Colgate University
Center for Career Services
Interviewing Guide
Overview
Preparation
The Interview
Follow Up
Sample Interview Questions Asked By Employers
Questions To Ask The Interviewer
Inappropriate Interview Questions
The Second Interview
Things to Observe
Tips
Follow-Up Letters
Interview Mistakes
General Tips
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Job-Interview.net - guide to job interviews
In an employment interview, you are using the interview as an opportunity to show an employer your qualifications. The employer is also using this opportunity to assess you as a person - your personality, skill areas, motivation, communication skills, experience and career goals.
Research the Organization:
Materials:
Appearance:
Mock Interview:
Questions:
Basic Guidelines:
Employer:
Candidate:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you choose to attend Colgate University?
3. How did you choose your major?
4. What college classes have you enjoyed the most and why? The least?
5. If you could go back and change any part of your college experience, what would it be? Why?
6. What changes would you make in your college or university? Why?
7. Tell me about your most rewarding experience.
8. What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
9. Do you think that your grades are a good indicator of your academic achievement?
10. What have you learned from your participation in extra-curricular activities?
11. Do you have plans for further education?
12. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
13. How do you work under pressure?
14. How has your education prepared you for the work world? This specific job?
15. What are your short- and long-term goals?
16. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
17. How would your friends describe you?
18. What is it that you do really well?
19. If you were hiring for this position, what qualities would you look for in a candidate?
20. Why should I hire you?
21. Describe your ideal job.
22. Why did you decide to seek a position with this company/organization?
23. What do you know about our company?
24. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?
25. What other types of jobs are you considering? Other organizations?
26. How do you feel about traveling/working overtime/spending weekends in the office?
27. What factors are most important to you in a job?
28. What do you see yourself doing in five years? In ten years?
29. What do you really want to do in life?
30. What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
31. What do you find personally rewarding?
32. Do you prefer to work in a group or alone?
33. What qualities should a successful supervisor/manager possess?
34. What have you learned from your mistakes?
35. What has inspired you the most in your life?
36. How do you spend your spare time?
37. What percentage of college expenses did you earn? How?
38. How did you spend your vacations while in school?
39. Do you prefer any specific geographic location? Why?
40. Which of your college years was most difficult? Why?
41. Tell me about your (management/educational) philosophy.
42. Give me your definition of success.
43. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
44. What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work?
45. How do you react to criticism?
46. What frustrates you?
47. Have you had any supervisory experience?
48. When could you start work?
49. Do you consider yourself a creative person?
50. Have you held a leadership position?
52. Describe yourself with one word.
53. Why did you choose your particular field of work?
54. What qualifications do you have that you think will make you successful in your field?
55. Have you ever had any difficulty getting along with fellow students or faculty?
56. What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?
57. In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested and why?
58. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
59. How have you changed since you started college?
60. Is there anything else you would like to tell me?
1. What might a typical work day in this job be like?
2. What are some typical trainee assignments?
3. How does this position relate to other positions within the organization?
4. What type of career paths do people typically follow within this organization?
5. What kind of supervision will I receive?
6. How will my performance be evaluated?
7. What opportunities exist for continued training?
8. What is the organization's policy regarding continuing education?
9. What are the organization's short-range and long-range goals?
10. I was reading about ________ in your organization's literature, and am interested in learning more about it. Can you tell me more?
11. Do your employees participate in any professional associations or conferences?
12. As an employee of this organization, what do you see as some of its outstanding attributes?
13. How would you describe the work environment in your organization?
14. What makes your organization different from your competitors?
15. Who are the people with whom I will be working? May I talk with some of them?
16. In the last five years, how many persons have held this position? Where are they now?
17. Do you expect the person you hire to assume responsibilities in new areas?
18. May I have a copy of the job description?
19. What might be a typical first assignment?
20. What type of immediate and ongoing training can I expect?
21. What do you consider the ideal background for this position?
22. Why do you think this job might be the right spot for me?
DO NOT ASK questions about salaries and benefits unless the interviewer introduces these topics.
There are certain questions which are not related to how well a person can perform a particular job. In some cases, they are also illegal. You should be aware of these topics and be prepared to respond. Here are some alternatives to answering inappropriate questions:
1. If you are not bothered by the question asked, you can answer honestly.
2. If you are bothered by the question, tactfully respond without offending the interviewer.
For example, "I really don't feel that ______would have an impact on my ability to
do this job" or "I've carefully considered all factors relating to this job and my
personal affairs are in order."
Examples of inappropriate interview questions:
1. Are you married, divorced, separated or single?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you have any children? What child care arrangements have you made?
4. Do you go to church?
5. Do you have any debts?
6. Do you own or rent your home?
7. To what social and political groups do you belong ?
8. Are you living with anyone?
9. Have you ever been arrested?
10. How much do you weigh? How tall are you?
11. Where were you born? Are you a U.S. citizen?
12. Do you have any handicaps or disabilities?
The second interview is often the point at which you may receive a job offer from the employer. At the same time, it is an opportunity for you to consider the company environment and work style to see if it is a fit for you. Would you want to spend the majority of your day in this organization? By observing the environment and asking questions, you will be able to assess the culture.
Things to observe:
Tips:
Case Interview: In this type of interview, the interviewer takes the candidate through a series of steps and evaluates how (s)he tackles the various levels. The steps can range from identifying a critical issue, to breaking a problem into component parts, to finally identifying one or more solutions.
Step 1: Big Picture Thinking: The interviewer lays out the facts and asks the candidate to articulate the critical issues facing the business. This requires an ability to focus on key issues, not every issue. The interviewer will then ask why the candidate chose the answer s(he) did.
Step 2: Problem Solving Logic: The interviewer asks the candidate to lay out all the elements of the problem: What factors should be considered?
Step 3: Focusing on Value: The interviewer then lets the candidate choose which avenues to pursue, leaving the discussion open-ended. The interviewer determines if the candidate is instinctive about which path to choose and asks why the candidate selected this path.
Step 4: Depth and Breadth - Business Intuition: The interviewer asks the candidate some probing questions about how (s)he would analyze a key area.
Step 5: Results Orientation: The interviewer asks the candidate how (s)he would implement his/her solution. The interviewer could pose a tricky or hostile client situation to see how candidate would get results in a difficult environment.
(Taken from "How to Ace the Case Interview," Bain
& Company)
Writing Samples: The interviewer will ask you to produce
a writing sample on the spot. They may want you to defend or argue
a particular issue, or summarize data to support a philosophy
or viewpoint.
Problem Solving Questions: You may be asked to solve a particular problem, either off the top of your head or with a paper and pencil, during the interview. Some examples of this are probability and quantitative problems.
Group Interviews: In this type of interview, you will meet with several interviewers simultaneously. They may be from different departments around the company or all from the department for which you are interviewing to obtain a position. It is important to be aware of who is in your interview, so that you can address issues in your answers and questions that pertain to those positions and departments. You should remember to address the whole group when answering a question.
Answer each question with the same enthusiasm as you did the first time you were asked. You will be meeting with a number of people who will have no idea what you discussed previous to their interview.
Be concise. Confine your responses to what the interviewer has asked you to explain.
Provide logical back-up for your answers. Be sure to explain what case facts led you to a conclusion, and how you reasoned from those facts to your conclusion.
Do not be afraid to ask clarifying questions. If you don't understand the facts, it will be difficult to answer correctly.
Do additional research.
Know the employer thoroughly and have an in-depth understanding of the career field that you are interested in entering.
Follow up with a thank you letter.
It is not necessary to send a thank you letter to every person with whom you interviewed. It is usually sufficient to send one to the person who coordinated the visit
You should send a thank you letter to the interviewer, recruiter or person who coordinated your visit as soon as possible following the interview (within three days).
Follow-up letters jog the memory of the person to whom you spoke; they help the interviewer to recall who you are and for what position you are applying. The main purpose of the letter is to extend your appreciation to the interviewer for taking time to meet with you, but it also serves to give you more exposure.
You should include:
A statement thanking the interviewer. Mention the position for which you were interviewed, the date, and the location of the interview.
A reaffirmation of your interest and your confidence that you can do the job. Mention specific job duties that were discussed in the interview and which of your traits or experiences would provide a foundation for further growth and contribution.
An expression of your willingness to provide additional supporting information. Also include here any information requested at the interview.
A simple, cordial closing.
Sample Letter:
123 Main Street
Hamilton, NY 13346
March 1, 2002
Mr. Jason Michaels
Director
Carlton Corporation
Boston, MA 02134
Dear Mr. Michaels:
It was a pleasure to have met with you during my visit to your company earlier this week. Our conversation confirmed to me that the Assistant Director of Human Resources position is exactly the type of quality experience in which I am interested.
I was especially impressed to learn that the Assistant Director plays a significant role in contracting with insurance companies. As I mentioned in our interview, I have extensive experience in the health care industry performing exactly these types of activities. I think my skills would be of benefit to you in exploring and developing the new area of HMO contracts.
I would like to express my sincere interest in working for the Carlton Corporation. If there is any further information you would find helpful in making a decision regarding my employment, please feel free to contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
1. A Lack of Enthusiasm
Attitude and sense of direction are vital to conveying a real love and interest in what you are pursuing. Make sure you give examples and demonstrate your interest in a particular area, don't just say you are interested.
2. Unprofessional Behavior
Think of all the ways that you present yourself to a potential employer, including via the telephone. Make sure you have an answering machine or voice mail that leaves a professional message. Forewarn roommates and family that you may be receiving calls from employers and instruct them on the type of message you would like to be taken.
It is appropriate to wear conservative business suits to interviews, even if the job is more casual than that. You want to dress better than you would if you were working there, because you are not working there yet.
Arriving late and rescheduling meetings are all too common signs that you aren't ready for the work world. If you commit to an interview time, keep it.
Always send a thank you note after the interview, and follow up with a quick, to-the-point phone call reaffirming your interest.
3. Poor Research Prior to Interviews
Research the field, the profession, and the company before the interview and be prepared with background facts and questions. Read newspapers and trade magazines to keep up with current company issues, such as mergers. Contact people in the company who are doing what you want to do and ask them how they got there.
4. Lying to Employers
Most recruiters will verify dates of employment, academic degrees, references, previous earnings, GPAs, club memberships, and whether candidates have criminal records. If you are found out to have lied after you get the position, you will most likely lose your job since you are usually required to sign a legal document attesting to the truth of your claims.
5. A Lack of Direction
Don't arrive at an interview hoping to be told by the recruiter what position you should be seeking, or expecting him to lay out career goals for you. The most effective candidates know where they are going and why. You should be able to articulate what you learned in your academic career and be able to explain how you plan to apply it. Focus, maturity and sense of self are crucial.
6. Weak Communication Skills
How you behave during an interview can be as impressive as what you say. Recruiters often complain about candidates who talk too much, listen poorly, and fail to ask questions. Make sure you listen for and remember critical information, such as the name of your interviewer. Asking good questions is key because it shows that you've researched and thought about important issues. Use proper English, avoid slang.
7. Failure to Sell Yourself
You need to sell employers on your skills and future value, and the best way to do so is by giving examples. Translate what you have done into skills employers can use. Samples of previous accomplishments, such as papers and projects you've completed, are a great way to demonstrate your skills.
Taken from "Managing Your Career," The Wall
Street Journal, Spring/Summer 1996.
General Tips
Get comfortable talking about yourself, your career and your accomplishments. Practice out loud and in front of family and friends.
Honesty, integrity, attitude, verbal skills and enthusiasm are the top qualities most employers are looking for in a candidate. Employers will ask questions that require candidates to talk about weaknesses, and take your body language into account as part of the answer.
Enthusiasm can sometimes offset a lack of experience or lack of training in some area.
And watch the "umms," "likes" and "you knows."
Bring with you your Social Security number or card, driver's license, résumé, and the names, job titles, addresses and phone numbers of three references.
Don't make your #1 choice of employment your first interview.
Know exactly why an employer should hire you and articulate this by citing experiences that best demonstrate your capabilities.
Wear comfortable, professional clothing. Do not chew gum or smoke.
Display a competitive edge. Think of leadership positions you have taken on and show how you have succeeded.
Be a great conversationalist. Many interviewers complain that they have a difficult time getting candidates to talk. Think of the interview as a two-way conversation in which you describe your most relevant skills, ask intelligent questions and convey a sense of enthusiasm about the position. Don't wait passively for the interviewer to ask you about your strongest qualities; make sure you work them into the discussion at every opportunity.