You might have been given an opportunity to have a coffee chat with a firm representative or with a Partner at your dream consulting firm. However, one observation that I have made as both a potential hire looking for a job and as a consultant guiding others is that oftentimes, we are not prepared for an encounter or a meeting that might make all the difference in our careers. Today, I want to share with readers the importance of making a strong first impression and give a few tips that made me comfortable during my coffee chats.
Why is the first impression so important?
Increases your credibility
In management consulting, relationships matter a lot; most of the time, a strong relationship is developed by making a strong first impression with the other individual. Oftentimes, senior members who you get coffee with will observe your demeanour more attentively – a subtle way for them to validate whether you can be calm, confident and charismatic in front of your team members or in front of clients.
Makes you memorable
During your initial chat, you will spend most of your time learning about the firm but more importantly, speaking about your background and experiences. Typically, I would try to mention something interesting about myself. For example, I often talk about my music background and many people remember that about me. Another time, an interviewer and I talked about Norman Doors near the office and that made the conversation much more memorable for both of us (Norman Doors are poorly designed doors that fail to convey whether the door requires a push or a pull action to open).
Opens more doors
A good impression can often lead to a reference or a referral to another person at the firm. As well, it may lead to a referral to another firm or for another position if the current firm is not hiring. The best-case scenario is to receive an invitation for an interview. One of my close friends developed a strong connection through an initial coffee chat and ended up getting referred to the interview pipeline.
There is no second chance
Unfortunately, the reality is that you only get one chance to get it right. That means – be comfortable, be prepared but also be observant. Make sure you put your “emotional intelligence” hat on and gauge where the conversation is going. Always appear professional, humble and curious to learn more about the firm and the person you are speaking to. At the end of the meeting, make sure you write a follow-up message and note down your areas for improvement.
Here are a few tips to make a strong, positive first impression:
- Do your research: Make sure you research the management consulting firms that you are interested in. This includes understanding each firms’ core industries and service offerings. Likewise, use LinkedIn to glance at the profile of the person you will meet. Understand his or her background and experiences so you can talk about them during your conversation.
- Avoid being “typical”: One question that management consultants get asked more often than needed is: “what does your day-to-day look like?” The truth is that every day is different, and anything can come up from either your team or your client. Use your time during your coffee chat to ask more insightful questions. That way, you will appear more interesting and more memorable to the other person.
- Find a common point of interest: This is where your extensive research comes in handy. Find something in the other person’s background that is relatable to you; this could include coming from the same alma mater, the same high school, the same city or spending an internship at the same organization etc. Use these similarities to build rapport, which will be a driving force behind developing an engaging conversation and ultimately a stronger relationship.
- Ask to follow-up: At the end of your conversation, talk about next steps. It could be about sending over a resume, getting referred to another person at the firm, or staying in touch for the future. As well, make sure to send a “thank you” email to the person/people you met soon after your conversation.
- Be yourself: Be natural and be excited. Someone is taking the time out of his or her busy day to speak with you so he or she must be interested in meeting with you!
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is a phrase I frequently hear, so make sure you are ready to impress the first time!
Jeff Zhang is an Associate at PwC working with the Deals Strategy / Strategy Consulting team. Previously, he was a Management Consultant at Novantas with a focus on the financial services sector. He has experience advising clients on pricing, marketing, distribution, big data analysis, and growth strategy projects.
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