Interviewing

The interview process can be scary if you don't know what to expect. With this seven-step guide, however, you'll be well prepared.

1. All interviews fit a general pattern – beginning, middle, and end. In most cases, an interview will last about 30 minutes. You can usually expect about five minutes of small talk, fifteen minutes for a mutual discussion of your credentials and background, five minutes of questions, and then five minutes to wrap up the interview. This does not give you a lot of time to state your case, so your statements must be concise, organized, but not too brief. You'll want to arrive at least five minutes early. Make certain to check your appearance in the rest room beforehand. Wipe sweaty hands on your handkerchief or the hem of your jacket if necessary.

2. The interview starts before you actually meet the interviewer. The office staff will observe your attitude and behavior, so speak politely to everyone. The interviewer will also evaluate your first handshake.

3. The interviewer may choose to begin with small talk. During the small talk, you will still be evaluated. Make certain to do more than smile and nod - try to relax.

4. The main part of the interview starts when the interviewer talks about the organization. If you want more specifics than the interviewer mentions, be certain to ask. Get a clear understanding of both the position and the company. When the recruiter asks about your qualifications, be prepared to deal with any details of your background that appear negative (low GPA, few activities, etc.). Convince the recruiter that these negatives actually reflect positive attributes. Be prepared to answer questions about your academic goals and career goals. These are not innocent questions; both you and the interviewer are trying to determine your "fit" at the company.

5. You can ask questions of the interviewer. Make certain to have a few ready, and try to elicit positive responses. Indicate that you have done your homework and are interested.

6. Properly closing the interview is just as important as presenting yourself well. The questions might stop, but the interview is not over until you walk out the door. Remain enthusiastic and courteous. The interviewer will assess your overall performance in the last five minutes, and will usually indicate the conclusion of the interview by standing up. Shake hands and thank the interviewer for considering you. Interviewers appreciate forthrightness and confidence, so long as they are not taken to extremes.

7. Expect the unexpected. An interviewer may ask unusual questions. Think and give natural responses.

Behavioral vs. Traditional Interviewing

Prepare for both traditional and behavioral interviews. Traditional interview questions deal with hypothetical situations and generally include questions such as "Tell us about yourself" or "What did you do in your position with XYZ Corporation?"

In a Behavioral interview, the questions asked assist the employer make predictions about a potential employee's future success based on past behaviors. These questions deal with real life examples. "Tell us about a time when you had a conflict with a co-worker and how you resolved it."

Practice, Practice, Practice

You must practice your responses to interview questions. It is unwise to go to any interview without spending considerable time thinking about how you will respond to questions. A search on the internet will produce a wealth of sample questions. There are also numerous books available in Career & Counseling Services containing interview questions.

Before the Interview

Honestly Assess Yourself

• Know your strengths and weaknesses.
• Don't go into an interview before you can name at least 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses - with examples. Be certain to identify weaknesses that are sincere but not ones that will keep you from being hired such as "I can never get anywhere on time" or "I can be really stubborn and moody at times".
• Know where you might fit into this particular organization.
• You know yourself better than anyone at the company, do your homework and have some ideas about what you have to offer. Don't sit back and expect the company to just know where you "fit" them best.
• Identify what skills/abilities/experience you have that this company values.
• Again, it is up to you to show the recruiter/hiring manager what you can do for his/her company. That really is the bottom line in today's job market ... "What can this candidate do to improve our company?"

Know The Company

The more information you have about a prospective employer, the better prepared you will be during the interview. Knowing about the organization's products, trends, and employment requirements are vital to your interview preparation.

• Name of company
• Age of company
• Products or services of company
• Growth history of company
• Anticipated growth of company Where do they rank in the industry in size and sales?
• Current problems of company (Chief Competitors)
• Location and number of plants, offices, and stores of company
• Parent company
• Subsidiaries
• Major activity of company
• How many employees do they have?
• What are their sales figures from last year? Projections for this year?
• Description of position for which I am applying
• Major duties of the position
• Geographical location of position
• Minimum requirements for the position
• Deadline for application and starting date of position
• Salary range
• Recent items in the news

Additionally, how do you match up with the company based on this research:

• My related experience
• My indirectly related experience
• My community or school activities as they relate to the position

Verify the Particulars

• Where is the interview?
• Do you know where to park?
• Where is the entrance is to the building? It can be helpful, if you're not familiar with the company, to make a 'dry run' before interview day to determine how long it will take you to get there and to familiarize yourself with the layout of the company.
• What time is the interview? Plan on getting there 15-20 minutes early so that even if something happens -traffic, you get lost, etc.- you'll still arrive in plenty of time. It is NEVER acceptable to be late to an interview!!
• With whom will you be interviewing? Be sure you can spell AND pronounce the interviewer's name and title. If this person is a division head or manager, find out as much as you can about his/her area so you can ask pertinent questions.

Be prepared

• Dress properly; look professional
• Be punctual: this shows a respect of others time
• Research the organization: learn what you can about the company. Read company literature and talk to current employees. Find out all you can about the position for which you are applying.
• Be prepared to ask questions: duties/responsibilities? Types of projects?
• Bring résumés and portfolios
• Know yourself: review your skills and assets. Think about the skills that relate to this job and how you can demonstrate them. Decide what things you would like the interviewer to know about you.
• Know why you want the job for which you are interviewing.

Take the essentials with you

• Leave your book bag, backpack, etc. locked up in the car. Carry only the bare necessities! Women may carry their purses if they are small.
• Your professional portfolio folder. Buy or borrow a nice vinyl or leather folder to carry the following to the interview:
  • Extra copies (on quality paper) of your résumé and references. You may be interviewing with a committee, make sure each of them has a 'nice' copy of your résumé... not one that was photocopied, faxed or emailed.
  • An official transcript which indicates your degree(s).
  • A notepad and pen. Your ink pen needs to be either black or blue.
  • Your list of questions to ask the interviewer(s).
  • Anything else the interviewer has specifically asked you to bring. Samples of your work, recommendation letters, etc.
• Keep in your car or at home:
  • Quality stationery or note cards. Write your thank you note(s) immediately after the interview!
  • For women - extra hosiery and make-up to freshen up if needed.
  • For men - an extra tie.

During the interview:

First Impressions

You only get one chance to make a first impression. Make it your best!

Be on time - or, better yet, EARLY!. Arrive at the interview no later than 5 minutes prior to the scheduled time. Find a bathroom where you can do a last chance check of your appearance. Look to see if there is anything in your nose - gross, but look, see if there is anything in your teeth. For women - is your slip showing? For men - is your zipper up on your trousers? It's embarrassing to get back in your car only to discover spinach in your teeth.

Smile warmly when you enter the building. It is very important to make a good impression with the receptionist. They DO have influence over the decision so do not be rude.

Again, when you meet the interviewer, smile warmly. Make and maintain good eye contact and offer a firm handshake. This goes for both men and women, don't be a "cold-fish" handshaker! Practice if necessary.

Usually the interviewer will try to make you feel at ease by making small talk. Follow the lead of the interviewer on the topic of the small talk and participate.

Answering Questions

Sell Yourself. Don't simply answer the question, but use examples and illustrations to make your point. Develop a 60 second commercial about yourself and practice it. The question "tell me about yourself" exists in many situations besides the job interview. Develop a "sound-bite" of about one minute that will enable you to be articulate and enthusiastic about yourself. In it you will cover: (1) background (education and/or how you began in the world of work); (2) skills, strengths and accomplishments and (3) job focus and future career plans. This short verbal presentation should market your best skills and accomplishments. It should highlight the strengths and advantages of your education and be tailored to each listener and situation. It should demonstrate your enthusiasm, personal style and judgment while presenting you with clarity and focus. In turn, it will generate appropriate information and interaction and market you effectively in a variety of situations besides interviewing such as job fairs, networking and social occasions.

• Create a positive, initial greeting with firm handshake and positive attitude (personality can make or break you.)
• Make good eye contact; be enthusiastic; listen carefully!
• Never chew gum. Don't smoke, even beforehand.
• Be truthful, don't make up answers.
• Speak clearly; watch your grammar.
• Emphasize the positive. While past failures and shortcomings need to be volunteered, don't try to cover them up or sidestep them. Should recruiters ask about your failures, try to explain the circumstances, rather than blame others or make excuses.
• Explain and relate your experiences/skills to the job you want;
• tell why the job is of interest to you
• tell them how you can contribute; emphasize your strengths
• Don't boast; don't ask about salary in first interview.
• Relax. An interview can be a pleasant experience if you are prepared. Remember, the interview may still be in progress when you are having lunch, drinking a cocktail, or merely chatting with an employee. Such "relaxed" situations can influence decisions.

Illegal interview questions

Questions concerning your personal life (age, weight, sexual preference, marital status, family planning or child care arrangements, home ownership, etc.) are illegal unless it can be shown that they relate to specific job requirements. While interviewers should not ask such questions, they sometimes do, and you need to plan a strategy for dealing with them. Getting upset or calling in a lawyer will not get you the job. The best advice is to use your judgment. If the interviewer asks an illegal question that does not particularly bother you, volunteer enough data to satisfy the interviewer.

If the interviewer asks an illegal question that you don't wish to answer, try to determine what really concerns the interviewer and deal with that issue. For example, if the interviewer asks if you plan to have children, he/she probably wants to know gauge your commitment to a career. You can answer the question by reiterating your seriousness in pursuing a career and stressing that any childbearing plans will not interfere with that goal. If the interviewer keeps pushing for more personal information, this might be a warning flag about the company. If you feel strongly that a question is inappropriate, state your objection, but remember that you may well be jeopardizing your chances for the job.

Prepare ahead of time to ASK QUESTIONS!

Make sure your questions are appropriate. Now is not the time to ask about salary or benefits. From your research about the company, you should have good ideas for potential questions. Write down your questions on the writing pad inside your portfolio folder. Do not expect to remember them off the top of your head. Make sure you have at least 5-10 to ask since the interviewer might answer several of them during the interview. You will only ask 1-3 of your prepared questions.

Sample questions to ask on the first interview:

• What is a realistic timeframe for advancement?
• How is an employee evaluated and promoted?
• What is the retention rate of individuals in the position for which I am interviewing?
• Describe the typical first-year assignments.
• Tell me about your initial as well as future training programs.
• What are the challenging facets of this job?
• What are the company's plans for future growth?
• What industry trends will occur in this company?
• What makes your firm different from its competitors?
• Describe the work environment.
• What are the company's strengths and weaknesses?
• How would you describe your corporation's personality and management style?
• Is it company policy to promote from within?
• Tell me the work history of your top management.
• What are your expectations for new hires?
• What is the overall structure of the department where this position is located?
• What qualities are you looking for in the right person for this position?
• What characteristics does a successful person have at your company?
• What type of training is available?
• What kind of ongoing professional development programs are available?
• Whom would I report to in this position? What can you tell me about that person's management style?
• Where does this job fit into the organizational structure?
• How will I be evaluated?
• What will be my opportunities for advancement?
• Do you have any questions or concerns about my background, my qualifications, or anything I've said so far?
• Again, don't ask about salary or benefits until you are sure you will be offered the job.

Go ahead and ask about their hiring timeline so you do not have to wait for the phone call. Inquire about additional information the interviewers need to assist their evaluation.

Seal The Deal

Now is the time to make a lasting impression! Use the tried-and-true sales technique called sealing the deal. Summarize why you are a good choice for the job. Use the skills you learned in the "60 Second Commercial" to develop a short snippet about your strengths and fit for the job and how much you want to work for their company. You should developed and practice this snippet long before you have to use it in the interview. Be sure to get a business card from each person with whom you speak. These will come in handy when you write those all-important thank you notes. If the interviewer does not offer you a card, ask for one.

After the interview:

Now what? Follow Up!

Write thank-you notes. Send one to each and every one of your interviews - personally. Why not just write them in your car in the parking lot and drop in the mail on your way home? If that is impractical, make sure you do it that evening and get them in the mail the next day.
Provide other requested documents and information such as transcripts, references, copies of licensures, etc.
Maintain contact with the company. Wait until the day after they promised a response and then call. Let them know you are extremely interested in the position - but do not be a nuisance! Ask where they are in their decision-making process; ask if they need any more information from you. Persevere... you must be your own advocate in this process.

Keep detailed records of who, what, and where for each job interview. Keeping track will help you see when to contact a company - and to see if you have done so excessively. It also helps to know who told you something and to whom you sent those transcripts to, etc.

• Make notes about the job and organization
• Evaluate and determine how to improve the next interview
• Write a thank you letter/note. Always write a follow-up letter after an interview; it's an essential part of the process. While it appears on the surface merely to express appreciation for the interview, it also serves to remind the interviewer of your qualifications and interest in the job or career field. Finally, it leaves a very favorable impression and could be the one factor that really makes you stand out from the crowd.
• Before leaving the interview find out how follow-up will happen: "If I have not heard from you within a week, may I call to find out where you are in the decision making process?" (Asking permission to follow-up is very courteous and also makes them more willing to respond to your future call.)

Assertiveness vs. Aggressiveness

Try to be assertive in answering questions in an interview. The non-assertive person makes little or no impression. The aggressive person may make a negative impression.

Non-Assertiveness: Failing to express honest feelings, being apologetic or self-defeating. Leaving yourself open to be dominated.

Assertiveness: Standing up for one's rights and expressing thoughts, feelings, and beliefs honestly and in a manner which does not violate another person's rights. Assertive behavior requires respect for yourself and respect for the other person.

Aggressiveness: Standing up for one's rights but in a manner which violates the rights of others and exhibits hostile behavior.

What the employer seeks

All employers have two basic aims:

• to find a person who fits with the organization
• to find a person who can contribute something to the organization's goals. The interview is not a casual conversation; it is a serious matter.

General Qualities

• Maturity - a person who is realistic and stable
• Ability and aptitude
• Training and experience
• Willingness to learn and work
• Congeniality - someone who will fit in well with other employers
• Desire to help create a profit or accomplish organization goals
  

Special Qualities for Management or Supervisory Positions

• Previous successful experience as a supervisor
• A broad understanding of management
• Potential for promotion in management
• Strong career commitment