Interview Strategies

What to expect from an interview?

Although interviews can feel intimidating, they are an opportunity to apply and practice professional communication skills. Unlike in the written part of a job/graduate program application, in an interview the candidate has an opportunity to elaborate on why they are the best fit for the job by sharing their past experiences, qualifications, and values throughout the conversation. Interviews can be held in a few different ways, a few examples being:

In person, phone, or video conference interview
One-on-one, panel, group interview
Multiple Mini Interview (used for professional graduate programs for medicine, veterinarian, physical therapy, etc.)
Pre-recorded videos (in which you are responding to a digital prompt and recording your answers)

It is standard for the employer to inform you what to expect in your interview. The type of interview may influence your preparation focus and strategy.

2. Preparing for an Interview

2.1 Preparing Logistics

Despite some differences in types of interview, there are some components of preparing for an interview that will likely stay the same. Here are some logistics to keep in mind:

Confirm date and time in calendar, as well as location and format.
If it is a virtual interview, download and test out the required platform. Test it out with a friend or family member to receive feedback on your audio, background, and lighting.
Prepare references, virtual portfolio, or any other requested documents.
In addition to reflecting on your experiences (see 2.2), prepare questions that you will ask at the end of the interview. Additionally, prepare what you will say if you are asked about your pay expectations. (Websites like PayScale, Glassdoor, ALIS and other job postings can inform your answer).
Even if you have a virtual interview, dress professionally. Wear clothes that will make you feel confident and professional.
For phone or video calls, inform those you live with about the time of your interview and, if possible, ask them to minimize any noise during the interview.

Identify your Value Proposition.pdf

2.2 Research, Self-Reflection, & Finding your "Platform"

Research: Prior to your interview, it can be helpful to research the company in order to determine the employer's priorities. Here are some tools to learning more about the company/position to which you have applied:

Job Posting: Ideally, you would have saved a copy of the job posting prior to it being taken down. If you do have it, review the description of the job and the requirements for the position. Which skills and experiences are being emphasized? What are the top responsibilities of this job? Try to get a sense of the employer's tone - it might help you prepare your expectation for the tone of the interview as well.

Website: The company website may have helpful information. Review their services provided, but focus on the 'About Us' section. Who leads this company? Was is their Value/Mission Statement? Do they emphasize any key characteristics or values?

Networking: Do you know anybody at this organization? What was their interview process like?

Other: What public projects are they involved in?

Self-Reflection: Once you have researched the company and job, take a step back to reflect on your own experiences, skills, values, and qualifications that make you a strong candidate for this job. Your interview is a chance to showcase who you are and elaborate on what you have done, in order to further demonstrate what you can do. This means that you need to come to your interview prepared to share past experiences that demonstrate your skills and abilities.

Platform: Through your research of the company and self-reflection, you will likely start to have some ideas about which experiences demonstrate your skills best. In order to help you organize and prioritize your experiences, I recommend building a 'platform' for yourself - just like you would in an election. Select 3 - 5 key skills, experiences, values, characteristics, qualifications, etc. that demonstrate why you are the best candidate for this job.

2.3. Identify "STAR" Examples

However, only identifying these 3-5 points isn't enough. In order to be well prepared for your interview, identify specific examples that support your platform.

For example: Over two years experience in customer service, which demonstrates my interpersonal, communication, and problem solving skills.

Situation: Worked as a customer service representative at the City of Edmonton and helped clients check into the recreation facility, buy passes, and sell bus tickets. Once, there was a customer with a complaint about the facility pricing.
Task: I had a long line of guests waiting to enter the facilities, but I also wanted the guest to feel heard.
Action: I listened to the client's concerns, and did my best to validate their concern and frustration. I asked them to kindly wait for one moment and called my coworker using the radio. I asked them for assistance and the front desk, and then was able to turn my full attention to the guest with the complaint. I explained to him the reasons behind the pricing, and showed him on the website where he could get cheaper pass options. I also noted down the free-entry days available.
Results: Although he still wasn't pleased about the pricing, he had a print-out of other options and thanked me for my time. The other guests in line appreciated that I had called my co-worker so they didn't need to wait as long. This experience demonstrates my problem-solving and communication skills, which I would apply to this role to work with stakeholders when they have concerns.

The example above uses the STAR model. This is a recommended format to use in response to behavioural or hypothetical questions. For example, "Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a conflict in your workplace?" or "How would you handle receiving constructive feedback from a co-worker?". The STAR model can help organize your storytelling in an interview.

If you reflect and practice a STAR response for each point in your platform, you will have several examples to draw on in your interview. This can help you face unexpected questions, because you will have already identified the top experiences you want to share with the interviews. Another framework that you could use is CARL (Context, Action, Results, Learning). It is essentially the same as STAR, just a slightly different approach. Try both and see which works best for you.

If you would like to learn more about the STAR model before moving on to practice questions, see the links below:

Doyle, Alison. "How to Use the STAR Interview Response Method" Balance Careers (March 6, 2020)
University of Edinburgh. "The CARL framework of reflection".

3. During the Interview

Pause: Even if you prepared your platform and practiced interview questions, you may still get asked a question that you might not expect. It is acceptable to take a quick pause to reflect on your answer or have a sip of water. They do not expect you to be perfect - so if you make a mistake or feel flustered, take a breath, have a sip of water, and keep going.

Troubleshoot: In virtual interviews, sometimes there are technical or environmental factors outside of your control. If you notice any background noises that they may hear, simply acknowledge it and continue the interview. For example, "I apologize, you may hear my neighbour's dog in the background. Can you still hear me alright?" It is likely that the interviewers have experienced working from home as well, and should understand.

Timeline: At the end of your interview, I recommend asking when you can expect to hear from them. It will likely be helpful to know if they will call/email you even if you don't get the job, and having an awareness of their timeline may help reduce stress and anxiety.

Negotiation: Lastly, please keep in mind that negotiating the pay/benefits/etc. should be reserved until you receive a job offer. If they ask you your pay expectations, you can state it honestly with a bit of information about why you selected that pay range, but the interview is not the appropriate time to negotiate unless they officially offer you the job.

4. After the Interview

Send a thank you email to the interviewers after your interview. Rather than sending a generic thank you, I recommend adding details about why you enjoyed the conversation and what you learned. This can give a positive impression that may influence the outcome of the competition.

Take some time after the interview to reflect on the experience. What did you do well? Were there any questions you didn't expect? What would you do differently to prepare next time? No matter how the interview went, it is an opportunity to learn to do even better in your next interview.

After reflecting, celebrate! You made it through a stressful experience - treat yourself to a reward and take pride in your accomplishment.

Interview Logistics Overview.mp4

Interview Logistics Overview

Interview Preparation Overview.mp4