Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Opportunities

How does it feel facing interviews or for that matter, how does it feel to even think about them? Scary thoughts, harder heartbeats are few immediate reactions. Interviews are to test for interviewee's compatibility with the firm/college/job/whatever. Failing is definitely heart-breaking and sad but what we should understand is that failing in interviews doesn't mean that we're incapable. All it means is that we're incompatible.

And I can say that because Bain's been kind enough to give me interviewing opportunities. Have conducted 5 interviews so far and I'd say that this experience of interviewing people has taught me far more than what giving 100 interviews would. Interviewing people is not an easy job. You need to be smarter than the interviewee to judge that the interviewee isn't making fool of you. Judging a person, and that too officially gives an amazing sense of you being responsible for things, important things.

Apart from the regular case interviews and market sizing stuff, one thing that I really focus upon during interviews is to check if the person is logical and if he/she has a good presence of mind. I personally like people who are good at common sense. And you definitely need that, be you in any field around the world. Cross-questioning to check the integrity of the person is important as well. I do that. Understanding person's interest in the profile, in the job is another very important issue I take care of.

In short, it's an awesome experience to interview people. I believe, it should make me feel more confident while facing interviews myself but then who knows, it's not that easy to be an interviewee afterall.

Time taken to write this post: 23 minutes