University of Mississippi University of Mississippi Career CenterCareer Center

Effective Interviewing

What are some of the goals What are some of the goals of a job interview?of a job interview?

to get a job to figure out if a position is right for you to provide potential employers with a stronger

sense of why they should hire you, your skills, how you stand out

to provide further articulation and illustration of the skills listed and experiences provided in your resume

Some Goals of a Job Some Goals of a Job InterviewInterviewEmployer evaluates candidate

◦ skills applicable to the job◦ competence to do the job◦ potential to contribute to the

team/organization◦ ability to mesh with team’s/organization’s

mission, philosophy, and environmentCandidate evaluates employer

◦ match between interests and job tasks/work◦ degree of responsibility and challenge◦ potential for growth and further education◦ ability to mesh with team’s/organization’s

mission, philosophy, and environment

How can you best prepare How can you best prepare for a job interview?for a job interview?

dress appropriately depends upon business; “dress for the job you want”; better to overdress

back up documents; e.g., writing samples, copy of resume, transcripts, other docs, references; letters of recommendation (dossier or portfolio)

research the company Google the company, talk to people about what they know, BBB, Chamber of Commerce

make sure you know how to get there

Four Keys to SuccessFour Keys to Success

understanding what to expectpreparing and researchinganticipating questionsfollowing up

Understanding What to Understanding What to ExpectExpect

ConversationalBehavioralCase or situational

Stress situation

Types of Interviews

all four of these interview types can be one-on-one or might be a panel conversation

typically a question-and-answer discussion usually a relatively short interview (e.g., 1 hour)

interviewer’s main goals are to:◦ assess whether or not the job-seeker has the

skills and abilities to perform the job◦ evaluate whether or not the job-seeker

possesses the enthusiasm and work ethic that the employer expects

◦ analyze whether or not the job-seeker is a team player and will fit into the organization

Types of Interviews: Conversational (Traditional)

typically an assessment of past performance interviewers will expect to hear about specific

situations and/or scenarios initial questions are typically followed by follow-up

questions specific, key details related to situations/scenarios are

expected

interviewer’s main goals are to:◦ assess candidate’s behaviors and approaches by

exploring specific situations◦ analyze past behavior to try to predict future

performance

Types of Interviews: Behavioral

primarily used by management and consulting firms to determine how well a candidate fits in a field or job

typically interviewee is provided a problem or a scenario and asked to work through it

interviewer’s main goals are to:◦ analyze how well interviewee can identify and

work through a problem◦ assess problem-solving skills◦ evaluate tolerance for ambiguity and ability to

start on tasks◦ analyze communication skills

Types of Interviews: Case or Situational

typically used for jobs where high degrees of stress will be encountered regularly

interviewers sometimes rely upon rudeness, sarcasm, or outright hostility to provoke a response

interviewer’s main goals are to:◦ assess how well interviewee deals with

unexpected and/or stressful situations◦ evaluate how well interviewee can work and

communicate under pressure

Types of Interviews: Stress Situation

Preparing and Preparing and ResearchingResearching

research the field

research the employer

research the job, team, and context

explore different branches review trade journals/magazines assess various career paths know the major players be familiar with current trends

goals are to:◦ be informed about who you are professionally (and

what professional community you are entering)◦ be able to talk widely and wisely about trends,

techniques, and tasks performed by professionals within different facets of your field

Preparing and ResearchingResearch the Field

review annual reports read the organization’s mission statement and philosophy

documents research the organization history familiarize yourself with the organizational scheme look for recent performance markers or success indicators

goals are to:◦ familiarize yourself with what the organization does◦ familiarize yourself with what workers in the organization do,

write, produce, create, etc.◦ assess how the particular job for which you’re interviewing fits

into the bigger organizational picture◦ get a sense of the key players in and key outcomes of the

organization◦ develop a strong sense of what they might seek in an

employee

Preparing and ResearchingResearch the Employer

review the original job post/call research the “jobs” or “employment” area of the

organization’s web site make contact and try to get a stronger sense of

the specific job responsibilities analyze your possible role in relation to the

team, unit, or division you would work in find out who you would report to analyze how success is evaluated and rewarded

Preparing and ResearchingResearch the Job, Team, and Context

goals are to:◦ answer the questions you should be asking

yourself (e.g., is this really a job I want? what will I gain by getting this job? what do I bring that this organization needs?

◦ become knowledgeable so that you can speak specifically as to how you fit in the job, team, and context

◦ have a strong sense of what you will be expected to perform, and how that performance will be measured and evaluated

◦ address questions like: what might I be asked to answer? how will they expect me to answer? how might I be expected to demonstrate

what I know and what I can do?

Before the InterviewBefore the Interview

sleep

eat

choose your clothes the night before

prepare the materials you want to bring with you—ideally, this is done long before the interview

What types of materials would What types of materials would you want to bring to a job you want to bring to a job interview?interview?Letter of IntroductionResumeWork SamplesReferencesLetter of Recommendations

Getting IntroducedGetting Introducedprepare and practice a two-

minute introduction: “I am… I am interested in…”

prepare to◦demonstrate knowledge about the

employer◦express enthusiasm and interest◦relate your background to the

company’s needs

Anticipating QuestionsAnticipating Questions “Tell me about yourself.”

Hint: They’re not asking for your life story, and it’s not a trick question…

interviewer is looking for:◦a brief statement of your professional

status and career objective◦some detail about your progression to

this point and strengths/ skills you can offer them

A Heuristic for Answering QuestionsA Heuristic for Answering Questions

identify the skill sought by the question so that you can best focus your answer

give a STAR answer:◦Situation—what was the context?◦Task—what was the specific problem or

need? ◦Action—what did you do? (produce, write,

create, etc.)◦Results/resolution—what did you learn?

what skills did you develop?

STAR ExampleSTAR Example

◦ Situation quickly explain the situation—what

happened? who was involved (e.g., clients, coworkers, customers)?

◦ Task what was the particular problem that needed

to be resolved?◦ Action

what specific action did you take to resolve the problem? what did you do or produce?

◦ Results/resolution what were the results of your action? what

did you take from this experience?

Can you tell me about a time from your work experience when your manager or supervisor was unavailable and a problem arose?

At the End of the InterviewAt the End of the Interview

review what you’ve heard and state why you’re interested in the position

consider asking:◦is there anything else I can provide—

specific references or example materials?

◦what’s the next step in the process? when is your decision date?

◦how can I contact you to check my status?

After the InterviewAfter the Interview

send a thank you email or letter after being interviewed

tailor the letter to the organization and to the interview itself

individualize a letter slightly if you’re sending it to more than one person in the organization

send it within 24–48 hours of the interview

goals:◦ shows you’re courteous◦ differentiates you from other candidates and keeps

your name in front of the potential employer◦ proves that you’re interested in the job

10 Interview Bloopers10 Interview Bloopers1. poor handshake (limp hand, tips of fingers,

arm pump)

2. talking too much (talking too long, but not answering direct questions; nervous talking)

3. talking negatively about current or past teams, coworkers, employers/managers

4. showing up late or way too early

5. treating the receptionist rudely

6. asking about benefits, vacation time, or salary in an initial interview

7. not preparing for the interview

8. verbal ticks (uhmmmm, like, you know)

9. not enough/too much eye contact

10. failure to match communication styles

(e.g., too informal, too businesslike)

be yourself (not who you think they want you to be) be ready to talk about why you want the job (and

think about how they might respond to your answer) ask ahead of time the format of the interview (e.g.,

panel/one-on one? expected to perform a task?) ask about the function of your job in the larger

organization ask about how the specific position you are

interviewing for fits in the larger unit/team/department and within the larger organization/company

be prepared to actually do/perform/write a task during the interview process (e.g., writing documentation, marking up a document for editing)

ask the interview what their favorite aspect of the job is (and, perhaps, what their least favorite is)

find out how writing is perceived and how people negotiate textual ownership issues

HINTS:

HINTS CONTINED: carefully consider who you ask which questions take notes with you (with your ideas, goals, questions);

take notes during the interview learning opportunities and experiences not, never

“problems” ask if the organization has a policy toward

funding/supporting employee professional development opportunities (e.g., STC membership and conferences, further education)

stay focused (even if it’s a long interview); take notes to help stay focused

get comfortable with pauses and strategies for giving yourself a bit of time to prepare an answer

stay upbeat! (there will be painful moments—learn from them and move on)

don’t get flustered (if you can at all avoid it—and practicing really, really helps)

recognize the gatekeepers! (e.g., initial phone interview with seemingly unrelated person)

Preparing for Job InterviewsPreparing for Job Interviews

For more help on Interviewing contact The Career Center at 662-915-7174 and setup an appointment with a Career Advisor.