Preparing for Interviews
Interviews essentially serve two purposes. For the prospective employer the interview is an opportunity to gather information about a candidate and to assess the "fit" between the candidate and the position. For you - the candidate - the interview is an opportunity to highlight your skills, abilities, personal qualities, enthusiasm for the position, and to assess "fit" between you and the organization.
What do Employers Look For?
As they gather information about a candidate, employers rely heavily on interviews to answer three key questions.
- Does this candidate have the skills and abilities needed to do the job effectively?
Convincing an employer that you possess these skills and abilities requires that you have more than just a superficial understanding of the job. You will need a clear understanding of the position, the employer's expectations, and a working knowledge of the industry.
Always review any available organizational recruiting literature as well as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, relevant trade journals, and other materials in the Career Resource Room. Informational interviews with current professionals are an outstanding source of firsthand information about position responsibilities and specific employers. Once you have an understanding of a job's requirements, review your resume and identify specific activities, work experiences, or classes that have allowed you to develop and demonstrate the skills, abilities, or specialized knowledge being sought.
- Does this candidate possess the enthusiasm and work ethic needed to do what will be expected?
In answering this question, employers are focusing not so much on your skills and abilities, but on your personal qualities and your character. Doing the research suggested above will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the position, the particular field or industry, and your investment in the interview process. Highlighting courses, activities, or experiences that were especially challenging and that required a great deal of perseverance will provide the employer with examples of your high energy level, diligence, and ability to commit to a goal.
- Will this candidate be a cooperative team player and fit in well with our organization?
In some direct or not-so-direct way, you will be asked, "Why are you interested in this position? Why are you interested in this organization?" Your task is to develop a strong response with solid reasoning backed by examples. "I want to work with people" is not a sufficient response.
Demonstrate your knowledge of and your interest in the activities, philosophies, people, and goals of the organization. Create a connection between what you have learned about your own leadership or interpersonal style (through activities or experiences) and the leadership or interpersonal styles you see in the career and in the organization.
Appearance and First Impressions
First impressions may not be "everything", but before you've even said a word, the recruiter will have developed an impression of you based on your appearance. You can't afford to have that initial impression be anything less than positive.
Proper attire for an interview for both men and women typically consists of well-tailored conservative business suits in dark blues or grays. Pair your suit with a clean, pressed shirt or blouse in white or blue and well-polished dress shoes. Men should wear a conservative tie. Also, men should be clean shaven and women should avoid excessive make-up. All candidates should avoid excessive jewelry and should be neat, well-groomed, and not overly scented.
You need not bring a briefcase, but we suggest that you bring a simple leather portfolio with a notepad, a pen, and a few extra copies of your resume.
For additional information on how to dress for an interview, visit the Syms Dress to Achieve Web site.
What Questions Might I be Asked ?
Start with the list below. While you need not memorize mechanical answers to each question, do be prepared with responses that demonstrate self-awareness and advance preparation.
- What are your long range and short range goals and objectives?
- When and why did you establish these goals?
- How are you preparing yourself to achieve them?
- What specific goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you established for yourself for the next ten years?
- What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
- What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
- What do you expect to be earning in five years?
- Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- How would you describe yourself?
- How do you think a friend, professor or supervisor who knows you well would describe you?
- What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
- How has your college experience prepared you for this particular career?
- Why should I hire you?
- What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in this career?
- How do you define success?
- What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization?
- In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?
- What qualities should a successful manager/supervisor/financial planner/teacher/etc. possess?
- What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
- Describe your most rewarding college experience.
- If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities would you look for?
- Why did you select your college or university?
- What led you to choose your field of major study?
- What college subjects did you like least? Why?
- What college subjects did you like best? Why?
- If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why?
- Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
- Why are your grades low?
- Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?
- What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?
- In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
- How do you work under pressure?
- What jobs have you enjoyed most? Least?
- Describe your ideal job.
- Why did you decide to seek a position with our organization?
- What do you know about our organization?
- What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
- What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work?
- Do you have a geographical preference?
- Are you willing to relocate? Travel?
- What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
- What have you learned from your mistakes?
- How do your skills relate to our needs?
- Tell me about your most difficult course or professor.
One more point. Employers know that candidates have access to dozens of books and pamphlets that list questions commonly asked during interviews. For that reason they expect candidates to respond with well thought out, articulate answers to their questions. If you just skimmed the above list this time, make time to read it more carefully before your interview.
What Kind of Questions Should I be Asking?
During most interviews, recruiters will at some point ask, "What would you like to know about us?" Anticipate this and plan ahead. Prepare three to five questions that demonstrate your advance preparation and allow you to explore areas that were not explained completely in recruiting literature.
For example, you may wish to inquire about some of the following: the length and content of a training program; the leadership styles at work in the department; the department's long term goals (and the role planned for you in meeting those goals); the career path of your predecessor(s) in the position the ways in which the position shapes one's lifestyle
If you honestly have no questions for a recruiter, you may wish to indicate that all your questions were answered by very thorough recruiting literature (or by others in the organization) and then summarize your key findings.
Postpone questions about salary, vacations, and benefits until the latter stages of the selection process. Ideally, these topics will be raised at an appropriate time by the employer, but if an employer offers you a position without spelling out salary, benefits, etc. you would need to raise these issues.
The Second Interview
Initial interviews are usually screening interviews and are often conducted by individuals who have the ability to eliminate you from the selection process, but not the power to hire you. Decisions to hire a candidate are usually not made until after a second or third interview.
A second interview often involves a full day of interviews with several staff members at the organization's office. You can plan on meeting prospective supervisors, the departmental and/or district manager, other managers, and prospective co-workers. Typically, at least one business meal will be included on the agenda.
To prepare for a second interview, review your responses to the commonly asked interview questions listed above. Learn as much as you can about the organization and those who will be interviewing you as well as the industry/field you hope to enter. Read newspapers and news magazines and be prepared to discuss current events and their relationship to your chosen field.
Following Your Interview
Immediately after each interview write a thank you note to the individual(s) who interviewed you. The note should be brief and typed on letter quality bond paper and, ideally, should be received within two or three days of the interview. In writing such a note, you will have an opportunity to highlight or comment on topics which were discussed in the interview and will be able to reinforce your interest in the position. You may also wish to send a brief thank you note to any members of support staff (secretaries, receptionists) in the organization that were especially helpful to you during the selection process.
Follow the interviewers' instructions regarding follow-up phone calls. Some organizations may prefer that you call the human resources department or the hiring department after one week. Others may ask that you not call, but rather wait to receive a letter. In either case, if three or four weeks have passed and you have not heard from the organization, it is reasonable to call and inquire about the status of your candidacy.
Other Suggestions
Practice! Interviewing, like any other complex set of skills, only improves with practice. It is a near certainty that your first interview will not be as polished as your second, nor your second as polished as your third, and so on. An excellent way to assess and develop your interview skills is to conduct a "mock interview" with a staff member in the Career Planning Center.
Prior to this practice or "mock interview", you would provide the staff member with a copy of your resume and a written description of your target position and organization. You would then appear at a prearranged time in proper interview attire, meet in one of the Center's interview rooms, and respond to both general and position-specific questions posed by the "interviewer". After completing a 20-30 minute interview, the staff member will take time to review your performance, note your strengths, and discuss strategies for improvement.