FIGURE A.4 TIPS FOR PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEWING SUCCESS

Dr. Kelly Morrison is Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She offers the following practical tips for success in an initial employment selection interview, based on her background in sales and years of preparing students for interviews:

KNOW AND PITCH YOURSELF

Know and be able to discuss your top three professional qualities. Many interviews open with “Tell me about yourself and why you’re right for this job.” Respond to these questions with your top three traits; for example, “I’m right for this job because I’m conscientious, hardworking, and creative…”

BACK IT UP

Be prepared to back up every claim you make about yourself with specific examples—that is, examples that detail particular events reflecting the traits you’ve described. If you claim “leadership ability,” provide an example of your leadership—“I’ve been the president of several student organizations, for instance…”

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Do your homework on the position, the company, and the industry. It is not uncommon for the interviewer to ask you, “Who is our chief competitor? Who is our CEO?” The internet is your best friend; research the company, competition, and industry ahead of time. This preparation may be the edge that sets you apart from others.

KNOW YOUR ROI

It costs companies time to recruit, interview, and train their workforce. With this in mind, you want to communicate your return-on-investment (ROI). The question to be prepared for is, “Why should I hire you instead of another candidate?” If you are interviewing on campus, the other candidates may have your major, your GPA, and similar student organization experiences. What, then, separates you? Be ready to answer this question with personal skill sets that you bring to the table that make you a more valuable investment than others.

BE PREPARED

Standard interview questions include “Why do you want this job?” and “What is your biggest weakness?” These questions probe your motives and whether or not you are self-reflective. Answer the first question in a way that demonstrates your desire to benefit the company, and in discussing your “weaknesses,” be honest. Feel free to discuss weaknesses that you have since overcome or are cognizant of—for instance, “Sometimes I work too hard” or “I am too competitive.”

Be ready for off-topic questions testing your ability to think on your feet. Questions of this type include “If you were a tree/animal/piece of furniture, what kind would you be?” and “What’s your favorite book?”

Also be ready to ask the interviewer at least three questions. My favorite is, “What qualities do you think are most important for success in this job?” This is important for two reasons. First, if the qualities described are not ones that you currently possess, or care to possess, you may rethink whether or not you want to work for this company. Second, if you want the job but haven’t yet described a quality that they list, you still have time to work it into the interview before it is over. Other useful questions include “Why is this position available?” “What is a typical day like?” and “Who will be training me for this position?”

CLOSE STRONG

A close consists of four things: thanking them for their time and information, reiterating why you are the best choice for the position, asking for the job, and confirming follow-up contact. Here is an example close: “Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me today. I really appreciate your insight/candor/time…I believe I am the ideal candidate for this position because I have the qualities that you are looking for…We talked about the importance of leadership and initiative and my experience in these areas. Additionally I have a background in ________ (fill in the blank with a quality and example that you have not yet identified). I would like to work for your company, and I want this position. When will you be making a decision? (Listen to what they say here. They may say something like, “Well, we are just at the beginning of the process…”). DO NOT say something like, “Hope to hear from you soon.” Instead, take control of the timeline by saying something like, “May I contact you in two weeks to see where you are in the process?”