The Essentials - Quick reminders to know before you go!
- Your HUGO team will prepare you with information regarding the company, opportunity, and your role. We encourage you to also explore the company website, latest press releases, SEC filings, LinkedIn, Google News, etc.
- Spend time familiarizing yourself with the client interviewer’s profile (name, title, functional area, etc.) utilizing public resources such as LinkedIn or as communicated to you by the team. Review their LinkedIn Profile to learn more about their career and professional interests.
- Familiarize yourself with what is highlighted in your HUGO profile, as that’s what the client will be referencing. A member of the HUGO team should send you the customized version shared with the client for this specific opportunity.
Logistics and Attire
- Bring a notepad and pen to take notes during the discussion. Note-taking demonstrates engagement and active listening.
- Confirm date/time, address, directions, parking, & whom to ask for when arriving.
- Allow enough time for commuting and parking. Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early.
- Wear business attire unless otherwise directed by your Talent Advocate.
- Turn off your phone or switch to airplane mode for the duration of the discussion.
Phone and Video Meetings
- For phone and video conferences, log on at least 5 minutes prior to make sure there are no connectivity issues.
- If the meeting is a video conference, make sure you have the technology to accommodate it. Test the technology in advance.
- Be camera ready—dress in the same professional attire you would for an in-person meeting and make sure your visible workspace is tidy.
- Make sure you speak clearly to the receiver. Just because they can’t see you, doesn’t mean you can’t convey enthusiasm and interest. Smile as you talk, and answer questions as confidently and concisely as possible.
- Feel free to have notes in front of you for the call. It can be challenging to remember the specific examples you would like to share as well as your intro. By doing your homework in advance, you will feel prepared and respond more confidently to the discussion. See below
Understanding the Opportunity - Developing your understanding of your potential role.
- Approach this as a business conversation (not an interview) with a client around a problem they are trying to solve and how you can help.
- Review the scope of the project and specifics about the role that were provided to you in advance.
Demonstrating Your Enthusiasm with Preparation and Engagement
- Have 3 – 5 questions ready for the client to dive deeper into how you can be of value. Sample questions to ask the client:
- What skills or traits do you feel would make someone successful in this role? or alt: What does success in this role look like?
- What are you immediately looking to accomplish? or alt: Restate your understanding of the defined tasks/responsibilities/deliverables of this role as described by the client and ask the client to prioritize.
- Is there executive sponsorship for this project?
- What do you see are the challenges this project or role faces?
- How many staff or team members will I be managing, and how will this role be communicated to them?
- What are the biggest hurdles a consultant getting started on this project will need to be prepared to overcome?
- If you do not know it already, ask how this project fits into the group’s/division’s overall goals and objectives.
- Read the situation and interject with your questions when appropriate. Follow the client’s lead and ensure he/she can get everything out of the conversation needed to make the right decision.
- Above all, be human first. Exude personal warmth during your meeting. Be genuine in your interactions and express positive emotions about the engagement.
- Your HUGO team members are here to support you as much as you need, leverage them to practice, and prepare for your meeting.
Demonstrating Confidence and Capability - Tips to allow your experience and expertise to shine
- Our clients want to work with people who demonstrate interest and excitement about their projects and can integrate seamlessly within their team
- Ask thoughtful and relevant questions. It’s your goal to help clients understand how your experience is applicable to their needs.
- Don’t be stumped when you are asked a question about a specific skill set or experience that you don’t have
- Be prepared to describe the transferable skills that make you a great candidate for the role.
- Articulate how you would approach the work utilizing those experiences/skills.
- Example: “Although I haven’t specifically worked with that system, I’m very comfortable working with systems and have worked with a variety of ERP systems throughout my career. I have been able to successfully pick up on new systems quickly to hit the ground running. [Proceed with giving a specific work example using the STAR method].”
Behavioral Interviewing Style
- Interviewers use behavioral interviewing to assess a candidate’s past experiences and judge his/her response to similar situations on a future job/project. This variety of interviews is based on the premise that past performance in comparable circumstances is the best predictor of future performance. Interviewers ask more specific, focused questions to elicit concrete examples of desired behaviors from the past instead of allowing the interviewee to theorize or generalize about events.
- HUGO recommends sharing your work experience by telling a story – use the STAR method to describe the Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
- A good STAR story will help the client visualize you being in the current role based on the work you’ve done in the past. It also helps you avoid being too wordy or going off on a tangent. Focus on the high level first, before diving into details.
- Here is an example, and remember, prepare, and practice – don’t risk it & wing it.
- S (umbrella/intro statement): In 2014 when I was at Company X, I served as the Program Manager for a portfolio of 15 projects across the enterprise, with a budget of $50M.
- T-A (your day-to-day tasks & responsibilities): I collaborated with client executives and 10 Senior Project Managers who managed the individual projects. My role was to review projects’ scope, plans, budgets, and objectives to ensure that these projects aligned with company goals and stakeholder expectations. I also managed risks to ensure dependencies were met between projects, the entire program stayed on time and within budget, and presented to the steering committee.
- R (results & accomplishments – wrap it up): As a result of my risk & ROI assessments, we eliminated 3 projects which would have cost the company a great deal but would not have contributed to moving the company forward. Our entire program was also delivered on time and within budget.
Active Listening and Making a Connection
- Use active listening skills to understand the situation, pick up on cues and provide succinct input.
- It’s ok to pause and repeat the question before you answer. This helps to ensure you are answering what the client is seeking to understand vs. what you want to share.
- Be comfortable with the silence or pause to allow time for the client to respond. This is more difficult over the phone since you can’t read visual cues but trust that you’ve answered their question and if they need more info, they’ll ask.
- Body Language - make sure you maintain eye contact with the person(s) who is asking you questions, and that you are sitting up straight vs. slumped in the chair, or have your arms crossed.
Your Relationship with HUGO
- Be prepared to answer questions about your relationship with HUGO. If it appears to the client that you are new to consulting and/or HUGO, they may ask why you are leaving your current role, and/or interested in consulting and HUGO. Below are some tips on how you might respond:
- I’m very interested in consulting and HUGO, as it allows me the opportunity to work on a variety of projects and leverage my experience to help clients in different ways. Share why this project interests you and how it aligns with your skill sets and experience, and what you can bring to the table.
- Be honest about why you are looking for a new opportunity, but don’t say anything negative about past employers or yourself.
- Refrain from making comments such as “this is just a temporary assignment until I find a permanent role”, or “I’m exploring other permanent opportunities in the meantime as well” – this may indicate to the client a lack of commitment to the project and/or HUGO and give them hesitation about selecting you as their candidate
Closing the Conversation - How to end on a high note and leave a lasting impression!
- An appropriate final question may be, “Is there anything else about my experience we haven’t discussed that you would like to understand?” or “Is there anything else I can share with you about my background and experience that would be helpful for you in making your decision?”
- Thank the client for their time and for the opportunity to meet with them and discuss the role. If you feel strongly you are a good fit for the project, close the meeting by expressing your interest in working with the client on this project.