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Susan’s first interview for a private equity firm did not go well at all. She was late for the interview with a representative of the company, who later turned out to be the founder’s son.


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She was qualified but had overscheduled her calendar. She had so many interviews that she was running back and forth between class and her career services office. Almost every other hour of every weekday from 8:00 AM until the office closed at night, she’d either be in class or preparing for an interview. She thought that by going on as many interviews as possible she’d dramatically increase her chances. She was determined to secure employment before she graduated, no matter what the position was. This was surely the wrong approach.


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She showed up to the interview with visible signs of perspiration on her face and arms. The company representative could tell that she was winded and was not happy about her tardiness. In her rush to do more than she could, she forgot to read the company profile. She did not fully understand what the firm’s main investment opportunities were or how it interacted with corporate and institutional clients and investors. She did not understand what they did to say the least, and she had not practiced her interviewing technique at all.


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Instead, her use of generalities and financial lingo did not impress the recruiter. He could tell that she was nervous through her awkward demeanor and her excessive use of umm, ahh, like, and ya know (i.e. phonetic hesitations, phonemes, and filler words) throughout the interview. Her answers were vague and her questions were too broad. It was clear that she had not adequately prepared for the interview. She subsequently did not get a call back for a second.


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A few months later, she went to her school’s investment banking, corporate finance, and private equity recruiting roundtable event. There, she came across the same firm once again. She made sure to do substantial research on both the industry and the firm’s specific market niche. She knew its opportunities, investors, and had a basic understanding of its operations and clients’ expectations. What she didn’t know, she did not hesitate to ask. What helped her regain her composure? How did she renew her confidence despite failing miserably in her previous interaction with the company’s recruiters? She made sure she was well-prepared by clearing her schedule, doing her due diligence, and getting enough sleep. Most importantly, she practiced her interview technique and what she’d say using the SimuGator Interview App for her iPhone and iPad.


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She was confident yet not overly confident to the point of being rude. She asked the most questions at the roundtable with the firm as well as the best questions. The founder of the company was present. He was impressed by her intense interest in his company and could tell that she had a passion for learning about the private equity markets. She had some good insights and her questions put his recruiters’ own knowledge of the industry to the test. He was hooked. He asked Susan if she’d like to come in for an interview the following week.


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Susan arrived to the interview 15 minutes early. She was cool and composed. She did not have to break a sweat because she was more than prepared with her resume, a writing sample, a pen, and a writing pad to take notes. She also brought some company white papers and her own research and market analysis to brush up on while she waited. During her interview, she made sure to maintain good eye contact, speak without stumbling on her words, and kept her answers and questions clear and concise. She was more engaging with the interviewers and made sure to demonstrate her knowledge, interest, and passion for private equity. Her answers and questions to the interviewers were relevant, interesting, and showed that she had done her research. She demonstrated why she thought she would be a great fit for the firm using both her previous experiences as examples and by talking about some of her future aspirations to become a commercial real estate portfolio manager one day, hopefully at their firm.


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She went on to describe what areas and approaches she thought might be helpful in generating new investment business, referencing a team investment plan competition her team had won during her private equity class. At the end of their conversation, she summarized her intentions by stating, “As we’ve discussed in this interview, there are plenty of areas where I believe I can make a significant positive impact at your firm. I’ve been looking forward to the opportunity to work with you and your colleagues, and I believe my experiences make me a worthy candidate. That’s why I want to work for your company.” She was called back for a second interview the next day. She was eventually hired several weeks later and started work a month after graduation.


(Photo Source: Victor1558)

For more information on the SimuGator Interview App or to download it for your own interview practice, click here.

For help with your job application documents, including resumes, cover letters, thank you letters, writing samples, and more, visit our sister site at Gradvocates Career Editing.

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