University of Wisconsin – River Falls

Career Services – 24 East Hathorn Hall

(715) 425-3572

Interviewing Techniques
www.uwrf.edu/ccs
____________________________

Interviewing is a mutual exchange of information. Open communication between the employer

and job candidate facilitates the effectiveness and productiveness of the interview. Your main
objective is to communicate information about your skills and qualifications clearly and
accurately. You need to relate this information to the requirements of the job for which you are
interviewing. It is important that you seek additional information about the position and
employer. This process will benefit you in deciding whether the position is an appropriate fit.
The interviewer’s main objective is to assess how closely your qualifications match the
requirements of the position and company.

Preparing for the Interview

Successful interviews require preparation. Since employers are able to sense how prepared a candidate is, it is
crucial that you commit sufficient time and energy to this process so you are able to articulate your best
qualifications. Here are some suggestions:

™ Practice answering questions you may be asked in the interview. Thinking and rehearsing your
responses in advance will help you more effectively articulate the most important information you want
to communicate.

™ Prepare questions to ask the interviewer that reflect your knowledge of the position and company.

™ Write down the time and place of your appointment and the name of the person interviewing you. Get
good directions and visit the site prior to the interview.

™ Wear professional attire that is appropriate for the position. First impressions are important!

™ Bring extra copies of your resume in a folder or briefcase and have your papers arranged for easy
reference (resume, references, transcripts, and portfolio).

™ Do your homework on the company and on the role the job has within the organization.

™ Find out before you show up whether you’re likely to have to take a test on skills and abilities, and if so,
practice before you go.

We Build Success
 Interviewing Tips
™ Be on time, preferably 10-15 minutes early. Know the interviewer’s name and how to pronounce it. Use a firm
grip when shaking hands and smile. When concerned about whether to shake hands or sit, follow the interviewer’s
lead. Sit erect. Look the prospective employer in the eye; don’t gaze at the floor, ceiling, or papers on the desk.
Your non-verbal communication sends a message. Maintain appropriate eye contact, posture, and voice tone.
Avoid nervous mannerisms.

™ Let the interviewer take the lead in the conversation. Expect to spend time developing rapport, because
personal chemistry is a main ingredient in the hiring process. Listen carefully to the interviewer’s questions.
Don’t be afraid of pauses in the conversation; take time to think. Silence is okay! It aids reflection and thought.

™ As soon as possible after the interview starts, tell the employer about your skills, training, experience, and
personal habits that would be useful for the job. Try to be very complete. Emphasize your qualifications – never
say, “I need a job” or “I’ll do anything.” If you don’t tell the interviewer about your skills, no one else will.
Avoid mention of your personal, domestic, or financial problems. Discuss only matters related to the job.

™ Give specific examples to communicate your skills. Emphasize what you can do for the organization. Portray
self-confidence and emphasize your positive traits. Do not undersell your qualifications but do not exaggerate or
lie (it may come back to haunt you). Be businesslike and brief. Ask for clarification if you do not understand a
question. Show the interviewer you are sincerely interested in the positions and company.

™ Ask the interviewer questions based on your research about the position and organization. Pick up clues given to
you by the employer’s questions or statements and use them to convince him/her that you fit the requirements.

™ Never slight a former employer, colleague, teacher, or institution. Avoid Debating the interviewer. Arguing
with the interviewer will shorten the interview and your chances.

™ Don’t let the interviewer dominate you or keep you constantly on the defensive. Be prepared with a list of
questions covering things you want to know about the job, company, its policies, and practices. You want to
understand what is required of you before you are hired, and to get a true sense of the organization’s “climate.”
This will avoid later disappointment for you and your employer.

™ Don’t apologize or offer excuses for shortcomings – we all have situations that challenge us. Neither avoid nor
seek to emphasize the presence of a handicap. Strive to keep the focus positive.

™ Emphasize what you can do for the organization. This means outlining your transferable skills. Employers are
concerned most with what you can do for them. Focus on your ability to learn quickly and easily, your
communication skills, interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents and other highly desirable skills and
personal attributes. Don’t try to give the answer “he or she wants.” Most recruiters and employers know a
“canned” answer when they hear one.

™ Be alert to signals from the interviewer that it is time to end the session. Express a desire for the position and
inquire about future contact. Thank the interviewer for his/her time and consideration and let him/her know that
you are looking forward to hearing from him/her. If you are not good at closing conversations, don’t linger. End
quickly and courteously.

™ Don’t discuss salary until you have an offer.

™ Send a follow-up thank you letter or note immediately after the interview. Make certain that you furnish your
prospective employer with any additional information, work samples, or recommendations that you indicated
were available and/or were requested. A thank you letter also provides an opportunity to address any question you
feel you didn’t adequately answer.
 Common Interview Questions

Consider the employer’s perspective when preparing and presenting yourself to a

prospective employer. Be prepared to address:

1. How your education and experience relate to the position

2. Why you really want to work for this company
3. Why you are interested in this kind of work
4. Whether or not you have a good work attitude
5. How you would fit into the company

General
™ Tell me about yourself?
™ What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
™ What specific goals have you established for yourself for the next five to ten years?
™ What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
™ In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
™ Tell me about a mistake you have made and what you learned from it.
™ Tell me about a problem you encountered at work or in school and how you dealt with it.
™ Tell me about a situation where you had to resolve a conflict with another person.
™ What kind of people do you work best with?
™ What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
™ What five adjectives best describe you?

Academic
™ Why did you major in__________________?
™ What were your favorite classes? Least favorite?
™ How has your college experience prepared you for a career in _________________?
™ Tell me about extra-curricular activities you participated in and what you gained from them.

Past Employment
™ Why did you leave your previous employer?
™ What did you like most/least about your previous job?
™ Describe the best/worst boss you ever had.
™ If I called your manager what is the first thing he/she would tell me about you?

Future Employment
™ Why are you interested in this job?
™ What can you contribute to this company?
™ If you were hiring someone for this position, what attributes would you look for?
™ Describe your ideal work environment.
™ Why should I hire you for this job?
™ What are your short and long term career goals?
™ What are you doing to achieve those goals?
™ What do you know about our company?
 A Few Tips for Answering Tough Interview Questions
™ “Tell me about yourself.” Talk briefly about your academic and work history. Identify your strengths
and skills that make you qualified.

™ “What makes you interested in this job?” Talk about which responsibilities of the job are attractive
and how you would be an asset to the company.

™ “What are your weaknesses?” Present an example of an area that you have identified and are
improving upon. For example, “I have received feedback that I need to be more assertive when working
on projects and I am asking more questions and requesting assistance when I need it.” Again, an
example can be very useful! Don’t use examples that are very negative – being late for work, conflict
with co-workers, etc. Try to turn your weaknesses into a challenge that you are working to overcome.

™ “Tell me about a time where you had multiple tasks to do and how you accomplished them.”
Think about what skills and attributes the employer wants to see in a successful candidate. Can you
prioritize? Do you meet deadlines? Can you work with other people and elicit help? Your research on
which skills they are looking for will help you to prepare for questions like these.

™ “What motivates you at work?” Review experiences that have motivated you in the past. These could
include managing information, helping people, being creative, speaking publicly, etc. Then determine
which of these would be useful in the job for which you are interviewing.

™ “Why do you want to work here?” Articulate clearly what a good company it is, or that the work will
be challenging and interesting or that you have a commitment to the type of work you wish to do. Do
not emphasize the time off, fringe benefits or free employer tuition.

™ “Why did you leave (or wish to leave) your past (present) employer?” There are many legitimate
reasons to leave a job. You may have had a lack of promotional opportunities or you were looking for
new challenges. During interviews, never speak badly of a present or previous employer. Even if your
boss was awful or the company wouldn’t treat you fairly, you do not want to tell a possible future
employer about it in an interview. It will concern them that you may be a complainer or a difficult
employee.

™ “What are your goals?” Respond with goals appropriate to work and company. For example, “I hope
to begin in this position, demonstrate my abilities and do quality work. After a year (two, three) then
apply for other appropriate challenges in the company with more responsibility.” Longer-term goals to
continue your education or plan for management or advance positions are appropriate as well.

™ “What areas in school or work have been of greatest challenge to you?” Think of a challenging
college assignment (an end of the year group assignment required you to work with other students, some
of whom did not do their fair share; or a big project at work or an internship site such as a report was
due and you could not easily get the info you needed. How did you accomplish the task and what
success did you have. Successes might include an “A “ on the assignment or meeting an important
deadline.
 Learn the STARR Technique - Prove by Example!

An increasing number of employers use behavioral-based interviewing, which rests on the

premise that past performance predicts future performance. Past performance examples may
come from work experience, internships, activities, hobbies, volunteer work, family life, etc.
Prepare for the interview by having several different “STARR’s” in mind.

Situation: Describe the specific situation. Set up your story.

Task: What was the task you were trying to accomplish? Tell who, what, when, where, and why (include
only relevant details!)

Action: What did you do to solve the problem or meet the task?
Result: Specify results. What happened? Give #s, 5, volume, $s, wk., yr., etc.
Relate: Link the skills you were demonstrating in this example to the specific job. Tell how the employer is
going to benefit from hiring you.

“Your internship experience included many activities and experiences. Looking back at that experience,
can you tell me about a contribution or accomplishment you are proud of?”

™ Situation – during my internship last summer, I learned that the public relations office that I was
working at was having a hard time keeping marketing materials up to date.

™ Task – I was assigned the task of creating a system for updating marketing materials that all the
managers used.

™ Action – I first met with each manager to determine which items needed to be updated and how often.
Then using Microsoft Word and Adobe Pagemaker, I updated the items and created an Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet that detailed which items were updated, the dates they were updated, and when they would
need to be updated in the future.

™ Result – All of the program managers received updated marketing materials such as folders, business
cards, brochures, and various handouts. In addition, each manager received a copy of the Excel
spreadsheet so they knew when the items were last updated and when they needed to be updated in the
future.

™ Relate – I understand that this job requires someone who is detailed-oriented and has a great deal of
experience creating marketing materials. I believe my internship has prepared me well to create various
types of marketing materials and demonstrates my ability to be detail-oriented. (Hint-hint: open your
portfolio and pull out some samples from your internship to show the interviewer).
 Using Your Portfolio in the Interview
Before the Interview
™ Thoroughly research the organization and position
™ Construct 15-20 specific examples that target the employer’s needs
™ Use the “STARR Technique” for your examples
™ Know your portfolio: Be able to quickly locate items that back up your “STARR’s”
™ Role-play using your portfolio; mock interview
™ Copy items you wish to leave behind or develop a “mini-portfolio”

During the Interview

™ Never push your portfolio; especially at the beginning of the interview – develop rapport first
™ Don’t expect the interviewer to view your entire portfolio – show items selectively
™ Err on the side of showing too few items – keep the focus on you, not your portfolio
™ Weave the presentation of your portfolio items into the interview process
™ Listen for key questions and clues sought by interviewer(s)
™ First, respond to the question you are asked
™ Follow your response by locating the portfolio item
™ Inform the interviewer that you have an example to share (avoid asking IF they would like to see it!)
™ Pull out the individual item and hand it to them
™ Explain the relevance of the item
™ Great way to engage everyone in a panel interview
™ Don’t keep your portfolio continuously open; it puts too much focus on your portfolio
™ At the close of the interview, re-express your interest in the position and summarize why you are an
ideal choice – show your enthusiasm and emphasize “Return on Investment”
™ Don’t leave your portfolio behind. You never want to lose it or relinquish control over how it is used!
™ Don’t discuss salary unless there is a job offer on the table
™ If given an offer, schedule a meeting to discuss it
™ Request business cards for thank-you cards and follow up
 Questions for the Interviewer

You need to learn about the organization and the position to determine how well it fits you;
therefore, you are also interviewing them!

Caution: When employers have supplied you with literature about the organization before
the interview, they expect you to read it, study it, and formulate questions from it. Asking
questions that could have been answered by reading the company’s brochure only wastes the
interviewer’s time and does not speak well of you. If the literature does not provide adequate
information, the following questions are fair game:

™ Please describe a typical day on the job.

™ What personal qualities, skills, or experience would help someone do well in this position?

™ What do you see as the greatest challenge in this position?

™ To whom would I report? May I meet my supervisor?

™ What opportunities exist for professional growth and development?

™ Can you explain the performance review process, or how I would be evaluated?

™ What makes your organization different from your competitors?

™ Describe the typical first year assignments for this position.

™ What, specifically, are you looking for in the candidate you hire for this position?
 Some Illegal and Legal Job Interview Questions
Inquiry Area Questions that violate Questions that do not violate
Equal Employment Opportunity Equal Employment Opportunity
National Origin • Are you a U.S. citizen? • Are you authorized to work in the
Citizenship • Where were you/your parents born? U.S.?
• What is your “native tongue?” • What languages do you read, speak
or write fluently? (This question is
only relevant if the information is
critical to job performance.)

Age • How old are you? • Are you over the age of 18?
• When did you graduate?
• What’s your birth date?

Marital • What’s your marital status? • Would you relocate?

Family Status • With whom do you live? • Are you willing and able travel?
• Do you plan to have a family, when? • Are you willing and able work
• How many children do you have? overtime?
• What are your childcare arrangements?

Affiliations • To what clubs or social organizations • List any professional or trade groups
do you belong? or other organizations that you
belong to that you consider relevant
to your ability to perform this job.

Personal • How tall are you? • Can you lift heavy objects?

Disabilities • Do you have any disabilities? • Based on the job, can you perform
• Complete the following medical these essential functions?
history. • As part of the job process, you are
• Have you had any illnesses or required to pass a medical exam.
operations? • Can you demonstrate how you
• What was the date of your last physical would perform the following job
exam? related function?
• How’s your family’s health?
• How and when did you lose your
eyesight?

Arrest Record • Have you ever been arrested? • Have you ever been convicted of
_______? (The crime named should
be reasonably related to the
performance of the job in question.

Military • If you’ve been in the military, were you • In what branch did you serve?
honorably discharged? • What type of training or education
did you receive in the military?

Adapted from Preemployment Inquiries: What…And What Not…To Ask by Rochelle Kaplan, NACE, 1993.
What is an illegal interview question?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes discrimination on the basis of national origin, citizenship, age,
marital status, disabilities, arrest record, military discharges, or personal information (such as height and
weight) illegal. Any question that asks a candidate to reveal information that falls into any of these categories is
a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Which questions are still legal?

If employers can phrase question so that they directly relate to specific occupational qualifications, then the
questions may be legitimate ones. Employers may also still ask general questions. For example, an interviewer
may NOT ask your age in the interview, but the interviewer may ask if you are over the age of 18 if being over
the age of 18 is a requirement of the job.

What should I do if I am asked an illegal question?

If you are asked an illegal question during an interview, you have several alternatives.

1. You can answer the question – By answering the question, you may actually help your changes of
getting the job, particularly if you give the “right” answer. Doing so, however, may convey to the
interviewer that you are not familiar with the law. You may also harm your chances of being hired if you
give the “wrong” answer.

2. You can refuse to answer the question – You do have the right to not answer the illegal question.
However, a flat refusal to answer may harm your chances of being hired for a position if, as a result, the
interviewer sees you as an uncooperative or stubborn person.

3. You can examine the intent behind the question – When an interviewer asks an illegal question, he or
she does not usually intend to break the law. The question is often asked because of a particular concern
regarding your potential performance as an employee. For example, an interviewer may ask, “Do you
have children?” Although this is an illegal question, the interviewer may really be concerned with
whether an employee with children will be able to get to work on time, to work long hours, or to travel.
A potential response to this question might be, “I assume that you are asking this because you are
concerned about your employees’ reliability and dedication. I can assure you that I will be a reliable and
dedicated employee and can meet any work or travel schedules required of this position.” You may or
may not want to acknowledge that you are aware the question is illegal.

4. Other alternatives – You may feel more comfortable with one of these choices (which are just as valid
as the first three) for responding to an illegal interview question:
™ Ignore the question and move on.
™ Ask how the question relates to your qualifications or the requirements of the job.
™ Walk out of the interview.

Which of the alternatives you choose depends on your personal preference. If you are asked an illegal
question and you would prefer not to work for a company that asks such questions, then do not be afraid
to refuse to answer the question and tell the interviewer why. Pointing out illegal questions may
persuade the interviewer not to ask them of other candidates in the future.

Taken from UW-Eau Claire Career Services, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about Illegal Interview Questions
 Phone Interviews

As employers increasingly rely on telephone ™ Judge tenacity in a candidate by not returning

interviews to screen job candidates, students need to the candidates phone calls. Tenacious
be prepared for that possibility. It is not enough for candidates, they say, don’t give up. Instead,
them to be comfortable talking on the phone. In they persist in calling every 10 days, re-
fact, they may be too comfortable with the medium. expressing their interest in the position and the
company-even when their messages go
Vanessa Singleton, assistant director of recruitment unanswered.
and special projects for the Federal Deposit ™ Identify candidates with a positive attitude by
Insurance Corporation (FDIC), says she can tell asking about “worst boss” horror stories. They
right away that candidates aren’t going to work out claim that true positive thinkers avoid divulging
if they have music or video games playing in the such stories and instead will focus on “best
background, are obviously chewing gum, boss” anecdotes.
chronically hesitate or say “um” or “uh” during the ™ Get a sense of how quickly candidates think on
interview, or aren’t available to take her their feet by role-playing during the phone
prearranged call. interview. They view quick thinkers, such as
those who can appease a persistent, irate
Accordingly, career services practitioners may want customer, as an asset to any organization.
to remind students that a phone interview is as ™ Find out whether candidates accept criticism
serious as the face-to-face variety. and have a desire to improve or get defensive.
™ Test candidates’ adaptability by suggesting
Jacquelyn C. Larson and Cheri L. Comstock, alternate ways of getting work done or solving
recruiters and authors of New Rules of the Job problems. For example, they ask what
Search Game, reveal just how serious it is. They candidates would think of performance
call applicants twice: once for an interview that evaluations that were done by peers and clients,
candidates are prepared for, and once for an or how they would feel working in a specific
impromptu discussion. By catching candidates geographic location.
unprepared, they can assess how quickly candidates ™ Ascertain which candidates have a thirst for
think and process information, how honed their knowledge and a desire for expanding their
communications skills are, and if they are well horizons by asking what electives they studied
suited for a particular position and the company in college and what their hobbies are.
culture. ™ Determine which candidates have superior
communications skills by asking them to leave
Larson and Comstock look for candidates with voicemail messages stating why they are right
initiative, a positive attitude, quick thinking, and for the position. Such messages indicate how
problem solving skills, coach-ability, creativity and effectively they can articulate their position and
adaptability, interdisciplinary knowledge, and how well they will function when hired.
superior communications skills. They say that they
can gauge candidates’ suitability in seven areas Taken from NACE Spotlight ISSN 0162-1068 (Jan. 2002).
through a 30-minute interview. For instance, they:
 Dressing for the Interview: Tips for Men
™ Suit for a business professional conservative environment - dark conservative suit in solid, pinstripe, or
subtle plaid.
™ Blazer for an informal business casual environment – coordinated sport coat or blazer with khakis,
chinos, or gabardine trousers.
™ Shirts – long-sleeved dress shirt in solid colors such as white, cream, or light blue are preferred
™ Necktie – medium width silk ties in solids, stripes, and small patterns. Tip of the tie should touch the top
of the belt.
™ Shoes & Socks – dressy slip-ons and lace-up shoes in black, burgundy, or dark brown. Dark color or
neutral over-the-calf socks coordinated to trousers. White sport socks and athletic shoes are out of place
even in a casual business environment.
™ Belts & Accessories – leather belts in black, burgundy, or dark brown to match trousers or shoes. Avoid
flashy cufflinks, rings, or neck chains. If wearing an earring (or several), remove it before the interview.
Trim-styled watch with leather or good-quality metal band. Wedding bands and conservative rings are
appropriate, but limit one per hand.
™ Hair, Skin & Fragrance – hair should be clean and neatly combed. No five-o’clock shadow, facial hair
should be groomed and trimmed. Go light on after shave products and avoid colognes. Cover tattoos.

Dressing for the Interview: Tips for Women

™ Matched-skirted suit for a conservative business professional environment – conservative suit in

neutral colors or understated plaids. Skirt length no shorter than slightly above the knee, no longer than
just below mid-calf.
™ Unmatched suit for an informal business casual environment – jacket and pants or skirt in
coordinating colors and fabrics. Skirt no shorter than an inch above the knee, no longer than just below
mid-calf.
™ Blouses – Solid colors or small, subtle geometric patterns and florals. Avoid sheer fabrics, oversized
prints, frills, ruffles, straps, or plunging necklines.
™ Shoes – Medium to low heeled pumps, no open toes or slings, opt for shoes in black, navy, taupe, or
dark brown leather. Shoe color should match or be darker than hemline. Neutral-colored stockings to
match or compliment skin tone.
™ Belts & Accessories – Belts in neutral colors no more than an inch wide. Limit jewelry to small pieces
in gold or silver; pearls are also appropriate. No dangling earrings and only one pair per ear. Good
quality rings limited to one ring per hand.
™ Plain round-face or tank-styled watch with leather or clasp-style metal band.
™ Hair, Makeup, & Fragrance – Hair should be natural color, or at least look that way. Wear longer hair
pulled up or back and away from your face. Go light on makeup and avoid perfume. Cover tattoos.
 Consignment Shopping for Professional Clothing
When you shop for professional clothing at consignment shops you can expect clothes
that are in nearly new condition, up to 75% off retail prices, seasonal merchandise,
jewelry, and accessories. Here are some shopping tips:
™ Shop by Phone: Most consignment stores will save you time by telling you
over the telephone if they have any Coach bags or an Ellen Tracey, size 8,
black dress.
™ Bring a List: Especially if you’re a good customer, you can write down what
you want and ask them to call you when something arrives. Regular customers
get called without prompting.

Here are some great places to check for great clothes at great prices:

™ Bona Celina, 1250 E. Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata, MN, 952/449-0377 - Boutique feel, carries some
European lines. Eveningwear a strength. No credit cards accepted.

™ Couture Consignment, 815 Main Street, Hopkins, MN, 952/933-3345 - Bublos, DKNY, Criscione,
Michael Kors, etc. Layaway is available. Woman only, upscale.

™ Elite Repeat, 1336 Randolph Street, St. Paul, MN, 651/699-2315 - Largest store of the group, not as
elite as the above. Men’s department makes up 25% of the store. They also have Gap, Banana Republic
and Limited. Men’s suits can be taken out on approval to check on alterations. East of Snelling and
Hamline on Hwy 38. Accept Credit Cards. Kids Play Area.

™ Fashion Exchange, 1565 Cliff Road, Eagan, MN, 651/686-5177 - Will accept returns within 24 hours
except on jewelry and formal wear. Jones New York, Calvin Klein, JH Collectibles, Carole Little.
Women’s clothes only

™ Fashion Avenue, 4936 France Ave., Edina MN, 952/929-7919 - Upscale with a selection of couture,
designer and bridge wear - top notch. Ellen Tracey skirted suit for $82.00. They have tall clothing for
women. A men’s department. Armani herringbone suit estimated at $1300.00 was clearance priced
for $150.00. Conservative.

™ Rodeo Drive Consignment Btq., 41110 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN, 952/920-0188 - Men’s
as well as maternity sections. One of the few consignment stores with clearance racks. Alterations are
available.

™ Rags from Riches Fine Consignment., 848 E. Lake Street, Wayzata, MN, 952/473-1435 - For the
serious high-end value shopper. Close to Again and Again and a mile from Bona Celina. Also has
mirrors, rugs, books, furniture, and accent pillows. Owners will accept a shopping list if you are looking
for a specific item. If you are matching an item tell them at the point of purchase and you may be
allowed 48-hour return privileges. Shopragsfromriches.com

Additional Places to Look

Nordstrom Rack Mega Mall (952)-854-3131
Don’t ignore T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s, Nordstrom Rack, and Sax’s. If you are careful you can find top quality
clothes at these places at 40-60% off the retail price. But you need to plan ahead-you can’t need the outfit the
next day.