A Secret Strategy for Winning Interviews

Mastering the Q&A Session

Mastering project interviews is crucial for consulting firms to achieve growth and success.

Implementing a strategy that optimizes every aspect of the interview process can lead to a competitive advantage for any firm.

Most interviews follow a basic structure, providing a timeframe for presenting your material and allocating time for the selection committee to ask questions. This crucial question and answer (Q&A) period can account for 20% or more of the interview time, and it is often the first genuine opportunity to interact with the potential client. Failing to establish a proper Q&A strategy can mean missing a major chance to enhance your success rate.

If you were able to anticipate the questions the selection committee will ask, you would be able to have concise answers prepared in advance. Although there are some rare cases where the questions are provided prior to the interview, most often, the Q&A session is based upon the thought processes of the selection committee. Presenters are typically challenged for “on-the-spot” answers that will satisfy the client’s interests. If the Q&A session is not executed properly, you can significantly damage your chances of winning. The following are three tips for a successful Q&A strategy.

Tip 1: Anticipate the Client's Questions

In preparing for an interview, you can generate a list of potential questions by leveraging AI tools.

Step 1: Begin with a written script of the presentation or proposal. If you do not have one, you can create one by recording an interview practice session and then convert the audio file to text through speech-to-text software. If you do not practice your interview, then that should be step 1.

Step 2: Enter the narrative text into a Large Language Model like ChatGPT and ask the model to generate typical questions. For a tailored approach, consider requesting questions from the perspective of the committee members' specific backgrounds, such as "List 5 questions from the viewpoint of a sustainability expert." This process can yield several potential questions from a variety of perspectives.

Step 3: Be prepared with concise answers to each AI generated question. The more questions generated, the better prepared you will be.

Tip 2: Engage the Audience with Additional Material

Occasionally the Q&A session may begin with an extended period of silence, which can be unsettling and imply the committee has lost interest. To avoid this awkwardness, add a slide at the end of your presentation that includes 10 to 15 possible topics for potential questions. You can be prepared to discuss each topic or add additional slides with relevant material. If you needed to cut parts of the presentation for time purposes, this will allow you to "sneak" them back in. Make sure the format is interactive, so the selection committee will engage in selecting various topics to discuss.

Tip 3: Leave a Positive Impression

Finally, since the Q&A session serves as your first opportunity to interact with the client team. It's crucial to leave a positive impression. Designate the team leader as the organizer of the Q&A process, directing questions to specific team members for the primary response. Practice with the questions and topics generated in the first two tips. This approach ensures the committee can interact with each team member, and avoids potential confusion from multiple responses.

By researching potential questions, preparing for the answering process, and maintaining an organized approach, you can maximize every minute of your interview and significantly increase your potential for success. For further questions or additional tips on winning interviews, please feel free to contact us.