School of Arts and Sciences

How to Interview

The interview is the most important part of the internship seeking process. It is your chance to present yourself positively by discussing your background and objectives. The goal of the interview is to match your education, experience, interest, and goals with the goals of the organization and the position for which you are applying. Several good interviews will increase your chances of having the opportunity to pick which job you want.

Remember that everyone who is applying for the position starts off on the same foot you do. Make sure to be able to market and sell yourself to the interviewer. Look at it this way: You are a qualified candidate. All the other candidates are qualified, too. What makes you stick out from the other candidates? It is your job to differentiate yourself as the most desirable candidate. What is most likely to differentiate you from the other candidates is your attitude.

You are most likely to get the job if you can demonstrate genuine willingness to put forth your very best effort for the company. Using positive words and phrases can convey your positive attitude to your potential employer.

Preparing for the Interview

Research

Before going to the interview, make sure you are prepared to answer questions about the company/organization you are interviewing with. The worst thing to do is to walk into the interview not knowing anything about the company! Make sure you find out as much general information as you can concerning the company, the department and position you are applying for, the past and future goals of the company, the products, and the geographic locations of the company. This can be done through Internet research, library research, and reading newspaper and press release archives. An organization's annual report can also be a good resource. After you have used these resources, use your contacts on the inside, if you have any, to find out more about the inner-workings of the company, as well as about your interviewer.

If you do not have any inside contacts, check with Career Services to see if there are any recent alumni working for a specific company. This will help you to get a better idea of whether your ideas about the company are accurate. Being prepared to respond to questions concerning the company will help you to score more points with your interviewer. You will be in a better position to ask intelligent questions and impress the interviewer with your initiative and knowledge of the company/organization.

It is also important to research what type of interview it is. There are five main types of interviews:

  • The screening interview—The screening interview, usually done by a human resources representative, is to decide if the candidate is qualified for the position. It is usually done either in person or over the phone to see if the qualifications on the résumé match up with the position.
  • The selection interview—The selection interview is usually done following a screening interview. At this point, the employer knows that the candidate is qualified, but is testing to see whether or not the candidate's personality will fit the job and the company.
  • The group interview—The group interview serves two main purposes.
    • To distinguish the leaders from the followers
    • To see how you work in a team

In the folowing situations, act naturally to avoid being placed in a position that is not right for you.

  • The panel interview—The panel interview is one in which the candidate is interviewed by several people at once. Although it can be intimidating, remember to stay calm and to keep your eye contact.
  • The stress interview—The stress interview is one in which the candidate is placed under artificial stress by the interviewer to see how the candidate reacts. It is important to realize the situation so that you can deal with the stress appropriately and answer the questions effectively.

Travel Plans

Before the day of your interview, map out directions for a couple of different routes to take to get to your interview. The day of your interview listen to the radio for traffic delays so that you can avoid these routes. Having more than one route planned out will help you if this should occur. Leave early and prepare to arrive at the interview ten minutes early. This time will help you collect your thoughts. This time might also be needed if complications occur in your travel plans. If you are taking public transportation to get to your interview, be sure to leave more than enough time for delays and traffic. If your appointment is at an earlier time and at a location that requires you to travel a further distance, you might want to drive to the destination the night before and stay at a hotel. This will help to ensure that you get a good night's rest. Also, automobile complications can occur on a long trip and this will help to ensure that there is time to fix it. If possible, leaving the day before can help you prevent added feelings of anxiety and nervousness.

Physical Appearance

Get a good night's rest. Be alert and awake. Don't yawn, slouch, or seem uninterested. Politely decline the offer of coffee or tea. Most importantly, dress professionally for your interview. You should look the part that you wish to play. Your appearance should be neat and clean, pressed and polished. Conservative business attire is advised. This means a two or three-piece suit for men and a business-like suit for women. Minimize jewelry and makeup. Don't wear overpowering fragrances. Remember first impressions last!

Practice, Practice, and More Practice!

"Practice makes perfect" is advice to live by when preparing for your interview. Practice can prepare you for unexpected questions. Anticipating questions beforehand can help you plan the points you want to make. You can practice communication skills by holding a mock interview or by speaking with people trying to avoid the use of slang, "uhs," "likes," and "you knows". Use the mock interviews to correct mistakes, strengthen weaknesses, and build upon your strengths. Mock interviews can even be videotaped so that you can see your own strengths and weaknesses at a later date.

Body language is also a very important, yet often overlooked part of the interview.

Turn the volume down on your tape of the mock interview to notice things like your facial expressions, posture, gestures, and personal space.

First and foremost, it is important to make an excellent first impression.

Many interviewers have made their decision within the first five minutes as to whether or not you will make a good candidate for the job.

The Interview

Make a positive and professional first appearance. Be assertive. Offer a firm handshake. Don't sit down until you are invited to do so. Address each interviewer as they are introduced.

Maintain eye contact throughout the interview. Do not stare at the floor or look at walls during the interview. Constant eye contact and leaning foreward conveys interest when the interviewer is explaining something to you.

Don't slouch in the chair. Sit comfortably and erect, but don't sprawl or sit stiff.

Speak clearly and confidently. Only use technical terms when appropriate. Use proper grammar and avoid the use of slang.

Smile confidently to project composure and a positive attitude. Maintain awareness of your voice, posture, energy level, and enthusiasm.

There are 3 main steps to any interview.

Establish Rapport

This step is where the all-important first impressions are made. It is often this first impression that will be the deciding factor. Your personal appearance and your demeanor will help the interviewer to determine how well you will fit in with the company and the rest of the employees.

How you talk is also a very good indication of your background. Articulation and vocabulary will be noted, as they convey confidence and poise.

Gather Information

In this step, the employer will gather information about you by asking questions about your background, what you might do in certain situations, or how you handled difficult situations in the past. It is important to answer these questions honestly and completely, because this is what the interviewer will use to get a more detailed picture of you.

Close

In this step, you should be able to get a feel for how the interview went.

If it went well in the eyes of the interviewer, the close will focus on the company and the hiring process.

If the topic conversation switches to small talk, it usually means that the interviewer has no interest.

Either way, find out what the next step is in the process and be sure to follow up.

The heart of the interview will consist of the interviewer asking you questions. The interviewer will ask questions related to your goals, jobs, expectations, experiences, qualities, activities, education, etc. This is done to test your listening and speaking skills.

There are 5 main types of questions that you may be asked.

  • Credential questions—These questions about your background are to give the employer a quantitative evaluation of your schooling and experience.
  • Experience questions—These questions are also about your background, but have more of a qualitative approach.
  • Opinion questions—These questions are the "what would you do in this situation" type.
  • "Off the wall" questions—These questions are usually fairly irrelevant, but require you to think on your feet. They include questions such as: if you were an animal, what would you be?
  • Behavioral questions—These questions are used to predict future behavior based on activities that are done in the past.

You should also have a list of questions prepared to ask the interviewer.

Additionally, as the interview progresses, you may come up with questions you might want to ask the potential employer. Jot down in your notes questions to ask later.

Make sure to prepare at least four to five questions to ask. Ask questions concerning the company's goals, the specific department, the specific responsibilities of the position, etc. Questions to generally avoid in the first interview are ones related to salary and benefits. When the interview is over, make sure to offer another firm handshake and thank the interviewer for his or her time and consideration.

Common Mistakes Made During Interviews

  • Poor personal appearance
  • Lack of interest and enthusiasm
  • Failure to keep eye contact
  • Loose handshake
  • Arriving late
  • Failure to ask questions
  • Indefinite responses
  • Being over aggressive and conceited
  • Poor voice diction
  • Lack of goals and ambitions
  • Lack of confidence and poise
  • Making excuses for mistakes
  • Lack of courtesy, maturity, and vigor
  • Indecisive
  • Poor stature
  • Inability to take criticism

After the Interview

Make sure you send a handwritten letter of thanks to the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. Reinforce your desire to work with the organization. Send the thank-you letter soon after your interview. This is a professional courtesy and is advised if you are still interested in the position after the interview.

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