Interviewing Tips – The Goldman Way

Goldman Sachs has long been a coveted company to work at for those on the corporate finance career track. They have their recruitment process down to a science and even share the secrets to successful interviews with prospective hires in a video on their website.

Vivia Chen recently wrote an article that tells hungry Goldman wanna-be’s their strategy for successful interviewing. The advice is applicable to many career fields and certainly worth sharing.

First, the Dos:

1. Make a list of your qualifications–academic and work experiences. Goldman’s favorite buzz terms are “team orientation,” “leadership potential,” “problem-solving,” and “creativity.”

2. Create a narrative about why you are applying for a particular job or firm.

3. Practice your talking points and memorize the names of the interviewers (assuming you know beforehand).

4. Develop a conversational, confident tone. This requires practice–if not an acting coach; it’s not easy bragging about yourself in a non-bragging way.

And now for the Don’ts:

1. Don’t come off being clueless as to why you are interviewing for the job.

2. Don’t ask about mundane things like money and benefits. The mantra is to snag the offer, then ask about what you really care about later.

3. Don’t get lost on the way to the interview. Studying the subway map ten minutes before your appointment is not advisable.

4. Don’t send a thank-you letter by mail (too slow) or call (too awkward). But do send a thank-you e-mail. **Her point is debatable since I still prefer the hand-written note!

What really makes a Goldman interview the gold standard are the “competency” questions that it throws at interviewees. The video says the idea behind a “behavioral” or “case studies” interview is to see how candidates solve problems. Take this question: “How many manhole covers are there in New York City?” The video says you could multiply 12 avenues by 150 streets to get 1,800 manhole covers. That answer “may or may not be correct,” says the video, but it demonstrates “an approach.”

Bottom line – be prepared.  Interviewing well takes practice!