Prepare to apply & interview

Be mindful of your interviewer’s schedule by being available for the call a few minutes early. Make sure you have good network reception and can be heard clearly – avoid using speakerphone, which sometimes has an echo. Speak clearly and slowly throughout the call.

Start your interview on the right foot by arriving no more than 10 minutes early. Ensure you are neatly dressed in business-professional attire. During the interview, maintain eye contact, speak slowly and clearly, ask questions, and stay engaged with the interviewer.

Many of the tips for in-person interviews apply to virtual interviews as well. Always wear business-professional attire, join the call 5-10 minutes ahead of schedule, take or refer to notes, and maintain eye-contact throughout the meeting. Ensure you have tested your software prior to the interview. Your background should be clear and presentable – there are many virtual backgrounds you can use, and be sure to use one that is simple. Interviewing with a wall behind you is ideal.

We want to hear about your experience and skills – gained through jobs, leadership positions, your studies, and so on – to see how you can bring value to CRA. Be ready to share how your experience has shaped your career aspirations; the relevant skills you are bringing to the role you are interviewing for; and what you are looking for in a position. You may be asked behavioral questions, such as “Tell me about a time when you have…” We encourage candidates to also ask questions throughout behavioral interviews.

These are designed to test how you approach a problem. There’s usually no single correct answer (“guestimations” are common), but what we are looking for is how you react to situations with limited information; how you apply logic and reasoning to the question; what data you draw on; and how you communicate to bring the interviewer along with your thinking. You can expect the interviewer to ask questions to test your thinking, so be prepared to explain how you came to your answer and show your math.

If you have questions about the case study, ask these during the interview. Generally, we advise candidates to reserve questions about the role and CRA for the end of case interviews.

Assessments may include numeracy, writing and critical thinking. For all assessments, ensure you read the instructions fully and carefully to avoid simple errors. The assessments are usually timed; have a watch ready to take note of the start and finish time so you can pace your progress.

In addition to evaluating your individual performance, we sometimes want to see how you interact with others. We will be looking at how you speak to and listen to others, your level of professionalism and your comfort working with new people.