Steps to Success in the Interviewing Process:

  • Know Thyself – Know what you are selling and to whom you're selling it. Determine your most marketable skills including technical, non-technical, and key character traits.
  • Research Prospective Employers – Learn as much as you can about the company before you go to the interview. Visit the company web site, read company literature including their annual report, check with your networking contacts to see what they know about the employer.
  • Review your Resume – Take good clean copies with you and know what is contained in the document
  • Review Potential Interview Questions – While you may not be sure what questions will be asked of you, there are questions that are likely to arise. Become familiar with Behavior Based Interview Questions and participate in a mock interview with The Career Center. View sample interview questions.
  • Prepare a List of Questions for the Employer – Remember that you are interviewing the employer to see if they fit your expectations. A short list of questions based on your research is a good thing to take along. View sample questions for the employer.
  • Make a Good First Impression – First impressions count, and you won't have a second chance - so give yourself the "once over" before you arrive at the interview. Maintain good eye contact and keep the conversation flowing.
  • Determine the Next Step – Make sure you know the timeline of the employer for making decisions and the next step in the process for you. If you feel you would be a perfect fit for the job, say so before you leave the interview.
  • Analyze the Interview – When it's all over, breathe a sigh of relief and analyze your performance. What is your gut feeling? Were your questions answered? How did they respond to you?
  • Follow Up – Write a brief thank-you note and mail it immediately after the interview. E-mail will work as well, but a well written thank-you note will get noticed. When you mail this note, you send the message that you're enthusiastic about the opportunity and that you genuinely want to work for them.
  • If You Don't Get the Job – Focus on the interviews in your future!
Questions to Ask During an Interview
  • Would you please describe an average day on this job?
  • What is the history of this position?
  • What are your top priorities for this position?
  • What are the key challenges or problems of this position?
  • How would you describe the ideal candidate?
  • What are the company's short- and long-range objectives?
  • Where does the company excel? What are its limitations?
  • With whom would I be working? Who would be my supervisor? Whom would I supervise?
  • What do you like most about working here?
  • What is the department's environment like?
  • When and how will I be evaluated? What are the performance standards?
  • What aspects of this job would you like to see performed better?

Behavior-Based Interviews:

These interviews are based on the premise that your recent, relevant past performance is the best predictor of future performance in similar circumstances.

Interviewers seek specific examples to get as detailed an understanding as they can about the way candidates have responded in similar situations and challenges. They are looking for proof that you can demonstrate the desired capabilities in the real world.

There is a three-step process to answering these questions:
  • Situation: Describe a challenge you faced similar to the example posed by the interviewer.
  • Action: Explain the actions that you took to resolve the situation.
  • Results/Outcome: Detail the beneficial and positive outcomes that came from your initiatives.
Below are some questions commonly asked in the behavior-based interview.
  • Tell me about a time when you changed your approach to a project after starting it. Why did you feel it was necessary to make the change? What was the result?
  • Give me specific examples of several projects you were working on at the same time. How did you keep track of their progress? How did they turn out?
  • Describe a time when a team member openly criticized you for something. Why were you criticized? How did you respond? What could you have done differently?
  • Give me a specific example of a time when you had to meet a deadline, but your professor wasn't available to answer a question and you were unsure how to proceed. What did you do? What was the outcome?
  • Describe a creative/innovative idea that you produced which led to a significant contribution to the success of an activity or project.