Pam Ahearn
Manager Employer Partnerships, Center for Career Development
A job interview is your opportunity to articulate your skills, personal attributes and enthusiasm for a particular role. Preparation is key. As is practice (more to come on that later). Review the organization’s website, understand what they do, their products, who their competitors are and what the job entails. Do your research on the industry. Identify some challenges facing that industry today as well as overall progress or highlights within the industry. One of the quickest ways to remove yourself from further consideration is to not effectively prepare for the interview.
During the interview you must consistently make connections between yourself and the position, the employer and the industry. It’s critical to convey how you will contribute to the organization and how the organization will benefit by hiring you, NOT why the position will be good for you. Identify 3-5 specific reasons to support your case that you have the ability, motivation and confidence to do the job. You must provide specific examples to support your assertions and be prepared for both open ended questions and behavioral based questions. Oftentimes the first question in an interview is “Tell me a little about yourself.” This is the perfect opportunity to respond with your Elevator Pitch, which is a 30-90 second summary of who you are, what you are looking to do, and why you are the right candidate for the position.
Behavioral based questions are based on the assumption that past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. When responding to these questions, use the STAR method to structure your responses. STAR stands for situation, task, action and result. Behavioral questions typically start with, “Tell me about a time when,” “Talk us through how,” or “Describe an occasion when.” It’s up to you to set the stage for what situation you are going to describe, to identify the task or what you had to accomplish for this particular scenario. Then, describe what action you took to accomplish the task and finally share the result or outcome for the situation.
For interview questions that are more traditional such as “Why are you interested in this position?,” “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”, “What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?,” be sure to answer the question and tie back your response to the position, employer and/or industry. Again, it’s about making those connections. I like to think of the interview as a puzzle. You are trying to make yourself the puzzle piece that is missing. Check out our Interviewing handout which covers much of what I have described here as well as some sample interview questions.
For the prospective employer, an interview is an opportunity to gather information about the candidate to assess their ability to do the job and add value to the team. The employer typically establishes how long the interview will last and lets you know in advance with whom you are interviewing. As a result, part of your research or preparation can focus on your interviewer(s). What has been their career trajectory, what is their education level, and do you have any mutual experiences or even connections? Ideally you will also be informed about the timeline for the entire interview & hiring process, i.e. screening interview, first round/second round, and offer phase.
Probably one of the most overlooked aspects of the interview is preparing questions to ask your interviewer(s). One of the biggest faux pas is when the interview is wrapping up and your interviewer says, “So do you have any questions for me?” and you respond, “No, I think I’m good.” NEVER say that. You should always have at least 10-12 prepared questions going into the interview. Invariably, some of your prepared questions will be answered during the course of the interview so you want to be sure you still have some at the ready. It’s essential to ask questions that you can’t immediately find the answers to on the website and that reflect your research, perhaps digging a little deeper into a certain topic. Throughout the course of the interview, you may also identify additional questions to ask based on your discussion. Sometimes your thoughtful and smart questions are the reason you are moved on in the interview process. I will say it again. Interview questions are super important. Don’t disregard/downplay this aspect of the interview.
One additional aspect of the interview is your non-verbal communication throughout the interview process. You are being evaluated as soon as you log onto the Zoom interview, or introduce yourself at reception. Make sure you make eye contact, give a firm handshake, and smile. It’s okay to pause and think about your response before answering any questions. Those silences can be intimidating but you want to be sure you’ve formulated your response thoughtfully rather than immediately begin speaking. Be concise. Again, think about the STAR method to help you cover the salient points you want to convey.
Practice is key. Two great ways to practice interviewing is to log onto Interviewing.com which is accessed through Handshake. Interviewiewing.com allows you to select a type of interview and record your responses so you can play them back for yourself and even share them with a CCD career counselor for review. The other option is to schedule a mock interview through Handshake. In a mock interview the career counselor will assume the role of the actual interviewer for that organization and ask you a series of questions based on the interview you have scheduled. The mock interview will last about 1 hour, thirty minutes for the interview and 30 minutes for the debrief of the interview. You must prepare for the mock interview in the same way you prepare for the actual interview. Here are our Mock Interview Preparation Guidelines. Another option available through Handshake is to schedule an interview strategy meeting with a career counselor. These meetings are typically 30 minutes and allow you to strategize your approach to the interview and ask any questions you may have about preparing for the interview.
Finally, remember the interview is also an opportunity for you to further gauge your interest in the role and your understanding of the organization’s culture. You may learn some things during the interview process that may make you doubt your continued interest in the role. While this may be frustrating or surprising, it’s important to listen to your gut and if something doesn’t feel right, follow up with your point of contact at the company and ask some further clarifying questions. If you decide this is not the right professional move for you, thank them for their time and remove yourself as a candidate. Don’t lead them on if you have no intention of accepting the position.
Lastly, always send a thank you note within 24 hours after your interview. This can be sent via email. Customize your thank you email for each interviewer, highlighting something you talked about that you found interesting. Reiterate your interest in the role and thank them for their time. Employers expect a thank you note. A well-written, thoughtful thank you note could be the nudge that moves you along in the process.
Interviews are a crucial part of the job search process and interviewing is a skill that can be honed through practice and preparation. You can never over prepare for an interview. Remember you aren’t alone as you prepare for interviews. The Center for Career Development has developed a CCD on Demand site where you can access resources 24/7. Check it out! Additionally, schedule a strategy appointment or a mock interview to enhance your chance of securing that job!
Copy Edited by Sabine Hinkaty
Featured image courtesy of CareerForceMN
Leave a Reply