Job interviews are an essential step to landing a job by avoiding being screened out
and convince the employer/interviewer that you can make a contribution to their organization.
Explore the steps below to prepare for any future interviews! We wish you all the
best!
Before the Interview
Know Yourself: strengths, values, interests, skills, accomplishments, goals, etc. Prepare Your Materials: resume, references, transcripts, supplemental materials.
DO
✔ Dress appropriately ✔ Wear neat and conservative hair. If you have long hair, pull it back or style it
to keep it out of your face. ✔ Carry a briefcase or portfolio with copies of your resume. Women can avoid carrying
a purse this way. ✔ Give a firm handshake at the beginning and end of the interview ✔ Maintain steady eye contact with the interviewer/s ✔ Thank them for their time ✔ Ask the recruiter for a business card
DON'T
✘ Wear big jewelry or hair ornaments ✘ Exhibit nervous body behavior, like fidgeting ✘ Wear heavy perfume or cologne ✘ Wear facial jewelry ✘ Wear white socks (men)
If your interview attire speaks louder than you, you won't be heard. The louder your
clothes are, the less attention the employer will pay to your capabilities.
Practice good hygiene: shave, brush teeth, wear deodorant, clean and trim fingernails
Make sure all clothing is clean and neatly pressed and coordinated
Carry a briefcase or portfolio with copies of your resume. Women can avoid carrying
a purse this way.
Dress for the interview, not the job
Talk with faculty, alumni, other employees, etc.
Research the organization on the web
Find out information on: ownership, products, services, new projects, location of facilities, headquarters
location, recent market developments, competitors, growth patterns, reputation, size,
international operations, training, evaluations, etc.
Don’t just practice responding to questions in your head. Practice out loud. This
is critical. Participate in a mock interview. Practice responding to interview questions
with anyone in the field, schedule a mock interview appointment with the Career Services Center, other professionals, etc. Know your resume/portfolio well and be prepared to answer
questions about them. However, don’t over exhaust yourself. Make sure to also get
some rest
Interviews help employers get a better sense of their candidate qualifications. Here
are some things employers are looking for and how they will determine it within an
interview.
Academic Record: often an indicator of motivation and work ethic
Communication and Interpersonal Skills: get along with different types of personalities and communication effectively
Leadership: not afraid to assume responsibilities; work with minimum supervision
Enthusiasm: attitude and behavior; alert, responsive and energetic
Flexibility: expand and change with organization
High Energy Level: capable of handling multiple tasks; show commitment to job
Maturity: know how to handle yourself in a leadership or difficult situation
Special Qualities: what are your 3 most marketable strengths
Directed/Structured Interviews: Formal & direct, questions are mostly job related, a no•nonsense style.
Unstructured Interviews: Open-ended questions, relaxed style conducive to shedding light on candidate's personality.
Be assertive and stay away from 2-3 word answers and provide examples.
Stress Interview: Sometimes used when job has strict guidelines with purposeful long gaps of silence.
Get candidate's true colors to show in how they deal with challenging situations.
Telephone Interview: Often used to narrow job pool, many times the interview is with a panel.
Group Interview: Several candidates are interviewed at the same time, sometimes used with large organizations
that hire large numbers.
Panel Interview: More than one interviewer posing questions. Many times they are set questions asked
of all candidates. *Tip: Maintain eye contact with everyone.
Behavioral Interview: The most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar
situation. Employers predetermine which skills are necessary for the job. Your responses
need to be specific and detailed.
Making contact: establish rapport and structure
Establishing qualifications and opportunities: information gathering and giving
Closing: ask questions of the interviewer; interviewer outlines next steps
Administration/Preparation: interviewer completes notes and review of resumes, references, evaluations and other
materials
Thank you letter: interviewee sends thank you note immediately
During the Interviews
During the interview, you should be prepared to provide an answer to any question
with examples of situations where you have demonstrated behaviors and skills. Always
listen carefully to the questions and ask for clarification if necessary.
Go through some of the most common interview questions below and be prepared to provide
an answer and example for each.
General Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself.
Variations of the question:
How do you think a professor or friend who knows you well would describe you?
Why are you applying for this job?
Variations of the question:
What do you hope to gain from this job?
How did you choose your academic field?
Why did you take your last job?
Why should we hire you?
Variations of the question:
How do I know you're the best candidate?
What can you offer us?
How do I know you're the best candidate?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Describe a difficult work situation and what you did to overcome it.
Variations of the question:
What have you learned from your past mistakes?
How do you handle stress?
Do you have any questions for us?
Describe a situation in which you were successful.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
What are your career plans for the next five years?
Describe your work style.
How do you prefer to be supervised?
What motivates you?
How do you determine or evaluate success?
Describe your most rewarding college experience.
Will you relocate. Do you have a geographical preference?
Behavioral Interview Questions
Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving
a problem.
Variations of the question:
Describe a time on any job that you held in which you were faced with problems or
stresses that tested your coping skills.
Give me an example of a problem you faced on any job and how you went about solving
it.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make and how did you arrive at your
decision?
By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people,
situations and environments.
Variations of the question:
Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince
someone to see things your way.
Tell me about a time in which you had to use your written communication skills in
order to get an important point across.
Give an example of an important goal, which you had set in the past and tell me about
your success in reaching it.
Variations of the question:
Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully communicate with another
person even when that individual may not have personally liked you or vice versa.
Tell me of a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to
get a job done.
Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
Describe the most significant or creative presentation, which you have had to complete.
Describe the most rewarding aspect of your previous job.
Describe the most challenging or frustrating aspect of that same job.
If you could change one thing about your current boss, what would that be and why?
Describe an experience when you dealt with an angry customer.
When was the last time you "broke the rules" (thought outside the box) and how did
you do it?
What was the wildest idea you had in the past year. What did you do about it?
When taking on a new task, do you like to have a great deal of feedback and responsibility
at the outset or do you like to try your own approach.
Illegal Questions
Interview questions must all be job/experience related. If questions come up that
are illegal or improper, such as questions about your family plans, etc, then you
need to consider your options:
Refuse to answer: this can tell the employer you think the question is improper
Answer the question: you decide to swallow your pride and privacy
Answer the legitimate question and ignore the illegal or improper questions
Ask a question: rather than answer the improper question. When in doubt, ask for clarification.
Questions You Can Ask
Always be prepared to ask your interviewer questions. It's a great opportunity to
show you have done some research and are interested in the position.
What are the specific duties required.
What do you look for in applicants?
What makes a successful employee in your organization?
What are some current challenges here?
What's a normal work week like?
How would I be evaluated?
What continuing education and supervision is provided?
In what directions do you see your organization going in the near future?
What do you like most about your work here?
Is there other information I can provide you?
When will your hiring decisions and offers be made?
Please tell me about your experiences with this organization?
After the Interview
Send a thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. You may email or fax your letter, but always send
a hard copy in the mail for follow-up.
Complete any written applications and forms requested.
Make notes to yourself
Write down key things that were said. These can be used in your thank you letter
Appearance & Behavior
Your handshake, attire, eye contact, etc.
Relevant questions asked
Responsive listening
Knowledge & Skills
A demonstration of awareness of the company/organization
A fit between the company's needs and your talents/skills
Positive Attitude
Enthusiasm about the company/organization
Attitudes toward work, self and others
Motivation & Energy Level
Team Player
Ability to lead or supervise
Ability to fit in with the company/organization
Demonstrated ability to work as a team player
Appearance & Behavior
The eyes have it! Look at the employer when you speak and listen.
Be aware of fidgeting. Watch for nervous habits.
Remember to dress for the interview, not the job.
Arrive at the interview early.
Come Prepared
Ask questions. Prepare your list and bring it to the interview.
Bring extra copies of your resume.
Be Yourself
Be yourself during the interview and be honest.
Give your own views, not what you think you are expected to say.
Be enthusiastic, but don't oversell yourself.
Self Awareness
Keep your answers concise and on track. Don't fall into a rambling trap.
Ask yourself the following questions: Can I do the job? Do I have a good work ethic?
How interested am I in this kind of work? Will I fit into the company? Why do I want
to work for this company?
Schedule an Appointment
Don't forget that you can alsoschedule an appointmentwith us to help you prepare for your interview!
