- The Interview

The Interview

Being on Time

It is better to be a few minutes early than one minute late for your interview. Interviewers have a busy schedule and if you are late, it will cut down the amount of time allotted to you. Most important, if you are late, you will make a bad impression.

Dress

If you are seeking a professional position, you must look like a professional. A good guideline to follow is to dress as others do in the same occupation. Remember: The first impression is a lasting one.

Women: Wear a simply tailored suit or dress. Wear conservative nail polish and lipstick. Have a neat hairdo. Leave flashy earrings in your jewelry box. Be moderate in use of perfume and makeup.

Men: Wear a clean, pressed, conservative suit with a non-flashy shirt and tie. Have your shoes shined and wear plain socks. Have your hair neat and trimmed. Long hair and extremely long side burns are out. Clean and trim your nails. Avoid gaudy or flashy jewelry.

Interview Situation

The interview situation can vary from a one-to-one contact between you and an employee of the organization (human resources manager, campus recruiter, department manager, etc.), to a panel composed of several different employees representing various levels or functions. The situation also can vary from a single interview with an organizational representative to a sequence of several interviews on a given day.

Performance interviewing, or in-basket interviewing, is another situation in which you might find yourself. In this case, you will be asked to perform tasks which your possible job will entail in a limited amount of time. Mistakes are expected; the employer is looking for the way you handle yourself. Another type of interviewing is called behavioral interviewing, where the employer seeks to predict future behavior by examining past behavior. For behavioral interviewing strategies, see articles in the Mobile File in the Career Center Library. Remember: You need to respond and actively participate in each interview. Don't assume what you have told the first interviewer will be communicated to others in the organization.

Breaking the Ice

As stated in the introduction, interviews are unpredictable and no two interviews are alike. A lot depends upon the interviewer for s/he has control and you should respond to that control.

At the beginning of the interview, interviewers usually try to make you as comfortable as possible. Usually they start off with basic questioning from your resume. Since this is information that is familiar to you, the interview will become less tense and you should be ready when the interviewer starts to concentrate on specific facts.

Questioning (Interviewer)

After introductory questioning, the interviewer will usually get right to the point. Some typical questions are:

1. What was your career objective when you entered college? What is it now?
2. Why did you change your goals? (If pertinent)
3. How can a job with this organization help you meet your career objectives?
4. What contributions do you see yourself making to our organization?

From this type of questioning, the interviewer will be able to know whether the candidate is just looking for a job by using a shotgun approach, or whether a candidate has spent some time in self-appraisal and is trying to meet his/her needs through selective interviewing. The interviewer will also be assessing some of the reasons or motivations for a candidate's actions or activities as well as some of the individual's style of operating. While a resume provides the facts, the interview provides the "why's and "how's.

During the interview, the most important thing to remember is to Be honest. The interviewer will not be able to evaluate you fairly if you attempt to con him/her. Telling interviewers what you think they want to hear is not the purpose of the interview. If you try to con the interviewer and s/he is on to your game, the chance of being invited for a second interview is slim.

Another point to keep in mind: be prepared to back up what you say. According to interviewers, too many applicants make statements that they are unable to prove. If you state that you have certain skills and abilities, be prepared to cite specific incidents where you have used or demonstrated them.

In some interviews there might be some stress questions thrown in so that the interviewer can get to know you better. Stress questions are usually problem-solving in essence, and there are no right or wrong answers. The purpose of this type of questioning is to see how you think and react under pressure. For additional sample questions, see selected Career Center Library resources on interviewing.

Salary: One question you should be ready to answer is on the salary expected. On your resume it is proper not to mention salaries. You can even leave it open on your application form or write in negotiable. But in an interview, you might be asked to state a figure. Know what persons of your general qualifications are being offered as starting salaries in positions similar to the one for which you are interviewing. For salary information, consult resources in the Career Library including NACE's Salary Survey. There are also a variety of Web sites that provide salary information. Examples include www.salary.com, hotjobs.yahoo.com/salary and salary.monster.com. Many other sites can be found by simply searching the Web using the term "salary." These sources can give you some idea of what your salary range will be. By knowing the rate beforehand, you can be realistic in your terms. Candidates whose rates are too high might price themselves right out of the job. If you are too low, the interviewer might not consider you an ambitious person, and there is a chance you will not be given further consideration. Another possibility is that they might hire you at a lower rate and there will be no chance for negotiating a salary figure. One way to handle salary questions is to give a salary range. Be prepared to back up your salary request with specific information about your education and experience. Generally however, it is recommended that candidates allow employers to address salary.

Questioning (Applicants)

If you have done your pre-interviewing research, then you should have prepared some intelligent questions in advance. Some questions you might ask:

1. What kind of training do you provide? How long is the training period?
2. What is the normal progression of a trainee over the first few years?
3. How much travel is involved in this position?
4. Do you encourage continuing education in the local colleges on a tuition reimbursement basis?
5. What options do I have in selecting (or accepting) assignments?
6. What staff development programs are available after the initial training?

Never ask about vacation time or retirement. These are not work-related activities. Focus on opportunity, not security. You could ask for more information regarding all fringe benefits. It will also be helpful to prepare questions concerning the organization's markets, methods, and projected plans. Ask them not only as they will affect you, but for general information. Interviewers will be impressed by your interest in the organization.

During the interview you should be sensitive to signs that the interview has run its course. Campus interviews are usually scheduled for twenty or thirty minutes. Interviews end in different ways. Some interviewers might look at their watch, which is a cue for you that the interview is nearing an end; some interviewers are blunt by standing up, holding out their hand, and thanking you for coming in. Most employer representatives however, expect you to sense the proper time to leave on the basis of subtle indications that your time is up.

When the interview is over, thank the interviewer for taking time to talk with you. Re-emphasize your interest in the position and your appreciation for being considered. This is important, since many candidates mistakenly assume that interviewers sense their interest.If the interviewer does not definitely offer you a job (this is very rarely done in the initial interview) or indicate when you will hear from him/her, ask him/her to estimate a date when a decision might be made for further job interviewing or for an actual offer. This is important because even though the interviewer is interested in you, sometimes s/he may wait until s/he finds someone more qualified. If you get a deadline date, s/he cannot keep you hanging. If the interviewer is impressed with your performance, you will probably be invited to visit the organization, meet other personnel and go through more extensive screening. For more information on second interviews, see the Career Center's guide on Second Interviews. It is usually after this second interview(s) that a job offer will be given. So in effect, the main purpose of an initial interview is to qualify you for a follow-up.