It’s got nothing to do with the length of your hemline, the width of your heels, or the height of
your hair. Keeping an eye on trends helps to keep your ideas fresh-squeezed, rather than stale
and recycled. How do you spot a trend? Read every single newspaper or magazine that you can
get your hands on. Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open. Start paying attention to “crossover”
fads, e.g., those inner-than-in trends that surface in two places at the same time. Does a current
TV show remind you thematically of a new movie that’s coming out? Does a new art exhibit
have the same color palette as the cover of your favorite magazine? Did you happen to notice the
same eclectic appetizer listed on the menus of three restaurants in your neighborhood?
Congratulations! You know a good trend when you see one. Your powers of observation are
excellent.
16. Please tell me about a time when you had to work independently.
A. In my last job, I sold T-1 lines to companies. For various reasons, my first territory wasn’t very
responsive. So, I started canvassing different neighborhoods, and finally located one that was an up
and coming dotcom center, our very own “little Silicon Valley of the south.” I asked my bosses if I
could pursue this new territory; they blessed the idea, and I ended up being the top telecom line
salesman that year.
Why This Technique Works
1. When sales didn’t come with the territory you asked for permission to find a new stomping ground.
2. You found a new area that turned out to be the gold mine of silicon.
17. What, in your opinion, is your most outstanding achievement so far in life?
A. I’ve always been happy that I managed to complete my college thesis. I was juggling five classes
a semester, a post on the student council, a job at the campus movie theater to help pay for books and
housing, and still, somehow, I found the time to write a thesis about why the economy tends to
improve during election years. I graduated with honors from my university, even though I was
overcommitted on all fronts. I think that I probably respond positively to stress, which I believe
should help me do very well in this field.
Why This Technique Works
1. You’ve used your college experience to show that you already have “real life” experience.
2. You mentioned that you cope with stress particularly well, and, in more and more businesses
today, unrelenting stress is a way of life.
18. Where else are you interviewing?
A. I’ve been interviewing at the three top, bulge bracket investment banking firms, SDL, MNP, and
VJK. But I would much rather work for your boutique, because I feel that I will probably have a
chance to learn more here, much faster, than at a larger firm. I read that your company gives first-year
associates a great deal of responsibility when it comes to servicing clients.
I would so much prefer to get this on-the-job, “real life” training from your firm, rather than the
textbook, classroom training that most of the big firms provide. Can you tell me more about some of
the projects that your first-year associates have been working on?
It’s fine to use a word like “boutique” as long as the company where you’re interviewing
considers itself one. Otherwise, you may wish to refer to it as a “smaller company” or
simply, “your company.”
your hair. Keeping an eye on trends helps to keep your ideas fresh-squeezed, rather than stale
and recycled. How do you spot a trend? Read every single newspaper or magazine that you can
get your hands on. Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open. Start paying attention to “crossover”
fads, e.g., those inner-than-in trends that surface in two places at the same time. Does a current
TV show remind you thematically of a new movie that’s coming out? Does a new art exhibit
have the same color palette as the cover of your favorite magazine? Did you happen to notice the
same eclectic appetizer listed on the menus of three restaurants in your neighborhood?
Congratulations! You know a good trend when you see one. Your powers of observation are
excellent.
16. Please tell me about a time when you had to work independently.
A. In my last job, I sold T-1 lines to companies. For various reasons, my first territory wasn’t very
responsive. So, I started canvassing different neighborhoods, and finally located one that was an up
and coming dotcom center, our very own “little Silicon Valley of the south.” I asked my bosses if I
could pursue this new territory; they blessed the idea, and I ended up being the top telecom line
salesman that year.
Why This Technique Works
1. When sales didn’t come with the territory you asked for permission to find a new stomping ground.
2. You found a new area that turned out to be the gold mine of silicon.
17. What, in your opinion, is your most outstanding achievement so far in life?
A. I’ve always been happy that I managed to complete my college thesis. I was juggling five classes
a semester, a post on the student council, a job at the campus movie theater to help pay for books and
housing, and still, somehow, I found the time to write a thesis about why the economy tends to
improve during election years. I graduated with honors from my university, even though I was
overcommitted on all fronts. I think that I probably respond positively to stress, which I believe
should help me do very well in this field.
Why This Technique Works
1. You’ve used your college experience to show that you already have “real life” experience.
2. You mentioned that you cope with stress particularly well, and, in more and more businesses
today, unrelenting stress is a way of life.
18. Where else are you interviewing?
A. I’ve been interviewing at the three top, bulge bracket investment banking firms, SDL, MNP, and
VJK. But I would much rather work for your boutique, because I feel that I will probably have a
chance to learn more here, much faster, than at a larger firm. I read that your company gives first-year
associates a great deal of responsibility when it comes to servicing clients.
I would so much prefer to get this on-the-job, “real life” training from your firm, rather than the
textbook, classroom training that most of the big firms provide. Can you tell me more about some of
the projects that your first-year associates have been working on?
It’s fine to use a word like “boutique” as long as the company where you’re interviewing
considers itself one. Otherwise, you may wish to refer to it as a “smaller company” or
simply, “your company.”
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