I've interviewed thousands of people at Goldman Sachs, and this is the biggest mistake I see candidates make
But if you think this is the best strategy for a successful interview, you'd be sorely mistaken, Edith Cooper, executive vice president and global head of Human Capital Management at Goldman Sachs, tells Business Insider.
If a candidate says, for example, that they have a passion for something because they think it will impress the interviewer, they should be prepared to back this statement up and talk in detail about their passion, she explains. Sadly, if the statement doesn't come from a genuine place, this is incredibly difficult to do.
"The worst thing that I've experienced in an interview is when a candidate goes down a path that they're not really comfortable with because they think it's a path they should be on - they offer information that they believe will get someone's attention, but they're not ready for the followup question," she says.
Cooper, who has interviewed thousands of job candidates during her tenure at Goldman Sachs, explains that there is a lot of information online about what interviewers are looking for, what questions candidates can expect to be asked, and what the best responses to those questions might be. But the reality is, "it's the best answer if it's your answer."
"We're not looking for what you think you should be. We're looking for who you are," Cooper says.
Check out the full interview below:
- I got a $40K raise using this 30-second strategy. It made me realize loud work, not hard work, always wins.
- Qatar Airways' new CEO explains why it's sticking with the Airbus A380 as other airlines retire the costly superjumbo
- Prince Harry and Meghan found out about Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis on TV like everyone else, report says
- Consuming excessive salt and inadequate potassium, protein is making North Indians prone to life-threatening diseases: Study
- Upcoming cars and two-wheelers launching in India in April 2024
- Ice melt in Antarctica and Greenland is slowing Earth's rotation, affecting timekeeping: Study
- Elections on a plate: Poll panels fix menu & expense ceiling for Samosa, tea, biryani & more
- Regenerative farming, cover crops will help farmers increase yields, reduce stubble burning: IDH CEO