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Dos and Don'ts of Interviewing

Do...

  • Dress for Success:  Remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Interviewers will form an initial opinion of you within the first several minutes of the interview. Remember you want the interviewer to listen to what you have to say not be distracted by your attire.

Men: Dark suit, new white shirt, conservative tie, polished shoes.

Women: Dark conservative suit or pant suit (no bright colors such as red, yellow, or pink), conservative closed toe pump, conservative jewelry, make-up and hairstyle.

  • Positive Body Language:  Shake the interviewer's hand firmly but not too strongly. Keep good eye contact at all times. Sit forward in your chair (it implies enthusiasm) and keep your hands calmly on your lap or on your arm rest. Smile.
  • Research the Company, Prepare Questions & Take Notes:  Before you go on the interview visit the company's website and become familiar with their products. Write down 5-10 questions in advance that you have about the job responsibilities, expectations, territory size and company culture. Never discuss compensation information on the first interview.
    •
  • Bring a clean copy of your resume and performance documentation:  Have your performance memos bound in a presentation folder that you can give to the person who is interviewing you. You may want to leave a copy for them to review.
  • Close… Close… Close…Remember YOU are the product being sold. An interviewer wants to see how you will react in front of a potential customer. He/She expects to be closed for the next step. Ask questions such as:

"What is the next step?"

"How does my background compare against the other candidates you’ve interviewed?"

"Do you have any questions or concerns about my abilities pertaining to this position?"

  • Send a follow up thank you note:  Send a hand written follow up note the next day. Also leave an enthusiastic follow up voice mail on the managers work voice mail indicating your desire to move to the next step.

Don’t...

  • Talk about money or benefits.  If the subject comes up, simply say, “I’m really here today to learn everything I can about your organization and how my skills/experience can add to your success.  My recruiter told me what the salary range is, and I am sure if you decide to make me an offer it will be a fair one.”
  • Hold anything in front of you.  Lay your notebook on the desk or on your lap.
  • Answer vague questions. Rather than answering questions you think you hear, get the employer to be more specific and then respond.
  • Interrupt the employer. If you don’t have time to listen, then neither does the employer.
  • Be overly familiar, even if the employer is.
  • Wear heavy perfume or cologne.
  • Ramble. Long answers can make you sound apologetic or indecisive. On the other hand, don’t answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain yourself in detail whenever possible but try to keep answers at one minute in length.
  • Make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers or companies.

     Closing the Interview  

If you feel that the interview went well and you would like to take the next step, express your interest to the hiring authority and turn the tables a bit. Try something like the following:

"After hearing more about your company, the position and the responsibilities at hand, I am certain that I possess the qualities that you are looking for in the (title) position. Based on our conversation and my qualifications, do you have any issues or concerns that you feel might preclude me from doing this job?

This is a great closing question because it opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you and gives you an opportunity to overcome any objections. Sell your strengths and end the interview on positive note.  

        A few things to remember during the closing process:

  • Don’t be discouraged if no definite offer is made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to communicate with the office first, or interview other applicants, before making a decision.
  • Make sure you answer the following two questions: "Why are you interested in the company?" and "What can you offer?"
  • Express thanks for the interviewer’s time and consideration.
  • Ask for the interviewer’s business card so you can write a thank-you letter as soon as possible.

 After the Interview

     Following Up

  • When you get in your car, immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview.
  • Think of the qualifications the employer is seeking, and match your strengths to them.
  • Call your recruiter! Follow-up at this stage is critical.
  • Write a thank-you letter no later than 24 hours after the interview has ended.

STAR Technique of Behavioral Interviewing

What is behavioral interviewing?

Behavioral interviewing is based on the premise that a person's recent, relevant past performance is the best predictor of future performance. Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation, a behavioral interviewer will ask how you did behave. You will be asked to provide a specific example of a past situation or task to demonstrate the way you performed in that specific situation or task.

How do I answer a behavioral question?

First of all, prepare for an interview by recalling recent situations that show favorable behaviors or actions involving work experience, leadership, teamwork, or customer service. Be sure that each story has a beginning, middle, and end. Be specific. Don't generalize about several events; give a detailed account of one event. Use the STAR technique described below to structure your answer. Expect the interviewer to question and probe; for example, What did you say? What were you thinking? What was your role?

The STAR technique can be utilized effectively to discuss a wide range of experiences, work situations, extracurricular activities, and leadership experiences.

Sample Question: A behavioral interviewer might ask:

"Tell me about a time when you were on a team, and one of the members wasn't carrying his or her weight."

S
T		 Situation or Task: Describe a specific situation or task you have encountered that will make a point about one of your skills or strengths. Be ready to describe details, if asked.
Example: I was assigned to on a team to create an employee orientation program at a local company for my Organizational Behavior class. One of our team members wasn't showing up for our meetings, despite constant reminders of their importance. His behavior was affecting the performance and morale of the entire group.

A Action: Describe the specific action you took to remedy the task or situation.
Example: I decided to meet with the student in private, and explained the frustration of the rest of the team, and asked him if there was anything I could do to help. He told me that he was preoccupied with another class that he wasn't passing, so I found someone to help him with the other course.

R Result: Explain the result of your action. Make sure that the outcome reflects positively on you (even if the result itself was not favorable).
Example: After I found someone to help the student with his other course, he was not only able to spend more time on our project, but he was also grateful to me for helping him out. We finished our project on time, and got a "B" on it.


Sample Question: A behavioral interviewer might ask:

"Tell me about a difficulty you have faced at work and what steps you took to overcome it."

S
T		 Situation or Task: Describe a specific situation or task you have encountered that will make a point about one of your skills or strengths. Be ready to describe details, if asked.
Example: Advertising revenue was falling off for my college newspaper,the Stetson Reporter, and large numbers of long-term advertisers were not renewing contracts.

A Action: Describe the specific action you took to remedy the task or situation.
Example: I designed a new promotional packet to go with the rate sheet and compared the benefits of Reporter circulation with other ad media in the area. I also set-up a special training session for the account executives with a School of Business Administration professor who discussed competitive selling strategies.

R Result: Explain the result of your action. Make sure that the outcome reflects positively on you (even if the result itself was not favorable).
Example: We signed contracts with 15 former advertisers for daily ads and five for special supplements. We increased our new advertisers by 20 percent [quantities are always good] over the same period last year.

 

For more interviewing tips try www.job-interview.net

 

 

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Last modified: April 19, 2010