1. Going Live: How to Prepare for
Interviews and Presentations in
the Business, Government, and
Nonprofit Worlds
Andrew Green, PhD
UC Berkeley Career Center
2. • 10 years ago I had a Friday afternoon
appointment with a Math PhD who had a
Monday interview/with a hedge fund
• Now, negotiation appointments are my favorites
• Never had one with him
3. Personal Attributes Companies
Seek Out
• Flexibility
• Communication Skills
• Team Player
• Interpersonal Skills
• Can Do, Positive
Attitude
• Postdoc hired at Genentech
• Multitasking
• Forest Through the
Trees
• Customer’s Point of
View
• Creative Problem
Solver
• From Toby Freeman
4. Most PhDs & Postocs
• Feel comfortable thinking and talking on their
feet, but
• Have never had a job interview in their life
• An can be wholly unaware that the demands
and dynamics of a job interview are very
different and require serious preparation
5. Interviews are:
• Rare and precious opportunities
• Much different now than in the past
• The final obstacle standing between you and meaningful,
paid employment
• I encourage you to prepare for them as if for a qualifying
exam
6. What does this mean?
• Do your homework: The most common
complaint we hear from employers… (HR VP)
• Go back to people you have met through site
visits, info interviews and other networking
opportunities. They will often see themselves
(and act) as your allies.
• If you meet an employer rep at a Career Fair…
7. I do a lot of Mock Interviews and
always start with the same question
• "Tell me about yourself“
• Practice
8. Kinds of Questions
• You and your future plans
• Your resume and skills
• Case Questions
• Behavioral Questions
• Feared Questions
• Questions for them
9. You and your future plans
• Tell me about yourself?
• Why are you interested in this position?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• Why are you leaving academia?
10. Your Resume
• Tell me about your graduate/postdoc research
• What level of experience do you having using X
or programming in Y
• What steps did you take in solving problem Z?
What were your specific
contributions/responsibilities?
11. Case Questions
• Consulting questions
• URAP (Brazil)
• How would go about organizing a 2 Day Career
Conference for PhDs? What would it look like,
and how would you go about finding campus
partners?
12. Behavioral Questions
• Tell me about a time you disagreed with your boss
• Tell me about a time you took the initiative
• Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague
– How do I respond if I’ve never had a problem with my
boss or collaborators?
13. Feared/Illegal Questions
• Why did you take so long to finish?
• Why didn’t your PhD yield more publications?
• Is your husband willing to relocate if you are offered this
position?
• Why are you leaving academia?
14. Forewarned is forearmed.
• An interview is not like a qualifying exam
– There is rarely a single correct answer
– A literal interpretation and answer is not helpful to them. Rather
what is their concern and how do you best address it
– The goal is to avoid the challenge of formulating your answer to
a question at the same time you have to deliver it
– Use their (or common) language to describe your experience
(ME)
16. Phone/Skype Interviews
• Be prepared (e.g., 15 sec commercial)
• Use shorter, less complex sentences
• Pause to allow them to move on, but be prepared to fill
silence
• Stay focused. It’s not a casual conversation
• Test drive your skype set-up (earbuds)
17. Last Year served on Financial
Analyst Interview panel…
• Your goal is simple clarity
• Help them project you into the role
• QUESTIONS?
18. Presentations
• Short and concise
• Tell them a story
• Framing (NY Times level)
• Spiral Approach
• General - Specific - General
• 7% Rule
19. Specific Guidelines
• Speak Slowly
• Make Eye Contact
• Visual Learners
• Written vs. Spoken Language
• Time it Out
• The 7% Rule
• Don’t provide a handout of your slides in advance
