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Interviewing

The Interview

The interview is where you have to prove to the employer in person that you are the right person for the job. Often there are hundreds of applicants for a job, so just being called in for an interview is a major success!

The interview is the critical part of the process of finding a job. During your interview you will be judged on a number of things. You will be judged on your appearance, your ability to communicate, your job skills and goals, your willingness to work hard and much more.

Overcoming Interview Anxiety

It is normal to be a bit nervous before an interview. If you are organized and well prepared for the interview, you should have nothing to worry about. Here are several ways to be more comfortable before an interview:

• Make sure that you eat at least two hours before an interview. If you are hungry or if you have just eaten, your body will only make you more nervous.
• Before you go to the interview site, breathe deeply several times. Breathe in slowly for as long as you can and hold your breath for five seconds. Exhale slowly. Repeat several times.
• Try on your interview clothes before the day of the interview. Make sure that they fit well. Practice good posture while sitting properly at a table or desk.
• Prepare the night before the interview. Make sure that your clothes are matched up, clean and wrinkle-free. Put copies of your resume and your notepad together so you do not have to panic to find them before you leave.
• Rehearse introducing yourself, answering interview questions, asking interview questions, and talking about yourself and your resume.
• Get at least eight hours of sleep before your interview.
• When you walk in to the interview, walk in with a smile!

Remember, the job interview is not life or death. On most occasions, the employer has enough interest in you to call you in for an interview, so now all you have to do is sell yourself.

Your Appearance

How you present yourself is vitally important in any interview, regardless of the nature of the job for which you are applying. If you present yourself in a professional manner, then you will be treated as a professional and given consideration for the job as a professional. Click here for tips on Dressing for Success.

Other Tips

Arrive Early

Your interview is at 10 AM. You want to show up at least 10 minutes early. Fifteen minutes early is more acceptable; showing up one minute late is not. Make a good impression. If you show up early, you might be forced to wait for a few minutes. That's a few minutes that you can use to prepare yourself for the interview.

Plan out your drive to the interview site a day or two before the interview. Practice driving to the interview site at the same time that your interview will take place. You want to know how busy the traffic is and exactly how long it takes you to get there. There is nothing worse in a job interview than starting out giving an excuse for your tardiness.

Call the employer if you have to cancel. Call as early as possible; remember you may not be given another chance.

Show Them You Want the Job

If you want the job, then you have to act as though you do. You do not have to overdo it or give a false impression of yourself. Simply have the right attitude from the time you open the door to the time you drive away. If you want the job, then show them that you do!

Conveying the Right Image:

• When the interviewer enters the room, show your enthusiasm! Smile warmly, stand up and greet him/her with a firm handshake. Introduce yourself, making sure that you give your whole name and any suitable nickname ("Mike" for "Michael" or "Chris" for "Christine," etc.) that you commonly use. Address the interviewer as Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr.
• Act as a perfect lady or gentleman. If the interviewer is female, let her take her seat before you take yours. For women, the proper way to sit in an interview is to either cross your feet or cross your legs. For men, keep your feet flat on the ground, especially if your feet are under a table or desk.
• If you are nervous, do not show it. Be aware of movements such as fidgeting, leg bouncing, pen tapping, etc. Stop your nervous habits before they start!
• If you are offered a drink during the interview, do whatever your body tells you. If you are thirsty, accept a drink. If you are not, then politely decline. NEVER eat during the interview.
• During the interview, sit up straight and smile. Lean slightly forward to exhibit interest. Make direct eye contact with the interviewer several times during the conversation to show that you are genuinely interested.
• Ask questions during the interview. The interview is a time for the employer to find out more about you, and it is also a time for you to find out more about the employer. Asking questions shows that you are genuinely interested in the company.
• Do not, under any circumstance, talk negatively about former employers. If you had a bad experience, find a way to phrase it in the most positive light. Instead of saying, "I hated that dead-end job," try to say something like "My former job taught me many things, but I think my career would be better served in a position that allows for professional growth."
• Do not bring children, friends, family, food or your cell phone.

The Interview Questions

The number one statement by interviewers is "Tell me about yourself."

Be prepared for it. It will be asked, and it is almost always the first question asked. The interviewer is asking "What skills do you have?" "What goals do you have?" "What experience, training and education do you have?" and "Why should I hire you?" Practice answering this question to yourself over and over again until you feel you have a good answer to the question.

Below are some questions that you may be asked. Other questions may be asked. By familiarizing yourself with these basic questions, you will be prepared for anything. Practice answering each one until you feel comfortable with your answers.

• Why are you leaving your current job?
• What motivates you?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What did you like most or least in your most recent job?
• Provide an example of a difficult situation you have faced with your boss and how you resolved it.
• Provide an example of a difficult situation you have faced with a customer and how you resolved it.
• Why did you leave your past jobs? (Do not speak negatively about previous employers.)
• How do you work under pressure? Give an example.
• When are you available to start?
• What are your short and long-range goals? How are you preparing to achieve them?
• Assuming that you could do anything you wanted, what would you really like to do in life?
• Do you have any plans for college or continued study?
• What failures have you experienced? What have you learned from your mistakes?

Strengths/Weaknesses Questions

• Give examples of your skills and strengths, such as technical and computer skills, organizational skills, team player skills, self-starter skills, leadership, motivation, and dedication skills.
• Discuss what distinguishes you from your peers.

"Why should I hire you?" Questions

• How have your education and other experiences prepared you for this position?
• Why do you feel we should hire someone with your background?
• What three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
• What are three of your strengths? What are three of your weaknesses?
• What makes you better than the other people I am seeing today?
• Describe a contribution you made in your last job.

Job Interest Questions

• What do you know about our organization?
• What are the most important rewards you expect from your career?
• Why did you decide to seek a position with us?
• What two or three things are important to you in your job?
• Describe your ideal job.

Inappropriate Questions

According to the criteria established by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Act, there are guidelines that employers must follow in conducting job interviews. Listed below are some examples:

1. Questions should not be asked to which answers will have a disparate effect in screening out any minorities and/or members of one sex.
2. Questions must be job-related; the answer must be necessary to judge an applicant's competence for the job in question.

In order to comply with these criteria, employers should not ask questions concerning the following:

• Marital and family status
• Religious or political affiliation
• Ancestry, National Origin, Race or Color
• Sex
• Age (except to establish that they meet minimum age requirements by law.)

Questions to Ask and Not Ask

In addition to being asked questions, it is important that you ask a few questions yourself. After all, you need to make sure that this job, at this company, is right for you. You will definitely want to develop some of your own questions that are specific to you and to the company where you interview. Below are some sample questions that you may want to ask.

Questions to Ask

Find out as much as you can about the job so you can make an informed decision.

• Why is the position open-promotion, company expansion, or did someone leave the company?
• Is there significant turnover associated with this position?
• What career paths are available?
• What are the initial day-to-day responsibilities that you will be expected to perform?
• What do you expect the responsibilities to be six months to a year from now?
• Do you work on special projects? If so, what are the recent ones?
• What computer and software skills are required for this position?
• What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
• What is the work environment like? Do people get along?
• Is there any travel associated with this position?
• How long have you (the interviewer) been with the company?
• In your opinion (the interviewer), what type of person is successful in the company (team player, self starter, "people person")?
• Discuss the management structure. Ask how many people are with the company or in the department, the background of the people in charge, their management style, how long they have worked there, etc.

Questions NOT to Ask in the Job Interview

The following questions are considered inappropriate questions for the first job interview with a company:

• What is the salary? What types of benefits will I receive?
• Is this job hard?
• Will I have to work overtime? Will you pay me more?
• Do people hate their jobs here?
• Do not ask any questions that are answered in the company literature or in the help wanted ad.

Company Research

When you interview for a job, not only should you be informed about the position you are seeking, you should also know something about the company itself. There are many ways to find out information on a corporation. Talk with current or former employees. Send for the organization's annual report, catalogs, press releases or other literature. Consult the New York Times Index, Business Periodicals Index and College Placement Annual at the library.

Answer the following questions before the interview:

• Company name
• Location
• Interview time
• What does the company do?
• The company's mission statement is
• How long have they been in business?
• How many employees do they have?
• Are they listed on the stock exchange? If so, which one and what are they selling?

Do Your Homework

Before you walk in the door-be prepared. Go to the library or the company's website and look up recent articles about the company and research industry trends.

For instance, if you are interviewing for a job as an Administrative Assistant at a bank, make sure you look up current news articles and news releases about that bank. Also, look up articles that have some effect on the banking industry in general.

If you find an interesting article, feel free to bring it along to give to the interviewer.

Being able to say "I just read an article about that while I was researching your company," is very powerful in an interview. It shows that you have genuine interest in the company, you go above and beyond the call of duty, and that you actually researched the job before the interview.

Closing

It is important to end the interview on the right note. Leave the interview just as you came in-smiling and enthusiastic.

Before you leave, make sure that you ask if there is anything about your background that needs to be clarified. This is important. You want to resolve any concerns that they have before you walk out the door.

Ask the interviewer for a business card. This will be extremely helpful when you have to write a thank-you note.

Remember to thank the interviewer for his/her time and the opportunity to meet. If you are interested, tell the interviewer you are interested in the position and that you look forward to continuing the process. If you feel comfortable, ask what the next step is in the interview process.

The Interview Checklist

When you go for an interview, always make sure that you bring the following:

• A professional leather notebook with fresh paper for notes;
• The organization's recruiting literature, if any;
• The name of the person(s) with whom you are interviewing, the name of the company, and the title of the job for which you are applying-important information in case you forget during the interview;
• Other notes that you have prepared to help you in the interview;
• Two working pens (in case one runs out), no pencils;
• Three copies of the resume you sent to the employer;
• Three copies of the cover letter you sent to the employer;
• Your references sheet;
• Questions to ask the interviewer; and
• A copy of the advertisement, if available.