After you get an employer’s attention with your résumé and cover letter, the next step is an interview. Interviews may be conducted in person, over the phone, or via video chat. Some firms conduct several rounds of interviews, while others speak with applicants just once before making an offer. No matter the process, the employer’s goal in interviews is to learn more about you and your qualifications, assess your interpersonal skills, and evaluate your fit with the job and organization.
Prepare for an Interview
To prepare for your interview, review the job description for the position you applied for, and do some research on the larger company itself. Does the organization have prominent competitors or established partnerships with other firms that you should know about? Are there trends and recent news related to that industry that you should be aware of? This level of research prepares you to speak from an informed position and signals to the employer that you’re serious about joining their team. Interviewers may even ask directly what you know about their organization, in which case you’ll be glad you did background research.
It’s also helpful to prepare responses for commonly asked interview questions. Be ready to walk the interviewer through your résumé and to tackle open-ended questions like “What can you tell me about yourself?” You should also reflect on your personal strengths and areas for growth as an employee. (We’ve discussed the value of self-awareness throughout the text — here’s another application!) You may also be asked to explain why you’re interested in the position, why you believe you’re a good fit for the job, and how this position fits into your larger career goals.
As you prepare, you’ll want to develop a sense of what you plan to say without memorizing responses that make you sound too rehearsed. Try practicing with a friend or arranging a mock interview if offered by your college career services office.
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Be Ready for Behavioral Interview Questions
In addition to standard interview questions, you may also be asked behavioral questions. Behavioral interview questions are designed to reveal information about how you act and react in certain types of situations. These questions usually begin with a phrase like “tell me about a time when …” and the interviewer will then ask you to focus on the details of a past experience. For example, you might be asked to discuss a time you tackled a large, open-ended project, or to describe how you handled a conflict with a classmate or coworker. The logic behind this type of interview question is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. In learning how you’ve handled challenging situations in the past, the interviewer will draw conclusions about how you’d conduct yourself as an employee in his or her organization.
Behavioral Interview Questions: Specific interview questions designed to reveal information about how you act and react in certain situations.
For this reason, you’ll want to choose your examples carefully! Behavioral interview questions are often more difficult to anticipate and prepare for than the more standard interview questions, so it’s wise to take a few seconds to think about potential responses and consider which will show you in the best light. Employers know that behavioral questions can require a bit of thought, and the interviewer will likely appreciate that you’re taking the process seriously.
Once you’ve identified the example you’d like to share, it’s important to tell the story in a clear way. The STAR approach — Situation, Task, Action, Result — is a great structure to use when answering behavioral questions.1 After sharing the who, what, when, and where of the story (the situation), summarize the objective that you were aiming to accomplish (the task). Then provide a step-by-step description of how you proceeded (the action), and comment on the outcome (the result). The interviewer may ask follow-up questions during or after your story in order to thoroughly understand your thought process and actions.
Master Interview Etiquette
As important as your responses to interview questions will be, employers will also consider how you present yourself and draw conclusions about your interpersonal skills and level of professionalism. Be mindful of your dress and grooming, and err on the side of formality if you’re unsure about the organization’s dress code. On the day of the interview, aim to arrive a bit early and be sure to behave courteously toward the support staff and other people you meet in the building. Hiring managers sometimes seek input from reception staff as they evaluate candidates, and may even test job applicants by asking employees to pose as fellow job seekers in the waiting area.
After the interview, it’s customary to send a thank-you note to your interviewers. Handwritten notes are a nice touch, but e-mail is also an acceptable — and more timely — medium. In your note, thank the interviewer for his or her time, summarize what you learned during the interview about the organization and how you might fit in there, and reiterate your excitement about the position. Aim to send your thank-you note within twenty-four hours of your interview.
Typically, interviewers will let you know what their time line is for making decisions. If the interviewer says she will make a decision in two weeks, for example, expect to hear from her then and don’t take further action after you send your thank-you note. But delays can happen, so if you haven’t heard from the interviewer within the time specified, it’s appropriate to reach out and ask about the status of your application. Not only does this provide you with peace of mind, it also signals your ongoing interest in the opportunity.
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Know Your References
At some point in the hiring process (possibly during the interview) you’ll be asked to provide the contact information for two or three references: people who are familiar with your skills and work ethic who will vouch for you. No matter how great an impression you make, employers will want to speak with people who can weigh in on your character and abilities before they make a job offer. This is just one reason why it’s valuable to cultivate strong relationships with your instructors and to stay on good terms with past employers. The stronger an impression you make, the more enthusiastically these contacts will recommend you to prospective employers! Note that while most professors and supervisors will readily agree to serve as references, be sure to ask permission before passing their contact information along to potential employers.
Once you receive permission from two or three references, print out their name, title, company name, company address, work phone number, work fax number, and e-mail address on a piece of paper that you could hand to an interviewer. Be sure to place your name, centered, at the top of the page and a title such as “List of References.” That way, if the interviewer asks for a list of references, you’ll have your document ready to go.
After your interview, contact your references and let them know what position you interviewed for and what company you interviewed with. This gives your references a heads-up to expect a call, and gives them time to gather their thoughts about what a strong employee you would make.
In this appendix, we’ve worked to provide you with guidance in your career search, but always keep in mind that many other resources exist — within and outside of your school — to help you with these tasks. We encourage you to seek out these resources and use your personal and professional networks to support you in your transition from school to work.
Although the job search can be stressful, this course and this book have helped you develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills you need to successfully navigate this process. Remember to reflect on what you’ve learned this term about your interests, values, and skills and how you’d like to use them in a career. And take responsibility for your future by looking for a job proactively.
Good luck to you in the job search process. We wish you all the best in making your dreams a reality!