Interviewing Basics Get Prepared! Know yourself - Review your strengths, weaknesses, skills, and career goals - What makes YOU stand out from other candidates? Know the organization/company - Research the employer and the specific position - Ask for literature, annual reports, a complete job description, etc. - Check the Internet for the organization s homepage Confirm interview time, place, and with whom you will be meeting (including titles!) Get directions, ask about parking, etc. Select appropriate interview attire Print extra resumes (on quality resume paper) to take along, and gather other relevant materials that show what you ve accomplished.
Before the Interview Arrive 10-15 minutes early, so you have time to collect yourself before the interview. Be aware that once you arrive in the parking lot, you may be observed by or have the opportunity to interact with employees from the organization. Be friendly and act professionally! Show respect and courtesy to all levels of employees with whom you interact.
During the Interview Be confident and enthusiastic. This should come more easily if you are well prepared. Relax an interview is a conversation. It s a two-way exchange of information. Be honest and be yourself! Many hiring decisions are made based on personality and fit, since several candidates may be well qualified for the position. Listen follow the interviewer s lead. Never interrupt! Be sure that you understand the question asked; don t be afraid to ask for clarification. If you need to pause and take a few minutes to collect your thoughts, do so. Ask intelligent questions. Prepare some questions ahead of time, and ask for clarification on information told to you during the interview. Clarify follow-up procedures: who calls whom, and by when.
After the Interview Send a thank you letter! This should be done within 24 hours. Traditionally, thank you letters should be typed. Keep records about the interview, with whom you talked, and timelines for following up. This will help you stay organized if you are interviewing for many positions at once.
Tales From the Interview Room Look around this board to learn some of the crazy things people do & say in job interviews! These are based on a poll of personnel directors. - Dozed off and started snoring during the interview - Wore a Walkman, and said she could listen to the interviewer and the music at the same time. - Challenged the interviewer to arm-wrestle - Said if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his arm - Interrupted the interview to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions
50 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions 1. What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives? When and why did you establish these goals, and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them? 2. What specific goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you established for yourself for the next 10 years? 3. What do you see yourself doing five years from now? 4. What do you really want to do in life? 5. What are your long-range career objectives? 6. How do you plan to achieve your career goals? 7. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career? 8. What do you expect to be earning in five years? 9. Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing? 10. Which is more important to you, the money or the type of job? 11. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses? 12. How would you describe yourself? 13. How do you think a friend of professor who knows you well would describe you? 14. What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort? 15. How has your college experience prepared you for this career? 16. Why should I hire you? 17. What qualifications do you have that make you think you will be successful in this field? 18. How do you determine or evaluate success? 19. What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours? 20. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization? 21. What qualities should a successful manager possess? 22. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and those reporting to him/her. 23. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why? 24. Describe your most rewarding college experience. 25. If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities would you look for? (by employers of college seniors) 26. Why did you select your college/university? 27. What led you to choose your field or major? 28. What college subjects did you like best? Why? 29. What college subjects did you like least? Why? 30. If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why? 31. What changes would you make in your college/university? Why? 32. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree? 33. Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? 34. What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities? 35. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable? 36. How do you work under pressure? 37. In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why? 38. How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation? 39. Why did you decide to seek a position within this organization? 40. What do you know about our organization? 41. What two or three things are most important to you in your job? 42. Are you seeking employment in an organization of a certain size? Why? 43. What criteria are you using to evaluate the organization for which you hope to work? 44. Do you have a geographical preference? Why? 45. Will you relocate? Does relocation bother you? 46. Are you willing to travel? 47. Are you willing to spend at least six months as a trainee? 48. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our organization is located? 49. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it? 50. What have you learned from your mistakes? * Adopted from the Endicott Report by V.R. Lindquist, of Northwestern University Career Services Center, Evanston, IL.
It s a Two-Way Street: Questions to Ask the Interviewer 1. How will this position fit into the organizational structure of the company? 2. How will I receive feedback about my performance, and how often? 3. Where can I be within this organization in five years? 4. How did this position become available? 5. What will the orientation and training entail? How much on-thejob training is involved? What type of continuing education or training does the organization provide? 6. What are the long-term goals or growth plans of the organization? 7. What kind of person would best fill your needs in this position? 8. What is the biggest problem you face? How might the person in this position help with tackling that problem? 9. What do you consider the five most important day-to-day responsibilities? 10. What do you see as the strengths of this department? 11. What changes are planned for this department, division, or facility? 12. What is the time table for filling this position?
Thanks to the Career Services Center at Kent State University for creating this bulletin board. For more information please visit http://dept.kent.edu/career/ra/