Webster University Career Services

Interviewing is one of the most dynamic forms of business and professional communication. The interview gives you a chance to prove to a potential employer that you are capable, competent and qualified. Therefore, it is important that you learn as much as you can about interviewing in order to effectively market yourself during an interview.

INTERVIEW FORMAT
No two interviewers or interviews are ever alike. However, a typical 30-minute screening interview may follow a format similar to this:

• Greeting and Introduction
   The first few minutes of an interview usually consist of a firm handshake, a quick and professional    introduction and some small talk to develop rapport between you and the interviewer. Make sure    you smile and that your initial presentation is positive. An employer spends the first minute of the    interview developing an impression of you and you spend the rest of the interview confirming or    changing those impressions.

• Overview of the Position and Interview
   After the greeting, the employer may give you an idea of how the interview will proceed. In some    cases, the interviewer will briefly describe the position and/or the organization. This may last about    three to five minutes.

• Answering the Interviewer's Questions
   This section of the interview will typically last about 15-20 minutes. You will typically be talking about    70% of the time and the interviewer will be listening. Remember that this is your chance to elaborate    on your qualifications; it is essential that you provide clear examples that further highlight your    skills. Refer to the Answering Questions section of this article to learn how to handle interview    questions effectively.

• Asking the Interviewer Questions
   Always ask the interviewer questions. Prior to an interview create a list of about 20 potential    questions you would like to ask. Some of these questions may be answered during the course of the    interview. However, you should still have a few questions remaining on your list at the end of the    interview. Plan to ask three to five questions that reflect your genuine interest in the position and/or    organization. You may also want to ask the interviewer to provide additional information about a    topic discussed during the interview or refer to information you learned during your employer    research. This will communicate to the interviewer that you were listening and prepared for the    interview. You will have several minutes to ask questions.

• Closing the Interview
   It will take about three to five minutes to bring the interview to a close after you have asked your    questions. The interviewer may outline what you can expect to happen next in the employment    process and/or invite you for a second interview. If the interviewer does not discuss the employment    process, it is fine to ask about this so that you will know what to expect. Thank the interviewer for    his/her time and end the interview with a friendly smile and another firm handshake. If you did not    obtain the interviewer’s business card, ask for one so that you can follow up with the individual.

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
As an interviewee, you may find yourself in several different interview situations. Here are a few examples of potential types of interviews:

• The Telephone Interview
Employers typically use the telephone interview as a screening interview before deciding whom to interview in person. This can be a very simple interview but the interviewee must be careful to speak clearly, listen attentively and communicate sincerely on the telephone since the interviewer does not have the ability to read body language on the telephone. You may have your reference materials (resume, notes related to typical interview questions, etc.) available to review during the interview. Be careful to eliminate speak ticks such as "um," "and," "ok," "ya know," etc.

• The One-on-One Interview
This is probably the most frequently used interview. This meeting incorporates an individual approach to the interview process and allows you to meet directly with one interviewer.

• The Panel Interview
In a panel interview, several individuals will interview you at one time. Interviewers may take turns asking you prepared questions. If a panel is interviewing you, relax, get a feel for the group dynamics, and keep communication lines open by periodically making eye contact with all panel members as you respond to questions.

• The Satellite/On-Line Interview
In an effort to save time and money, many employers are conducting satellite or on-line computer interviews. Typically, in this type of interview the interviewee is sitting in front of a camera that is attached to a computer or television and communicates with the interviewer who utilizes similar technology.

• The Group Interview
The group interview is almost the complete opposite of the panel interview. In the group interview there is one interviewer and several interviewees. Basically, interviewees compete to see who will surface as the leader of the group. The person who answers questions professionally and diplomatically wins the competition and the right to continue in the interviewing process or to get the job. This is frequently used when an employer has many people to interview and few people to conduct the interviews.

• The Meal Interview
Frequently utilized by business professionals, the meal interview will give the interviewer a sense of your ability to function in social settings. Brush up on your table manners and rules of professional etiquette, order non-messy foods, treat your server with respect, and order a moderately priced meal. Avoid drinking alcohol because even a few ounces can lessen your ability to maintain a professional demeanor.

• The Follow-up Interview/On-Site Visit
If an employer is interested in continuing the employment process with you after the first interview, you may be invited for a second interview or on-site visit. A tour of the facilities, staff introductions, and multiple interviews typically characterize this type of interview. During tours, give the tour leader your undivided attention and ask interesting questions.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS
The way you respond to interview questions tells the interviewer whether or not you are qualified. Therefore, it is important to know what types of questions may be asked and what responses are appropriate. A thorough review of the position job description will help you to prepare for the types of questions that you may be asked.

The Four P’s:
Before formulating an answer to an interview question, consider applying the following four P's to your response:

• Ponder
Ask yourself why the employer has asked a question. This will help you determine what skill, trait, value or ability is being measured. Try to respond to the question by highlighting the criteria that is being evaluated.

• Prove
Prove every statement you make by providing clear and specific examples. If you say that you have developed excellent communication skills give examples of situations where you utilized these skills. If you claim that Webster University has provided you with an outstanding, well-rounded education, discuss the curriculum requirements.

• Practice
Practice interviewing. One good way to get started is to obtain a list of sample interview questions, prepare potential answers and practice interviewing with someone. Consider scheduling a mock interview with a Career Services staff member.

• Project
Project a positive image even when the questioning gets negative. If you are asked to state one of your weaknesses, do so. However, explain what you are doing to eliminate that weakness and what you have learned in the process.

Behavioral Interviewing:
This type of interview is becoming more and more popular as employers seek to determine whether or not you can actually demonstrate the skills needed for the position. In a behavioral interview you may be asked to give examples of instances when you have demonstrated a particular skill. The premise behind this type of interview is that past performance is an indicator of future performance (if you did it before, you should be able to do it again).

To be successful in the behavioral interview, relax and think quickly drawing upon specific examples from your education and experiences. When answering these questions, it is important to give specific examples; consider using the “STAR” technique. With the STAR technique, you provide examples by discussing the Situation you where in or the Task you completed, the Actions that you took in the situation and the Results.

HANDLING INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS
You may be asked questions regarding your marital status, age, race, religious preference, children, sexual orientation or other issues that are not job related. Not all of these questions are always illegal but all are definitely inappropriate or unethical interview questions because they are unrelated to the job qualifications. Handling these questions can pose a personal dilemma as you decide how to respond. There are no strict guidelines to follow in dealing with these questions and many times interviewers who are unaware that the questions are inappropriate ask them. However, if you feel uncomfortable about a question ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I really want this job?
2. How badly do I want this job?
3. Do I really want to work for an organization that asks inappropriate questions?
4. Does the interviewer realize that this question is inappropriate?

Based on your responses to these questions you may wish to:
1. End the interview.
2. Ask the interviewer what relevance the question has to the position or why the question is being asked.
3. Refuse to answer the question.
4. Answer the question with or without regret.

Keep in mind, the way you handle this situation says a lot about your professionalism and maturity. Avoid being rude and argumentative while remaining positive, polite and assertive.

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The following is a list of sample questions that you may be asked; note that some of these are behavioral questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you choose this occupational field?
3. What do you consider to be your three greatest strengths?
4. What do you consider to be your three greatest weaknesses?
5. What things are most important to you in a job?
6. What do you know about our organization that makes you want to work with us?
7. What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
8. By providing specific examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people,     situations and environments.
9. Describe a situation that required you to complete a number of different tasks at the same time.     How did you handle this?
10. Talk about a time that you worked on a team project. What was the project and what particular       role did you play in the team?
11. Where do you see yourself five years from now?
12. Discuss a situation in which you had to adjust quickly to changes in your scheduled plans. What did       you do in this situation and how did it affect you?

ASKING QUESTIONS
It is essential that you ask questions during your interview; this will demonstrate to the employer that you are interested in the position and/or company. While questions regarding salary and benefits are considered inappropriate in a first interview, the following are examples of questions that you may ask during an interview:

1. How long have you been with this organization?
2. Describe your career path within this organization.
3. What do you enjoy most about working for this organization?
4. Is there a formal orientation program?
5. What is the typical career path for this position?
6. What are some of the biggest challenges facing this position, this department or this organization?
7. What are the performance expectations for this position?
8. How frequently is performance evaluated?
9. Will I have supervisory responsibilities? If so, how many people will I be supervising?
10. How would you describe your leadership/management style?
11. How would you describe the individuals I will be working with?
12. What kind of training and/or professional development programs do you have?

INTERVIEW FOLLOW-UP
It is important to always send a thank you letter to interviewer(s) after an interview. Note the names and positions of everyone you meet during an interview. Thank-you letters should be mailed to every person who interviewed you within 24 hours of your interview; emailed letters may be appropriate in some instance. Consider sending handwritten thank-you notes to people you met throughout the day but who did not interview you (i.e. support staff members and tour guides).