Alumni Career Services: Interviewing
Interviewing
Once you have been selected for an interview, you’ll want to start preparing right away. Spend some time reviewing frequently asked questions, thoroughly research the company, and be prepared to talk about your relevant accomplishments. Remember to use Alumni Career Services as your go-to resource as you prepare for your upcoming interview – we’re here to help!
Accepting the Interview
- Acknowledge or decline an invitation to visit an employer within 24 hours of receiving the invitation.
- You should only accept an invitation if you are genuinely interested in the position and have not accepted another job offer.
- Be sure to have a voicemail message that is clear and professional, should you miss an expected call from an employer.
Before the Interview
- Schedule a mock interview with your career consultant.
- Obtain the interviewer’s name and title.
- Confirm the time, date, and location/platform of the interview.
- Research the position and organization thoroughly (see our "Researching Employers" page).
- Identify your skills and experiences that relate to the job.
- Review common questions and practice answering them out loud.
- Understand the four main types of interview questions, and how to prepare for them (see our "Sample Interview Questions" page).
- Prepare 3-5 questions to ask the interviewer.
- Plan what to wear (see our "How to Dress for Success" page).
During the Interview
- Time your arrival to 10-15 minutes before the interview start time and have printed copies of your resume.
- Relax, be yourself, and be positive. Be aware of your posture, eye contact, and body language.
- Listen closely to questions and be concise in your answers while giving concrete examples.
- Clarify the hiring timeline to inform when you should hear back from the interviewer.
- Collect business cards, or at least the name and title, from everyone you meet.
After the Interview
- Write a 'thank you' email to the interviewer(s) and review the email for spelling or grammatical errors (see our "Tailored Job Search Materials" page).
- Follow up with the employer to determine your application's status if the employer has not contacted you within the stated time frame.
- In follow-up, express your interest in the position and make it known why you are the ideal candidate.
- Continue to apply to other roles and network with employers until you have accepted an offer.
Types of Interviews
Gains basic information about an applicant’s background, interests, skills, and reasons for applying.
Based on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior on the job. Questions are situation-based and often start with, “Tell me about a time when...”
Presents the interviewee with a problem to solve. Getting the correct answer is not as important as your analysis of the problem.
Presents the interviewee with a scenario to solve. The interviewer will pose a hypothetical situation and ask the interviewee how to resolve it.
Interview Presentations
STEP ONE: Be sure that you understand the parameters of the presentation and completely adhere to them.
STEP TWO: Find out who your audience will be so that you can cater your content to that audience.
STEP THREE: Choose technology that you are familiar with so that you’re comfortable using it on the day of your interview.
STEP FOUR: Allow plenty of time to practice so that you’re confident in your delivery.
STEP FIVE: Be flexible – adaptability is important in any job, so you may have an opportunity to demonstrate that trait in your interview presentation.