Know Yourself. Review your skills, your strengths, your style, your accomplishments, what you’re proud of. Be able to be specific about the contributions you can make. Know your resume backwards and forwards! Prepare Responses. Be ready for the classic interview questions, with examples. Keep your responses brief and to the point. Don’t waste time in an interview thinking about these — plan ahead. If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification. Check out the sample interview questions. Develop Examples or Stories. A specific, brief example of what you have done to solve a problem, help a team function or complete a difficult project is more memorable than a thousand generalities about your teamwork skills or your people skills. Choose your examples with care. For more information on using examples, download the Behavioral Interviewing handout (pdf file). Know the Company. Know what the company does, what its marketplace is like, who its competitors are, what key issues affect its business. Read annual reports, search for articles, seek out alumni who work at the company or in the field for an insider view. Prepare Your Questions. You will be asked if you have questions, so research and plan ahead. You can write your questions down and bring them with you. Intelligent questions will demonstrate your enthusiasm, initiative and creativity, and will also lead you to information you may not otherwise get. Never ask a question you could have answered for yourself with a little research.Examples:
• What skills and attributes do you most value in your entry-level hires?
• What do you see as the key issues facing this department in the next couple of years?
• If I were to be working for you, what should I know about your management style and the culture of this division?
• What was important to you when you made a decision to come to this company?
Organize Your Stuff. In a portfolio or folder, bring extra copies of your resume, your list of references, your carefully developed questions and paper for making notes. Take other supporting materials if appropriate. Rehearse Your Greeting. A good firm handshake, great eye contact, a genuine smile and a confident and energetic hello will start you on your way to a great interview. Practice them all. Dress For Success! Conservatively. Even if you know that dress is casual in the company you are visiting, do not dress casually for an interview — casual is for employees, not candidates. A man should wear a suit or jacket and tie, and a woman should wear a suit, skirt and jacket or dress. Avoid extremes in style, hair, makeup and jewelry. Review dress plans with Career Services if you’re not sure. Or read this Careerbuilder Article for more details! Create a Great First Impression!• Plan for how you will get to the interview site. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Allow for traffic and parking delays.
• Check your appearance and take a deep breath. Smelling too much of food, smoke or perfume will make you negatively memorable — not what you want! Get control of sweaty palms or a galloping heartbeat. It’s normal to be nervous. Don’t forget to breathe!
• Greet everyone you meet politely from the parking attendant to the receptionist. You are on show. Anyone you meet may be asked how you came across. Remember to smile.
Be Enthusiastic. Employers’ most frequently cited reason for not hiring someone is a candidate’s apparent lack of enthusiasm. Unless a pokerface will make you a winner in a specific job, leave it at home. Breathe, smile and show your interest in the job. Also, be sure to send a thank-you note after the interview.Interviewing
Three Steps to Interview Success
Sample Interview Questions
Top 10 Interviewing Tips
What’s the Interview Going to Be Like?
Resources to Prepare for Interviews