<p>Hi guys!</p>
<p>I have received an email for an alumni interview and my interviewer is a hotshot CEO...And Im very worried as to what questions he could ask me!</p>
<p>Could someone please help in what all I should prepare and how I should i dress? Should I be formally attired or casual?</p>
<p>Thank you so much in advance</p>
<p>-Worried human being =(</p>
<p>dress business casual. NO JEANS. NO TEE. NO SNEAKERS. My interview was intense as the alumni had quite a few questions that I wasn't expecting, but was fine answering....and no, I am not giving specifics. It kind of threw me as my Cornell interivew was more about the school and any questions I had. Just be yourself and you will be fine.</p>
<p>I wore a pair of tan slacks and a tucked-in polo shirt to most of my interviews. Be sure to wear some dress shoes, if you can. Like MPNY said, no jeans/T-shirts/sneakers/etc. You don't have to go all-out and wear a suit, either. Just keep it low-key and presentable. </p>
<p>In terms of questions, it can honestly go any direction. Some interviews I had were really intense grilling-sessions that made me want to stick my head in an oven, while others were extremely fun/light conversations that left me in a good mood after the fact. Just be yourself, be honest, don't make things up (there's a good chance something will come back to haunt you), and answer to the best of your ability. Do <em>not</em> memorize speeches. It's obvious when you do. Just treat it like any other conversation.</p>
<p>Be sure to come to each interview with some inquiry-ammunition. You should be prepared to ask questions about the school. In every interview, you'll be given an explicit opportunity to ask questions. The worst thing you can do is say "I don't have any questions." It generally doesn't look good. </p>
<p>Some general questions may include asking the interviewer what their average day was like in college, or what most students do for fun, etc. You can also bring up some recent news event pertaining to the school if you so choose. If your interviewer appears knowledgeable about the field of study that you are interested in, you can always ask questions about that, since it will be natural to do so. Maybe you can ask them why they chose to attend THIS school as opposed to another, or you can even ask if they have any advice for you in general. The idea is to make it clear that you really want to be at Penn for the right reasons. You should make it obvious that you are someone who is naturally interested and who isn't just applying for the hell of it.</p>
<p>The fun-conversation interviews are really easy and I don't think you'll have trouble with those. Nobody does, haha.</p>
<p>But the harder ones... sometimes an interviewer will come off as someone who just wants to see you sweat in order to determine how you think under pressure. Penn is not an easy school, so the interviewer may want to see if you're someone who can handle the heat. The best thing you can do is keep calm. Don't be afraid to pause for a moment before speaking. You don't want to just blurt out, "I don't know!" when faced with a tricky question. Just be relaxed, think it through a bit, and answer thoughtfully. Even if your interviewer disagrees with you, it is better that you gave the question serious consideration.</p>
<p>Sometimes an interviewer may even challenge one of your views. During my Yale interview, for example, my interviewer outright said that he disagreed with a point I had made. Instead of simply sitting back and saying "Alright, you must be right," don't be afraid to fight back a bit. "I have to respectfully disagree, because..." is perfectly acceptable. Think of the interview as an ongoing conversation/exchanging of ideas and questions. If you constantly throw away your views and just agree with everything that the interviewer says, it comes off as being very fake. Hold firm to your opinions, and it'll show a lot more intellectual honesty.</p>
<p>It goes without saying that you should also know what an interviewer will likely ask. I interviewed at over 10 schools or something like that (a few others didn't have interviews). In general, you'll be asked things like "Why do you want to come to this school?", "What makes you a qualified candidate?", "What are you interested in?", "Can you describe a time where you were faced with a challenging task and how you dealt with it?", "What do you do in your spare time?", "What activities are you involved in?" and things like that. Be honest, give your responses thought, and don't simply answer "yes" and "no" -- your answers should always come with some explanation.</p>
<p>Hopefully this post helps you out a bit. Just be on time, relax, and realize that if you follow the advice I've given above, you should be in good shape and you will definitely not be hurt by your interview, even if it's a difficult one. Even if you have a bad interview, it won't keep you out of the school. Many times I'd leave an interview wishing I said something differently during some specific instance or two. This is normal and usually winds up not mattering.</p>
<p>Most interviews run just like a normal conversation -- be natural, relaxed, and honest. Be prepared with some questions, and you'll be just fine.</p>
<p>I wore jeans, sneakers, and a t shirt. It went very well, we just talked about what I did in school and what I was interested in doing. Talked about Penn very little but did ask the why penn question. I'm sure how I dressed didn't affect me negatively. I guess it could vary from interviewer to interviewer. Honestly, I'd find out their age and guess how serious it is going to be from that.</p>
<p>Thank you so much guys! Really appreciate the help! </p>
<p>I hope it goes well...=)</p>
<p>by any chance...is ur interviewer in highland park NJ? just asking....</p>