OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES

PATRIOTS TO PROFESSIONALS

Interviewing

Practice Interviewing Skils

InterviewStream is an innovative tool that allows you to practice your interview skills from anywhere online as long as you have access to a webcam. Please access InterviewStream through your PatriotJobs account.

• Instructions (.pdf) on how to complete Mock Interviews through InterviewStream.
• The questions are the same questions you would get in a real job interview.
• You can use InterviewStream whenever you want, as often as you want to prepare for any employment opportunity.
• You can forward your recorded interview to one of our Career Advisors for a review at careersvc@uttyler.edu. You can also forward it to faculty, mentors or any email address to review.
• If you do not have a webcam, you can schedule a time to use the program in the Office of Career Services in PHE 112. 

 Resources

• Job Interview Guide (.html)
• Twenty Employer Interview Questions (.pdf)
• Questions to Ask Employers (.pdf)

• Top 8 Illegal or Inappropriate Interview Questions (.html)

Key points:

• Your resume got you the interview; your interview gets you the job or internship offer.
• Employers use interviews to assess your fit based on their organization’s needs. You need to use the interview to promote your skills and personal attributes in a compelling fashion.
• The typical 5 step interviewing process is as follows: (1.) Resumes are collected, (2.) resumes are reviewed, (3.) candidates are selected, (4.) candidates are contacted, (5.) interviews occur.

Interview types:
There are various types of interviews that employers use. Below are the three most popular formats:

Resume-based interviews

• Uses your resume as the source for most questions.
• Focuses on resume-listed past performance in academics, employment, and activities.
  • Ex. “Tell me about your experience as a facility manager at the AFC.”
• Be able to expand on each item on your resume. Be prepared to go into great depth if asked for specific details.

Behavioral interviews

• Based on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior on the job.
• Evaluates a candidate’s skills, abilities, and interests, and reveals willingness to gain from experience (both success and failure).
• Situation-based questions are used.
  • Ex. “Tell me about a time when you had to work with a team to accomplish something.”
• Use the S.T.A.R. (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique for structuring your answers.
  Briefly explain the Situation and the Task that was at hand. Go into detail about your Actions (not your group’s or your team’s), and briefly describe the end Result.
  • Ex. “Tell me about a situation in which you demonstrated leadership skills.”
    • SITUATION - Define the situation or 'set the stage”.
      'Every year my fraternity sponsors a fundraising event to benefit a local food bank.”
    • TASK - Identify the task/project performed.
      'Since I held the position of philanthropy chair, I was in charge of the event last year.”
    • ACTION - Describe the action that you took/initiated. This response should illustrate the specific skills you used in completing the task.
      'I organized and led a committee of eight brothers to handle of the logistics involved in planning the fundraiser. I managed the budget, created the timeline, and delegated responsibilities to each committee member, using weekly meetings to check on their progress. The planning for this event took the entire fall semester.”
    • RESULT - Summarize the outcome.
      'I was really proud of the outcome. Two-hundred fifty people attended the event and we raised $3,000 for the food bank.

Case interviews

• Presents interviewee with a problem, or case, to solve. Your answer is not as important as your analysis of the problem.
  • Ex. “How many golf balls would fit in a swimming pool?”
• Usually used during in-person interviews and commonly used by consulting firms.
• When answering, think out loud so the interviewer can get a sense of how you solve problems.

Interview preparation:
Remember, the interview starts long before you arrive at the interviewer's office.

Research the employer
According to employers, not researching the employer is the No. 1 way to be denied a job offer. You can thouroughly research the organization to impress the interviewer and allow more time to discuss specifics of the position. Demonstrating knowledge about the employer is one of several ways to communicate your interest, which is almost as important as your ability to do the job.

Visit the Employer Research page on this website.

Know Yourself

• When answering questions, identify several key strengths with examples from your past experience to help the employer visualize you as a strong candidate.
  • You can also take a career assessement to learn your strengths.

Prepare Yourself

• For on-site interviews, secure directions and be prepared to arrive 20 minutes early.
• Dress to project the image of confidence and success; your total appearance should be appropriate to the job. Your outfit should be clean, ironed, and fit comfortably. Only wear business casual if you are absolutely sure it is appropriate.
  • Additonal articles on Business Etiquette ca n be found in the Career Resource Library.
• Prior to your first interview, complete a mock interview by logging into PatriotJobs to access Interview.
• Prepare to bring additional materials to the interview such as copies of your resume, a list of references, samples of your work, and unofficial transcripts.
• If provided, familiarize yourself with the key information (name and job title) on your interviewers.
• Plan ahead by thinking about what you want the employer to know about you. Prepare 3 key points/strengths you want to communicate about yourself and how you plan to make them when asked:
  • “Tell me about yourself?”
  • “What do you think makes you a strong candidate for our position?”
• Prepare your questions for the employer in advance to fall back on in case you do not think of any during the interview.

During the interview:
First, build rapport with the front desk staff or receptionist who greets you at the organization . Building rapport involves your (1) attitude, (2) non-verbal behaviors and (3) verbal behaviors.

10 Interview No-No’s (.html)

Attitude
Think positively! If you don’t think you are the best candidate for the job, you will not get hired.

Non-Verbal
93% of communication is non-verbal. Your general appearance, facial expressions, and tone of voice sell your attributes. Build a strong connection in the following manners:

• Your eye contact should be open and direct when listening, asking, and responding to questions.
• Your posture should be well-balanced, upright, relaxed, forward-facing, and open. Know your nervous habits and practice controlling them. Be sure to lean forward slightly to communicate interest.
• Your hands should be used in a relaxed way for communicating excitement and interest.
• A smile conveys your sincerity and can add a positive spin to your words.
• The tone of your voice should be firm, warm, well-modulated and relaxed.
• Practice your timing as you should pause slightly before answering a question.

Verbal

How you communicate verbally involves your ability to:

• Use active verbs and give concise, concrete, and complete examples.
• Be positive and confident and “own” what you have done and what you know.
• Always create a dialogue with the employer by asking questions related to the current topic and requesting more information when asked vague questions.
• Tell your S.T.O.R.Y. when answering questions:
  • State your qualities
  • Toot your horn (without blowing it!)
  • Outline your progress to date
  • Relate your background/experiences to the job or internship
  • “Y” should they hire you? (Talk about what makes you unique.)

Illegal Questions
Questions that relate to gender, race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, or disabilities are illegal, unless the employer can demonstrate that they relate to bona fide requirements of the job. Questions about family planning are also illegal. However, illegal questions do get asked in interviews. If you do want the offer, then three possible strategies are to:
Answer honestly, explaining how your circumstances may be an asset, if possible.

• Q. I notice you have an engagement ring; when will you be getting married?

  A. I will be getting married in August and my fiancée and I have agreed to focus our job searches on Atlanta. We are both very committed to our career goals and to working hard to support each other.

• State what you assume the employer hopes to learn by asking the question, and then answer in response to that assumption. Sometimes this gives the interviewer time to recognize that an illegal question has been asked.
• Q. I notice you have an engagement ring; when will you be getting married?
  A. I guess that, in asking about my wedding plans, you may be wondering if I am truly committed to a career, and more specifically, whether I would be likely to be able to move at the end of your training program.
  • Sometimes it is possible to answer with humor or to simply deflect the question, if you are good at thinking on your feet.
• Q. Do you have any health problems?
  A. Yes – I’m a workaholic.

Additonal articles on Legal can be found in the Career Resource Library.

After the interview
Typically, there are 4 steps that occur after an interview:

1. Top candidates are chosen.
2. Background checks occur – especially important in banking, consulting, and government positions.
3. Top candidate is approved by HR and the supervisor.
4. An offer is made.

Make sure to:

• Get the business cards of everyone you have spoken with.
• Send a thank you letter/email within twenty-four hours to thank the interviewer and stress points in your background that qualify you for the position.
  • Use the method of communication that the company uses. If they have emailed you, then email the thank you back to them.
• It is usually best not to accept a job offer on the spot; state your interest and appreciation for the offer and request a reasonable amount of time to consider it, e.g. several days through 2 weeks.
  • Additonal articles on Salary/Benefits can be found in the Career Resource Library.
• If you do not hear from the employer by the date they stated in the interview or by several weeks, it is appropriate to call and ask for the status of your candidacy.
• Be sure to evaluate all aspects of the job before accepting it rather than afterward. Once you have accepted a position, the employer considers your commitment binding.

Additonal articles on Interviewing can be found in the Career Resource Library.

Career Advisors is available to assist you. To make an appointment, contact us at careersvc@uttyler.edu or at 903-565-5862.