Preparing for a job
interview involves three basic elements:
1.knowlege of yourself; your values, skills, interests and experience
2.reasonable knowledge of the position, organization and industry to which you are applying
3.understanding of the dynamics of the interview process; being able to confidently handle the question and answer format of an interview.
Rather than thinking of yourself as the "job hunter" stalking a job, take the "consultant/problem solver" approach. Think of yourself as a potential solution to an employer's problem or need. The employer needs to fill a position and you have a certain set of skills and abilities that may be exactly what the employer is looking for. The trick is to sell yourself and convince the employer that you are the right person for the job.
Before the Interview:
· Take some time for self-assessment before you go into the interview. What do you really have to offer this employer? Review your resume and decide which aspects of your employment and academic history you want to emphasize. Practice answering sample interview questions beforehand with a friend or family member (see attached list of sample interview questions).
· Find out more about the company/organization. Information to look for includes: history, locations, facilities, size, products/services, financial data, strategies and goals, management and employee data, executive philosophy, events affecting the organization, who is the competition, what is the work atmosphere like?
· Organize yourself before hand! Bring extra copies of your resume and a separate piece of paper with your references on it. Also make sure you have a pad of paper and a pen to take notes if you need to. Finally, bring the name and contact number of the person who is interviewing you in case something happens (i.e. your car breaks down and you are going to be late).
· Figure out ahead of time where your interview is being held and give yourself plenty of time to get there! Arriving at least 10 minutes early for your interview is a good rule of thumb.
During the Interview:
· Make sure you arrive looking your best; a good gage of appropriate interview attire is what people in a particular industry or profession would consider the norm.
· When you are greeted by your interviewer, extend a firm handshake and introduce yourself Relax! take a moment to reflect on questions before answering. Show enthusiasm and interest in the job
· Keep answers short, to the point, but make sure you've answered the question as comprehensively as you can
· Don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you don't understand the question
· Don't wing it! If you don't really know the answer to a question, say so; you're much better off admitting that you don't know the answer to a question rather than giving an answer that proves you don't know!
· If you're being interviewed by more than one person, make eye contact with all members of the panel, not just the person asking the question
· Assume a relaxed but alert position; maintain good posture, don't chew gum (or anything else for that matter), minimize your fidgeting and hand motions
· Ask questions at the end of the interview that demonstrate a deeper knowledge of the organization/industry/job; focus your questions on what you can do for them not on what you will get out of the job
· Keep in mind that you're there to sell yourself, don't be shy about speaking honestly and sincerely about yourself and your accomplishments
· Back up your assertions with real world examples, tell a story about what you've done
· Find out when you can expect to know the hiring decision but don't ask for immediate feedback on how well you did
· Send a hand written thank you note within 24 hours of the interview - don't use the thank you note as an opportunity to say things you didn't or to take back things you did, simply express your gratitude and restate your interest in the job
· Learn from the interview - what went well, what could you improve
· Expect to feel a range of emotions after the interview, even if it went really well, things are now mostly out of your hands and all you can do is wait it out
· Remember most people who are interviewed don't get the job, if you aren't offered the position it may simply be a case that another candidate was a 'better fit'; ask for feedback and determine if there are things you can do to improve your chances for the next time an opportunity comes along
1.Tell me about yourself.
2.Why are you applying for this job?
3.Why do you want to work here?
4.How much do you know about this organization/company.
5.What contributions do you see yourself making to this job/company?
6.Why did you leave your last job?
7.Why have you held so many jobs?
8.Decribe your personality.
9.How would a friend (colleague, professor, supervisor) describe you?
10.What is your greatest strength/weakness?
11.What have you achieved that has given you the most satisfaction?
12.Under what circumstances do you work best?
13.Do you prefer to work alone or with others?
14.What have you done in the past that demonstrates your ability to work in a team?
15.Describe your style as a team player.
16.What kind of people do you prefer to work with?
17.Describe your ideal job.
18.What have you learned from each of your past jobs?
19.Which of your jobs was the least interesting/most interesting and why?
20.Describe the qualities that you like most in a supervisor.
21.How do you normally handle criticism?
22.How do you normally handle stress?
23.When you are supervising others, how do you motivate them?
24.What motivates you?
25.What would you look for in an employee?
26.What are your long range career goals/objectives?
27.Based on your resume and what you've told me, I think you're overqualified/underqualified for this position - what do you think?
28.Why should we hire you?
29.What are your salary expectations?
30.How long do you plan to stay?
The assumption behind a behavioral interview question is that past behavior predicts future behavior. When answering a behavior based interview question remember to a) describe the situation b) describe how you reacted to the situation and c) describe the end result of your action.
Tell me (us) about a
time when you.....
1.delegated a project or job effectively
2.had to adapt to a new and difficult situation
3.had to make an unpopular decision
4.handled a difficult situation with a co-worker
5.won (or lost) and important contract
6.made a bad decision
7.overcame what seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle
8.persuaded others to follow your suggestion
9.showed creativity in solving a problem
10.were disappointed with the way you handled a situation
11.worked effectively under pressure
12.Anticipated potential problems and developed preventative measures
13.had to deal with an irate customer
14.prioritized the elements of a complicated project