What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Preparing for ECLP Interview Forum
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 | 1 Comment Sleepless nights. Cravings for Red Bulls and coffees. Pregnant pauses and stutters as you give your best responses to interview questions while standing in front of your bathroom mirror.
Yes, it sounds like you have a case of the GE ECLP Interview Forum jitters. And as someone who went through this just one year ago, I’ve pulled together some tips to get you through the next few days as you wait with excited anticipation for November 3rd and 4th.
1. Congratulations! If you’ve been selected to attend Forum, we’ve reviewed your resume, appreciated your talents and experiences discussed during the first interview, and we want to learn more about you. So that’s my first tip – be ready to tell your story. Where have you been? Why are you getting your MBA? And, why do you want to be at GE and in ECLP?
For me, I had a strong marketing background, mostly in the real estate industry. After attending NYU Stern, I wanted to gain exposure into different areas of Finance, and GE Capital would offer me that opportunity. Additionally, I was sold on the fact that a leadership program was right for me. Having three different rotations meant meeting a series of different people, learning an assortment of new skills, and hopefully finding the best place for me to begin a long-term career within GE.
To be clear about your story, make sure you learn more information about GE, the specific business you are interviewing for, and the program by reading this blog, reviewing our official website, perusing our Facebook page or tweets, and/or speaking to current ECLPs (we are always happy to share our experiences).
2. Prepare for behavioral interviews. Think about the times you demonstrated leadership, worked through a problem, and all of those great questions your Career Center has likely equipped you with. And, similar to first round interviews, the people who you will be meeting with are Commercial Leaders within GE, so once again, take some time to learn about our businesses, so you can understand what they do and hold a conversation with them.
3. Practice your pitch. This is a five-minute persuasive speech that you should have received more information about in your Forum interview invitation, but make sure to think about who your audience is. You want to pick a topic that your audience can relate to and that you are comfortable speaking about. It’s great if your topic relates to one of GE’s businesses, but if you are not comfortable speaking about them – don’t force it! Then, make sure to spend time practicing.
4. Ask questions. As much as we are trying to learn more information about you, this is also the time for you to learn more about GE and ECLP. The people interviewing you have lots of GE experience to share, and there will be plenty of current and past ECLPs at Interview Forum, so figure out what you want to know more about and don’t be afraid to ask.
5. Have fun. This probably sounds ridiculous, as I know I was super nervous for Forum, but once the day started, I had a lot of fun. I met some amazing people and just enjoyed having conversations with them.
Finally, last year I found a great blog Kathleen wrote that helped me prepare. Take a look at it, and GOOD LUCK!
Posted by Becky
Reader Comments (1)
Thanks for sharing, i am expecting and the anticipation is too much a burden to bear. I had a phone interview on the 15th of November for ECLP position (Job Number 1427910). I got feedback that my resume is currently being reviewed. I am still awaiting information about the second stage interview or next stage in the recruitment process. My hopes are high and my faith strong. The ECLP blog have been helpful. Thanks for sharing.
Victor.