How to Prepare for an Interview
The key to a successful interview is preparation. Based on
your resume, the interviewer has determined that you meet the qualifications
required for the job. The interview will allow you to provide additional
details about yourself and give you an opportunity to articulate how you will
be a good fit for this position and how you will contribute to the
organization. Although you can never
predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, you can be prepared
when it comes to answering questions that relate to your direct experience,
your accomplishments and your resume. Follow these tips:
· Research the group (DLC) through all possible
sources (i.e. web, professional magazines, libraries or direct contact with a
professional working in that area). Specifically you should be familiar with
major developments and trends in the field as well as the mission and direction
of the organization.
· Familiarize
yourself with the job description;
determine your deficits and how you intend to compensate for those.
· Know
who you will be interviewing with
and discuss the position with anyone you know who might have insights into the
organization. This will target your questions and demonstrate your interest. Be
ready for a variety of interviewer styles, some interviewers may be well versed
in the process and will guide you smoothly from one question to the next, while
others have little experience in the art of interviewing and this could be more
challenging.
· Learn
to discuss your values; what sort of
environment are you most comfortable working in? Thoughtful responses to these
questions show that you have thought about the culture and values of the
organization.
· Familiarize
yourself with your resume so that
you can talk confidently about your previous work experiences, education and
training. You should also be able to discuss skills and accomplishments gained
at each employment.
· Be
ready to discuss your strengths and
weaknesses. Provide examples from previous employment or volunteer experiences
to showcase your skills. The answer should focus on something that is business
related but not a critical job task. Talking about what is being done to
overcome the weakness is key to answering this question.
· The
interview is a two way street; it is
just as important for you to learn whether this might be a good fit for your
needs as it is for the organization to learn whether you might be a good fit
for their needs.
· When
preparing for an interview, it may
be helpful to review the following attributes that are valued by employers.
o
Communicating
Effectively
o
Working
Well in a Team
o
Problem
Solving
o
Using
Initiative
o
Being
Well Organized
o
Being
Adaptable
There are different types of
interviews and this will depend on the organization.
Screening Interviews: These are often done over the phone and are used as a way to reduce the
applicant pile. First impressions are very important.
On site interviews: These take place at the organization. You usually will meet with
several people at this interview. In some instances you may have to present on
a topic relevant to your experience and the work you may be doing. You could
meet with a panel of interviewers or
meet with a series of people in separate meetings.
What to Expect at the Interview
The interview typically starts before
you even get into the room, arrive early so that you can mentally and
physically prepare yourself. You can use this time to relax and organize your
thoughts. The recruiter begins to evaluate you the minute you are identified
and continues to evaluate you in every way. Be firm with your handshake and use
good eye contact.
Appearance and Affect
· You
feel how you look, when you look good you feel good.
· Make
sure that you look groomed and neat, your clothes and accessories should be
conservative and neutral, rather than overt and distracting. Non verbal actions
communicate volumes about you.
· Use
good posture, eye contact and use this time as an opportunity to display enthusiasm,
energy and good interpersonal skills.
· Use
a firm voice to demonstrate your confidence and be articulate as it reveals
your communication skills. The words you choose will say something about you,
as well as your knowledge of the industry. Be prepared to communicate on an
informal basis also, it will determine how well you can answer the unexpected
under pressure.
The Balance of Listening and Talking at
the Interview
· Do
not be afraid to ask clarifying questions about the interviewer’s questions.
· Listen
well so that you can identify opportunities to link your skills and
qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. It is acceptable to take
notes.
· Do
not interrupt the interviewer.
· Take
time to formulate your thoughts before answering a tough question and balance
talking with listening.
· Be
as clear and concise as you can in your answers.
· Be
honest.
The Interview Questions
·
Tough Questions: Questions can vary and may be
categorized under Personal Assessment, Education and Experience, Career
ambition and Plans, Company or Organization.
o
Experience questions: These ask you about specific work
related experiences that will identify if you have the skill set and experience
to match the position.
o
Behavioral/Competency based questions: These usually begin “Tell me about
a time when …. Which in turn offer
insight about how you acted in previous situations and this again can predict
how you would react or behave in similar future situations.
o
Opinion questions: These ask about your opinion on
specific issues or decisions. What would you do if ……………………?
o
Credential questions: Related usually to your education
and certifications.
· Do
at least 65 – 70% of the talking, state your case and be brief and organized in
your answers. Consider the STAR Method in framing your answers.
o
Situation: Give an example of a situation you
were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome.
o
Task: Describe the tasks involved in that
situation
o
Action: Talk about the various actions
involved in the situation’s task.
o
Results: What results directly followed
because of your action
· Expect the unexpected. You can often be asked questions
that seem to bear no relevance to the position or your experience; these are
simply asked to see how you react in certain situations e.g. “What time period
would you like to have lived in?” These questions are intended to force you to
react under some stress and pressure.
Turning a Negative into
a Positive
This question often comes in the format of what
are your common weaknesses?
Some common weaknesses are:
·
Lack
of urgency
·
Discomfort
with public speaking
·
Perfectionism
·
Not
always attentive to detail
The key is to demonstrate self
awareness about a quality that is not one of your strengths. Talk about what
you are doing to improve and/or how you compensate for it. Be ready with a list
of three ‘weaknesses’ and the pro-active response.
Sample Interview
Questions
1. Walk us through our resume?
2. Why are you looking to leave your
current employment?
3. What is your ideal
job/supervisor/environment?
4. What are your strengths/weaknesses?
5. What is your long term career goal?
(five years from now)
6. Why are you interested in this job?
7. What accomplishment are you most
proud of?
8. What decisions have you been
responsible for?
9. How do you handle conflict (people,
situations)? Tell us about a time when you had to handle a difficult
supervisor/customer?
10. Do
you prefer working in teams or by yourself? Please give examples of each.
11. What
management style works best for you?
12. What
is your management style?
13. How
do you work under pressure? Please give us an example of a stressful work
situation and your involvement with it.
14. How
would you solve a work problem? Please describe a time when you identified and
resolved a specific problem?
15. What
are your presentation skills? Are you
comfortable speaking in public?
The close - It is your
turn to ask questions
When you are asked, “Do you have any questions for me? You should ask questions that elicit positive
responses from the interviewer, your questions should also bring out your
interest in and knowledge about the organization and questions that draw on
information that you have been told in the interview and may need clarification
on. By asking well thought out questions, you show the employer that you are
serious about the organization and need more information, it is a two process,
the fit has to be right for you and for them.
· What
are the responsibilities of this position?
· What
are the reputations, academic training and tenures of the employees in this
department?
· Do
you support professional development? How?
· What
do you see as the biggest challenge that someone would face during the first
month on the job?
· I
know that there is a trend toward X in this industry. How do you see this
company reacting to such a trend? This shows that you are serious and
interested in the position.
How clients should
follow up after interviews?
· Clients
should always send a thank you letter following the interview. Ideally a mailed
letter is preferable to an email. To be most effective, they should summarize
what the client most wants the interviewer to remember about him or her.
· It
is important to debrief after the interview, in reflection you should think
about what went well in the interview and what needs further work. What are the
pros and cons of the job and any unanswered questions that you may have.
· If
you are aggressively job hunting and doing lots of interviews, this is an
effective way for you to continue fine tuning your interview skills and to
treat it as a learning experience. It will help you to clarify and think
critically about your own job search skills.
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