Case Study

Meet Idris. Idris is a final-year student at the University of Jos, Nigeria, majoring in Business Administration. Known for his academic diligence, he has applied for a remote internship at Newcastle Partners, a consulting firm based in the UK. Idris diligently crafted his application: he adapted his resume to highlight data analysis projects, and spent a few iterations writing and revising his cover letter. He is excited to receive an email with an invitation to interview.

The Day Before the Interview

As the interview approached, Idris found himself increasingly anxious. He struggled to concentrate on his studies, and despite his attempts to prepare, his mind kept wandering to worst-case scenarios. Though he'd done some interview practice, he still felt unprepared the night before. He couldn't fall asleep, and instead spent the night wide awake, going over each potential question again and again, and doubting his abilities.

The Day of the Interview

On the morning of the interview, Idris woke up feeling tired and nervous. He rushed through his morning routine, and skipped breakfast.

Idris had noted the interview time in his planner, but in his frazzled state, he misread it. The interview was scheduled for 2:00 PM BST (British Summer Time), which translates to 2:00 PM WAT (West Africa Time) due to the same time zone in effect during summer. However, Idris mistakenly thought there was a time difference and believed the interview was at 3:00 PM WAT.

Unaware of his mistake, Idris decided to do some last-minute preparation. He lost track of time and failed to set any reminders, which resulted in his starting his setup only a few minutes before 2:00 PM WAT. When Newcastle Partners called a few minutes after 2pm to confirm he could still join the call, he was caught off guard.

Flustered and unprepared, Idris rushed to login to the Zoom call. He appeared frantic to the interviewers, and apologized profusely for being late. They were understanding, and asked if he needed a few minutes to get ready. Not wanting to waste any more time, Idris said he was ready to begin.

They begin by asking Idris to introduce himself and, still a bit flustered, he rambled for a few minutes. The interview continued in a similar manner, with Idris often going off on tangents or providing incomplete answers. Sensing that he was not doing well, Idris fidgeted, avoided eye contact, and his voice quivered. When asked about his strengths and weaknesses, he focused more on his weaknesses, reflecting his current lack of confidence. He failed to highlight his skills and achievements effectively, leaving a negative impression on the interviewers.

Coach Idris

❓ Where did Idris go wrong in preparing for the interview? What mistakes did he make that contributed to his interview performance? Add your thoughts in Slack.