interviewing skills guide

8/3/2019 Interviewing Skills Guide

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INTERVIEWING

SKILLS GUIDE

iSucceed Stages Utilized: 3. iDecide (Combine Career & Self-Awareness) 4. iPlan (Action Steps & Timeline) 5. iEvaluate (Modify Decisions)

Diane Massey, Director

The Bruder Center610-647-4400 Ext. 3501

[email protected]



2

What is an Interview?

An interview is a professional business meeting used to determine how the

candidate’s skills, experience, and personality will fit the needs of the organization. This

is your opportunity to demonstrate your value to your potential employer.

Types of Interviews

♦Screening Interview – In order to make sure that candidates meet required

qualifications, companies may use screening tools, such as computer programs, to weed

out unqualified candidates.

♦ Informational Interview – This is an interview that you initiate in order to obtain

information or advice from someone in your desired field. During the interview, you can

exchange contact information, as well as get to know each other without the pressures of

interviewing for a specific job. Then in the future, should a position become available,the employer will already have your name and information on file.

◊ You should come to the interview with prepared questions about the field.

◊ Be sure to ask for contact information of other individuals they think would

be helpful for you to speak with.

◊ Leave a copy of your resume.

◊ Be sure to send a thank you.

♦ Behavioral Interview – Behavioral interviewing relies on past performance to predict

your future behavior. Employers use techniques to gather information from you

regarding your competency in a particular position. You could be asked to describe when

you had to use your problem-solving skills, conflict resolution, leadership, multi-tasking,etc. and how you handled these types of situations.

◊ You want to respond in a way that reflects your experience in a brief story

that highlights your skills and qualities. You should keep the story brief,

but identify the situation, how you reacted and the end result.

♦Situational Interview – Requires you to respond to job related activities with

hypothetical solutions.

♦Combination - Most likely, a combination of these interviewing types will be used.

Diane Massey, DirectorThe Bruder Center

610-647-4400 Ext. 3501

[email protected]



3

Preparing for the Interview

Prior to Obtaining the Interview

◊ Ensure the messages on your home and cell phones are professional.

◊Alert roommates and/or family members that potential employers will becalling.

The Day (or Two) Before

◊ Get to know yourself

o Identify your qualities, skills, accomplishments, experiences (work,

school, and extra-curricular), and how you handled challenging

situations.

o Identify why you want to work for this company and what you have to

offer them.

o Prepare answers to the 5 most common interview questions:

Tell me about yourself

What brings you to our company?

What can you do for our company?

What are your strengths/weaknesses?

What kind of person are you?

◊ Get to know your prospective employer

o Do some research – Who are they, what do they do, what products do

they make, who are the key employees, who will you be interviewing

with (do they have a biography on the company’s website?).

o Prepare several questions that you can ask your interviewer (See below

for Questions to Ask Employers). Find something to ask about thecompany – is there a new product you heard about, the company’s

structure, how many employees, etc.?

◊ What questions should you NOT ask.

o Will I have to work overtime?

o What is the salary?

o What holidays do we get off?

o What kind of vacation time will I get?

◊ Networking

o Who do you know and what information can they provide you?

o How can they help you to be better prepared? Do they work in the sameindustry/field?

◊ Mock interview

o Make an appointment with the Office of Career Services for a mock

interview.



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o You can receive instant feedback about what you can do to be better

prepared, answer questions more directly, or view yourself on a video

tape to correct poor body language.

The Night Before

◊ Make sure you know where you are going. Get directions and do a drivingtest-run to the facility.

◊ Prepare and lay out what you are going to wear. Make sure there are no

runs in your stockings, your shirt is ironed, your nails are painted, etc.

◊ Prepare your portfolio – have paper, pen, extra resumes and reference

information.

◊ Review your resume.

◊ Go to bed early and make sure you get enough sleep.

The Day of…

◊ Eat before you go.

◊ Leave in enough time to allow for traffic and to arrive early enough to be

able to use restrooms and to compose yourself.

◊ Turn off your cell phone.

◊ Do not chew gum, do not smoke, wear very little or no perfume or cologne.



[email protected]



5

During the Interview◊ Body language – Give a firm handshake, sit up straight, don’t fidget, make

eye contact.

◊ Don’t mumble, speak clearly, don’t ramble, use proper words - “yes” and

“no”, not “ya” or “uh-uh”.◊ Don’t speak too fast – take a breath to slow yourself down. Use your action

words.

◊ Don’t be afraid of a little silence. Don’t talk just to talk. Say what you

need to say to sell yourself and be quiet.

◊ Be polite, positive, and smile.

◊ Be honest – sell yourself, but don’t lie or over exaggerate.

◊ Jot down notes – get names and correct spellings and titles.

◊ Ask for the interviewer's business card so you can send a follow-up letter.

◊ End interview on positive – “I look forward to hearing from you soon

regarding joining your company.”

Inappropriate Questions◊ Questions about the following topics cannot be legally asked:

o ethnicity/ancestry/race

o sexuality/family status

o age

o religion

o handicap

o membership in organizations

http://www.brocku.ca/co-op/current/handbooks/InterviewSkills.doc

Thank You Letter and Follow-Up

◊ As soon as possible, write down what you are thinking and feeling.

◊ Later in the day, look at what you wrote and assess how you did.

◊ Write a follow-up thank-you letter, reminding the interviewer of your

qualities.



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6

What and What Not to Wear

How Women Should Dress

◊ Conservative suit: formal, dark colors. Pants versus skirts? In some

industries, such as advertising, a suit with pants is appropriate. A skirt is the

safest choice. Avoid short hemlines and patterned hose.

◊ Shoes: Closed-toe and lower heel.

◊ Accessories: Minimal. No clunky jewelry. Be wary of long necklaces that

may distract you.

◊ Make-up: Natural look is best, but if you must wear make-up, apply it

minimally.http://www.som.yale.edu/careers/oncampusrecruiting/busattire.asp

http://www.bloomu.edu/departments/cardev/pages/InterviewAttire.html



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How men should dress

◊ Conservative dark suit preferably a single-breasted, two-piece suit (all wool

is preferred).

◊ Shirt: should be starched, long-sleeved with no fraying at the collar or

cuffs.

◊ Collar: spread collar or button-down Oxfords are suggested.

◊ Tie: should be small-patterned.

◊ Cologne: if you wear cologne, use it sparingly.

◊ Shoes: loafers or lace-ups with a low heel.

◊ Socks: should cover your entire calf - never wear white socks! Your socks

should harmonize with the colors of your pants and shoes, not your tie or

shirt.

◊ Accessories: tie pins or cuff links should not have insignia of groups,

religions or organizations. http://www.som.yale.edu/careers/oncampusrecruiting/busattire.asp

http://www.bloomu.edu/departments/cardev/pages/InterviewAttire.html



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Business Casual

http://www.som.yale.edu/careers/oncampusrecruiting/busattire.asp



[email protected]



9

Questions to Ask an Employer

• What in particular, from my background sparked your interest?

•

What are some of the challenges facing your company?

• What challenges might I encounter?

• What professional development or training seminars do you have employees in

this role attend?

• What are the top priorities of this job?

• What performance criteria I would be rated on?

• Who do I report to?

• When do you plan on making a final decision?

• When shall I call you to check on my status?



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10

Top 10 Interviewing Mistakes

1. Lying.

2. Not being prepared for tough questions or not taking the interview seriously.

3. Making a bad first impression - Arriving late, dressing inappropriately, appearing

to be too nervous, or too confident.

4. Being too modest.

5. Talking too much or interrupting the interviewer.

6. Focusing on the salary or benefits.

7. Talking negatively or belittling past jobs.

8. Failing to ask questions about the company.

9. Lack of enthusiasm.

10. Forgetting the follow-up.

Diane Massey, DirectorThe Bruder Center

610-647-4400 Ext. 3501

[email protected]

interviewing skills guide

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