I have finally mastered the Hirevue interviews that banks now make all their interns and graduate hires go through.
For those who don’t know, Hirevue interviews are basically digital interviews where you have to answer questions and speak to a screen. There’s no human present and they can be very nerve-wracking.
For me, the problem is that you have a very short response time. I find talking to a computer very daunting. I like to get things right and if I’m not careful I get lost in what I’m trying to say and my delivery is bad.
After talking to friends who’ve been through banks’ Hirevues successfully, though, I’ve developed a new strategy. It seems that Hirevues are less about what you actually say and more about the way you say it.
When you go through a Hirevue interview for a client-facing investment banking job in an area like M&A, it’s very, very important that you present yourself as a banker and not as a student. You need to look and behave the part.
Banks want to know that you are well-spoken, logical and charismatic. When you start answering questions, therefore, you need to say “Hi JPMorgan,” before you start – imagine you’re addressing the bank.
You then need to structure your answer very clearly. Say, “I would love to tell you my experience about this… Firstly, I did this…. Secondly, I did this…. Overall, I learned this… And this was the result….”
By approaching the Hirevue interview like this, you’ll be less nervous because you’ll have some structure. And you’ll appear professional and able to express your opinion. Fake it until you make it.
Practice this with friends (or a camera) before the interview. A lot of people applying for banking jobs are academically excellent, but you need to work on your soft skills too!
Jessica Courbet is a pseudonym
