MorganFranklin Consulting is a management advisory firm with offices in greater Washington, DC, Atlanta, and San Francisco, and we are always looking for top performers to join our team. Our employees come from a variety of backgrounds each adding their own expertise to our firm, but some of the common features they share are that they’re entrepreneurial, collaborative, solution-oriented, and adaptable. They demonstrate an exceptional client-service orientation, as well as passion and commitment for delivering results.
When I’m talking to someone who stands out as a great fit for MorganFranklin, what often catches my attention is how excited and energized they are by the nature of the work itself. They are thoughtful, creative, and innovative within their realm of expertise to provide an exceptional client experience or deliverable. That’s the type of person I think will be happy, successful, and impactful at the firm.
I recommend potential candidates take time to learn about the work we do, the clients we serve, and our philosophy by reviewing what is publicly available on our website or through the internet. As you review specific opportunities with the firm, be realistic about whether you meet the minimum qualifications to increase your odds of being selected for an interview. For instance, if a position requires a clearance and you don’t have one, keep looking for a role that will capitalize on the qualifications you do have. You may also consider applying to our Talent Community, so we can take a broader view of your resume and consider where and whether you may fit into our organization’s hiring needs.
Interviewing is a skill
If you are invited to interview with us, do your research and be prepared. Take time to familiarize yourself with the firm and review the LinkedIn profiles of your interview team. Our coordinator always includes this information in an interview confirmation email so that you can understand how your interviewers’ backgrounds intersect with yours. Be prepared to ask relevant questions regarding the firm or even your interviewers’ background to understand what brought them to MorganFranklin Consulting or the valuable experience they are gaining while being part of the firm. While there are a number of critical assessment factors, a demonstrated knowledge of and interest in MorganFranklin Consulting and excitement about the opportunity can increase a candidate’s attractiveness.
During the interview process, almost everyone we hire will meet with at least three MorganFranklin team members at various levels of the organization to explore their experience and capabilities against the carefully defined skills and characteristics necessary for success in the role. While we do advocate that these one-on-one, behavioral-based interviews be interactive, keep in mind each member of your interview team is assigned to assess a subset of the success factors, and then the interview team comes together for a holistic review of your interview.
As is common in behavioral interviews, we ask people to provide examples from their previous work history that illustrate how they will perform in a variety of situations. I encourage you to spend some time in advance thinking about your success stories in the workplace and the professional accomplishments you’re most proud of. Curate your list and be prepared to share your stories, during the interview, given an appropriate opportunity, but also be sure to answer the questions your interviewer has posed. Good listening skills and communication skills are always key to a strong interview!
Don’t forget to ask questions
An interview is a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of whether this is the right career move for you—a role in which you can succeed, opportunity for growth, cultural fit, confidence in the company, etc. Different questions are appropriate for different stakeholders in your process. For example, you can leverage an interview with a peer to learn what a “day in the life” is really like, how they describe the culture, and what they enjoy most working for the company. In supervisory interviews, it’s valuable to ask about which factors the supervisor sees as most important to success and to explore upward mobility in the organization. Your questions serve to help you honestly assess whether this is the right opportunity, and they help the interviewers get to know you better, learn what matters to you, and further assess the likelihood of a mutually rewarding fit.
What about Skype?
All of our recruiting nationwide is centralized in Mclean, and while we prefer in-person interviews when possible, we also do a tremendous amount of interviewing nationwide via Skype for Business. This video technology allows us to keep the process moving forward and facilitate important connections while being respectful of everyone’s location, time and other commitments.
If you’re invited to participate in a Skype interview, I recommend a test run with your technology to make sure that it’s seamless and works as you expect. It only takes a few minutes to test your webcam, for instance, but that time can help you avoid a bumpy start to an interview. Also, dress as you would for an in-person interview, since this is your opportunity to make a positive first impression. Choose a quiet location with adequate lighting and limited risk of interruptions. Then just relax and smile. While video interviews can be intimidating at first, our interviewers and candidates consistently report that they find real value in establishing a face-to-face connection.
If all of this sounds interesting to you—great! We look forward to connecting with you and learning more about your background and career goals. If you have more questions, please join us for one of our online recruiting chat sessions by clicking the “Chat Now” balloon on our Careers Page. A member of our recruiting team is available to chat and answer questions every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 11:30am – 12:30 pm Eastern time. We absolutely welcome your inquiries and are glad to answer your questions.
