Interviewing
What is the Purpose of Interviews?
The purpose of an interview is twofold: It shows the employer/program what you can bring to the organization, and it gives you an opportunity to assess whether your qualifications and career ambitions align with the organization.
Interview Formats
One-on-One: One Interviewer
Screening: Before inviting you to interview, an employer may screen you via phone or video (Zoom, etc.). The interviewer asks pre-qualifying questions to determine if you should advance to an in-person interview.
Panel: Two or more interviewers. Be sure to make eye contact with each panelists as you answer each question.
NOTE: Eye contact can be anxiety inducing. Some tips for making eye contact are below.
Group: You are interviewed with a group of other candidates. Often used to evaluate your teamwork skills and how you operate in a group setting.
Case: Used to evaluate your thought process. You are given a complex problem and are asked to formulate a solution under tight time constraints.
Presentation: Evaluates your public speaking and communication skills. Practice to ensure you stay within the time frame allocated.
Day-Long (or more): Over the course of one or more days, candidates participate in multiple interview segments with different interviewers and varying formats. May include interviews over a meal. Be sure to remain professional and utilize proper dining etiquette. Make sure you are rested and energized to last all day. Especially if you are introverted, use the breaks to sit quietly by yourself and recharge.
Interviewing Examples
InterviewQs_GRAD_website.docxGrad School & Internships
Example questions and tips for grad school and internship interviews.
InterviewQs_MED_website.docxMedical School
Example questions and tips for medical school interviews; though can be adapted for other fields that emphasize clinical care.
InterviewQs_JOB_website.docxJob Search
Example questions and tips for job interviews.
Tips to a Successful Interview
Before the Interview
Do Your Research: Candidates who know employer's business and the requirement of the position are most likely to make it to the next round of interviews. Research will help you prepare appropriate points to emphasize and questions to ask. Study the job posting carefully. Come up with examples of how you have demonstrated the skills and qualifications they are seeking through your past experiences.
Showcase Yourself: Be prepared to introduce yourself and give an overview of your relevant past experiences in about 2-3 minutes. Brainstorm your past accomplishments and challenging situations. Know your strengths and how you can relate them to the position. Additionally, know one of your primary weaknesses and how you are managing.
Practice: Once you have brainstormed talking points, practice your answers to common questions aloud. Sometimes our thoughts don't come across as we intended when we speak out loud. Try to schedule a mock interview with the Portland State University Career Center (or the career center at your institution). It also helps to practice with family and friends.
Prepare Questions for Interviewers: Usually an interview will conclude with the interviewer asking if you have any questions. Be prepared with thoughtful questions in order to demonstrate your preparedness, interest in the position/program; and to help you determine whether the position/program is right for you.
Interview Day
Manage Your Time: Prepare in advance so you can relax the night prior to the interview and get plenty of sleep. Give yourself more time than you think you need to get to your interview. You never know how traffic and parking can disrupt your plans. Check-in at the reception desk 10-15 minutes early. For online interviews, try the meeting software before the interview on the machine you'll be using. Check your internet connection and audio that day. Make sure you are in a quiet, not-distracting place for the interview.
Communicate Effectively: Below are some tips that will help ensure that you are demonstrating politeness, confidence in yourself, and enthusiasm for the position:
Follow the interviewer's lead.
Answer questions fully and concisely (2-3 minutes).
Speak in a relaxed, conversational style while maintaining professionalism.
Check your tone and rate of speech.
Avoid verbal fillers such as "like, um, and you know".
After the Interview
Evaluate the Interview: Take the time to reflect on the interview. Write down any interview questions you can remember, notes of what you learned, key facts, and the interviewers' names. You will be able to use these items to help prepare you if you get a second interview and for writing the thank you emails.
Send Thank You Email: Always send a thank you email to each person on the interview committee within 24 hours of each interview. It is a professional curtesy that demonstrates your enthusiasm and appreciation for the opportunity to interview.
Thank the interview for their time and interest in meeting with you and explaining the position.
Reiterate the skills you will bring to the organization.
Try to refer to something specific you discussed in the interview to remind them of the conversation.
Express your interest in the position.
Tips for Making Eye Contact
Eye contact anxiety can interfere with everyday social interactions (especially during interviews). By the same token, the ability to maintain good eye contact is an important aspect of social interaction. People who look others in the eye are perceived as friendly and welcoming. However, many shy and socially anxious people have difficulty with this part of communication.
Here are some tips for making eye contact:
Establish Eye Contact at the Start. Make eye contact before you start talking to someone.
Use the 50/70 Rule. Maintain eye contact 50% of the time when speaking and 70% when listening.
Look for 4-5 Seconds. Hold eye contact for about four to five seconds at a time, or about as much time as it takes you to register the color of their eyes. When you break eye contact, glance to the side before resuming your gaze.
Look Away Slowly. When you look away, do it slowly. Looking away too quickly (darting your eyes) can make you appear nervous or shy.
Use the Triangle Technique: Rather than looking away or looking down, you can also look at another spot on their face. Imagine an inverted triangle connecting their eyes and mouth. Every five seconds, rotate which point of the triangle you are looking at.
Make a Gesture: Break your gaze to make a gesture or to nod, as this appears more naturally than looking away because you've grown uncomfortable with the amount of eye contact.
Look Near the Eyes: If looking someone directly in the eyes is too stressful, instead look at a spot on their nose, mouth, or chin.
To make eye contact online, look at the camera, not the screen.
Preparing for a Virtual Interview
Test Your Technology: Test your technology to ensure that you are set up for success. Check your internet connectivity, and confirm your camera and microphone are working. Make sure you have the correct virtual meeting software downloaded a few days before your interview.
Keep Your Virtual Identity Professional: We are not talking about your social media accounts here. We are talking about your email address and your virtual video usernames. Make sure that your virtual video username is your first and last name. Most of the time before the start of the interview you will be put in a virtual waiting room. If your username is not your first and last name, sometimes the meeting host (interviewer) might not know that it is actually you.
Create a Set: The color of your backdrop can help determine what to wear for a virtual interview. If possible, sit in front of a blank background, so that you remain the focal point. Check your lighting. If possible, sit near a window because it is the best way not to appear washed out.
Monitor Your Body Language: Convey confidence through your body language. Sit up straight, smile, and keep the camera at eye level to avoid looking up or down.
Rid Yourself of Distractions: Virtual interviews come with a lot of distractions you wouldn't normally have to deal with when you travel into an employer's office. Be sure to do what you can to eliminate these potential interruptions on your end prior to beginning the video call. Turn off the TV, silence your cell phone, and close the window to muffle any outside noise. Try and find a quite place in your home.