The Ins and Outs of Interviewing

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The Ins and Outs of Interviewing
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Interviewing-What is it?

• - A structured meeting between you and an
  employer
  
• Interviewing is a skill- like riding your bike
• PRACTICE makes PERFECT

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Interviewing is a two-way street

• Employers are attempting to determine if you are
  an appropriate fit for the job and their culture
  
• You decide if the environment is right for you.

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Types of Interviews

• Phone used as an initial screen of candidates or
  to narrow the pool of applicants
  
• One-on-One most common interview style and
  incorporates you with the potential employer
  
• Panel or Group allows many individuals to
  interview you at once
  
• Meal used to see how you interact or function in
  a social setting
  
• Second or On-site Interview this allows one to
  get a tour of the facility, meet the staff, and
  additional questioning from different employees
  and/or administration

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Pre-Interview Preparation

• Research position, company, industry
• Know yourself and be able to articulate skills,
  strengths, accomplishments, and career goals
  
• Prepare necessary materials (Copies of resume,
  references, portfolio/pen, palm pilot or
  organizer, breath mints)
  
• Ask for directions and where to park

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Arriving

• Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to
  arrive at your destination (you may want to
  conduct a dry run prior to your interview day)
  
• Try to arrive 10-15 minutes early at the site to
  allow you to park, walk to the interview, use the
  restroom, or just gather yourself

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Greeting Introduction

• Only 1 chance to make a good 1st impression
• Dress appropriately
• Smile
• Maintain eye contact
• Firm handshake
• Remain poised and confident

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Body Language What signals are you sending?

• Positive Signals
• Leaning forward interest
• Smiling friendly
• Nodding attentive and alert
• Eye contact curious and focused

• Negative Signals
• Crossed arms defensive
• Fidgeting hands or tapping feet nervous or
  bored
  
• Lack of eye contact untrustworthy
• Leaning back discomfort

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Types of Interview Questions

• Standard or traditional-
• targeting your education, work experiences, and
  career goals

• Sample Questions
• Tell me about yourself?
• What is your greatest strength? Weakness?
• Why did you choose to interview with us?
• What did you like most about your last job?
  Least?
  
• What are your short and long term career goals?

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Types of Interview Questions

• Behavioral Questions
• -These focus on your actions and/or behaviors in
  a previous setting.
  
• Past behavior provides clues to future behavior

• Sample Questions
• Describe a time you had to make a difficult
  decision?
  
• Tell me about a time you worked under a
  deadline?
  
• What do you do when a team member is not pulling
  his/her weight?
  
• Think about a time you made a mistake. What did
  you learn from it?

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Types of Interview Questions

• Inappropriate or unethical questions
• - Questions which probe into your private life or
  personal background
  
• - Questions about your ethnicity, religion,
  sexual orientation, disabilities, marital status

• Sample Questions
• How old are you?
• Do you have children?
• Do you have a disability?
• What religion do you practice?

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Types of Interview Questions

• Questions asked by the interviewee
• To determine if you are an appropriate fit for
  the company and position, prepare a list of
  questions for the interviewer
  

• Sample Questions
• What type of assignments can I expect within the
  first year?
  
• What do you like most about this company?
• What is the biggest challenge facing this
  department right now?
  
• What skills are you looking for in this
  position?
  
• What is the next course of action?

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General Interview Strategies

• -Be prepared to talk about yourself and your
  experiences
  
• -Master the art of storytelling
• -Provide specific and concrete examples of your
  results/accomplishments
  
• -Remain positive, enthusiastic, poised, and
  confident throughout the interview process

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General Interview Strategies

• Remember an interview is a formal
  conversation--avoid filler words like Um, Ah,
  You know
  
• Avoid indecisive phrases like I think, I
  guess, probably, or pretty good
  
• Think before speaking
• Avoid long verbose answers--limit your response
  to 1-2 minutes
  
• If you do not hear or understand a question, ask
  them to repeat or clarify it for you

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General Interview Strategies

• Remain calm, relaxed, and be yourself
• Try to focus on the message you are trying to
  convey--NOT how well you are doing!
  

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Dressing for Success-Men

• Suit-Single or double breasted
• Polished shoes
• Solid white shirt
• Conservative tie
• Neatly groomed hair, beard, and mustache
• Avoid strong colognes, earrings, and body piercing

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Dressing for Success-Women

• Pant or skirt suit
• Pumps with small to medium heels
• Light makeup, perfume, and jewelry
• Wear neutral color hosiery

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FOLLOW-UP

• Ask good questions
• Thank the interviewer
• Request a business card
• Inquire about next steps in the process

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FOLLOW-UP CONT

• Send a thank you note within 24 hours
• Letter may be handwritten or typed e-mail is
  also acceptable
  
• Tailor each one to the individual.

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Final Thoughts

• Remember that only 15 of the success of an
  interview is out of your control
  
• Take some time to reflect
• - Overall, how well did I do?
• - What went well?
• - What steps can I take next time to
• improve?

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Suggestions

• Conduct a test run the day before the interview
• Practice! Practice! Practice!
• Obtain a list of practice interview questions
  and jot down short answers
  
• Stand in front of a mirror and rehearse your
  answers
  
• Schedule an appointment for a mock interview
  with Career Services
  
• Get a good nights sleep-be well rested and alert
  for the interview
  
• Be relaxed and be yourself!

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Need additional help?

• Call [phone] or email careers_at_slu.edu to
  schedule a mock interview
  
• Stop by during our walk-in hours to meet with a
  peer advisor if you have a quick question
  
• Schedule an appointment with a career counselor
  if you have a concern about your career or job
  search