INTERVIEW TIPS

Being called for an interview is an achievement in itself.  However, like exams, interviews require a great deal of preparation and planning. In orderto do well, you must assess your current knowledge about the employer/organisation, the position, studythe employer, and anticipate potential questions to prepare yourself accordingly. Here are the steps to follow to increase your interview success in a competitive job market:

1. Analyse the Position
2. Research the Employer
3. Review Your Experiences
4. Practice, practice, practice!!!

ANALYZE THE POSITION

Review a copy of the job description and person specification and highlight the qualifications and keyduties and responsibilities of the position. Do not get discouraged if you do not meet all the lengthy qualifications requirement, as it is very rare to find such applicants. Be sure you emphasise enough on your strengths.

RESEARCH THE EMPLOYER

Learn about the employer to understand how the organisation compares with other companies in the same sector.  Informationcan also be obtained from the following sources:

• Organisation’s website
• Web search (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc)
• Network with Alumni
• Social/Professional Network (LinkedIn)
• Career fairs

 

Here are some of the information you should be looking for in your search:

• Mission/Vision and strategic objectives
• Size of the organisation
• How long has it been in business?
• Products and/or services
• Brand image and reputation
• Main competitors
• Location
• Organisational structure
• Organisational culture
• Training and development opportunities

 

REVIEW YOUR EXPERIENCES

Review your qualifications and experiences to consider ALL experiences valuable, even if they do not directly relate to the position.For each experience, identify the skills and knowledge you developed. Many skills are transferable from one setting to another, therefore, you should be able to say how the experience has prepared you to contribute to an organisation.Review the following:

• Class projects
• Course work,
• Team work at school or university
• Work experience
• Internships
• Volunteer experience
• Interests and hobbies

PRACTICE,PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

Try the following methods to boost your interviewing confidence:

• Research potential interview questions for the position. Do not by-heart, the aim is just to get you acquainted with the types of questions so you can practice.
• Practice saying your responses out loud, in front of a mirror. This can be useful for assessing your facial expressions.
• Have a career counsellor/friend/family member ask you a list of questions and give you feedback on the the content and organisation of your answers (clarity, completeness, level of detail) and your presentation style (pace, voice quality/tone, energy, posture, eye contact, hand gestures, etc.)
• Tape your responses and review your performance to ask yourself: did I look/sound confident, what message is my body and voice language conveying?

 

 

FEELING NERVOUS?

Feeling anxious and panicky about interviews is normal, and can be in fact motivating you to prepare and do your best. But worrying about being nervous usually just makes you more nervous! Focus your energy on being improving yourself-confidence instead. Use these tips to harness your nervous energy:

• Think of your accomplishments (about 3-5) you would like the employer to know about you and practice telling these stories out loud so that you will sound prepared
• Remember that interviewing is two-way. You are not the only person being evaluated during the interview. You are also getting an impression of the organisation, the organisational culture and the interviewer/s. These impression will help you in assessing whether you would really want a job in the organisation.
• Build rapport in the first 5 seconds. First impressions can set the tone for the rest of the interview. When the interviewer calls your name for the interview, walk toward that person with confidence, make eye contact, extend your hand for a warm, but firm handshake, and say, “Hello I’m _________”

 

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

There are many types of interviews:

• One-on-one, the most common one: just you and one interviewer
• Panel: 2 or more interviewers interview you at the same time
• Group: a group of candidates is interviewed by a panel
• Meal: you are interviewed over lunch or coffee
• Working: you are put to work and observed
• Telephone: often used as an initial screening tool before inviting you to an on-site interview
• On-Site or Second Round: after you have made it through a screening interview, many organisations will invite you to their site for an extended interview that may include a series of different types of interviews, a site tour.

Tips for successful telephone or skype interview:

• Stand up during your phone interview
• Schedule it for a time when you can give 100 percent of your attention and take the call in a quiet
• Note down points you want to make, a list of your skills and accomplishments with examples, and questions to ask the interviewer
• Keep a copy of your resume and the job description handy
• Have your calendar in front of you if you need to set up another date
• Ask for clarification if necessary
• Show enthusiasm for the position
• Avoid saying “ah, er, ” which are more noticeable on the phone.
• Have the company website open on your computer
• Confirm the date, time, location, and who you should ask for on your face to face interview
• Make any necessary travel arrangement. If overseas travel is required, ask who will be taking care of the reservations. Keep receipts in case the company will handle your expenses.
• Bring copies of your resume, transcripts, references, and all employer forms that you have been asked to complete.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer (do not exceed 5 questions)
• Be prepared to answer the same question several times. Be enthusiastic, honest, and consistent in your answers.
• Remember that you are always being evaluated. In group activities and during meals, your ability to work with people and your “fit” in the organisation is being observed.
• Remember that the interview is a two-way street. Be observant. What is the atmosphere like? Are employees friendly?
• Remember to ask when you can expect to hear from the employer again. If the employer does not respond within that time, you may phone or email the person who interviewed you to ask about your status.
• Know what to do if you receive an offer on the spot. It is always better to think about the offer before accepting or declining. If you do receive a verbal offer and are not ready to make a decision, ask for written confirmation and tell the firm when you expect to make a decision.
• After your visit, send a thank-you e-mail within one or two days to the person in charge of your visit with copies to the others involved. You should mention what you appreciated from the day’s activities and your interests in both the job and the organisation. A week after sending the letter, you may contact the employer to show your continued interest and ask if there is any additional information you can provide.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Most interviews consist of different types of interview questions that will depend on the position and the organisation. Types of interview questions include:

These are straight-forward questions about your experience, background, and personal traits. Examples:

• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• Tell me about
• Why should I hire you?

You might also be asked theoretical and industry knowledge questions. These are particularly common in business fields such as finance, consulting, and accounting and also in engineering, physical science, and computer science fields.In order to prepare for these types of questions, it can be helpful to ask employee representatives, alumni, or peers who have had interviews in that field about the types of questions you can expect.

Behavioural interviews are based on the premise that past behaviouris the best predictor of future behaviour. Before an interview, each position is assessed by the employer for the skills and traits that relate to job success and related interview questions are developed. Examples:

• Describe a situation where you used persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your
• Tell me about a time when you had to take on a leadership

Compose your response using the “CAR”. Here’s how it works:

• CONTEXT: What was the problem, need, or concern? Include obstacles you had to overcome.
• ACTIONS you took: This does not mean what the group did, but what you did. Practice saying “I” instead of “We.” Assume ownership of your accomplishments.
• RESULTS you achieved: quantify the results and relate them, your skills, and actions to the employer’s needs.

To know and prepare targeted examples for the skills important for a particular position, you have to:

• Read the job description and highlight skills, qualifications
• Read occupational information that describes which skills are used in jobs like the ones you applied for
• Ask questions at employer information sessions or career and internship
• Contact alumni or current students working in the same position

Develop them by anticipating the skills that are important for the position and by reviewing past experiences for your accomplishments. Accomplishments can be found in all parts of your life:

• Academics, including class projects
• Sports (Will your goal-orientation transfer to your career? What did you learn about being a team player?)
• Activities (Have you published a story, given a speech, or marched in the Cal Band? Were you a leader?)
• Volunteer work, or internship experiences (When did your performance exceed expectations? Achieve something new? Make things easier? Save or make money?)

PRACTICE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Since most interviews consist of a mix of different question types, practice responding to questions from both the qualification and behavioral categories. Add in some technical/case questions if you are entering a field that is known to use them.

• Why are you pursuing this field?
• Describe your ideal
• What are your career plans?
• What do you see yourself doing in five years?
• Do you plan to return to school for further education?
• What classes did you enjoy most/least and why?
• What other positions are you interviewing for?
• Why are you interested in our organisation?
• Where do you see yourself fitting in?
• What do you know about our services/products?
• How do you feel about traveling as part of your job?
• In what type of setting do you do your best work?
• Tell me about
• Why should I hire you?
• How does your background relate to this position?
• What can you offer us?
• What have you learned from the jobs you have had?
• Tell me about an accomplishment that you are proud
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What are your greatest weaknesses?
• Why did you decide to attend UC Berkeley?
• Why did you choose your major?
• What have you learned from your failures?
• What motivates you to do good work?
• How do you prefer to be supervised?
• How would a former supervisor describe you?

Interpersonal skills

• Working on a team project, have you ever dealt with a strong disagreement among team members or a team member underperformance?
• Tell me about the most difficult or frustrating individualthat have ever worked with and how you managed to work with him or her.

 

Communication skills

• Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information. How did you get your point across?
• Describe a time when you used persuasion to convince someone to see things your way?
• Tell me about a time when you used writtencommunication skills to communicate an important point.

Initiative

• Give me an example of when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done.

• Tell me about projects you have initiated. What prompted you to begin them?

Leadership

• Tell me about a time when you influenced the outcome of a project by taking a leadership role.

• What is your preferred leadership style and give me an example of a situation where you successfully led a group.

• Give an example of your ability to build motivation in your co-workers, classmates, or a volunteer committee.

Planning and organisation

• How do you determine priorities in scheduling your time? Give me an example.

• What is an important goal of yours. How did you reach it?

• Describe a situation when you had many assignments or projects due at the same time. What steps did you take to meet the deadlines?
• Give an example of what you’ve done whenyour time schedule or plan was upset by unforeseen circumstances?

Flexibility

• Describe a situation in which you overcame a “personality conflict”.

• Describe a time where you were faced with issues that tested your coping skills.

Creativity/innovation

• When and how did you provide a creative solution?

• What is the most creative thing you have done?

Decision making

• Give an example of when you had to make a difficultdecision. How did you approach it? What kinds of criteria did you use?
• Describe a time when you had to defend yourideas.

Tips for Technical/Case Interviews

• Use pictures and diagrams.
• When you finish, ask if that was what the interviewer was looking for.
• Attempt to answer, even if you don’t know the answer.
• Logical and reasonable thinking is preferred over a one-line response. Keep in mind that there is often no RIGHT or WRONG answer; each candidate has their opinion and perspective on a question.
• If it is a difficult question, ask for some time to think about it. If you do not have an answer, let the interviewer know that you really don’t have an answer, which is better than making something up. It shows honesty, which is a trait all employers highly value.

DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

When encountering a difficult question, pause for a moment and ask yourself, “What is the interviewer really hoping to learn about me?” A few examples follow:

Tell me about yourself.

This commonly asked question seems so broad and yet most difficult question to find an answer for. It helps to keep in mind who your audience and what your purpose is. Keep your comments focused on information that will help the employer determine your qualifications and/orinterest in this position. This can include your future career aspirations, what you have gained from your education and experiences, and your enthusiasm for beginning a job in your field of interest.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses? 

 

View this as an opportunity to point out strengths that relate to being successful in the position for which you are being interviewed for. Back up your statements with examples of experiences in which you have demonstrated your strengths. Strategies for addressing a weakness and how you overcome such weakness. Be genuine with your answers and avoid cliché answers such as “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist.” Employers are impressed by people who can be honest, recognise areas for improvement, and overcome personal challenges.

What are your salary expectations?

This question is mainly asked as the employer will decide whether or not they can afford you, or wondering if you will undersell yourself. Your task is therefore research and be aware of the different salary ranges for the job position in different industries.

QUESTIONS TO ASK EMPLOYERS

Bring at least five questions to ask employers to all of your interviews. Asking thoughtful questions is an excellent way to show your interest in the position and demonstrate that you have done research on the company. Avoid questions that you can find the answers to on the company’s website and focus on questions that show you have gone above and beyond to learn about the employer through news articles, company reports, talking to company representatives, etc. It is acceptable to ask questions during the interview, and most interviewers will ask you if you have questions, at the end of the interview. Here are some questions you might ask:

• May I have your business card(s)? This will give you proper contact information for thank-you letters and follow-up
• What are the next steps in the hiring process? This will give you a timeline, peace of mind, and clues for any possible follow-up
• When and how are employees evaluated?
• What are the best/worst aspects of working in this group/organisation?
• What’s the biggest challenge facing this group/organisation right now?
• What are your plans for expansion in terms of product lines, services, new branches, etc.?
• How would you describe this organisation’s management style? How are decisions made?
• What is the career path for my position? How does this position fit into the overall organisational structure?
• What kind of training is given to new employees?
• As a general rule, questions about salary and benefits are best left until a job offer is made.