Interviewing
An interview is an opportunity to exchange information about an internship, a job or a career. It may be conducted for information gathering, networking or gaining actual employment. Preparation is essential for a successful interview of any type.
Preparing for the Interview
Know yourself
- Think about your interests, values and skills
- Consider your strengths and weaknesses
- Be able to identify accomplishments and things you are proud of
- Provide examples of how you have developed your skills
- Be able to articulate why you are interested in the specific field
- Identify your career goals – long and short
- Demonstrate conviction to enter this job or field
Know the employer and field
- Research the employer, the industry, and the field
- Know the salary range and general career path
- Read periodicals and trade journals to learn current trends in the field
- Check out websites for mission statements, annual reports and company literature
- Think about the firm’s business and organizational structure
- Size (Do they have 50 employees or 500?)
- Nature of the products and/or services offered (Do they consult or manufacture?)
- Target market (Are their clients other businesses or consumers?)
- General company history (Have they been around 50 years or 5 months?)
- Company competitors (Who are the leaders in their industry?)
- Specific information about various departments
- Company environment and culture
- Recent news about the company (mergers? layoffs? expansion to other countries-- check Google or Nexis )
- Information from the company prospectus or annual report (public, private, profitable?)
- Nature of the advertised position (required skills or experience?)
- Typical salary ranges and benefit packages
Practice for the interview
- Study the “Questions Recruiters Like to Ask” on p.4-5, and prepare answers
- Develop a 30-second commercial about yourself
- Role play with friends, family or career counselors
- Prepare questions to bring to the interview
Telephone Guidelines
Be sure that your outgoing voicemail message is appropriate for calls from an employer, and that your manner in answering your phone is always professional –you never know when an employer is trying to reach you.
Use a courteous, professional tone with an interview scheduler; keep in mind that you are speaking with a potential colleague.
- For telephone interviews, prepare as you would for an in person interview, and follow these additional guidelines:
- Be at the phone awake, alert, and ready for the interview a few minutes early, and arrange the schedule so that you don’t have to rush the conversation in order to get to a class or appointment
- Be sure you are alone and uninterrupted, and post a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door
- Turn off all stereos, radios, and televisions, do not respond to call waiting or other incoming calls, and eliminate other distractions
- Have a folder ready with:
- Your resume
- A pen and paper
- Your company research, with relevant information highlighted
- Your questions
- Any points you want to make
- A glass of water and tissues
- Be dressed, smile when you speak, and stand or sit up straight so that your voice projects the appropriate professional tone
- You don’t have visual cues in a telephone interview, so it is especially important that you listen very carefully to the interviewer without interrupting and focus your response on the interviewer’s comment or question
- End the conversation by thanking the interviewer and reiterating your interest in the position
- If an employer calls to conduct an unscheduled interview, you have two choices:
- Ask if you may put the caller on hold for a minute, then quickly gather your thoughts and folder of materials, eliminate distractions, and take a deep breath, return to the phone for the interview; Or
- Ask if you may return the call at an agreed upon time, and prepare yourself for that scheduled interview.
In Person Interview Guidelines
- Arrive on time or early
- Dress in suit- it is the surest way to convey a polished professional image
- Avoid excessive jewelry, and all aftershave, perfume or personal accessories that would distract the interviewer’s attention
- Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake
- Maintain steady eye contact
- Smile and engage the interviewer
- Maintain body posture that indicates interest and enthusiasm
- Listen carefully to what is being asked and answer that question
- Try not to exaggerate and do not be negative
- Avoid discussion of salary and benefits at first meeting
- Sell yourself and your interest in the position
- Show confidence in your ability to do the job
- Have either a list (cleared ahead of time) or actual references available in case requested
- Obtain the interviewer’s business card for follow-up
- Send a thank you note promptly
What to Expect in an Interview
Behavioral Questions
- Based on the premise that past behavior predicts future performance, sample questions could be:
- Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult boss, or worked under pressure
- Give me an example of a time when you were able to build motivation in your co-workers or subordinates
- Describe a situation in which you were involved as part of a team
- Tell about a time when you felt creative in your problem solving
- Give an example of a time when you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision
- Give an example of a situation in which you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done
- Give an example of a mistake that taught you something valuable
- In answering this type of question, keep in mind the STAR technique:
- Situation or Task: Describe the situation you were in or the task you needed to accomplish.
- Action: Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you.
- Results: What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn?
Questions Recruiters Like to Ask
- About You
- How would you describe yourself?
- What are your long range and short range goals and objectives?
- Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
- What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- What are you most proud of?
- What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
- About Your College Experience
- Why did you select your college or university?
- What led you to choose your major field of study?
- What college subjects did you like best? Why?
- What college subjects did you like least? Why?
- Describe your most rewarding college experience.
- Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?
- What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?
- Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
- How has your college experience prepared you for this career?
- Experience and Values
- In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why?
- What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in this field?
- How do you determine or evaluate success?
- What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
- How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?
- Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and subordinates.
- Knowing the Company
- In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
- What do you know about our company?
- Why did you decide to seek a position with this company?
- What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?
- Working Conditions
- Are you willing to travel?
- Are you willing to relocate?
- Do you have a geographical preference? Where?
- Are you willing to spend at least six months as a trainee?
Questions to Ask Employers
- Please describe the duties of the job for me.
- What products (or services) are in the development stage now?
- What is the largest single challenge facing your staff (or department) now?
- What are your growth projections for next year?
- What type of person succeeds in this field, company, industry?
- What qualities are you looking for in the candidate who fills this position?
- Has there been much turnover in this job area?
- Is this a new position or am I replacing someone?
- Is there a lot of teamwork?
- How much authority will I have over decisions?
- How often are performance reviews given?
- Does your company provide any financial assistance for further education?
- Do you offer flextime?
- What is the salary range for this position?
- Do you have a standard benefits package or can I choose from a variety of options?
revised 1.30.04
Career Planning