Arthur D Little Interview

Today was the interview for ADL. I received a phone call at around 5, but I wasn't able to pick it up, so I called back around 6:15 on my way home from my last day at Woori. She told me I had an interview scheduled for 8:40 at Samsung station, which is about..more than an hour from home. Did I have a choice? No, I don't think so. So I told her "yes," and rushed home.

As soon as I got home, I knew I had to eat, but I also needed to find out information about ADL.
I had almost no clue what kind of company it was, other than the fact that it was a consulting company. Also, since I barely had any information on companies, I was basically lost.
I arrived at home around 6:30, and I had to get out by 7 in order to make it in time. I didn't want to be late. As I ate, I sat in front of the computer, hoping to catch a bit about ADL before heading out to the place for my interview.

Turns out the trip to Samsung took around 80 minutes, so I arrived at 8:20. 20 minutes before my interview. Problem was, I still had no idea what kind of company ADL was. All I could do was pray on the way to Samsung. Pray that I would get there on time, pray that I would know what to say, pray that He would give me words to say.

As soon as the interview started, I could not help but be very tense. I knew nothing, and I guess that's why I was so tense. Turns out the other applicant that interviewed with me was also from Handong!! What a small world.

Here is something I can learn about the interview:
Some of the questions he asked, and the answers he gave as well.
1. What is consulting?
I said that consulting was evaluating the problems of companies and giving suggestions for the future or how to solve the problem. I had not really thought about or researched about what consulting really was. Just said what I had heard or assumed from Prof. Abraham.

2. If you were given 10 binders of 200 pages of data, that had to be summarized by the next morning, what would you do?
I said that I would look on the internet for quick data.
He then asked, then the consultant will get mad that you didn't summarize the data that you gave him.
The other applicant said, she would also look on the internet for translated documents, that were siginificant for that company/industry and summarize those. She also said she would look to her friends for support, sharing some of the load with them.
He didn't seem so happy with any of our answers, but then again, he wasn't happy with any of our answers..:S

3. If the consultant asked for a certain type of data, but I wasn't able to find it in the given time, what would I do?
The other applicant said that she would tell the consultant that she wasn't able to find the data, but would also give him some other relevant data.
I said I would just be honest and tell the consultant I was sorry, but that I wasn't able to find the data yet.
The interviewee said that our answers were both wrong. In some cases, there are times when the RA/Intern is unable to find the data that the consultant needs. But what the Intern needs to do is find out other methods to find the data and present the consultant with that. For example, if the intern is unable to find the data on the internet, then he/she may be able to search databases, catalogs, newspapers, journals, or other companies for the needed data.

The other applicant also mentioned that she would call other companies that she knew had the data or access to the data to be able to get the data. In response to this, he said.
"What is that company refuses to give you data. What will you do?"
She said, she has never really been through that. The interviewee said that the best answer, or what we have to do in that case is to go there in person, and meet the person in charge. In other words, do whatever possible in order to get the data.

4. What do you know about ADL?

Again, since I had basically no time to prepare for the interview, I had nothing to say.
All I said was the ADL was the first consulting company, and ranked as one of the top 50 consulting companies.
He said, if you don't know anything about this company, that's ok, but then you need to ask questions.

5. Any questions regarding this internship or ADL?
I asked how many people were assigned to one project. He said 4 people. But he was planning on hiring 2 to 3 interns to help with the workload. He had already picked one and was planning to hire 1 or 2 more.
The other applicant asked what industry or field this project was in. He said that he couldn't tell us in detail because he had not hired us, and it would not be appropriate, but did mention that it was in the field of exterior environments.
Having to do with clients and companies and strategy. Didn't quite catch all of it.

She then asked how hard the workload would be.
He replied that we would have to be there by 8:30 to 9 in the morning, and would probably finish around 12 midnight.
Hmmm....gotta think about that one. Will only last for 7 to 8 weeks though....

Honestly, when I first received the call to come for an interview, I was ecstatic. I thought that it was God's answer to my prayers. Something I had never expected, yet God was allowing it because He was telling me that it is not I that allows things to happen, but Him.

But after the interview, and during the interview, I felt to incompetent. I had no idea what consulting was about, and I was still a college student, while the other was a grad student. I don't know why God even allowed me to take an inerview with ADL. What does God have to teach me through it?
I wasn't sure. I'm still not sure.


But so that this can last as an experience, I have written all that I can remember from my interview.
Perhaps at my next interview, I can prepare more, and keep these things in mind as I prepare.

I can do it, God can do it. He will be my help.