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The Interview

How to Succeed in an Interview

To succeed in interviews, it is vital to understand that you are selling a product–yourself–to an organization. These employers (buyers) only want college graduates that can succeed in their organizations. Given that the number of candidates applying for each career position is high, an employer wants to see evidence of a candidate’s qualifications as they relate to the job opening.

Displaying these qualifications in interviews is not easy, but self-assessment, preparation, and practice can help. College graduates 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. Preparation is the key to success and allows you to overcome stress in order to focus on the interview.

Reasons Why Potential Employees Are Rejected in the Interview...

Poor personal appearance.

Lack of interest and enthusiasm.

Failure to keep eye contact.

Late to the interview.

Asks no questions about the job.

Too overbearing.

Inability to express self clearly.

Lack of poise or self-confidence.

Unrealistic salary demands.

Lack of maturity-no leadership potential.

Lack of extracurricular activities.

Know nothing about the company.

Unwilling to relocate.

Excessive interest in security and benefits-What can you do for me?"

Inappropriate background.

Interview Preparation

Research the company you are pursuing. (See your career coach for more information.)

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 cover letter, resume, and references ready. (Dress to Impress: View examples of appropriate interview attire, courtesy of Washington State University)

Practice responding to sample questions.

Questions Often Asked of Graduating College Students by Employers

Do's and Don’ts in an Interview

Questions You Might Ask the Interviewer

Be sure to link yourself and your background to the job.

Maintain a positive attitude.

Have a list of questions that you want to ask the interviewer.

Show them you have done some research and that you are a thoughtful person.

People who interview well are often better employees because they have learned how to sell themselves and their ideas to others. Positive interaction gets people hired, promoted, and recruited for better opportunities. Recognize that most interviews follow a similar format. Interviewers evaluate potential employees on educational background, creativity, character traits, initiative, work experience and training, management ability, communication skills, and outside interests. There are a variety of questions associated with each factor. For example the question, "Do you get bored with detail?" is meant to assess a character trait. A good answer to this question is:

"No. I’m getting paid to do what the job requires. If checking details is part of what it takes to do the job right, then that’s what I do. Success and advancement are not boring and they directly result from doing my work well."

Behavioral Interviewing

Behavioral interviewing is a relatively new style of interviewing used by organizations in their hiring process. The theory is this: the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation. Your responses to these questions need to be specific and detailed. Frame your answers in a three-part process by discussing the situation, the action, and the result/outcome. Demonstration of the desired behaviors may be illustrated from past internships or work experiences, classes, extra-curricular activities, team involvement, and community service. Sample behavioral interviewing questions may include:

Give me a recent example of a situation you faced when the pressure was on. How did you handle it.

Give me an example of an important goal you set in the past and your success in reaching it.

Tell me of a situation where you used your written communication skills to get an important point across.

These are often difficult questions to answer on the spot. Jot down examples of situations in your past that you would use to answer these questions. Careful preparation is the key to an effective behavioral interview.

After the Interview

Unless you are the last person interviewed, the impression you make will fade with each subsequent interview the interviewer undertakes. The following ideas ensure that "out of sight" does not mean "out of mind" for you:

Immediately after the interview, do a written recap of the interview:

Who did you meet (names and titles)?

What does the job entail?

What are the first projects you want to tackle?

Why can you do the job?

What went poorly? Why?

What is the next step in the selection process?

Write a follow-up letter to keep you fresh on the interviewer’s mind. This letter also shows that you are appreciative, organized, and interested. Make sure to express your appreciation of the interviewer’s time and comments. Make it clear that you are excited about the job, can do it, and want it. Keep it short, type it, and proofread it carefully.

If you do not hear anything within a reasonable period of time (one to two weeks), make a call to the lead interviewer. Restate the points you made in your letter, and restate your interest in the position. You may want to say, " I feel confident about my ability to contribute to your department’s efforts, and I really want the job." If you are told that you are no longer in the running, be sure to ask for the opportunity (possibly at another time) to discuss ways you might improve your interviewing skills.

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