How to Ace the Interview
The ideal interview is a
strategic and well-orchestrated conversation. Your job as the
candidate is to (1) clearly communicate the unique combination of
skills and experiences that qualify you to do the job or perform in
the graduate program of your choice and (2) determine if the
organization is a good fit for your interests and goals.
The graduate school or employer's
job is to determine whether (1) you have the skills to succeed in the
position, (2) you are a good match for the culture of the
organization, and (3) you have a clear understanding of what you are
getting yourself into.
How do I prepare? The good
news is that you began the process when you chose Muhlenberg College;
a liberal arts college whose mission includes helping you learn to
think and communicate clearly. The skills that are at the hub of the
liberal arts experience are the same skills needed to interview well.
If you can think about your experiences in terms of how you are
different and what skills you have gained, you can match them to the
positions you are seeking.
The interview process:
Step 1: Research, Research,
Research
• Know Yourself - What are
you good at? What do you enjoy? What are your values? What skills do
you enjoy using? What kind of person are you?
• Know the Organization -
What makes them unique in their field? What do they
make/do/sell/teach?
• Know the Position - What
would you be doing? How does this position fit into the
organization's mission?
Tip: Keep this information
next to the phone so you will not have to rely on your memory if you
receive a phone call from the employer.
This step takes considerable time
and effort. Don't underestimate how
important it is.
Step 2:
The Day of the Interview
• Dress professionally in a
manner that is appropriate for the industry. If you are unsure about
your field, visit the organization ahead of time to get a sense of
their culture, refer to the
Dress
for Success article, and see a career counselor during
Quick Questions.
Tip: Make a list of what to
take with you in advance.
• Arrive ten minutes ahead of
time so you can stop at the restroom and regroup before your
interview.
Tip: Practice getting to the
interview location before the actual day so you know where you will
be going.
• Be in "interview mode" from the
moment you leave home. You never know who you might meet on the
sidewalk or in the elevator! (Tip: Be
cognizant of your nervous habits – Stand tall and proud.)
• Be positive! There is no room
for negativity in an interview.
• Be yourself. YOU are the best
candidate for a position. Pretending to be someone you are not will
get you an offer for the wrong job!
• Before you leave, ask about the
next step in the hiring process and the overall timeline.
Step 3:
After the interview
• Take a moment to think about
how it went and jot down a few of the questions you want to remember
later
• Send "Thank you" correspondence
to anyone with whom you spent significant time.
• Follow-up by phone or email
according to the organization's timeline.
If they said you would be contacted in two weeks, call when that
time has passed.
• See
Follow-up article.
What will the questions be like?
This will vary by organization and
even among interviewers within an organization. Spending
significant time on Step 1 above will help in figuring this out.
Traditional Questions
The interviewer poses a question (often from
your resume) and you respond. Typical questions include things like,
"Why did you choose Muhlenberg?" "What did you do in your job at the
library?" "What was the best aspect of joining a fraternity?"
The most effective way to answer
traditional questions is to use the 1-2-3 method.
1 - State your answer.
2 - Give an example to back it
up. (This is the proof that you have the skill or quality, plus
the examples will also give the interviewer something to remember
you by.)
3 - Relate it to the position.
Sample Question: Why did you choose
Muhlenberg?
Possible Answer:
1. I was seeking a school where I
could be involved with several activities while taking advantage of
a first rate academic program.
2. The psychology major at
Muhlenberg regularly produces graduates who are accepted to the best
graduate programs and are competitive in market research. My
research courses have prepared me well to construct meaningful
research studies and analyze the results. I also completed a
Leadership Seminar that helped me to increase participation in Alpha
Chi Omega events when I served as the philanthropic chair.
3. The combination of strong
analytical skills and excellent leadership capabilities will help me
in the Assistant Project Manager position since I anticipate needing
to listen to the customer's needs, set up a research plan, and
analyze and communicate the results to the customer.
More common today is the
behavioral style interview in which the interviewer is trying to
gauge your future behavior based on your past performance. The
interviewer will have determined certain qualities that are necessary
for the job (many of these will be mentioned in the job description -
read it carefully for clues so you can better prepare for this line of
questioning). Questions will be presented that attempt to evaluate how
you demonstrated the skill or handled a similar situation in the past.
The following phrases indicate a behavioral question:
"Tell me about…"
"Give me an example of…"
"Think of a time when…"
"Describe a situation…"
The SAR formula will help
you effectively answer behavioral questions..
S = Situation.
Describe a specific instance that demonstrates the quality
requested.
A = Action.
Tell what your role was or how you acted in the
situation.
R = Result.
Discuss the result of your action. Ideally this would be a positive
outcome. If it is not, be sure to talk about what you learned from
the experience.
Sample Question: Describe a time
when you worked on a team project.
Possible Answer:
S
= I worked as a Career Assistant in the Career
Center and together with three other students I presented a "Summer
Jobs and Internships Workshop."
A
= My role was to research the various internship
resources in the career library and present them during the session.
One of my partners designed the PowerPoint presentation, so I
prepared the key points of my section to be included. This required
good time management and communication on my part since she depended
on me for information before she could do the PowerPoint. The second
time that we were scheduled to do the presentation, one of our
partners had a conflict, so I volunteered to deliver the information
that was in his section. Since he had done the research and I heard
him present it during our first session, I was able to handle it
without much difficulty.
R
= The workshop was well-received by the students
and it was fun to divide the tasks according to each person's
abilities. I look forward to other group projects since this one
went so well.
Translation:
I can work with others, communicate clearly, meet
deadlines, understand that people have different strengths, meet the
commitment to deliver the workshop even when conflicts arise, and
get the work done without duplicating efforts.
We have created
an
exercise to prepare your responses. You may also be asked a
situational question to see how you would behave in a new
situation. When analyzing the position, consider what situations you
may be asked about.
How does the interview end?
Typically the interviewer will ask
whether you have questions. You should. Your questions give you a
chance to demonstrate sincere interest in the position, and clarify
information that may be unclear.
DO ask about:
a typical day
training
career paths within the
organization
how the position fits into the
structure of the organization, etc.
DON'T
ask:
about salary (the first rule of
negotiating salary is "whoever speaks first, loses." Until you have
a job offer, it doesn't matter what the
position pays)
very basic questions that would
reveal that you haven't done your research
(if it is on their web site, they expect you to know it)
when your first promotion will be
(their goal is to fill this position).
Tip: If you have a disability, ask
questions to help you figure out how / if your disability will affect
your ability to do the job. Consider the work environment, values of
the organization, and personality match. Review our
disclosure article before deciding the best time to
disclose your disability.
When you have had your questions
answered, take the interviewer's lead
regarding when to stand up to leave. Be sure to request a business
card and shake the interviewer's hand before
leaving. (Tip: Practice shaking hands with a friend prior to the
interview.) Ask what the next step will be. Re-state your interest
in the position. This will help to create a good last impression.
NOTE: The Career Center conducts
mock interviews (by appointment) that can be videotaped if you wish.
We strongly recommend practicing your interview skills in this
non-threatening setting when a job isn't
really on the line.
"Tips" were taken from: Brown, Dale S.
Learning a Living – A Guide to Planning your Career and Finding a Job
for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and
Dyslexia. Woodbine House, 2000.
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