Author Archive: Jessica Pointing
Interview Books and Resources
I read over 3,000 pages of books for the interview prep process. Interview preparation is important if you want to significantly increase your chances of getting an offer. In this blog post, I provide the books and resources I used to land offers from Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, McKinsey, Bain, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, […]
Continue readingApplying for internships
Organizing the process It is really important to apply for your internships early. Some of these internships are rolling basis, so the earlier you apply, the higher your chances of receiving an offer. My process for internships started as early as August – one whole year before the internship. I really recommend organizing all your […]
Continue readingBehavioral Questions
Behaviour questions. Tell Me about yourself The most common question you will get asked is: ‘Tell me about yourself’ It is important to nail this question. You should already know this answer from the top of your head. First impressions matter, and this question is usually asked at the beginning of the interview, so you […]
Continue readingCover Letters
Cover letters are less common nowadays. If you do have to write a cover letter, follow this format: Introducing who I am Giving highlights from my resume Talking about how my skills align with the skills needed for the job Mentioning how I can contribute to the company Talking about why I want to work at the […]
Continue readingACT CALM – Ace your interview
My previous article: ‘7 tips to succeed in an interview’, which was featured by Business Insider, gave tips mainly on how to prepare for an interview. But what do you actually do on the interview day? In this article, I give 7 tips to succeed DURING an interview using the mnemonic: ACT CALM A – […]
Continue reading5 Resume Tips
In previous posts, I have talked about how to be successful in an interview. How do you get the interview in the first place? The answer usually is: your resume. Follow these 5 tips to get your resume in its best shape. Tip 1.Error-Free Don’t make your resume easy to be disregarded immediately. You should […]
Continue reading7 Tips for a Successful Interview
My formula for a successful interview is: successful interview = preparedness x relaxation The tips below will help you greatly increase your chances of a successful interview. Tip 1: Read from the experts I read over six books for the internship interview process. I treated the internship interviews as a class – I […]
Continue readingStep-by-Step guide to apply to US colleges
The US university application process can be daunting. There are many steps to take. Many things to do. Many deadlines to meet. Especially if you are an international student, you may have no idea what you need to do. This step-by-step guide provides steps for all the major parts of a US application. There is […]
Continue readingList of behavioural questions
After my interviews, I make a list of all the behavioural questions I was asked. In this list, you will find common questions and wacky questions. Common questions are bolded. Tell me about yourself What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why do you want to do investment banking/consulting/software engineering etc. ? What do investment […]
Continue readingHow to succeed in an interview
Since coming to the US, I have been interviewed many times for internships, awards, and university applications. On multiple occasions, I have been told by the interviewer, that my interview was one of the best interviews they’ve had – if not, the best. How did I go from being useless at interviews to succeeding at […]
Continue reading