Reviewing your past interviewing behaviors can help you identify where you have excelled and where you need to improve. Using the following five-point questionnaire, evaluate your behaviors in one or more past job interviews: 5 = always; 4 = most of the time; 3 = sometimes; 2 = almost never; and 1= don’t know how to do this. Then total your score after completing the questionnaire and see where you fit in.
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1. I dress appropriately for the interview. |
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2. I bring a copy of my résumé and a list of references or other relevant material. |
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3. I prepare sample answers to questions I am likely to be asked. |
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4. I bring notepad and pen but leave electronic devices outside or off and put away. |
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5. I greet and make eye contact with the receptionist. |
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6. If I need to wait, I sit quietly and patiently (without taking or making phone calls). |
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7. I do not chew gum or candy, nor (if I smoke) do I have cigarettes visible. |
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8. I make eye contact with the interviewer initially and for a few seconds at a time thereafter. |
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9. I firmly shake the interviewer’s hand. |
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10. I smile and nod appropriately when the interviewer is talking. |
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11. I speak loud enough to be heard and keep an even tone to my speech. |
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12. I sit upright (not stiffly) and lean slightly forward without crossing my legs. |
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13. I listen carefully to the interviewer and do not interrupt. |
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14. I avoid frowning and other negative facial expressions. |
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15. I answer questions thoroughly. |
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16. I speak clearly, avoiding slang. |
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17. I check to be sure the interviewer has understood my answer. |
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18. I illustrate my answers with specific examples of how I accomplished tasks or managed situations. |
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19. If asked, I provide specific examples of the work environment that make me most productive and happy. |
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20. When leaving the interview, I smile, shake hands, and thank the interviewer for meeting with me. |
Your score: out of 100
You probably feel a lot of anxiety as you approach an interview. Work to reduce that anxiety by researching the organization, getting help with your résumé, asking for advice from reputable sources, and conducting mock interviews in which you practice answering behavioral questions with confidence and ease.
You have some strengths in job interviewing but could improve if you spent more time preparing by researching the organization and adapting your verbal and nonverbal behaviors to the situation.
You are likely to make favorable impressions in job interviews by adapting to the situation, preparing yourself and your materials, and monitoring your verbal and nonverbal behavior appropriately throughout the interview.