Interviewing

Congratulations! You have an interview. To make sure that your interview leads to a job offer, please see the following tips and articles for some great advice.

Preparation

Preparation is key to interviewing success.

Create a 60 second “commercial” to use as an introduction to you and your interest in the job/career field.

Anticipate questions and practice your answers out loud.

Great interviewers transform an employer’s image of them from an outsider to an inside contributor. Here’s how:

Own it – clearly state your critical skill or competency
Prove it – provide concrete examples of when/where you’ve used the skill effectively

Connect it – discuss how it directly benefits the employer by meeting their needs

Common Interview Questions

Don’t be surprised—there are common interview questions that are likely to be asked. See this helpful list of the Most Common Interview Questions (and how best to answer them) for some excellent advice.

What to Wear?

What to wear? Don’t worry—we have you covered. Here are two great guides: How to Dress for an Interview and Gender Neutral Interview Attire and Business Clothing.

If you need interview clothes, but the budget is preventing you, please contact our office so that we can connect you to these two great organizations.

Thank You Note

Phew! You finished your interview! Your next step is to follow-up with a thank you note (for its immediacy, email is preferable) within 24 hours of your interview. In addition to demonstrating your good manners, thank you notes can serve as another opportunity to reiterate your excitement about the position and to highlight your best skills. Please see these two articles for an in-depth discussion and helpful examples: Thank You Emails and Thank You Letters.

Read through these materials and want a chance to practice your interviewing skills with a career services professional? Please schedule a mock interview with Career Services.