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Get ready...before you get the call
Get ready...before you get the call
Because job interviews are like no other conversation you'll ever have, the key to success is preparation.
How do you know if you're ready? Read this page to learn more.
PRO TIP:
Don't underestimate the time needed to prepare for interviews.
To prepare, make sure you:
COLLECT YOUR DOCUMENTS
Create your resume (click here for ECC's resume site)
Your history (e.g., dates, locations, supervisor names, schools, etc.)
Reference list (separate from resume, with permission of people)
Portfolio materials (e.g., work/academic samples)
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Understand the job requirements thoroughly (and how you meet them)
Know your audience: Learn about the company, their industry, mission, products and services, competitors, etc., and prepare your questions
Visit the company website; search people on LinkedIn; use research sites (keep scrolling down this page to learn more)
CRAFT YOUR IMAGE
Select your interview attire (see details in presentation section here)
Remove your digital dirt (Google yourself--what do you find? Make sure you have a positive online brand by creating a LinkedIn account and making all personal social media private)
Create a professional voicemail message and email signature line
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
Create your interview accomplishment stories--learn more here
Schedule a mock interview with your Career Development Specialist
Practice answers to interview questions out loud with people you trust to give you honest feedback, or even out loud by yourself in a recording (or in front of a mirror)
Understand common types of interviews
Understand common types of interviews
ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS
Traditional face-to-face interview where you meet with one person, often the hiring manager (your future boss), but can also be co-workers and others.
Things to consider:
Map out location/drive time
Bring resume copies
Get there early to prepare
PANEL INTERVIEWS
In person (or video) interviews where you meet with multiple people simultaneously, including hiring manager, co-workers, or other people in the company.
Things to consider:
Make eye contact with all
Get email from all to follow up
Remember their names
PHONE INTERVIEWS
Conducted over the phone, usually with one other person. Can be in place of a face-to-face first interview, but is often used by Human Resources (HR) to prescreen you.
Things to consider:
Have notes in front of you
Pause for others to jump in
Check in: Should I say more?
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
Can be one-on-one or panel via multiple platforms like Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams. (See "The Interview Process" below for one-way video screens.)
Things to consider:
Check your tech ahead of time
No distractions, quiet space
Dress well; good background, lighting
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.pdfThe Interview Process
The Interview Process
Learn more about what to expect
Understand types of interview questions
Understand types of interview questions
OPEN ENDED
EXAMPLES: Tell me about yourself? What motivates you?
Employers can get a better sense of you and what you think is important by giving you freedom to respond. Can you clearly and succinctly communicate your message?
SELF ASSESSMENT
EXAMPLES: What's your weakness? What makes you best candidate?
Designed to see if you are aware of your own self: your abilities, strengths, challenges and value, and if you are able to positively communicate these to your future employer.
BEHAVIORAL
EXAMPLE: Tell me about a time when you achieved a goal
These questions, such as "give me an example of..." require you to give employers specific, concrete examples of what you've done in the past, so they can see what you'll do for them.
NEGATIVE
EXAMPLES: How do you handle failure? What upsets you?
Employers use these questions to look for red flags. They want to see if you can talk positively even about negative situations. Will you give them a reason to disqualify you?
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Glassdoor is a job search site where job seekers post real questions they are asked in interviews. Here are the top 50 most popular questions overall.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
This is a good article that has tips on how to answer the most common questions.
Do your research
Do your research
Research helps you prepare in many ways. Not everything you find needs to be shared with your interviewers, but all of it will help you craft your questions, build connections, and feel more confident. When you do share what you found, employers will be impressed that you did your homework!
Research the
Research the
Position
Position
Read the job ad thoroughly multiple times.
How is this similar/different than roles at other companies?
Know how your skills/experiences relate and think about which stories to potentially tell.
Create a list of questions you want to learn more about that's not in the description.
Research the
Research the
People
People
Ask for names/titles of all the people interviewing you.
Look them up on LinkedIn to see their background so you are prepared. Click here to go to ECC's LinkedIn Site to learn more.
Your knowledge of them will help you even if you don't share it. However, you might say something like, I saw on LinkedIn that you... in order to ask a better question.
Research the
Research the
Company & Industry
Company & Industry
Learn about the company's services, products, mission, earnings, challenges, competitors, industry trends, etc.
Can help you answer the question: Why do you want to work here?
Google the company, review their website, and use research sites like Glassdoor.com, which might even tell you about questions they ask on interviews.
Prepare your own questions!
Prepare your own questions!
One of the most powerful ways to show interest is through the questions you ask during the interview, particularly at the end.
What will you say when your interviewer asks you: Do you have any questions for us?
If you don't have questions that you've prepared, this alone could cost you the job. Employers will think you just don't care.
The questions aren't just for you.
Asking good questions will help you get a job offer by showing you are interested, motivated, thoughtful and prepared!
QUESTION EXAMPLES:
What qualities are you looking for in this position (then, as with all questions, continue the conversation, and show how you are a fit!)
What does a typical work day/week consist of?
How would you describe your company culture?
Why did you choose to work for this company?
How do you evaluate success here?
What will my first priorities be in this role?
I noticed from researching X that… I was wondering about Y (use your research to develop questions, which further shows you dedication to the role)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: This article from the job board indeed.com has more ideas of questions you might want to ask and why.
TIPS FOR CRAFTING YOUR QUESTIONS:
It’s okay to write questions down beforehand and pull out your notes.
The goal of your questions is to get the job offer by showing you've done your homework.
Asking 2-3 questions is appropriate in most cases, but prepare more than you need and prioritize them.
Respect the clock and your interviewer. You can always ask more questions after you get a job offer.
Ask intelligent questions that show you care and are motivated to do the job.
Remember, you want to impress the employer with your company research, so don’t ask questions you could have researched yourself, should already know the answer to, or have already been answered.
Questions NOT to ask
Questions NOT to ask
Do NOT ask questions about salary, benefits, sick policy, hours, dress code, etc.
While these questions are certainly important, asking them on an interview can give the employer the impression that you care more about pay and are not really motivated to do the job.
During the interview process, your mission is to get the job offer. After you do that, then you can decide if the job is right for you or not. It is at this time that you can also negotiate your salary if it's not enough for you. BUT you need to get the job offer first.
Practice! But...practice what?
Practice! But...practice what?
Practice telling your stories!
Practice telling your stories!
IMPORTANT! The single most important thing you can do to prepare for your future interviews is to create a "book" of stories for yourself. If you take the time to do this, you will be ready for almost anything the employer will throw at you!
So, how do you do that? It's called the CAR technique, and the next section will show you a simple method for you to master this technique.
ARE YOU READY TO LEARN THE CAR TECHNIQUE? CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR BOOK OF STORIES.
Schedule a mock interview today
Schedule a mock interview today
Contact Career Development Services at:
Contact Career Development Services at:
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