Candidate Services
Interview Preparation Materials
Ace that Interview!
- Be 15 minutes early. Leave extra time for the unexpected. Get your thoughts together, fill out application forms, and observe the company surroundings and the employees.
- Bring a fresh copy of your resume along with a portfolio pad holder and pen. The pad should contain key points you wish to convey to sell yourself and prepared questions about the job and the company.
- You are most likely qualified for the job when you are interviewing face-to-face with a hiring authority. Beyond that, at least 90% of the hiring decision will be based on chemistry. In other words, does he/she like you. How well you will fit into the organization? First impressions are very important. Be sure to:
- Dress for success. Be conservative, not flashy. It is recommended that you dress as though you are interviewing for a job that is one level above the job you are interviewing for.
- Be properly groomed for success.
- Do not use perfume or cologne.
- Have a firm handshake and a warm smile.
- Maintain good eye contact.
- Project enthusiasm and energy.
- Don't smoke or chew gum before or during the interview.
- Let the interviewer set the tone and tempo for the interview. Listen, take notes, do not interrupt. Maintain good eye contact. Don't volunteer information that is not asked for, but be prepared to answer questions.
- Be prepared to sell yourself and why you are right for the job you are interviewing for. Develop questions which express interest and intelligence. Here are some examples:
"If I am hired, what would you want me to accomplish in the first 90 days?"
"What are the company or department goals for 2005?"
"How do you measure success in your company?"
- Do not discuss salary or benefits. If pressed, you can tell the employer what you are currently earning and add: "After you have reviewed my qualifications, I am sure you would make me a fair offer." On job applications put "open" or "negotiable".
- Ask for the job. All things being equal, people hire people who want to work for them. You should close the interview with a statement like this:
"(His/Her name), thank you for the time you spent with me. I know I can handle the job and make a contribution to your company. I'm very interested in this opportunity. Is there any area where you feel I fall short of your requirements? (If so, discuss the issue.)"
Then ask, "What is the next step in the hiring process?"
- Send a follow-up thank you letter to interviewer.
Common Interview Questions
The following is a list of sample questions that you should be prepared to answer during an in-depth interview. Being prepared to answer questions of this nature will give you confidence in handling the interview and may even assist you in gaining some insight as to your own career ambitions.- What are your long-term career goals?
- Why should we be interested in hiring you?
- What's wrong with your present job?
- Does your present employer know you are looking for another job?
- Did you help to increase sales, productivity or efficiency?
- Why are you interested in our company?
- Are you ambitious?
- What are your three greatest strengths?
- Do you have management potential? Why?
- Did you save your company money?
- What have you liked and disliked most about past jobs?
- Did you institute a new system or procedure in your company?
- How important to you is salary versus other aspects of the job?
- What five things have you done in your life (or career) that you are most proud of?
- What does the term "success" mean to you?
- Were you ever promoted?
- Did you ever train anyone?
- Tell me about the most/least interesting work that you have done?
- What were your best/worst subjects in school?
- Did you suggest any new programs for your company that were used?
- What are your most-liked/least-liked leisure time activities?
- What are your assets/liabilities as a person?
- Did you help establish any new goals or objectives for your company?
- May I call your previous employers? What will they say about you?
- Did you change in any way the nature of your job?
- Did you take on a project or assignment not part of your job just because the problem intrigued you?
- Did you ever do anything simply to make your job easier?
- Why did you leave your previous employers?
Questions for you to ask
- What are the responsibilities of this position and which are the most important? What is the #1 priority for this position?
- What would be my first project or production goals? What obstacles would prevent me from reaching these goals?
- What results are expected of this position?
- What are the limits of my responsibility and authority?
- What problems and opportunities are associated with this position? How are your currently addressing this problem?
- In your opinion, what specific aspects of my background make me right or wrong for this position?
- What support is available to help me fulfill my charge here?
- Will I have subordinates? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Who will be my superior and what are his or her strengths and weaknesses?
- Are there any projects in motion for which I will inherit responsibility? What is their history and status?
- What are the goals of this company and my department?
- What criteria will be used to evaluate my performance? When are evaluations scheduled?
- What can you tell me about my peers in this company?
- Why did my predecessor leave this position?
- Why did you come to work here, and why do you stay?
- What advancement can a person expect -- in this company and in the industry at large -- after doing this job well?
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