The Interview
How to Succeed in an Interview
To succeed in interviews, it is vital to understand that you are selling a very important product -yourself- to an organization. Because the number of candidates applying for each career position is high, an employer wants to see evidence of specific qualifications as they relate to the job opening.
The Interview - How to Succeed in an Interview
Displaying these qualifications in interviews is not easy, but self-assessment, preparation, and practice can help. Candidates need to analyze their strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and goals to see how well they fit with employers’ needs. The good news is that interviewing skills can be developed and improved through effective preparation and practice.
How to Prepare for an Interview
- Research the company you are pursuing. See tips for researching companies below.
- Confirm time, place, and name (include spelling) for the interview. Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
- Dress appropriately and be sure you have several copies of your resume and references (on resume quality paper) with you.
- Maintain a positive attitude.
- Take relevant samples of your work that illustrate your skills in key areas.
- Practice responding to sample questions. Be sure to link yourself and your qualifications to the job.
- Have a list of questions to ask the interviewer. Gather valuable information regarding the position or organization. This also illustrates your research.
People who interview well are often better employees because they have learned how to sell themselves and their ideas to others. One study revealed the most common mistake college graduates make when interviewing is that they aren’t assertive enough. Positive interactions get people hired, promoted, and recruited for better opportunities.
Most interviews follow a similar format. Interviewers evaluate potential employees on educational background, creativity, character traits, initiative, maturity, work experience/training, management ability, communication skills, and outside interests.
Tips for Researching Companies
Knowing how to research organizations is critical to a successful job search. Whether tailoring your resume and cover letter or preparing for an interview, learn as much as possible about the organization. Use the following tips when researching companies:
- Research the company’s website thoroughly.
- Visit your career coach to identify alumni and employers via Career AGGIE who work for the organization.
- Visit the Career Café at Career Services to access company materials and to use computers for your company research.
- Subscribe to a wire service that provides press alerts for companies in the news. PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is a free news and press release monitoring service).
- Search reputable publications. “Fortune” magazine annually publishes its list of the Top 500 Companies.
- Register with Monster and Yahoo to search specific companies for history, stock data, company policies, etc.
- Review trade journals and join professional organizations to access member directories.
- Speak with recruiters at fairs/expos to gain firsthand knowledge of the company.
- Perform web searches on search engines like Google and visit Career Services for additional online research tools
- Read the shareholders’ annual report (for publicly traded companies)
| Your Research Should Include: | |||
| Age of Organization Years in Business Competitors |
Divisions/Subsidiaries CEO’s Background Products & Services (inc. new) |
Number of Employee Corporate Culture Sales, Assets, Earnings |
Growth Pattern International Operations Mergers/Acquisitions |
