Interviewing

To succeed in interviews, you must sell a very important product – yourself – to an organization. Preparing for interviews can be challenging as no two positions are the same, however, there is a lot you can do to prepare for the interview. Like resume and cover letter tailoring, strong candidates tailor their interview responses to fit the needs outlined in the job description. This helps your interviewer easily connect the dots between what their company/organization needs and what you bring to the table as an applicant.

Here are a few quick tips to help you effectively prepare for an interview:

Review the Job Description in Depth

Job descriptions provide the basic outline of topics you should be aware of before walking into the interview. Be prepared to talk about your qualifications as they relate to any of the qualifications/responsibilities listed.

Research the Company/Organization

Being able to “speak” a company’s language outside of the job description naturally makes you feel like you “fit in” to their culture and understand on a deeper level what they are all about. To do this, we recommend visiting their website and learning as much as you can about their

  • Values
  • Mission
  • Vision
  • Goals

Research Interview Questions Specific to Your Role Type

To prepare for job-specific questions beyond the basic “tell me about yourself” we recommend the following steps:

  1. Conduct a broad internet search and finding common interview questions related to your role. Simply search for “common interview questions for [position/title].
  2. Make note of common themes/patterns emerging from various articles and resources you find.
  3. Take note of the common skills, knowledge, and experience you uncover in your research and tailor your interview responses to fit those needs

Come with Questions

Interviews are a two-way street. On the one hand, interviews give employers the chance to get to know you and your qualifications better. At the same time, they also provide you with space to ask questions you can't easily find answers to about the company and position. Coming with your own thoughtful questions shows that you are engaged and eager to learn more about the role/company. You might consider brainstorming questions around:

  • Professional development opportunities
  • Job-specific questions
  • Measurements of success for the role
  • Key stakeholder involvement from other departments/units that might impact your work

See the Interviewing Strategies Career Tutorial and Career Design Center Interview Handout to help you prepare.