Interviewing Skills

Workshop
School of Information
University of Michigan

Copyright 2002, National Association of Colleges and Employers. Program funded by the NACE Foundation and created
by Neil Murray, University of California, San Diego.
Agenda

 What is the Job Interview?

 Before, During, and After the Interview
 The Three Ps: Prepare, Practice, and
Perform
 Types of Interviews/Questions
 Practice
 Your Questions
What is a Job Interview?

 30-45 minute sales pitch of “You, Inc”

 Determining fit within an organization
 Your chance to determine if you want to work
at the organization/ with these people/ in this
function
What You Need to Know

 You need to know what you want

 Interviews are decisive
 The decision gets made early
 The interviewer’s perception of
your personality is critical
 Confident/assertive behavior is
valued
Before the Interview

 Research the company

 Determine location of interview – or prepare
for a phone interview
 Prepare your attire
 Make sure your resume is ready for further
inspection (same applies to your ePortfolio)
The Three P’s: Preparation

 Know Your Product (a.k.a. YOU)

 Complete a Self-Assessment
– Strengths, weaknesses, academic performance, career
interests, personal goals, work experiences, and special
skills
 Know your Resume
 Know how your qualifications can benefit the
employer (match them to the job description)
 Be able to articulate this information and back it up
with specific examples
The Three Ps: Preparation

 Know your customer, services, etc.

 Read employer literature & visit the organization’s
website
 Speak with recent graduates or second year MSI’s
who have recently been through the interview
process
– Check out the SI Student-Alumni Network
Preparation is Everything!

 Understand the job, the organization, and

where you fit
 Review the job description
 Anticipate the questions
 Research and set your salary range
 Prepare questions to ask the interviewer
 Practice, practice, practice
 The Three Ps: Practice

 Practice! Practice!! Practice!!!

 Contact SI Career Services for a mock
interview and/or…
 Contact the UM Career Center for a mock
interview or an Interview Stream
 Practice with friends, in front of a mirror, in
your car, or write out answers to anticipated
questions
Take Aim As You Practice

 Be concise
 Strive for poise
 Be clear
 Be specific
– Use examples
– Tell stories
At The Interview

 The Introduction
 The Interviewer Background
 The Discussion
 Ask Questions
 The Close
The Three Ps: Perform

 Be alert, friendly, and  Be honest

courteous  Send the right
 Maintain good eye behavioral signals
contact  Communicate carefully
 Be positive about yourself  Participate, don’t
dominate
 Be confident, but not  Be enthusiastic
cocky
 Sell yourself and your
 Act natural and be strengths
yourself
The Three Ps: Perform

 Be conscious of your personal grooming

– Your goal is to look professional!
– Your goal is not to look trendy or hip
 Business Attire vs. Business Casual
– Know the organization’s culture
 Arrive on time – or ten minutes early
 Bring two copies of your resume and other applicable
information
 Make a good first impression
 Make a good last impression
 Don’t let them doubt your interest in the position
Decisions are made early!

 Usually within the first 5 minutes!

You must IMMEDIATELY convey confidence
(attire, handshake, eye contact, body
language is important!)

START STRONG, END STRONG!

After the Interview

 Relax, but learn from the experience

 Keep a log
 Send a Thank You note
– E-mail is acceptable
– Written note stands out!
– Professional vs. personality
 Stay in pursuit - follow up with the recruiter
 Be patient
 Don’t wait too long
Interview Questions

 The questions are about you, so don’t get caught up

with stories about other people or extraneous details
 You are the expert on yourself
 Open-ended beginnings are your opportunity
 There is a perfect answer to the salary question
 Be ready for inappropriate questions
 Technical questions might arise
– Know your resources for determining these ahead of time
 Prepare a few questions of your own
Types of Interview Questions

 Tell Me About Yourself (a.k.a. Resume Screen)

 Why haven’t you…? (a.k.a. “High Stress”)
 What have you done..? (a.k.a. Behavioral Interviewing)
 What would you do? (a.k.a. Case/Simulation)
 What the #@!*& ….? (a.k.a. Abstract)

What interview situations have you been in?

What strange or hard questions have you been asked in

an interview?
Typical Interview Questions

 Tell me about yourself

 Why are interested in this position/ organization?
 What attracted you to this field?
 Tell me about your work experience
 What qualifies you for this position?
 What are you strengths? What is your greatest
weakness?
 Where do you see yourself in five, ten years?
Preparation Homework!

 Write out detailed answers to these typical

questions.
 Review and practice saying them.
 You’re on your way to getting that job offer!
Behavioral Interviewing

 Past behavior is an indicator of future behavior

 How can you identify if you’ve been asked a
behavioral question?
– It asks for a specific example of something that has already
happened to you
– Often starts with, “Tell me about a time when…”
 What is the interviewer looking for in my response?
– You can answer this question yourself – this is part of your
preparation
Behavioral Interviewing:
Core competencies that employers want to
see evidence of:

 Decision making  Critical thinking

and problem solving  Team building
 Leadership  Ability to influence
 Motivation others
 Communication  Interpersonal skills
 Planning and
Organization
Behavioral Interviewing
Shooting for the STAR

S = Situation T = Task

A = Action R = Results
Dissecting the Behavioral Question

 Give me an  Tell me about a

example of when recent situation in
you showed which you had to
initiative and took deal with a very
the lead. upset customer or
co-worker.
What skills or experiences is the
interviewer trying to extract from you
when they ask you these two questions?
Time to Practice

 With a partner, answer the interview question

that was provided to you
 Critique each other’s answers
– Did they use the STAR approach?
– Were they thorough, confident, and enthusiastic?
 Who had a partner that did a great job?
 What skills/competencies do you think your
question was getting at?
Examples of Behavioral Questions
 Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince
someone to see things your way.
 Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a
problem.
 Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
 Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did
not agree.
 Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.
 Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job
done.
 Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize
your tasks.
 Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that
individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
 Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
 Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.
 Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
 Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-
worker.
 Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem.
 Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
Preparation Homework

 Identify 3-4 good examples of experiences

that highlight some of these competencies.
 Write them out using the STAR technique.
 Practice them before any interview.
 Take the handout to the interview-- It’s a
good way to show the interviewer how well
prepared you are!
Bizarre Interview Questions

 What is the height of the Empire State Building as

measured by a stack of quarters? Now, what is the
dollar value of those quarters?
 Why are beer or soda cans tapered at the top and
bottom?
 Why do mirrors reverse right and left instead of up
and down?
– HINT– interviewers aren’t looking for the right answer, but
rather your thought process, problem solving, analytical skills
and creativity!
Inappropriate Interview Questions
 What is your personality
type?
 When is your birthday?
 Are you married?
 Do you have children?
 What is your religion?
 Are you a US citizen?
 Your Options:
– Answer the question
– Answer the "intent" of the
question
– Try to change the topic or
ask for a new question or
move on.
 If you don’t answer the
question, you might not get
the job…
 Most interviewers do not
discriminate intentionally,
but are ignorant of the law
Different Types of Interviews

 Group interviews
 Phone interviews
 Videoconference interviews
 Behavioral interviews
 Case-study interviews
 Second/on-site interviews
QUESTIONS?