Guide to Job Interviewing

Texas Christian University Career Services Guide to Job Interviewing Keys to an Effective Interview DO… • • • • • • • • • • • DON’T… • • • • • • • • • • • • Research the organization with whom you are about to interview Know your strengths and be prepared to sell them to the employer Arrive early for your interview Be sure your appearance is clean and neat Be courteous to everyone because you never know who will have input in hiring Wait until you are invited to sit down before doing so Speak clearly, audibly and expressively Listen carefully to the interview questions Be positive, confident and assertive Follow up with a thank you note after the interview Practice your interviewing skills by making a mock interview appointment in University Career Services Arrive unprepared to talk about the job and how you meet the qualifications Expect the employer to decide what you are qualified to do Arrive late Ask about benefits or talk about what you hope to gain from working for the employer Tap your feet, fiddle your hands, twirl your hair or give in to other nervous habits Use slang Rush into your answers Ignore your body language Drink, smoke or chew gum Be overaggressive, overbearing or cocky Make excuses for unfavorable factors on your resume Interview unless you are interested in the job Types of Interviews There are many types of interviews, both by location and by the kind of questions asked. stand, since that helps to project your voice. It is also important to be aware of distracting background noise. Don’t eat while you are talking to the interviewer and be sure to be in a quiet room. Sometimes employers conduct unexpected phone interviews in order to get a better picture of the real you. It’s important to keep relaxed and professional. Phone interviews are as much of an interview as any other form, so it is important to treat it that way. Be sure to follow up with a thank you note within 24 hours. Telephone Interview Most companies want to screen potential candidates before they invite them for a face-to-face interview and telephone interviews are the best way for companies to do this. Therefore, the goal of the phone interview is to be invited for a more in-depth meeting. Since telephone interviewing does not give you the opportunity to sell yourself through body language, it is important to let your voice convey enthusiasm and confidence. Some tricks to helping you in this quest: get dressed up as you would for an interview or sit up straight or 1 On-Campus Interview Just like telephone interviews, on-campus interviews often serve as an opportunity to screen candidates. However, since the interview does occur in person, a candidate is able to more easily show their personality through body language. On-campus interviews are helpful for both employers and candidates. An employer can interview several people in one day and the student can attend the interview in an easily accessible, on-campus location. These meetings are still real interviews and should be treated as such. should spend some time prior to your interview thinking about your previous experiences through work, school and organizations in which you have been involved. A helpful tool in answering behavioral questions is the STAR method. Think about a Situation you were in, the Task or problem you were confronted with, the Action you took, and the Results of your actions. Traditional Interview These are the types of interviews that are most commonly used. In this format, the interviewer will ask many basic, straightforward questions about you, your experiences, your education, and your philosophies. Most interviews, even if they employ multiple interview formats, will begin with a traditional style interview to get to know the candidate. Typical questions for these types of interviews will be provided later in the packet. Case Study Interviews Many consulting firms and other companies use an interviewing strategy called case studies. The purpose of this type of interview is for the interviewer to see how the candidate can analyze a situation, come up with an answer and communicate that answer. In this format, you will want to carefully explain each step in your thought process, the possible alternatives and obstacles, and the factors that should be considered. There is generally not a right or wrong answer to the case study question. The employer just wants to see how you deal with a situation. Oftentimes, employers will provide you with information about the case study prior to the interview. There is also significant information on the internet about case study interviews and what various companies are seeking in this process. Behavioral Interview Behavioral interviewing is an approach many companies use that assumes that your past performance predicts your future performance. In this format, you will be asked questions which require you to relay your previous experiences. For example, you may be asked, “Tell me about a time when you failed and how you handled it,” or “Give me an example of a time when you showed initiative.” General answers about behavior are not acceptable, rather you must describe in detail a particular event, project or experience, how you dealt with the situation, and what the final outcome was. This type of interview is designed to tell the employer how you think, through leading questions, open and closed ended questions and why questions. The Behavioral Interview is the most widely used interviewing practice today. The most important aspect to being successful in behavioral interviewing is to have many examples to support your answers. Although you cannot anticipate all questions that will be asked and come up with an example for each, you 2 Before the Interview You want to be prepared before you begin your interview. Here are some things to keep in mind while getting ready for the big day. Research the Employer It is important to know as much as possible about the employer when you arrive for the interview. Not only will this indicate to the employer that you are interested enough in the job to do some research about their organization, but it will help you to understand what they are looking for in an employee. Be sure to know about the organization’s history, locations, general methods of operation, purpose, reputation, potential growth, organizational structure, etc. Review the industry as well so that you know what is going on and where the organization stands among its peers. Most of this information can be found on the organization’s website. Other places to look are in company literature and Annual Reports. Check the library for industry periodicals or newspapers for stories on the organization. Although you will not be able to anticipate all of the questions you may be asked, you should prepare by considering your strengths and weaknesses and thinking about what the employer will want to know about you. They will want to know you as person: your work habits, leadership potential, ambition, communication skills, poise and personality. Everyone should practice their interviewing skills. University Career Services offers mock interviews by appointment. In the videotaped session, a counselor will ask you questions in an interview format. After the interview, the counselor will critique the video with you. If you are unable to do a mock interview, try practicing interviewing in front of a mirror or videotape yourself practicing. While it is okay to practice from a list of typical questions, it is not okay to memorize and script your answers. You should have an idea of what you want to say, but not have it practiced word for word. What to Wear The decision about what to wear to an interview can be one of the most stressful parts. While it is important to dress well, putting yourself together to look professional is most important. That means interviewees should have a clean, pressed outfit, as well as be clean themselves. Women should wear a business suit, preferably in a darker, more conservative color. For most interviews, either a skirt or pants are acceptable; however, be aware of the industry standards in which you are interviewing. Wear pumps that are clean and polished. Makeup should be understated and minimal. Avoid bright lipsticks and nail polish and be sure that fingernails are clean and filed. Wear perfume and jewelry in moderation. Have a neat, but attractive hairstyle. Men should wear a conservative suit with a light colored shirt underneath. The tie should complement the shirt and suit. Hair should be cut and groomed and face should be cleanly shaven. Shoes should be cleaned and shined and you should wear matching, dark socks. Avoid trendy clothes and overwhelming aftershaves and colognes. For everyone, stick to the basics and err on the side of conservatism and you and your attire will be ready for the interview! During the Interview How will the interview begin? Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and a warm smile. A good interviewer will start the interview with a few minutes of small talk to help you relax and to get an idea of your personality. Although the topics covered in these first few minutes may be unrelated to the position you are interviewing for, they are still important. In these few minutes, the interviewer is getting a first impression of you and it offers you the chance to gain a positive rapport with the interviewer. Often, interviewers will ask open-ended questions, such as “Tell me a little about yourself.” They will also ask questions probing the extent of your knowledge or experience, looking for weaknesses or inconsistencies. Some questions may seem a little off the wall, but the interviewer want to see how you will react. Remember that Practice Makes Perfect Just like you shouldn’t go into a test without studying, you shouldn’t go into an interview without practicing and preparing. 3 good interviewers have a purpose to each question, such as putting you at ease, augmenting factual information that they already have, seeing how you react to the unexpected, or discovering more about the way you approach problems. You must know yourself and what you have to offer. Know your abilities and your skills, how you developed them, and how you have demonstrated them in action. In thinking about yourself and what you have to offer, think of examples that illustrate your abilities and be prepared to succinctly relate them. Explain in a few sentences how that class project, volunteer work, leadership position or job led to a task that needed to be done, what you did, and what the results were. You need to know your strengths and weaknesses. Under no circumstances should you attempt to bluff or fake here, but neither should you volunteer negative information. Whenever possible, talk about a weakness in terms of what you are doing to overcome it or choose something that may cause you problems but which is not necessarily negative to an employer. have total control over the direction of the conversation, it is important to relay your excitement and enthusiasm through the tone of your voice. Do not speak in a boring, monotonous tone. You’ll bore yourself as well as the interviewer. If you normally use your hands in speaking, use them. If you don’t...then don’t! The simplest advice is to be yourself in an interview. Hand gestures are fine as long as they are natural. One thing that is not natural are nervous mannerisms. Avoid blatant ones such as tapping your feet or twirling your hair. After the Interview Within 24 hours after the interview, you need to send a thank you note to the interviewer. If the majority of the contact with the employer has been through e-mail, then it is fine to e-mail your thank you note. Otherwise, send a handwritten or typed note to the interviewer. If you were given a time frame when you would hear about the next step in the process, wait for that time. If you haven’t heard anything by the promised date, call or e-mail the interviewer, restating your interest and letting them know that you are inquiring about the status of the hiring process. Body Language Just as important as what you say is how you say it! It’s important to pay attention to your posture, tone of voice, eye contact, and mannerisms. Remember, people generally make first impressions by what they see over what they hear, so be sure they see a confident, relaxed interviewee. Be sure to sit up straight in the chair, but be relaxed. You also want to be engaged in the conversation so be careful not to lean too far back and seem like you don’t care. Many people find that placing the small of their back on the chair helps them to sit up straight while also being engaged in the conversation. You should speak clearly and confidently in the interview. The more the interview runs like a comfortable conversation, the better impression it makes. Although the interviewee does not 4 Discrimination It is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a job candidate based on race, sex, religion, age, disability or national origin under the Fair Employment Practices Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other governmental regulations. Most employers do not ask questions about these topics in an interview because they don’t want to worry about proving that they did not use the information to deny someone a job. However, asking questions about these topics is not in itself illegal as part of the hiring process. Many employers do have to re- port certain statistics about their pool of applicants. Employers usually use the simple guideline that basically the same questions must be asked of every candidate and that the questions must relate to the position being discussed. For example, interviews should not ask female candidate about child care arrangements unless they ask male candidates as well. Should you be confronted with an interview question that makes you uncomfortable due to discrimination, you can handle it in several ways. However, your answer must be truthful. First, if the answer won’t hurt you and you don’t mind responding, answer the question. If you don’t want to answer the question, respond in a non-threatening way. For example, you might ask, “How does this relate to the position that we are discussing?” You may also want to try to deflect the question. For example, if asked about citizenship or nationality, you might say, “I am eligible to work in the United States.” Finally, you can examine the question for intent. For example, if the employer asks about your child care arrangement, you can respond that you are available to travel or work overtime as necessary. Quick Interview Tips • • Arrive early for the interview! Practice before you arrive either through a mock interview session in Career Services or preparing on your own. Stay relaxed, focused and confident. Only interview with companies you are serious about working for. Write a thank you note within 24 hours of the interview. • • • TCU Career Services Jarvis Hall 1st Floor 817-257-2222 www.careers.tcu.edu Office Hours: Questions to Ask the Interviewer • • • • • • • • • • 8:00−5:00, Μ-F What would a normal day be like? Approximately how many individuals go through your program each year? Is it possible to move through the training program faster? How much contact is there with management? How much travel is normally expected? What types of professional development opportunities are available? How often are performance reviews given? How do you like working here? How would you describe the company culture? What is next in the hiring process? 5 Potential Questions Asked By Employers • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • What are your short and long range goals and objectives? When and why did you establish these goals and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them? What goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you established? What do you see yourself doing five years from now? What do you really want to do with your life? What are your long range career objectives? How do you plan to achieve your career goals? What are the most important rewards you expect in your career? What do you expect to be earning in five years? Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing? What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses? How would you describe yourself? How do you think a supervisor or professor would describe you? What motivates you? How has your college experience prepared you for a career? Why should I hire you? What qualifications do you have that make you think you will be successful in this business? How do you determine or evaluate success? What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours? In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company? What qualities should a successful manager possess? Describe the ideal relationship between a supervisor and those reporting to him or her. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why? Describe your most rewarding college experience. If you were conducting the hiring for this position, what qualities would you look for? 6 • • • • • • • • • • • • • Why did you choose your college or university? What led you to choose your major? If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why? Do you have plans for continued education? Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? What have you learned from participation in extra-curricular activities? In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable? How do you work under pressure? Why did you decide to seek a position with this company? What do you know about our company? What two or three things are most important to you in your job? Will you relocate? Are you willing to travel? Behavioral Questions • Give me an example of something you did that helped build enthusiasm in others. • Tell me about a difficult situation where it was important for you to keep a positive attitude. • Describe the last time you had to deal with a difficult person and what the outcome was. • Give me an example of a time when you had to make an important decision. How did you go about it? • Tell me a time when you had to persuade someone to accept an idea. • Describe a time when you had to handle multiple tasks and how you managed it. • Tell me about a time when someone on your team wasn’t pulling their weight and how you handled it.