Successful Interviewing

Before the Interview

·  Convert opinion into fact by preparing specific examples of your accomplishments as illustrations of your skills/abilities/traits.

·  Research the company and be prepared to state the reasons you want to work there.

·  Spend some time thinking about questions you would like to ask.

·  Dress in conservative business attire.

·  Prepare yourself for surprise or awkward questions and strategize ways to deal with them.

·  Consider how to deal with nervous habits: relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and positive visualization can help.

·  Have an opening remark in mind. 

·  Take a pad and pen along with you for any notes you wish to make after the interview.

·  Know the time and location of the interview, and arrive ten minutes early, if possible.

During the Interview

·  Stress the positive points about yourself in a confident and honest manner.

·  Be concise and specific when representing yourself.

·  Be sensitive to your nonverbal behaviors (eye contact, posture, tone, nervous habits, etc.)

·  Be sensitive to the interview’s nonverbal behavior and respond to it.

·  Be aware of the tone of the interview (the interviewer may be trying to see how you react to stress.)

·  Convey enthusiasm about the position.

·  Avoid saying too much or too little.

·  Take time to reflect, if necessary, before answering (process your thoughts.)

·  Politely ask for clarification of a question that you do not fully understand.

·  Know and use the interviewer’s name.

·  Raise questions at the appropriate time; this shows interest in the position.

·  Before you leave, know the next step after the interview.

·  Thank interviewer for their time and consideration.

After the Interview

            ·  Write or e-mail thank you letters to interviewers.

            ·  Assess outcomes realistically.

How to Research a Company

            ·  Check their website.

            ·  What is the company’s culture?

            ·  What does the company do?

            ·  What type of business are they in?

            ·  Who are their competitors?

            ·  What size is the company?

            ·  Where are they located geographically?

            ·  What are the different divisions?

            ·  Does the company perform any kind of service?

            ·  Is it expanding or downsizing?

            ·  What kind of training programs does it use?

Frequently Asked Interviewing Questions

            ·  Tell me about yourself.

·  What are your career objectives?  What factors did you consider in making those objectives?

·  Why did you choose to go into this field?

·  What are your most significant work/non-work achievements?

·  What do you feel are your strengths and how will they relate to this position?

·  Where do you see yourself in five years?

·  What would be your biggest contribution to our operations?

·  Why are you a good candidate for this position?

·  Give me an example of a time you utilized your leadership skills.

·  What is your biggest weakness?

·  Are your grades a good indicator of your academic ability?

·  Why should I hire you?

Questions to Ask Interviewers

            ·  What is the management structure of the company?

            ·  How would you describe the growth potential of the company?

            ·  What do you like/dislike about the company?

            ·  Is there a defined career path?

            ·  Who would I work for and what level are they?

            ·  What hours/travel/locations are required?

            ·  How much supervision would I receive?

            ·  How structured is the job?

            ·  Are promotions based on seniority or ability?

·  Does this position lead to a management position?  What is the time frame?

·  Is there a training program and, if so, how long does it last?

·  What are the actual job requirements?

·  Who else would I be working with?  Individual?  Team? Rotation?

·  Is there a required continuing education program?

·  Do promotions require relocation?

·  What are the company’s/department’s future plans?

·  What would a typical day be like?

·  What are some of the challenges I might encounter on this job?

·  How many people have held this job in the past five years?  Why did the previous person leave?

·  What are the biggest challenges facing your company right now?  Your department or division?

Types of Interviews

1.      Traditional This is what most people think of as an “interview.”

·  Directed by the interviewer.

·  Interviewer speaks about 25% of the time; the interviewee, 75% of the time.

·  Includes a “question-and-answer” session, with the typical questions asked.

·  Structured, with an introduction, question and answer period, and a close.

2.      Non-directive This is a very unstructured interview style.  It is more like a conversation than an interview.  The interviewer may do all of the talking or very little.  The best way to handle this type is to make opportunities to talk about your skills and how they fit the position and to ask questions.

3.      Behavioral Interview Since research has indicated that the interview is not always the most effective means of selection, more and more companies are using this method.  Behavioral interviews assume that past performance is a predictor of future behavior.  Therefore, questions are targeted to measure your potential in several critical areas, such as leadership, problem solving and decision-making, by asking you to cite specific examples of your past performance in each of the designated areas.  This has also been referred to as the STAR method:

Situation         (describe a problem, decision, project, etc.)

Task               (what were the major tasks involved?)

Action             (what did you do?)

Result             (what were the outcomes of your actions?)

Responses to these types of questions must be prepared ahead of time; think about various situations from work, classes or activities.  Do not use examples from your personal life.

4.      Case Interview Recently, many management consulting firms have raised the ante for those who want to work in their industry by utilizing case studies as part of the interview process.  By presenting an actual business problem and expecting a well-formulated and concise response to possible solutions, consulting recruiters are testing candidates’ abilities to listen, analyze and solve problems on their feet.  There are many Internet sites devoted to preparing for case interviews.  Among these, www.wetfeet.com/industries/consulting/case.asp will link you to some good advice.

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions

·  Give me an example of a time when you faced a conflict and how you resolved it.

·  Tell me about a project you started/finished on your own.  Tell me about a problem you uncovered.

·  Do you find problem solving rewarding?

·  Tell me about the toughest decision you ever made.

·  What advice would you give a public speaker?

·  Describe a situation where you had to talk to an individual or group who was causing a problem.

·  Tell me if you have ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas.

·  Tell me about a time when you failed