I have found your book massively informational, and wish that
I'd bought it years ago. We really need someone like you at Yale.
I have one question that has caused me great anxiety. I recently interviewed with a very selective, prominent international strategy consulting firm.
They hire one intern every summer. I received a letter from the Recruiting Manager which briefly denied me the internship. A few days later, the director of the office who interviewed me called to explain why I did not
get the job. He said that I gave him the impression that I am not serious about a career in consulting, and since the internship program serves as a training/recruiting program for the company, he had to hire another
candidate who he felt was definitely committed to the career.
This was a real shot in the heart, because I've wanted this internship more than anything since I went to their recruiting session last summer. In fact, I
wrote the company in NOVEMBER, and have been following up on the company ever since. For many reasons, I feel obsessively that my dream career would be with this company - regional focus, company culture, industry
concentration are exactly what I'm attracted to, among other things. So how come he got the opposite impression? Because I didn't answer his interview questions carefully. He asked me several questions which I should
really have noticed were getting at my long-term goals. Why are you interested in consulting? Would you consider going into the work your previous internships have been in? Where do you see yourself after graduation?
What would make you a good consultant? I didn't sell my passion for consulting in ANY of my answers. Yes, I feel idiotic. Most of all, I'm really sad.
My first question is: Given the details I've provided you - the
fact that I know how I failed to answer correctly. DO YOU THINK HE MEANT HIS EXPLANATION or was it a nice way of saying you're not smart enough, you screwed up the case interview, etc. Since I didn't ask for an
explanation for his decision, and since I do understand how I gave him the wrong impression, I don't think he's being insincere. What do you think? And most important, WHAT SHOULD I DO? I really want to write him a
thank you note because I feel he's been really kind -- he didn't need to call. I also really want to express clearly my conviction about a career working at his firm. I KNOW it's too late, the interview's gone, but
can't I write three sentences about how I'm interested just to clear things up? He went on in our phone conversation - it was long-distance, I might add - to tell me to keep in touch, to tell me that the company should
be hosting several receptions this summer, I should stop by, etc. I also must add that from what I told - not that I feel a good judge any longer - we liked each other. Would a short note be pathetic - as a friend has
said - Thanks a lot for your help. This has really been killing me.
From: P. Lee, Yale University
ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:
Hi P. -
I feel your pain and your hurt. I really do. You obviously are
passionate for this company and it comes through in your message.
First - Definitely yes, write a personal thank you note back to the Recruiting Manager. You might even consider using some of the outpouring of your
heart that was contained in your note to me as part of the content. Let him know from the bottom of your heart that you really DO have the passion for consulting.
I work as a hiring manager for Keane, Inc., the
largest Information Technology Consulting Firm in the U.S., so I understand their need for establishing your interest in consulting. It certainly is not for everyone. But if you have SPECIFIC reasons why you did not
answer the questions correctly (other than the fact that you didn't see the purpose behind them), please elaborate to his--and your--benefit. It sounds like the door is closed for now on the internship, but even that
has the possibility of changing (on the slight chance that their chosen candidate could still fall through). Staying in close touch will keep your name in the short-term memory bank. Worst case, you missed the summer
internship. Life after college still doesn't start for another year. You still have time to regain lost ground.
Second - Learn from your experience. It appears you've already gained much in your introspection, but
make sure that you not only recognize your failure, but also take corrective action. That is the sign of a true consultant--we all make mistakes, but a good consultant only makes the same mistake once. We learn, go on,
and become better. We implement best-of-breed practices from our mistakes.
How would you have answered the questions differently. You might want to set up a mock interview to focus specifically on the questions
listed above. If you had done a mock interview on these questions (and videotaped) before your interview, you likely would have seen from an objective perspective how your answers would have fallen short. Don't let it
happen again. Learn from it and be ready the next time.
Third - Chart a new course. Is this company the ONLY one in the field? Yes, they may be the best (at least in your mind), but you should immediately check out
the competition. Think about it from the perspecitve of next year. What will look the best from the perspective of this ideal employer? If it were me, you would have proven yourself to me that you were sincere about
consulting if you went out and secured a summer internship with one of our competitors. There is nothing like the lust for one's competition.
Make sure you don't spend too much time on the negative side of this
experience. You're right--you missed an initial opportunity. But it's not the only one you'll have. There will be many more. And you will have to be the one to make those opportunities.
As a final aside, you might
consider going back to your ideal company and offering yourself up for either lower-level work (maybe not their classic internship) during the summer, or even as an unpaid volunteer during the summer (if you can afford
it--it will pay off greatly in the long run). It's kind of a combination of the "Kamikaze Technique" and "Puppy Dog Close Technique" from my book. Remember, once you are on the inside, all you have
to do is prove yourself and your capabilities. It's worth the try--the worst that could happen to you is that they will know you are sincere about your desire to work in consulting.
I wish all the best to you, P.
Don't ever give up. Your dream job is just around the corner, although it may be viewed through the glass dimly at this point. It will come into clearer focus for you over the coming year. Keep the faith.
P.S. Yes, I
think he was sincere in his telling you why you were not hired. And the fact that he took the extra time to call you shows that he did have an interest in you. He is giving you an opening that you can walk back through
at some point in the future.
Brian Krueger
Author of College Grad Job Hunter
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