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Interviewing Tips

Common Questions | Teaching Questions | Questions to Ask | Interviewing Tips

PREPARING FOR YOUR INTERVIEW

Okay, so you've landed yourself an interview! Congratulations! The employer saw your resume and cover letter and is interested in your background. It's definitely something to be proud of, but if you want to get beyond the interview and receive a job offer, the real work starts now!

Before you go on your interview, here are a few things you need to do:

  1. RESEARCH COMPANY AND INDUSTRY
    Find out how long the company has been around, what the organization does, what its mission/goals are, who its client base is, any current events in the company or industry, size of the organization, etc. Where can you find this information? Here are a few places you can try:
  • Company websites
  • Newspapers/magazines
  • Recruitment literature
  • Annual reports
  • In-house newsletters and trade journals
  • Internet websites (link to www.hoovers.com)
  • Better Business Bureau reports
  • Chamber of Commerce publications
  • Fitch Corporation Manuals
  • Moody's Manuals
  • MacRae's Bluebook
  • Standard & Poor's

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  1. REVIEW PAST EXPERIENCES
    Analyze your skills and past experiences so you'll be able to give detailed explanations of your past experiences and "sell" yourself to the employer.
  1. PRACTICE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
    Review a list of some of the most common interview questions. Mock interviewing with a friend or career counselor will help you know what to expect in an interview and will allow you to develop carefully thought out answers BEFORE the interview. This will help ease your nerves on the day of the interview and hopefully win you the job! For sample interview questions, click here.
  1. QUESTIONS FOR THE EMPLOYER
    Interviewers will almost always ask if you have any questions for them, and if you don't, it looks like you're not interested—so you better have a prepared list of questions ready! However, don't ask about salary or benefits during the interview. Questions about that can come after you've been extended an offer, but first, you have to get the offer! Instead, focus your questions on the responsibilities of the job, your potential co-workers, how you would be evaluated, training programs, etc. You also want to make sure to get a good night's sleep before the interview, so you'll be well rested and at your best. For sample employer questions, click here.
  1. KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING
    Make sure you know how to get to the interview location. If you don't know where it is, get directions. If possible, make a trip out there in advance of the interview to see how long your travel time is and where you can park.
  1. WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU
  • Extra copies of your resume and cover letter
  • Names/Addresses/Phone Numbers of references (or information on obtaining your credential file from Nazareth College Career Services)


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MISTAKES CANDIDATES OFTEN MAKE WHEN INTERVIEWING

  • Not knowing anything about the company and clearly not having done any research prior to the interview, indicating a lack of interest in and enthusiasm for the company and position
  • Not providing enough detail and specific examples when answering questions about skills/past experiences
  • Being negative and complaining about past employers and/or experiences
  • Not maintaining good eye contact
  • Not exhibiting poise and self-confidence (ex: offering a weak handshake)
  • Not using professional language--(ex: saying "yeah" instead of "yes" and saying "like", "you know", "um" and "uh"
  • Arriving late for the interview
  • Not having questions to ask the employer (List of possible questions)
  • Having a poor personal appearance (Interview Attire)
  • Lack of clear and realistic career goals


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INTERVIEW ATTIRE

BASIC GUIDELINES TO REMEMBER:

MEN

  • Conservative is usually better - Be neat and simple (nothing wrinkled or too bright or garish)
  • Dress more formally than you usually would for work
  • Want to be comfortable so you'll be confident and at ease
  • Be neat and simple (nothing wrinkled or sloppy or too bright and garish)
  • Remove any jewelry or accessories that may get in the way or be distracting
  • Should be clean shaven or have well-groomed facial hair and a traditional haircut
  • Should wear clean and polished dark dress shoes and socks
  • Cologne/Aftershave Lotion should never be strong

WOMEN

  • Conservative is usually better - Be neat and simple (nothing wrinkled or too bright or garish)
  • Dress more formally than you usually would for work
  • Want to be comfortable so you'll be confident and at ease
  • Be neat and simple (nothing wrinkled or sloppy or too bright and garish)
  • Remove any jewelry or accessories that may get in the way or be distracting
  • Skirt suits are generally considered more professional than pants suits
  • Make-up should be natural-looking (nothing too heavy or too bright)
  • Shoes should be flats or low pumps that are clean and polished
  • Should wear hosiery, generally skintone, to an interview
  • If you wear perfume, it should not be overpowering


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TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

There are several different types of interviews you might face when meeting with an employer, and it's best to be prepared for anything. Below are explanations of some of the most common interview situations and tips for how best to deal with them.

TYPE OF INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION HELPFUL HINTS
PHONE INTERVIEW This is often used as an initial process to eliminate candidates because it's quick and cost effective. These interviews are usually relatively short and don't require the expense of travel.
  • Speak slowly and clearly to make sure the interviewer can understand you
  • Prepare like you would for an in-person interview--practice answering typical interview questions and have a copy of your resume in front of you
ONE-ON-ONE You'll sit down with one person at the company and speak one-on-one.
  • Offer a firm handshake
  • Maintain eye contact
  • Demonstrate enthusiasm for the company and position
  • Be positive about past employers and experiences
GROUP There are several people from the organization asking you questions all at once.
  • Same as for One-on-One Interview
  • Begin eye contact with the person asking the question but then move to include each person in the room
TRADITIONAL

Questions may include:

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  • How would your best friend describe you?
BEHAVIORAL This type of interview is based on the premise that past behavior and performance predicts future behavior. The interviewer will ask you to cite specific examples of past performance from previous work experience, activities, volunteer work, etc. (ex: Describe a time when you had to exert leadership in a crisis situation.)
  • Put together a list of examples of your past behavior at work or in school that highlight skills you have that are necessary for the position for which you're interviewing
  • Be prepared to provide examples of when things didn't turn out as you planned
  • Use the SAR Method: explain the Situation or Task (what the problem was), Action (how you fixed it), and the Result (what was the outcome)
  • Review a list of common interview questions and practice with a friend or career counselor
  • Sample interview questions
STRESS The interviewer is cold, unfriendly, aggressive or challenging and is used to see how you will react to stress.
  • Do not get defensive. Remain calm and answer questions professionally
  • If the interviewer continues to challenge a particular view, simply say, "This seems like one of those issues about which two intelligent people just disagree."
  • If you get the silent treatment, give your best sales pitch, and then ask if there is anything else the interviewer would like to know


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AFTER THE INTERVIEW

CONGRATULATIONS--you made it through the interview! You should be proud of yourself and you definitely deserve a little rest and relaxation! Before you relax, however, there's one more thing you have to do: write thank you letters! Within 24-48 hours, you need to send thank you notes to everyone with whom you met during the interview process. These notes can be word-processed or hand written on a note card, but they must be sent right away. While at the interview, be sure to ask for business cards from everyone you meet so you'll have the correct spelling of their names and their correct contact information. In the note, you should thank the interviewer for his or her time and reiterate your interest in the position and company, briefly pointing out once again why you feel it's a great fit for your background. Below is a sample thank you note:

 

Date


Ms. Jane Smith
Chief Executive Officer
AAA Company
222 Any Street
Rochester , NY 14625

Dear Ms. Smith:

Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. I enjoyed speaking with you about the Sales Manager position, and after learning more about the position, I'm even more excited and think it's a great fit for my background.

As we discussed in the interview, I have extensive experience in sales and believe that my strong attention to detail and communication skills would make me an asset to your organization. AAA Company has a very impressive sales model and is poised for substantial growth. It would be great to be a part of your organization and contribute to this exciting future.

Thanks again for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Jeff Jones

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