Career Advice Center
You got the interview. Now what?
- Do your research. Become an expert on Raymond James – know our business units, our community involvement and even current issues facing the company and the financial services industry. Our corporate website should get you started. You may just learn something new.
- Dress professionally. Business attire is appropriate for your interviews. But please avoid overuse of cologne or perfume.
- Plan to arrive 15 minutes early, in case you run into traffic or to give you some quiet time before hand to calm any nerves.
- Of course, if you are unable to make it, please call us ahead of time to let us know and reschedule. Courtesy goes a long way.
- Be able to tell us why you’re interested in a career here. If you’re nervous, consider a mock interview with a friend or family member. Eye contact is so important. Be professional and truthful. Not being completely forthcoming with relevant information, embellishing accomplishments or hiding jobs doesn’t build trust, which is key to getting an offer.
- Understand your strengths and opportunity areas. Be able to comfortably speak about each. Be thorough but concise during the conversation.
- The day will be full of behavioral-based interviewing with some of the managers. Be able to articulate and demonstrate your strengths and experiences. Take time to think about specific examples of situations you have experienced in order to respond to the question. Avoid topics unrelated to your qualifications and your ability to be successful in the position. Examples include religion, politics, financial circumstances, health or personal circumstances.
- Ask questions – about the position, the firm and the department. This is a two-way interview to make sure we’re a good match.
- Prepare for a variety of assessments. Yes, more tests. These tend to look at interpersonal skills and cognitive ability among others.
- Afterward, you can expect to hear from us within two weeks.
Interview Tips
- If you’re not sure about how to answer the question, ask for clarification.
- Take your time. We understand that you may need a minute to think about a specific example related to the question we are asking.
- Don’t be surprised if we take notes as we proceed through the interview.
- Keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. The interviewer is simply trying to understand the actions you took in a given situation.