Interview Preparation
Successful interviewing requires preparation and practice. Good preparation includes these steps:
Step 1: Conduct a careful self-assessment, a review of your resume, and an objective evaluation of your qualifications, skills, interests, and abilities. Think about the skills you have developed both inside and outside of the classroom and how they could contribute to the position for which you are interviewing. Develop a list of personal accomplishments and skills that you can cite clearly and concisely during your interviews.
Step 2: Research the interview process. Read books and watch videotapes on interviewing available in the Center for Work and Service Library. Attend an interview workshop, set up a mock interview with a Center staff member, and practice with friends, family, and in a mirror.
Step 3: Research the field in general as well as prospective employers. Learn all you can about the company and the position for which you will be interviewing. Obtain specific company literature prior to an interview. If it is impossible for you to obtain information, you can still interview successfully if you have a realistic and confident knowledge of your strengths and a thorough knowledge of the field, attainable by reading generic career literature and acquiring information from similar organizations.
Step 4: Develop an interview strategy. Based on your research on the company, identify the qualifications and criteria it will look for in an "ideal" candidate. With these in mind, determine the five most important points about you that you want the interviewer to know by the end of the interview. These can be specific qualities, accomplishments, experiences, or career goals. They should be determined by your distinct set of qualifications and match the company's needs.
Step 5: Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer, avoiding those that could be answered by reading the company's information. Demonstrate that:
- you have done your homework on the company and the position;
- you want to acquire information that will facilitate your own decision-making;
- you can take control and ask relevant and thoughtful questions.
Step 6: Close the interview in a professional manner. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and consideration. Briefly reiterate your interest in the position and the company, and concisely summarize your skills and career objectives as they apply to the position.
If the interviewer has not mentioned the next steps in the interview process, ask if there is anything else you should do, such as providing names of references, completing an application, or taking a test. Ask about the time frame for completing the search, when you might expect to hear from the company, and whether they would prefer to call you or be called by you.
Confirm the interviewer's full name, title, and business address. Send a thank you note within 24 hours.
Stages of a Typical Interview
- Introductory talk.
- Discussion of your background: your education, work experience, activities, interests, and goals.
- Discussion of the position and what you have to offer.
- Explanation of the company and your questions about it.
- Next steps in the interview process.
