Into City Prep

How to Talk to Anyone (Without Feeling Awkward) Don’t focus on yourself. Be CURIOUS about the other person. Here’s how to use curiosity to make meeting new people easy (and even enjoyable). Step 1: Ask Open-Ended Questions The easiest way to get someone talking? Ask them about themselves. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. ❌ “How long have you worked here?” → “Two years.” (Dead end.) ✅ “How did you get into this industry?” → They tell you their whole career story. Open-ended questions let people tell a story instead of giving a one-word answer. They create momentum. A simple 80/20 rule: One great question = 10+ minutes of conversation. Try asking: “What’s the most unexpected part of your job?” “What’s something most people don’t realize about your field?” “How did you end up in this line of work?” Step 2: Actually Listen Most people don’t really listen—they just wait for their turn to talk. But when you listen deeply, the conversation naturally unfolds. Instead of worrying about what to say next, focus on what they just said. If they mention something interesting, react to it. "Wait, you worked in Tokyo? What was that like?" That one question can unlock an entire story. Step 3: Quiet the Inner Voice When you’re in a social setting, your brain starts running a script: "I hope I don’t sound awkward." "Should I check my phone to look busy?" "What if this conversation dies?" This mental loop keeps you stuck in your head instead of present in the moment. Curiosity breaks that loop. If you feel anxious, shift your focus outward. Instead of analyzing yourself, get genuinely interested in the person in front of you. Curiosity and social anxiety can’t exist at the same time. Step 4: Assume They’re More Nervous Than You Here’s a secret: Most people feel at least a little awkward meeting new people. They just hide it better than you. So flip the script. Instead of worrying about what others think of you, focus on making them feel comfortable. When you take the lead—by asking about them, listening deeply, and keeping the conversation flowing—you become the person everyone enjoys talking to. Step 5: Have More Low-Stake Meets Talking to strangers is a skill. The more you do it, the easier it gets. So practice in environments where there’s zero pressure. ✅ Chat with baristas, Uber drivers, or people in line. ✅ Go to networking events for companies you don’t care about. ✅ Join clubs or meetups where conversations happen naturally. The goal isn’t to be perfect—it’s to build comfort with social interactions. The Bottom Line: Curiosity Is a Superpower When you’re curious: ✔ You stop overthinking. ✔ You make others feel valued. ✔ You naturally keep conversations flowing. And the best part? You never have to “network” again. You just have interesting conversations

Ever feel like your resume vanishes into the void? You apply. You wait. Nothing. No calls. No emails. Just silence. What’s happening? It’s not that hiring managers are ignoring you. It’s that they never even see you. Most companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter resumes before a human looks at them. If your resume doesn’t match the right keywords, it’s out. Want to fix it? Here’s the game plan: 1. Reverse-engineer the job description. ATS systems aren’t smart—they’re rigid. They scan for exact words. If the job posting says “project management” but your resume says “led projects,” you might be invisible. Mirror the language of the listing. Don’t lie—just align. 2. Get remove vagueness. “Hardworking, results-driven professional”? Worthless. No one cares how hard you try. They care about what you deliver. Bad: “Managed social media.” Better: “Grew social media engagement by 150% in six months.” Numbers win. Outcomes matter. 3. Make it skimmable. Even if you pass the ATS, a hiring manager still has to read it. And they’re skimming, not studying. Use bullet points. Keep sentences short. Cut filler words. Think of your resume like a landing page. It should sell fast, not ramble. 4. Test and iterate. Most people tweak their resume once, send it out, and pray. Instead, treat it like a startup—test different versions, track responses, and refine. Make these changes and see what happens. #resume #intocityprep #job #interview #career #CV

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻: 7 tips to build better Financial Models ↘️ ~~~ 👍𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: Wanying Zhang when she was with Casetak (thank you!) ~~~ It contains some of the most sound fundamentals around Financial Modeling. (and also has my preferred color-coding / formatting structure, see slide 5!) If I ever made a Financial Modeling course on best practices, it would mirror a lot of content from this document. I will let the guide speak for itself, enjoy! 🔔 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗠𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝟯 𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗𝗦: 👋 Hey, I'm Chris Reilly — I simplify Financial Modeling 👉 https://bit.ly/FMECourses

How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” Like a Pro. Most people fumble this question because they think it's a history test. It’s not. It’s a sales pitch. Your job is to make them believe that hiring you is the most logical decision they’ll make all day. The Present-Past-Future Formula: Present – Who you are today and what you’re great at. “I’m an investment analyst with a focus on uncovering mispriced assets in energy and infrastructure.” Past – What shaped you and gave you an edge. “Before this, I worked at [Firm], where I led a valuation deep dive on [Company], refining my ability to break down complex assets.” Future – Why this opportunity is the perfect next step. “I’m drawn to this role because your team specializes in [X], and I want to sharpen my expertise in [Y] while working on high-impact deals.” Want to go beyond surface-level? Use the 4-point story arc: 🔹 The Beginning: How you got started—something that shaped your mindset early. 🔹 The Spark: The moment you realized this field was for you. 🔹 The Growth: The steps you took to build real experience. 🔹 Why You’re Here Today: How this role aligns with your trajectory. Example: "I started out tutoring math and finance, whilst studying economics at university, but I wanted to apply that knowledge in the real world. That led me to an internship in private wealth management, where I analyzed portfolios and made investment recommendations. I loved the challenge, but I wanted to work on institutional deals. That’s why I’m here—I want to combine my finance experience with infrastructure investing, and your firm is the best place to do it." You’re not telling them your life story. You’re showing them why hiring you is inevitable. Try this in your next interview—you’ll be the most prepared person in the room. #intocityprep #interview #job #tellmeaboutyourself #resume #CV #finance #banking

I want to let you in on a little secret. Why do most people fail interviews whilst others seem to crush them? It’s because most people approach interviews like exams: memorize answers, recite them perfectly, and hope for the best. That’s the wrong game. Interviews aren’t about who works the hardest or who sounds the smartest. They’re about who stands out—who the interviewer actually remembers when it’s all over. Here’s how to do that. 1. Clarity Wins—Keep It Stupid Simple People assume complex answers sound impressive. In reality, complexity is a filter—it pushes people away. If the interviewer doesn’t immediately understand what was done and why it mattered, the answer is useless. The best answers follow a simple structure: ✔ Problem → Solution → Outcome Example: "The company was missing deadlines, so I cut unnecessary steps and automated key processes. We delivered ahead of schedule." No fluff. No jargon. No trying to sound smart. Just signal, no noise. 2. Relevance is Leverage A generic answer is a wasted answer. The best candidates don’t just list accomplishments—they make them directly relevant to the company. Every company has a pain point. Find it. Align answers to it. If they’re scaling, talk about how you’ve scaled. If they’re expanding into new markets, share how you’ve done that before. If they need speed, highlight how you move fast. When answers are framed this way, the candidate stops being “qualified” and starts being the obvious choice. 3. Be a Person, Not a Script Most candidates rehearse themselves into oblivion. They polish their answers until they sound like robots. That’s a mistake. Hiring is human. People don’t hire resumes—they hire personalities. If a mistake was made, share what was learned. If an answer isn’t known, admit it—but show how it would be figured out. If there’s an opportunity for humor, take it. People remember stories, not bullet points. The best interviews feel like conversations, not transactions. 4. Make Yourself Unforgettable Most candidates blend into a sea of sameness. The key to winning? Have a hook. Something unexpected. Something personal. Something that makes the interviewer think, I’ll remember this one. A side project that aligns with the company’s mission. A unique perspective or insight that shifts the discussion. A skill or experience that is rare but valuable. The best way to compete is to not compete at all—but to stand so far apart that no comparison is necessary. The Takeaway Most people lose interviews because they follow the script. The winners? They break the script. ✔ Keep it simple. ✔ Make it relevant. ✔ Be human. ✔ Be memorable. That’s how the game is played

Let’s be honest: Hard Work Is a Trap. We’re taught that hard work is the key to success. But if that were true, the hardest-working people would be the wealthiest. Instead, the people who get ahead aren’t necessarily the ones working the longest hours—they’re the ones using leverage. Leverage Is the Way Out Effort Alone Doesn’t Scale If you’re chopping wood, working twice as hard means chopping twice as much. But if you build a machine to chop wood for you, your output grows exponentially. That’s leverage. The wealthiest people in the world don’t sell their time. They build systems that multiply their effort: - Labor leverage: Hiring employees to work for you. - Capital leverage: Making money work for you through investments. - Code leverage: Building technology that scales infinitely. - Media leverage: Creating content that spreads without additional effort. The modern world rewards the last two—technology and media—because they scale without permission. A single person can now influence millions or automate entire industries. Find Your High-Leverage Path Not all work is equal. Some activities have massive returns, others keep you on a treadmill. A top doctor and a YouTube health expert both work in medicine. But one trades time for money, the other makes money while sleeping. A real estate agent sells homes, a real estate investor owns assets that grow. A freelancer does projects, a founder builds a platform where others do the work. The key is choosing work that compounds—where your effort continues to pay off even when you’re not working. Escape the Time-for-Money Trap If you’re only paid for your hours, you have a ceiling. There are only so many hours in a day. To break free, shift from: ❌ Working harder → ✅ Building leverage ❌ Earning linearly → ✅ Earning exponentially ❌ Being replaceable → ✅ Owning unique, scalable assets Work Hard, But on the Right Things Yes, effort matters. But effort without strategy is wasted motion. Pick work that scales—Technology, content, capital, or products that grow without your time. Be patient—Leverage doesn’t work overnight, but once it does, results compound. Think for yourself—Blindly following what worked for someone else is a mistake. Your edge is unique to you. Leverage is the great multiplier. The difference between working hard and working smart? Generational wealth

How to Handle Interview Nerves Like a Pro! Interviews make people nervous. That’s not a theory—it’s a fact. But here’s another fact: Nerves aren’t the enemy. Panic is. And the difference between the two? Control. When you know how to control your nerves, they stop working against you and start working for you. Here’s how you do it. 1. Flip the Script Most people walk into an interview thinking, I hope they like me. Bad mindset. That’s how you give up control before the conversation even starts. Instead, think: Do I like them? Is this a place I actually want to spend my time? You’re not a contestant on a game show. You’re a professional evaluating an opportunity. Change the frame, and suddenly, you’re not the one under pressure—they are. 2. Label the Fear, Take Away Its Power Nerves thrive in the shadows. Call them out, and they lose their grip. Say it: ✔ “I’m nervous because this matters to me.” ✔ “This isn’t fear—it’s focus.” See what happens? You take control. The second you name it, it stops running the show. 3. Connection Beats Perfection Most people think interviews are won by saying all the right things. They’re wrong. Hiring decisions aren’t made with logic. They’re made with feelings. If the interviewer likes you, they’ll find reasons to hire you. If they don’t, they’ll find reasons not to. Simple as that. So instead of worrying about perfect answers, focus on rapport: Smile. Mirror their tone. Ask smart questions. People hire people they like. So make it easy for them. 4. Be Prepared—But Stay Loose Ever see someone over-rehearse and sound like a robot? Exactly. Preparation is good. Rigidity is not. Know your key points. Have your stories ready. But don’t script it down to the last word. Conversations are fluid. You have to be too. 5. See the Win Before You Walk In Your brain follows the pictures you feed it. If you focus on everything that could go wrong, guess what? You’ll freeze. Instead, visualize: A strong handshake. A smooth, confident conversation. Walking out knowing you nailed it. This isn’t feel-good nonsense. It’s how top performers prepare for high-pressure moments. They see success before it happens—so when the time comes, they expect it. The Bottom Line Interviews aren’t exams. They’re conversations. The moment you stop trying to “perform” and start controlling the frame, you take back the power. So relax. Stay sharp. And go own the room

Master interviews by thinking like a sales pro. Job interviews are sales pitches. And in this case, the product is you. Here’s the deal: You’re not just answering questions—you’re selling your skills, experience, and potential. If you’ve ever studied sales, you know the drill: build rapport, identify needs, overcome objections, close the sale. That’s your interview game plan. First things first, build rapport. Get to know the company’s vision, culture, and how they define success. The more you know, the easier it is to connect and show them you’re not just another candidate—you’re the candidate. Next, know your story inside and out. Be ready to walk them through your career path, how you’ve grown, and where you’re headed. Confidence in your narrative is key to owning the room. And then, ask the right questions. Don’t just Google generic interview questions and hope for the best. Challenge the employer. Ask about the company’s culture and first-year expectations. You could ask: “If you hire me today, how will you know in a year that I was the right fit?” The questions you ask (or don’t ask) speak volumes about your priorities and how you approach work. They reveal your mindset, experience, and what matters to you. #interviews #career #intocityprep #jobs

~ The 3 Most Important Interview Questions to Prepare For ~ The first question in an interview often catches candidates off guard—and it’s one of the most crucial. It’s a simple question, yet many stumble over it, rambling without a clear direction. When that happens, the interview can quickly spiral downward. Sound familiar? The question usually comes in different forms, such as: • What do you want to be doing? • What would your ideal job look like? • What kind of projects do you want to work on? Or our personal favorite: What are you looking for that you're not getting in your current job? These questions are designed to gauge whether you genuinely want the job being offered. If your answer isn’t confident and aligned with the job description, it can signal to the interviewer that you’re not sure what you really want. The key here is to prepare a response that not only reflects your career goals but also ties them to the specific responsibilities and requirements outlined in the job description. Show the interviewer that you’ve done your homework and can see yourself thriving in the role. To do this, start by visualizing your ideal role, then match those aspirations with what the job offers. Think about the tasks you want to be doing—and the ones you don’t. This approach will help you answer with confidence and ensure your response is tailored to the opportunity at hand. Remember, employers want candidates who know exactly what they’re aiming for and see this role as the perfect fit. Don’t underestimate the power of clarity—it can make all the difference

What is the mental model that helped Charlie Munger build his billions? The Inversion Process. Inversion involves looking at a problem or decision from the opposite point of view. For example, rather than focusing on achieving success, inversion encourages you to consider how to avoid failure. It’s a powerful tool for problem-solving and decision-making because it helps you uncover obstacles that might otherwise be overlooked. Charlie Munger explains, “If someone hired me to fix India, I would immediately say, ‘What could I do if I really wanted to hurt India?’ I’d figure out all the things that could most easily hurt India, then I’d figure out how to avoid them.” The goal is to frequently invert the problem. Instead of thinking about what you want, think about what you want to avoid. ~ Applying Inversion to Career Growth ~ When thinking about your career, inversion helps you focus on avoiding pitfalls and removing obstacles to your progress. Here are some reflective questions to help guide your thinking: • What habits or behaviors could prevent me from advancing in my career? How can I avoid or change these? • What skills am I lacking that might block future opportunities? What actions can I take to acquire them? • What would cause me to lose credibility or trust at work? How can I safeguard against these issues? • What is the worst career mistake I could make at this stage, and how can I steer clear of it? • How could I make my work environment less productive? What steps can I take to ensure this doesn't happen? By identifying potential roadblocks—whether they be procrastination, poor communication, lack of mentorship, or staying stagnant in skill development—you can focus on eliminating these factors to accelerate your career progress. Inversion is not just about seeing the world differently—it's about seeing the obstacles in your way and actively working to overcome them