Interviewing
You’ve worked hard on your resume, created a targeted, convincing cover letter and networked with friends, faculty, staff, alumni and family all the with the goal of getting an interview. Interviewing is a skill; successful interviewing is the result of preparation and practice. This is not the time to “wing it.” Preparation will help alleviate nerves and help you to present yourself as effectively as possible.
Remember that the purpose of an interview is two-fold.
The employer needs to find out if you are the best candidate for the job:
- Can you do the job?
- Do you have the appropriate background, including education, skills and experience? Are you able to learn and adapt to their needs? Will you go “above and beyond” the basic expectations?
- Will you do the job?
- Do you want to work for this company, or do you simply see this as a stepping-stone? Are you aware of and honest about your future goals and plans? Are you motivated and eager to learn?
- Do you want the job?
You need to find out if this is a good opportunity for you:
- Does this position fit well with your priorities?
- Will you be able to apply your education and past experiences and learn new skills?
- Is this company and department a good cultural fit?
Types of Interviews
Mock Interview
Students can schedule appointments to meet with a career coach or career ambassador for a face-to-face mock interview or to review a recorded digital mock interview.
Many companies now use online platforms for part of the interviewing process (Skype, Hirevue, Google Hangouts). Get comfortable doing online interviews by practicing with the digital mock-interview feature on Handshake (link to digital mock interviews). You will be recorded for your personal review; you have the option of sending the interview to a career counselor to review together.
Behavior-based questions
Behavior-based questions are a staple of today’s interviewing process. Employers are interested in hearing about past experiences because they are good indicators of what an applicant’s future performance would be on the job.
These questions typically begin with…
- “Tell me about a time…”
- “Give me an example of time…”
- “Describe a situation when…”
Handling Illegal Questions
Various federal, state and local laws regulate the questions a prospective employer can ask you, the job candidate. An employer’s questions — whether on the job application, in the interview or during the testing process — must be related to the job you’re seeking. For the employer, the focus must be:
“What do I need to know to decide whether this person can perform the functions of this job?”