (structures, tips for fit part, etc) – in this way you do not have to look for information on the go
# 3. Prepare your own questions. One thing many candidates neglect to do at this stage is to prepare their own questions. Relevant questions at the end are a great way to show your interest in the company and get additional points. This is particularly important in a phone/video interview, as the interviewer will naturally connect less with you, so differentiating in this part helps to be remembered. In the first reply at the following post you can find some more information on the ideal type of questions to ask at the end of your call: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/open-house-at-bcg-311
# 4. Dress properly - as if you had a face-to-face interview
# 5. Prepare the place for the call - good internet connection and quiet environment are must-have
# 6. Smile – it's the easiest way to show energy
Hope this helps,
Francesco
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Hi,
A video interview is not that different from an actual interview. Make sure you prepare the following things:
- Technical setup. Make sure that you have a stable internet connection (+ maybe a backup like a phone with a stable 4G connection) and a working computer (+ a backup never hurts). Also make sure that you ask what the videoconference software is going to be, so you can test the software. Test the software with a friend to make sure that the video/audio is working correctly for both sides.
- Behaviour during a video interview. I would advise to at least do a full interview via video and make sure you record it and watch it back (Skype now has this feature). You want to make sure you have a neutral background, you have an active posture, make enough eyecontact (e.g. look in the camera not the middle of the screen) and you sound energetic throughout.the interview.
Finally it might be a bit easier to establish a connection in a real interview (for example if you grab a coffee together), so make sure you try to build a connection with the interviewer.
Hope this helps.
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Hi There,
Fully agreeing with Jorrit here are some other tips:
- Make sure you are looking to the camera when you are speaking. I know it may sound funny but some people do not.
- It is hard to follow your structure because the interviewer will not be able to see your paper. I would suggest you explain your structure very clear and show your paper to the interviewer when necessary.
- All operational details are important, light, silent place etc..
Hope it helps. Good luck!
Cheers
Serhat
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Hi,
I personally had a skype interview - it worked well. Although I recommend you to suggest them to plan a live interview in a couple of weeks. A Personal meeting is definitely better than online experience since you can definitely connect better with the interviewer when it is a live meeting.
If you still want to have an interview on skype, here are some general recommendations:
- First of all, check whether they are providing a conference room in a local office
- If not - find a place with good internet speed and test it multiple times before the interview. Also, think of nice room / proper light for the video conference if you do it from home
- You should be dressed the same as for the regular interview
- Don't hesitate to ask clarifying questions if there are problems with connection or you were not able to hear something
- Don't forget to look at the camera and smile - same as you do on a regular interview
Best
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