Interview Tips

The interview is your chance to impress the employer in person and convince the employer you are the best candidate for the job. A bad first impression is very hard to overcome, so here are some tips to help you:

 

Preparation

  • Find out as much as you can about the company and the position you will be interviewing for.
  • Practice your answers to commonly asked interview questions, such as the ever popular "Tell me about yourself."
  • Practice answering out loud and listen to yourself for a confident and concise answer.

 

Appearance

  • Dress conservatively.
  • Generally speaking, you will be safe with a blue or gray suit for a position in an office environment.
  • For other arenas, dress one to two levels above what you would wear after obtaining the job (i.e. construction worker might wear neat khaki pants with a button-down shirt and tie).

 

Body Language

  • Shake the interviewer's hand firmly.
  • Make sure you smile and maintain comfortable eye contact with the interviewer.
  • Stand and sit up straight with an attitude of confidence, not cockiness.

 

Attitude

  • Be very positive about your past employers and co-workers.
  • Communicate enthusiasm and optimism in your verbal communication and your body language.

 

Answering questions:

  • Sell yourself tell the interviewer about your qualifications and how you have used them in the past.
  • State a skill and then give an example of how you used that skill to benefit an employer.
  • Listen to the questions and make sure you understand what the interviewer is asking before you answer. Keep your answers brief and complete.
  • Don't ask about benefits or retirement until after you have been offered the job.

 

Handling Personal or Illegal Questions:

  • When asked a personal or illegal question you have three choices:
  • Answer it truthfully.
  • Answer the question with a question.
  • Determine the underlying question and respond to that issue.

Remember that each interview is different; you have to determine where the question is coming from to choose the appropriate response. For example, if an employer asks if you have young children, their underlying concern may have to do with your willingness to work evenings or weekends. Sometimes, however, an illegal question is asked simply out of ignorance, with the sole purpose of building rapport.

Informational Interviews

An informational interview differs from a job interview in that you are the one who is asking questions to gather information about a company, a career field, an industry, etc. You also want to gather information about others who might be able to help you. Informational interviews are an integral part of building a network.

 

Step 1: Initial Contact
Through a cold call, a contact or a referral, identify someone who is working in the company, field or industry you are interested in. Call this person and ask to meet with them for about 15 minutes to learn about their career field, industry, etc. If an in-person appointment is not possible, an informational interview can be conducted over the phone or even by email. 

Step 2: Build Rapport
Dress as you would for a real interview. When you first arrive, you want the person to feel comfortable with you. Start by talking about your connection with the person who referred you. Assure the person that you are not expecting that they have a job for you. You will have told them this during your initial contact, but it’s good to say it again. This will help the person relax and speak with you openly. Remind the person that you only need 15 minutes or so, and try to get a feel for how busy they are. Keep this step brief. 

Step 3: Present Purpose/Background
Tell them your reason for requesting help from them and give them a summary of your background. Inform them of what your objective is in terms of your career or options you are exploring. This should only last 1-2 minutes.

Step 4: Ask Questions
The questions you ask depend on your individual purposefor the meeting. The most critical part of this process is to LISTEN. After all, you are here to gain information from someone who holds a great deal of expertise. They should do 75 percent of the talking. It is perfectly acceptable—in fact, preferable—that you have your questions written down. Try not to take too many notes as it can be distracting; on the other hand, you do not want to lose any of the information, either.

Step 5: Ask For Referrals
Getting referrals is a critical part of an informational interview. This is how you build your network. Try to work referrals into your conversation. For example, if you ask a question and the person does not have the information; ask them if they know of someone who might. Or simply ask them, "If you were in my place, who would you talk to about ____________?" Be sure to ask their permission to use their name when contacting that person. 

Step 6: Follow Up
Always write a thank you note. Click here for a sample thank you note.

 

Sample Questions to Ask in an Informational Interview

These questions are deliberately open-ended. This encourages the other person to do most of the talking and helps you LISTEN. You will not ask all of these questions; pick the ones that seem most relevant to your situation. Remember, you asked for 15 minutes.

  • How did you get started in this field?
  • What training do you think would be required for me to enter this field?
  • Do you believe that my stated experience and accomplishments support my objective?
  • At what level of management do you think a background like mine would be most effective?
  • Where would you see my background being most useful in your industry?
  • How much of a demand is there for people in this field?
  • If you were in my position, what specific companies would you investigate?
  • Where is the greatest demand for new talent in your industry?
  • What are the most important qualities you look for when making a hiring decision?
  • What additional training/education do you think I need to break into your field/industry?
  • What salary range could I reasonably expect to make?
  • To further my research, are there any other individuals you know of who could broaden my perspective on my job search?
  • When I contact ________________, may I use your name as a referral?

 

Tips on Interview Questions

There is no way to predict all the questions that may be asked in an interview, yet it is still possible to perform well by preparing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

 

The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. Please tell me about yourself.
  2. Why should I hire you?
  3. What are your major strengths?
  4. What are your major weaknesses?
  5. How does your previous experience relate to the job you are applying for here?
  6. Why are you looking for this sort of position and why at our company?
  7. What are your plans for the future?
  8. What will your former employers say about you?
  9. Have you done this kind of work before?
  10. What sort of pay do you expect to receive?

The best approach to answering interview questions is to tell the interviewer about your qualifications and how you have used them in the past. State your skills and then give an example of how you used that skill to benefit an employer.


It is highly recommended that you practice answering these questions out loud to yourself or role-play with a friend. The more you practice the more prepared you will be and the more confidence you will express.

 

BEHAVIORAL - BASED QUESTIONS

Behavioral-based interviewing is becoming more and more popular among recruiters and hiring managers. Expect and be prepared for these hypothetical questions, and use the opportunity to inform the employer how you are able and willing to do the job.

You can typically recognize a behavioral based question because it will often begin with "What if you . . . ?" or "How would you handle . . . ?"

The best way to prepare for behavioral-based questions is to analyze the job description and know what skills are required. Then prepare short stories recapping situations from your work experience that demonstrate the required skills and work behavior.


Use the "S.T.A.R" formula to create your answer in a story format.

S = Situation - Describe a similar work situation from a former job

T = Task - Describe the task and challenge you faced

A = Action - Use action verbs (i.e. developed, initiated, performed, implemented) to describe what
                 steps you took to overcome that task and challenge

R = Results - Finish your story with the positive results

 

Questions to ask the Employer during the Interview

One of the ways to have a successful interview is to plan ahead. Research the company; be knowledgeable about their goods and services as well as their philosophy. Find a way to share what you know about the company during the interview. You will also want to do the following:

  • Prepare a list of questions and bring them with you to the interview.
  • Keep your questions focused on the needs of the employer. 
  • Ask approximately three to five questions and always ask them when a hiring decision will be made, or what the next step is in the hiring decision.

Sample Questions

  1. What would you say are the two or three main priorities in this position?
  2. What objectives would I be expected to meet in the next three months? Six months? One year?
  3. What capabilities do you feel are most important in the person you will hire?
  4. What would you consider to be the career path for someone in this position?
  5. Can you show me where this position fits in the organization?
  6. To whom would I report?
  7. Who would be my key associates?
  8. Does the company have a long-range plan for this department?
  9. What would be the extent of my authority in carrying out my responsibilities?
  10. How many people would report to me and will I have an opportunity to meet them?
  11. How will my job performance be evaluated?
  12. How did the position come open?
  13. Is there anything that concerns you about my qualifications? (Be careful with this one. Use only if you are sure you have built a strong rapport with the interviewer.)
  14. When will a hiring decision be made? or What is the next step in the hiring process?

Questions To Avoid Asking Employers

  1. What will my salary be?
  2. How much vacation do I get?
  3. Can you tell me about company benefits?
  4. How long before I can be promoted?
  5. When am I eligible for vacation?
  6. Did the last person quit or were they fired?