Preparing for a Successful Interview

A quick reference guide


1. Before You Go

  1. Research the company with which you are interviewing
    1. It is very important to know general information about the company you are interviewing with as it shows the interviewer you are serious about the position.
  2. Obtain a job description
    1. Ask the Staffing Specialist/Recruiter you are working with to forward you a copy of the job description prior to your interview. This will allow you time to brainstorm some examples of how your skills and experience address the interviewing company's needs.
  3. Familiarize yourself with the job requirements
    1. Knowing the details of the job for which you are interviewing will help you prepare ahead of time. It is important to not only look at the job description, but to understand the job requirements as well.
    2. When reviewing the job description/requirements, it helps to make notes in the margin of how and when you performed similar roles or completed related tasks to that described in the text. Specific examples have more impact than generalities.
  4. Create questions in advance
    1. It is important that you think of questions ahead of time. Hiring managers expect that you will come prepared for your interview and have questions ready.
    2. Examples of potential questions you could ask include:
      1. Expectations of the role.
      2. Opportunities for professional growth/development.
      3. The corporate culture/work environment.
      4. Positive and negatives of the role.
      5. Why the interviewer likes working at the company.

2. The Day of the Interview

  1. Dress for success
    1. First impressions matter!
    2. Wear a suit. Most companies expect that you will arrive for your interview dressed professionally, ready to put your best foot forward.
    3. If you do not own a suit, be sure to dress as conservatively and professionally as possible.
  2. Arrive early
  3. Discard any gum, food or drink before entering the building where your interview will take place.

3. The Interview

  1. Body language counts
    1. Shake the interviewer's hand with a firm handshake. This will indicate that you are confident and ready.
    2. Smile.
    3. Be sure to sit up straight.
    4. Make and maintain eye contact.
    5. Keep fidgeting to a minimum, including playing with your hair, clicking a pen and just moving around in your chair.
  2. Be specific
    1. If asked to provide examples, it is important for you to provide specific details of situations that stick out in your mind. Do not generalize or group examples together. Examples of generalities to avoid:
      1. "I do that all the time..."
      2. "I always..."
    2. A good answer is better than a fast answer
      1. If you can't think of a specific example at that particular moment, it is perfectly acceptable to:
        1. Ask the interviewer if you can have a moment to think of an example.
        2. Ask the interviewer to come back to that question at the end of the interview.
  3. Be positive
    1. When interviewing, be sure to steer clear of saying anything negative about your past employer, even if you did not have a positive experience.
  4. Ask questions
    1. Once the interview has ended, make sure you ask at least three questions. If you have a long list of questions, be sure just to pick out the ones that you feel are most important. You can reserve additional questions for other employees of the company you may meet or to ask your staffing specialist.

4. Concluding the interview

  1. Get your interviewer's contact information
    1. Ask for a business card before leaving as sending a thank you note/email is common practice.
  2. Discuss next steps
    1. As the interview is wrapping up, it is important for you to know when you will receive a follow up call in regards to next steps. If this is not addressed by the time you are prepared to leave than be sure to ask.
    2. If this is not addressed by the time you are prepared to leave than be sure to ask.
  3. Be polite
    1. e sure you thank the person who you interviewed with for their time and again shake their hand firmly.
  4. Follow up
    1. If a week goes by and you have not been contacted, feel free to follow up with your contact.

5. Potential Pitfalls

  1. Untidy personal appearance.
  2. Inability to express information clearly.
  3. Lack of genuine interest or enthusiasm.
  4. Unwillingness to start at the bottom.
  5. Negative attitude.
  6. Lack of eye contact.
  7. Incomplete or sloppy application.
  8. Being late for the interview.

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