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CMC Library Ledger

Top Ten Interview Tips From the CMC Library

by Unknown User on 2020-11-19T09:57:00-06:00 in CMC Library Resources | 0 Comments

Interview season is coming up sooner than you think! With that in mind, here are our top ten tips on how to get ready for interviews. Additional information (including club prep material) can be found in our Prep for Networking & Interviews Guide. Reach out to us at cmclibrary@kellogg.northwestern.edu for help finding info on specific companies and industries.

#1: KNOW THE COMPANY - start by reading an analyst report to get beyond what's on the website

Best bet:

Go deeper:

#2: KNOW THE INDUSTRY - find industry drivers, market share, threats and opportunities, etc.

Best bet:

Go deeper:

#3: KNOW THE NEWS - keep up on new product launches, senior leadership and more

Best bet:

Go deeper:

#4: HAVE TALKING POINTS - have a meaty answer to "Do you have any questions for us?"

Best bet:

  • IBISWorld - Call Prep Questions at the bottom of the left menu within industry reports
  • Mergent Intellect - go to Company Profile --> Industry Details Tab --> First Research Industry Reports --> Call Prep Questions

Note: These call prep questions are only intended as examples; use them as a jumping-off point for creating your own questions.

Go deeper:

#5: KNOW THE MISSION

Best bet:

  • Company website
  • Company's social media pages 

Go deeper:

#6: COMPANY CULTURE - have a good answer for why you want to work there!

Best bet:

  • CMS Intern-Net
  • Read through company's social media feeds

Go deeper:

#7: COMPANY FINANCIALS 

Public companies:

Private companies:

#8: COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Best bet:

Go deeper:

#9: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Threats)

Best bet:

Go deeper: 

#10: NETWORKING - find out what you cannot find in any database!

Best bet:

Go deeper:

Note: If you are a new user, register at Our Northwestern. Contact Our Northwestern at ONsupport@northwestern.edu for assistance.

Finally, don't take our word for it, here's some advice from a recruiter:

Recruiter Feedback: "Similar to any interview, do your research! Find out what the latest is on the company, such as new products, acquisitions, growth, quarter-end result announcements in the media, anything you can find out about the company you're interviewing with. Be prepared to discuss or even ask questions about these important topics. Know things like the company history, locations, mission statements, and what is important to the company. Even anything negative you might have seen - don't be afraid to bring it up."


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