Message to Students
Career Resources - Resume
Career Resources - Interview
Career Resources - Hidden Job Market

Interview Preparation

Hiring decisions are made from interviews. The interview is a very large event of your job search. It is important that you prepare yourself in advance for interviews so you are ready and confident when the time comes to meet with employers. The way you prepare for an interview sets the momentum for its success. Taking time to learn about the employer in advance and considering how you can contribute to the employer’s success will set you ahead of your competition. Remember, akin to almost any skill, we get better with practice.

People can be nervous in an interview, especially if it’s for a job they really want and/or with an employer for whom they would like to work, and/or one of their first interviews; an interview, however, is just a business meeting with a specific purpose.

The employer uses the interview to check you out to see if you might fit their organization and be a benefit to their company. In order to get an idea of the kind of worker you might be, they look at how you prepare for the interview as a precursor to how you will prepare to work for them. On the other hand, the interview gives you, as a job searcher, a chance to decide if the employer is right for you.

It is important to plan for the interview in practical ways. Try to get a good night’s sleep before the interview, eat properly that day, and prepare your clothes the night before so that you will arrive on time. Whether you do an interview in person (the most common), over the phone, online, or anther way, preparation and planning are as important as your answers to the interview questions.

Before the interview, make sure that you know the:

• Name of the company
• Position for which you are being interviewed
• Name of the person (or people) that will be conducting the interview

This information is obtained rather easily from the person that books your interview. Seeking the following information, however, requires a little effort on your part. Good first steps would become familiarized with the company’s website and check the library for news articles and other publications containing information about the company.

Employ the following tips for collecting information:

• Know the mission, vision, and goals of the company
• Gather some information about the company that applies to your interview (size of company, office locations, organizational structure, etc).
• Determine whether they provide a particular (or peculiar) service

This preparation may seem like a lot of work, but think of the potential for your conversation. With some research, you can answer a question by framing it with comments that tie their organization to the benefits that you bring to the potential job.

You can use phrases like:

• When I read your annual report, I noticed that...
• I found an article on your website that mentioned...
• I see that you are expanding operations into… Can you tell me more about that?

Any organization wants to know that they are noticed. When you express an interest and do a little homework, you will stand out from the majority of other candidates This planning will also help you to answer the often asked question: "Tell us what you know about our company."

A Strategy for Interview Questions

Too often people think they can memorize answers and then, under the pressure of the interview, they forget and lose focus. Rather than memorizing answers, it is a good idea to formulate a strategy for answering questions. Outlined below is one way of managing interview questions.

Sample question: What is your strongest skill?

Your response may align with one of the following three approaches:

1. Factual approach: I feel my strongest skill is my ability to provide top quality customer service


2. Evidence-based approach: In my past position at Star’s Coffee House, I always ensured that greetings were extended to customers as soon as they came into the café. If a customer had a special coffee request, I always did my best to meet their wishes, even if the request was complex. I went as far as proposing a special discount program for regular customers to my manager that resulted in an increase in the customer base.


3. Value-base approach: My commitment to satisfaction and team orientation to work is strong assets for providing customer service to your customers.

Now, it’s your turn to think about a potential employer and imagine he/she has asked you about your strongest skill. Use the 3 approaches to formulate your responses.

Regardless of the number of questions an employer asks you in an interview, he or she really wants to know just five things about you:

1. Why do you want to work for the company (as opposed to somewhere else)?


2. What can you do for the company?


3. What kind of a person are you? (Will you fit in? Are you easy to get along with? Do you know what the company thinks is important, and do you share those values?)


4. What makes you different (stand out) from the competition?


5. Can the company afford you, or might you come on board, get trained, and then leave for the first outside opportunity?

Download Sample Resources

The Perfect Resume.pdf
Cover Letter Tips.pdf
Hidden Job Market Secrets.pdf


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