We recently caught up with Yuliya about how she secured an Associate role with AlphaSights, how she built her commercial awareness before the interview and her top tips for Bright Network members looking to follow in her footsteps.
What stood out to you about AlphaSights?
I have always known that I would like to kick start my career in a client-facing, commercial role so when I saw the job description for the Associate role at AlphaSights, I knew from the outset that this is exactly the type of company I see myself working for. Completing my due diligence, I realised that AlphaSights is developing all the time, often being listed on Crain's List as one of the Fastest Growing Companies, and their mission is to provide quick and efficient service to their clients, undoubtedly aligning with my professional values. The company is people-focused and provides employees with plentiful training and development opportunities which is what attracted me the most.
How did you build your commercial awareness before the interview?
Before the interview, I looked into the types of clients the company has, which was my first point of research. Often, the company website teaches you a lot about the type of work that they deal with, and so pinpointing the keywords and researching into them was a great help, allowing me to build a much better picture of what they are all about.
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
Make sure that you be yourself and talk about your true strengths. If you find yourself making up positives about yourself, it may be worth reconsidering whether this role is really suitable for you. Read the job description carefully and see whether this job is what you are looking for and whether you match the skill set that they require. If you feel confident about the role, pick out the main points they are looking for in the job description and find examples of when you demonstrated this in your previous work experiences. A lot of the time, the interviewers will ask questions which begin with: 'Tell me an example of when you demonstrated A/B/C', for which you need to have good examples to back up your claims that you are a suitable candidate.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
Bright Network sent me email updates every time they had new job propositions that matched my profile. Once I completed my profile on the website, it was really easy to pinpoint jobs that were available that suited my criteria, their deadlines, requirements, etc. Using Bright Network, it was really easy to track my job applications and see what deadlines were coming up. This is how I found the role at AlphaSights. Also, the interview tips and commercial awareness pages were really useful in terms of preparation for my interviews.
What’s been the toughest interview question you've faced and how did you tackle it?
The toughest interview question for me was "why do you think you stand out amongst the other applicants?" which is difficult because the competition is really high and so a lot of the other applicants will be equally as qualified, and skilled as you. I didn't want to mention a generic skill or characteristic since it would not be memorable to the interviewer. I used this opportunity to really pinpoint why I am a strong candidate, and for me that was my extensive work experience in several different industries which I gained throughout my academic years. It is important to find something that others may not have, which makes you unique. This was definitely the best opportunity to sell my skills and prove in a limited time that I am the best candidate over others.
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Be yourself and make sure that you have plenty of examples from previous experiences to share with the interviewer to back up your skillset.
- Make sure that you research the company you are applying for extensively and, most importantly, the people who are interviewing you.
- Dress smart and make sure you have a tidy background that will not distract you during your interview (if doing online interviews).
