An interview is a verbal cover letter, a conversation about why you're so
great and why you'd be great for the job. And like a cover letter, sometimes
the interviewee focuses too much on "why this job would be so great for
me..." we interviewed someone and when I asked "why do you want this job?"
they replied,
"I don't know...I think I want to learn something different...I'm bored
where I am..."
While honesty is a valued quality, another interviewee, just as honest, will
answer,
"well, I've got the qualifications that you're looking for, particularly in
regards to customer service and analytical skills. This position would
further develop my career, I'm an excellent, personable co-worker, and..."
Both honest, but the second person addresses the question directly in
relation to the job. Which is always good if you want the job!
In response to the question "what do I do in an interview?" we've put
together the following tips based on surfing the web, talking to students
about how their interviews went, talking to employers, and our own
experiences as an interviewer/interviewee.
DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT be late for your interview! No matter what excuse you
have, somebody else showed up on time.
Conversely, do not show up 45 minutes early. If you arrive and you're that
early, take a walk around the block/campus building a few times. Go in 15 or
10 minutes early. If you're nervous, don't have any caffeine before the
interview and walk awhile before the interview to relax. If offered, turn
down soda during the interview, you don't want to burp in the middle of an
answer. Best to stick with water.
Make sure your cell phone is turned OFF!
Body language is important. Slouching in a chair will have the
interviewer(s) counting the minutes in their head as to how soon they can
politely show you the door. Sit up straight and occasionally lean forward
(it shows interest). I know, I know, these tips can sometimes seem a little
ridiculous, but hey, it works.
Not too many "um's," "like's," "you knows," or filler words such as
"Basically,." If you have to pick one of these, and it's natural as these
moments are just a way of pausing before we go into our next statement, pick
the "um's," probably the most discreet.
Another habit to avoid is prefacing an answer with, "It was just," or "it
was only..." which says, "what I'm about to say isn't very important, so you
can zone out if you want." Being humble is nice, but let the employer decide
what's important or not, don't inadvertently cut down yourself or what
you've done.
And here's an odd intro, "to be honest, I..." which implies that you might
ordinarily lie, but this time you'll tell the truth. Again, this is just a
way for the brain to have some time to formulate an answer, but it's just a
strange way to begin a sentence.
Ask yourself when getting ready for an interview, what, deep down, do they
want? Simple, yes? Take a Security Monitor position in the Residence Halls
for example, they want someone who is easy with the public BUT!! a stickler
for the rules.
EVERYBODY shows their id's. NO EXCEPTIONS, even friends, even people you
know by sight. Why? Because if you make exceptions for them then the
stranger behind them can say, "but she/he didn't have to show an i.d., why
do I?" Suddenly you're in a time-wasting debate that holds up the line and
causes bad feelings.
The interviewer(s) may give you a hypothetical situation, like someone comes
running in and says that while they don't live in the Residence Hall,
they've got Johnny's medicine and must get up there without being signed in.
Instead of responding to the interviewer(s) with, "because a resident must
sign in a guest, and because Johnny can't do that, then Johnny can't receive
his medication," see if you can think of an alternate solution, like calling
the RA on duty to escort the person or letting the person go up but
contacting the RA to meet up with the individual on their way to Johnny's
room (that way you don't leave your post). There are times when you have to
think independently and logically.
Also, and this can apply to many jobs, they want someone who will try to
work or find things out on their own, but not to the detriment of their
duties. In other words, won't be afraid to ask for help if stumped on a
problem.
As to questions, they're all variations on one theme: "why should I hire
you?" And indeed, some employers will ask that question directly.
They may ask you "what do you consider one of your strengths, one of your
weaknesses?"- very common question. Observe your body language as much as
your answer. If you stiffen up and look uncomfortable, they may think you
can't handle pressure. The best, immediate response to this is to smile, and
then go into your answer. Smiling tells them they didn't throw you.
Come up with a truthful, reasonable answer for each. Try to avoid the
"weakness" answer that really sounds like strength, such as, "I'm a
perfectionist." They probably hear that one more than any other. I've heard
a student say, "I'm stubborn." We asked her, "what do you mean by that?" and
she smiled and said, "ask anyone in my family." -Honest and won't keep you
from getting hired.
The other aspect of the weakness question is the follow-up. For example, "My
weakness is I sometimes focus too much on one task" followed up with, "but
with my classes at Cal, I'm becoming good at multi-tasking and time
management..." You address the weakness question by moving on to why it's
rapidly disappearing.
About the direct "why should I hire you?" question. Again, BODY LANGUAGE
COUNTS!
This is also where you need to address the job description and how your
experience relates to it. Tell the employer of the traits directly
attributable to the position you're applying to. Remember, it's a verbal
cover letter and you need to focus on why you're great for the job, not why
the job would be great for you.
Dress nice but don't wear an itchy outfit. The formality of outfits varies
throughout the bay area- from our casual campus to the power suits in the
Financial District of SF. Even if the dress code is casual, never dress
sloppy for an interview! (Wait until AFTER you get the job! Hey, we're
kidding. The best way to know how to dress on the job is to look around and
see what others are wearing.)
No chewing gum. No sob stories. Don't look at your watch. Where do you have
to go? What's more important than this?
I'd advise against addressing the interviewer as "sir," or "ma'am," it
usually makes the interviewer uncomfortable. Also, if you can smile now and
then, that puts the interviewer at ease (and may help you relax as well).
Make eye contact, don't look at the floor. If more than one interviewer,
make eye contact with each of them. Avoid simple "yes," "no" answers, but
don't ramble. Be prepared to discuss at length ANYTHING on your resume
(review your resume before the interview). If this department/company is in
an area that relates to what you plan on majoring in, let them know that but
work it in smoothly, otherwise it might look like you're just
saying it to get the job. If this job is NOWHERE NEAR what you plan on
majoring in and they ask you, don't burst out laughing or give them an
emphatic "no!"
If nothing else, you can say that as a student, and especially as a
freshman, you're still deciding what field you wish to pursue and hoping
that this will expose you to more possibilities.
If they ask what your interests are, give them a brief description but
again, don't ramble or talk about what a lousy roommate you have. If you're
nervous you're nervous, they'll understand, they were once in the same
situation, just concentrate on your answers.
See if you can find a friend to look over the job description with you and
try to come up with questions that relate to it. It's always good to review
your skills out loud with someone and brainstorm about hypothetical
situations the job may encompass. Also, have them count how many times you
say "like," or "you know." Many people say those phrases without even
realizing it.
At the end of the interview, an employer may say, "do you have any
questions?" And we know it looks better if we have a question to ask.
Instead of asking some generic question, follow-up on a question you've been
asked during your interview at the end of the interview (it's not a bad idea
to take notes during the interview. Not to the point of distraction, just
jot down some points that you can return to, particularly for the "do you
have any questions?" question). Two great reasons: one, you don't look like
you went to interview school by asking the generic question, and two, it
shows you've been paying attention.
Do not volunteer information that could hurt your chances. I'm referring
specifically to the fact that most of you will be elsewhere during Winter
and Spring breaks. Better to have them hire you and be wildly enthusiastic
about the great job that you do. Then when the time comes, they will be much
more likely to try to work something out and have you return in January and
April. If you say during the interview, "uh, you do know that
I'm going to be out of town for a month beginning in December, right?" that
may end your chances right there.
But if asked, be honest and follow-up with, "and I'm hoping, if hired, we
can work something out." Both campus and off campus may want break
availability.
Treat everyone you meet nicely, both on the way in and on the way out.
Sometimes the receptionist wields all the power. DO NOT, AT ANY POINT, ASK,
"So, do I get the job?" If they want to hire you on the spot they'll
do so, but that question usually ends your chances. It's the kind of
question that makes an employer uncomfortable by putting them in a very
awkward position.
Do not run for the door after the interview, but don't camp out either.
Thank them for giving you the opportunity to meet with them. Even if you
don't get the job, a good interview may get you a call later if something
else comes up. After the interview you might email the supervisor of the job
(or whoever ran the interview) thanking them for giving you the chance to
meet and discuss your qualifications. Always keep it short and upbeat.
And of course, don't wait to hear back from that employer to apply to other
jobs. Nothing's better than having to agonize over two job offers!
Primarily because of the web, interviewers are coming up with more
off-the-wall questions. For 98% of the jobs you might interview for on
campus, it'll probably be mostly about your skills relating to the position
and your availability. BUT! Just in case, here are a few more "put the
interviewee on the spot" questions:
"Tell me about a time when you had to break the rules."
"What color is your brain?"
"If you and a fellow employee went to a convenience store on a break and you
saw them steal a candy bar, what would you do?"
And if you can stand some more (just 115), take a look at these, and watch
for those questions that are just aching for you to go off on a negative
tangent (something to avoid). Numbers 5, 6, and 7 for example. In
criticizing your past job/employer, you make your potential new employer
wonder if you have a difficult time following job duties and might
potentially speak about them the same way?
Also, below these questions are 34 common mistakes that hurt interviewees.
Enjoy!
Sample Interview Questions
1.Tell me about yourself.
2.How successful have you been so far?
3.What would your previous employer tell me about you?
4.How would you describe your personality?
5.What did you like most/least about your last or current position?
6.Why are you leaving your present job?
7.What was wrong with your last company?
8.What would you do for our company?
9.Tell me about a time that you've worked under pressure or met a deadline.
10.What are your career goals?
11.Why did you choose this particular opportunity?
12.Why do you think you might like to work for our Company?
13.What do you know about our company?
14.What qualifications do you have that make you feel that you will be
successful in your field?
15.What do you think determines a person's progress in a good company?
16.Can you get recommendations from previous employers?
17.What contributions to profits have you made in your present or former
position to justify your salary level there?
18.Can you take instructions without feeling upset?
19.What is your major weakness?
20.Are you willing to relocate?
21.How do you spend your spare time? What are your hobbies?
22.What types of books do you read? How many books per year?
23.Have you saved any money? Do you have debts?
24.What job in your company do you want to work toward?
25.What jobs have you enjoyed most? The least? Why?
26.What are your own special abilities?
27.What types of people seem to rub you up the wrong way?
28.Define co-operation?
29.Do you like regular hours?
30.What have you done which shows initiative and willingness to work?
31.Tell me something about yourself that goes beyond your resume.
32.What do you think of our company?
33.Tell me about your perception of this position.
34.What would you do if someone asked you to do something unethical?
35.If you saw a co-worker doing something dishonest, what would you do
about it?
36.Have you ever made an error in judgement that you had to address with
your employer or client? How did you handle it?
37.If you took out a full-page ad in the newspaper and had to describe
yourself in only three words, what would those words be?
38.What motivates you the most?
39.Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Describe a situation in which
you had to take a risk.
40.What are two examples of tasks that you do not particularly enjoy doing?
Indicate how you remain motivated enough to complete those tasks.
41.Tell me about a work situation that you found annoying.
42.Have you ever had to resolve a conflict with a co-worker or client? How
did you resolve it?
43.Have you worked as a member of a team in the past? Describe your role.
44.Tell me about some of the groups from whom you've needed assistance or
cooperation. What did you do?
45.As a manager, have you ever had to fire anyone? If so, what were the
circumstances, and how did you handle it?
46.Have you ever been in a situation where a project was returned due to
errors? What effect did this have on you?
47.Tell me about the best boss you every had. Now tell me about the worst
boss. What made it tough to work for him/her?
48.When was the last time you were criticized? How did you deal with it?
49.If you could change one managerial decision you made during the past
two years, what would that be?
50.What have you done that was innovative?
51.Has someone ever brought you a new idea, one that was odd or unusual?
What did you do?
52.What is the most difficult decision you've had to make? How did you
arrive at your decision?
53.Describe some situations in which you worked under pressure or met
deadlines.
54.When taking on a new task, do you like to have a great deal of feedback
at the outset, or do you like to try your own approach?
55.How do you measure your own success?
56.Why should we hire you?
57.What responsibilities do you want, and what kinds of results do you
expect to achieve in your next job?
58.How did the best manager you ever had motivate you to perform well? Why
did that method work?
59.What is important to you in a job?
60.What do you expect to find in our company that you don't have now?
61.How would you describe a career in this industry?
62.What would you like to be doing five years from now?
63.What are your biggest accomplishments?
64.Can you work under pressure?
65.Why should I hire you?
66.How do you take direction?
67.What is the most difficult situation you have faced?
68.Do you prefer working with others or alone?
69.How do you determine your priorities?
70.How do you plan your week?
71.How do you plan your day?
72.What special characteristics should I consider about you?
73.Why are you interviewing with us?
74.What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work?
75.If you were hiring for this position, what would you be looking for?
76.What was the job's biggest challenge?
77.How many levels of management did you interact with?
78.What kind of work interests you most?
79.How would you describe the ideal job for you?
80.What happens when two priorities compete for your time?
81.What's the toughest communication problem you faced?
82.When have your verbal communications been important enough to follow up
in writing?
83.Tell me about the time when someone has lost his/her temper at you in a
business environment.
84.Have you ever worked in a place where it seemed to be just one crisis
after another?
85.How did you handle it?
86.How did you feel?
87.What do you see as some of your most pressing developmental needs?
88.What quality should a successful manager possess?
89.How have past managers gotten the best out of you?
90.Describe the best manager you've ever had. Describe the toughest
manager you've ever had.
91.For what have you been most frequently criticized?
92.What are your salary expectations?
93.Sometimes we have to make decisions quickly. Tell me about a time when
you had to make a decision too quickly.
94.What presentations have you made? Give some examples.
95.What are some recent responsibilities you have decided to take on? Why?
96.Describe a time when your workload (or class load) has been heavy. How
did you respond?
97.How does this position fit into your career goals?
98.What has been the biggest challenge you've faced and how have you met it?
99.How will you contribute to this organization?
100.What do you expect from a job?
101.How do you organize and plan your projects?
102.What's a typical day like for you?
103.When have you shown initiative and willingness to work?
104.How would your boss describe you?
105.What do you know about this organization?
106.What interests you in our products/services? How would you improve them?
107.How do you manage stress?
108.What style of boss do you prefer?
109.What motivates you?
110.What did you like most/least about your last job?
111.How would you describe your work style?
112.Describe your biggest accomplishment.
113.What have you learned from your past jobs?
114.How do you manage stress?
115.What do you see yourself doing five years from now? Ten years from now?
__________________________________________________________________
34 COMMON MISTAKES MADE DURING INTERVIEWING (keep in mind not all of these
will apply to you, as they relate to career, not part time jobs) (Based on
Reports from 153 firms) 1. Poor personal appearance.
2. Lack of interest and enthusiasm: Passive and indifferent.
3. Over emphasis on money: interested only in best dollar offer.
4. Condemnation of past employers.
5. Failure to look at the interviewer when conversing.
6. Limp, fishy handshake.
7. Unwillingness to go where sent.
8. Late to interview.
9. Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time.
10. Asks no questions about job.
11. Indefinite response to questions.
12. Overbearing, over aggressive, conceited with superiority or "know it
all complex."
13. Inability to express self clearly: Poor voice diction, grammar.
14. Lack of planning for career: no purpose and goals.
15. Lack of confidence and poise: nervous ill at ease.
16. Failure to participate in activities.
17. Unwilling to start at the bottom-expects too much too soon.
18. Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavorable factors in record.
19. Lack of tact.
20. Lack of courtesy: ill mannered.
21. Lack of maturity.
22. Lack of vitality.
23. Indecision.
24. Sloppy application blank.
25. Merely shopping around.
26. Wants job for short time.
27. No interest in company or industry.
28. Low moral standards.
29. Cynical.
30. Lazy.
31. Intolerant: strong prejudices.
32. Narrow interests.
33. Inability to take criticism.
34. High pressure type.
