Banking  

Check out investment banking resources: Mergers and Inquisitions has a comprehensive set of resources for prospective investment bankers, from recruiting to interviews to closing your offer. All of their resources are greatly helpful (and often entertaining), so we encourage you to read their articles about a) what to do and b) what not to do. Certain posts such as the specific traits of interviewing for a summer internship, which might also be dependent on your past work experience, can be helpful as you figure out which part of your story to focus on.

Read about what companies want: take the advice of those who have the inside look to a company. This interview with Deutsche Bank may be helpful as you look into working for them.

Pick your brain with practice questions: here's a variety of them that you can practice with, depending on the specific department you're interviewing for. 

Don't be afraid to admit mistakes: one recruiter, a partner at a niche investment bank, recalls the story of a promising candidate who ruined his own chances because he couldn't do just that.

The interviewee, a great prospect from a top school, was asked to define duration. Though he wasn't able to do so, his grace under pressure and solid answers to all other questions earned him a "yes" from the partner (and all the other interviewers).

However, when he sent his thank you note the next day, he claimed that he woke up in the middle of the night and found that the definition of duration "just came to him" - and answered the question using language that was clearly copied and pasted from a textbook.

"One of the hardest parts of being a young MBA," the partner observed, "is the ability to make a mistake. And I wasn't willing to work with this guy if he couldn't do that. Because making a mistake is okay, but if you make a mistake and bury it with lies, things get much, much worse."

Brand Management

Practice "fit" questions: even in Brand Management prep, it is tempting to get caught up in the case questions. Research fit questions other students have received in the past for each of the organizations you're interviewing with. Click here for some of our questions that you can practice with.

Google Alerts: set up alerts for any company you're interviewing with. You don't want to be surprised by news at the last moment!

Familiarize yourself with brands: how has X improved their brand over the last 5 years? Has Y suffered in the past year? How would you address it? Know the strengths and weaknesses of up and coming vs. established brands out there.

Expect these questions: Glassdoor offers a list of the questions you might get asked, based on the interviews of others. Leverage the site to prepare yourself for a range of questions. Here's another wide variety of questions, sorted into categories.

Learn from others: Observe the actions taken in brand transformation stories and know what you'd talk about if asked about them. 

Update your resume: if you have any last minute changes to your profile, be sure to make them on your resume!

Consulting

Practice a VARIETY of cases: ConsultingCase101 has a database of cases you can choose from that will help you fill in the gaps.

Learn from others' experiences: reconnect with second-year students for some final tips. What went well - or what went wrong - during their interviews last year? You can also contact us for case study preparation!

Know what to expect: what does an interview look like with X company? Does your first case study entail a written case and an in-person presentation, or are you given X hours to resolve one case? Make sure you are confident about the process for each firm so you won't be caught off guard.

Start preparing for the written case: it's never too early to look forward to second round interviews that may require a written case evaluation or PowerPoint deck creation. Make sure your practice doesn't focus exclusively on the face-to-face interview format!

Practice fit questions, too: by now you have many lists of fit questions; make sure you take sufficient time to prepare them in advance of interviews.

Consider alternative consulting firms: it's possible that the "larger name" firms aren't the right fit for you. There are dozens and dozens of smaller consulting firms out there that you might want to pursue internships with.

Healthcare   

Stay up-to-date with the news: especially with changes in healthcare policy, the way services are provided may change. Set up Google Alerts for healthcare (and the company of interest in particular). 

Consider the impact you want to have: from providing greater access to medical devices in developing countries to impacting the strategy of a pharmaceutical company, determine where you want to focus your interests.

Get familiar with the terminology: if you're new to healthcare and want to pursue the path, find some resources to help you gain familiarity with industry terminology. Some convenient resources are here.

Use your functional expertise to your advantage: get your foot in the door into the companies you're interested in (even though the role may be more aligned with your past function). For example, if you're considering transitioning into healthcare but have a finance background, it could work to your advantage to take on a finance role in a leading hospital network or insurance company. 

Entertainment/Sports/Media

Leverage your network: your network may be particularly crucial in these industries. Use our LinkedIn Advanced Search guide to research potential contacts!

Be ready to be patient: with some organizations that have a less structured recruiting process, it may take a longer time to hear about internship opportunities. Look into both formal internship programs, or look into unpaid opportunities.

Use your functional expertise to your advantage: get your foot in the door into the companies you're interested in (even though the role may be more aligned with your past function). For example, if you're considering transitioning into sports marketing but have a finance background, it could work to your advantage to take on a finance role in a renowned sports organization.

Attend conferences and events: the people you'll meet at these conferences will have their feelers out for top talent. Going to off-campus conferences such as the National Sports Forum will open up greater networking opportunities outside of your region/campus. Consider going to other school's industry conferences too for additional exposure. Click here for additional suggestions on sports-related events to attend.

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