INTERVIEW PREPARATION

How to Handle the Phone Interview

You won’t be meeting with your interviewer(s) face to face. Instead, you’ll be taking part in a phone
interview, the results of which will determine whether you’re invited to meet with company
representatives in person.

Many companies use phone interviews as an initial employment screening technique for a variety of
reasons. Because they’re generally brief, phone interviews save companies time. They also serve as a
more realistic screening alternative for cases in which companies are considering out-of-town (or
outofstate and foreign) candidates.

So the chances are pretty good that, at some point in your job hunt, you’ll be asked to participate in a
20- to 30-minute phone interview with either one person or several people on the other end of the line.
In many ways, the way you prepare for a phone interview isn’t all that different from the way you’d
get ready for a face-to-face interview -- save for a few slight additions to and modifications of your
list of preparation tasks.

Here’s what to do:

Have your resume and cover letter in front of you.

You’ll almost certainly be asked about some of the information that appears on these documents. You
might also want to have in front of you any supporting materials that relate to information in your resume
and cover letter, like documents you’ve designed or written a portfolio of your various projects, or the
written position description from your key internship.

Make a cheat sheet.

Jot down a few notes about the most critical points you want to make with your interviewer(s). Are there
certain skills and experiences you want to emphasize? Do you have certain interests or passions you want
your interviewer(s) to know about and understand? Be sure these pieces of information appear on your
crib sheet. Then touch on them during the interview, even if your only chance to do so is at the end of the
session when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions or anything to add.

How to Handle the in Person Interview

Before the Interview:

• Be on time. Being on time (or early) is usually interpreted by the interviewer as evidence of your
commitment, dependability, and professionalism.
• Be positive and try to make others feel comfortable. Show openness by leaning into a greeting
with a firm handshake and smile. Don't make negative comments about current or former
employers.
• Relax. Think of the interview as a conversation, not an interrogation. And remember, the
interviewer is just as nervous about making a good impression on you. During the Interview
• Show self-confidence. Make eye contact with the interviewer and answer his questions in a clear
voice. Work to establish a rapport with the interviewer.
 • Remember to listen. Communication is a two-way street. If you are talking too much, you will
probably miss cues concerning what the interviewer feels is important.
• Reflect before answering a difficult question. If you are unsure how to answer a question, you
might reply with another question. For example, if the interviewer asks you what salary you
expect, try answering by saying "That is a good question. What are you planning to pay your best
candidate?"
• When it is your turn, ask the questions you have prepared in advance. These should cover any
information about the company and job position you could not find in your own research.
• Do not ask questions that raise red flags. Ask, "Is relocation a requirement?", and the interviewer
may assume that you do not want to relocate at all. Too many questions about vacation may cause
the interviewer to think you are more interested in taking time off than helping the company.
Make sure the interviewer understands why you are asking these questions.
• Show you want the job. Display your initiative by talking about what functions you could
perform that would benefit the organization, and by giving specific details of how you have
helped past employers. You might also ask about specific details of the job position, such as
functions, responsibilities, who you would work with, and who you would report to.
• Avoid negative body language. An interviewer wants to see how well you react under pressure.
Avoid signs of nervousness and tension in your voice.

After the Interview - (For both Phone and In Person Interviews)

• End the interview with by thanking the interviewer for his or her time. Reiterate your interest in
the position and your qualifications.
• Send a "Thanks for the Interview" note. After the interview, send a brief thank-you note to the
Staffing Consultant or Recruiter. Try to time it so it arrives before the hiring decision will be
made. It will serve as a reminder to the interviewer concerning your appropriateness for the
position, so feel free to mention any topics discussed during your interview. If the job contact was
made through the Internet or e-mail, send an e-mail thank-you note immediately after the
interview, then mail a second letter by post timed to arrive the week before the hiring decision
will be made.

Answers to common interview questions

"Tell me about yourself."

Make a short, organized statement of your education and professional achievements and professional
goals. Then, briefly describe your qualifications for the job and the contributions you could make to the
organization.

"Why do you want to work here?" or "What about our company interests you?”

Few questions are more important than these, so it is important to answer them clearly and with
enthusiasm. Show the interviewer your interest in the company. Share what you learned about the job, the
company and the industry through your own research. Talk about how your professional skills will benefit
the company. Unless you work in sales, your answer should never be simply: "money." The interviewer
will wonder if you really care about the job. "Why did you leave your last job?"
The interviewer may want to know if you had any problems on your last job. If you did not have any
problems, simply give a reason, such as: relocated away from job; company went out of business; laid
off; temporary job; no possibility of advancement; wanted a job better suited to your skills.

If you did have problems, be honest. Show that you can accept responsibility and learn from your
mistakes. You should explain any problems you had (or still have) with an employer, but don't describe
that employer in negative terms. Demonstrate that it was a learning experience that will not affect your
future work.

"What are your best skills?"

If you have sufficiently researched the organization, you should be able to imagine what skills the
company values. List them, then give examples where you have demonstrated these skills.

"What is your major weakness?"

Be positive; turn a weakness into strength. For example, you might say: "I often worry too much over my
work. Sometimes I work late to make sure the job is done well."

"Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?"

The ideal answer is one of flexibility. However, be honest. Give examples describing how you have
worked in both situations.

"What are your career goals?" or "What are your future plans?"

The interviewer wants to know if your plans and the company's goals are compatible. Let him know that
you are ambitious enough to plan ahead. Talk about your desire to learn more and improve your
performance, and be specific as possible about how you will meet the goals you have set for yourself.

"What have I forgotten to ask?"

Use this as a chance to summarize your good characteristics and attributes and how they may be used to
benefit the organization. Convince the interviewer that you understand the job requirements and that you
can succeed.

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THE STAR METHOD
The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral -based interview question by
discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are describing.

Situation: Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You
must describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done
in the past. Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be
from a previous job, from a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.

Task: What goal were you working toward?

Result: Describe the outcome of your actions and don’t be shy about taking credit for your
behavior. What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you
learn? Make sure your answer contains multiple positive results.

Make sure that you follow all parts of the STAR method. Be as specific as possible at all times,
without rambling or including too much information. Oftentimes students have to be prompted to
include their results, so try to include that without being asked. Also, eliminate any examples that do
not paint you in a positive light. However, keep in mind that some examples that have a negative
result (such as “lost the game”) can highlight your strengths in the face of adversity.

SAMPLE STAR RESPONSE:

Situation (S): Advertising revenue was falling off for my college newspaper, The Review, and large
numbers of long-term advertisers were not renewing contracts.

Task (T): My goal was to generate new ideas, materials and incentives that would result in at least a
15% increase in advertisers from the year before.

Action (A): I designed a new promotional packet to go with the rate sheet and compared the benefits
of The Review 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.

Result (R): We signed contracts with 15 former advertisers for daily ads and five for special
supplements. We increased our new advertisers by 20 percent over the same period last year.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW

Recall recent situations that show favorable behaviors or actions, especially involving course work,
work experience, leadership, teamwork, initiative, planning, and customer service.
Prepare short descriptions of each situation; be ready to give details if asked.
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• Be sure each story has a beginning, middle, and an end, i.e., be ready to describe the situation,
including the task at hand, your action, and the outcome or result.
• Be sure the outcome or result reflects positively on you (even if the result itself was not
favorable).
• Be honest. Don't embellish or omit any part of the story. The interviewer will find out if your
story is built on a weak foundation.
• Be specific. Don't generalize about several events; give a detailed accounting of one event.
Vary your examples; don’t take them all from just one area of your life.
SAMPLE BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Practice using the STAR Method on these common behavioral interviewing questions:

• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone
to see things your way.
• Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping
skills.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a
problem.
• Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
• Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did
not agree.
• Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job
done.
• Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize
your tasks.
• Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
• What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
• Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that
individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
• Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
• Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.
• Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
• Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or coworker.
• Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
• Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
• Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
• Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
• Tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
• Please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.
• Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).