More and more, recruiters are utilizing online recorded interview technology such as HireVue to screen candidates for open positions. These technologies often provide only one chance to sell yourself for the position. So how do you prepare? The JSOM Career Management Center spoke with Marcus Harpole, JSOM business administration and supply chain management undergraduate, to learn more about the online resources he used to prepare for his “one interview chance.”
CMC: Hi, Marcus. You recently advanced to the final round of interviews at Texas Instruments. What gave you the edge over your competition?
Marcus: Definitely preparation! I utilized several resources from the JSOM CMC website to ensure I was ready for every facet of the interview process.
CMC: Which tools did you use, and how did they help?
Marcus: There were two that were particularly useful in preparing for my interview with TI – Perfect Interview and Glassdoor. Perfect Interview is a great tool that helps you prepare for any kind of interview, but video interviews in particular. The software has over 2,000 questions that are commonly asked in interviews and provides different ideas for how you might answer those questions. Using a webcam, you record responses to interview questions and then watch your video to see how you are coming across, both in terms of your answers and your body language. There are career specialists online who can provide coaching, and you can send your videos to others in your network to receive feedback as well.
CMC: That sounds like an amazing resource.
Marcus: It is. I’ve found in an interview setting, the smallest details can make a big difference. Perfect Interview really helped me build my confidence in interviewing, especially for video interviews where there is not a live person sitting across the table.
CMC: You mentioned you also used Glassdoor. Can you tell me a little about how that tool helped you?
Marcus: When I was interviewing for Texas Instruments, I used Glassdoor to gain a better understanding of what the interview process would be like. The site had information specifically dedicated to the rotational program I was applying for, including the different types of questions commonly asked in the interview process. Having that information allowed me to better plan my answers in advance. In fact, most of the questions I encountered in my interview were similar to ones I read about on Glassdoor.
CMC: That sounds like a huge advantage going into the interview. I understand Glassdoor has other resources as well?
Marcus: It does. The site has information about companies across the globe, including salary ranges, current job postings, company benefits, insights into what it is really like to work in the organization and more. It is always smart to learn as much about a company as you can before your interview. The information on Glassdoor is posted anonymously by current and former employees so it is a great place to go to get an “insider’s view” of the company.
CMC: Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Marcus, and good luck as you continue in your job search!
The JSOM Career Management Center provides JSOM students with a wealth of services and resources to prepare for internship and full-time job search. Visit the JSOM CMC Career Information Links page to learn more about Perfect Interview, Glassdoor and other informative resources that are available to you free of charge.
In addition, your experienced JSOM Career Development Specialists provide helpful coaching about résumé and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile, interview preparation, networking and more. Visit your hireJSOM account to register for events, pod sessions and workshops, or contact us at jindal.careers@utdallas.edu to schedule an individual appointment. The JSOM Career Management Center is located at JSOM 12.110 and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About the Authors
Susan Brookshire is an experienced trainer and talent development leader. She is a former vice president at BNY Mellon and JP Morgan Chase and joined the JSOM CMC Career Development Specialist team in fall 2016.
Marcus Harpole is a JSOM undergraduate in business administration and supply chain management. He has previous training and guest services experience at Chick-fil-A and joined the JSOM CMC Front Desk Student Worker team in spring 2017.
Neil Johnson is the assistant director of the JSOM Career Management Center and manages the Career Development Specialist and front-desk student worker teams. He also is an instructor for the MAS 6102 professional development course. He has 15+ years of experience in university career services and has worked at the JSOM CMC for five years.
