Colby-Sawyer College

1) Research the Employer
Thoroughly research the organization to impress those with whom you meet and allow more time for you to tell your story and discuss specifics of the position. Some of the information you will want to know includes:

• Product line or service - be able to explain what the company does
• Size of organization
• Location of facilities
• Structure of organization - by product line, function, past, current & potential growth
• Types of clients
• Potential markets, products, services
• Price of products or services
• Present price of stock
• Structure of assets
• Who the competition is
• Name of recruiter
• Training provisions
• Relocation policies
• Length of time in assignments
• Recent items in the news
• Others you know in the organization

It is also important to research issues, trends, problems, and jargon of the field. Such information can be obtained from people in the field, company literature, public and career libraries, trade journals, newsletters, business magazines, and directories. Prepare a list of well-researched questions for the interviewer.

2) Know Yourself

• Analyze your strengths and weaknesses and know exactly what you want to say and do not want to say during the interview.
• Evaluate problem areas in your record and be prepared to offer a strong case for these during the interview, if necessary. Do not volunteer negative information about yourself or a former employment situation.
• Write out answers to possible questions from the interviewer, as a practice activity. Do a mock interview with a staff member at the Harrington Center, a friend, or relative.

3) Prepare Yourself

• Do you best to find out the name, role, and level of responsibility of each individual with whom you are to meet.
• Know exactly how to get to the organization and be prepared to arrive early and stay late. Don't schedule other things that will have you "clock watching."
• Dress to project an image of confidence and success; your total appearance should be appropriate to the job.
• Prepare to bring additional materials to the interview such as copies of your resume, a list of references, samples of your work, or transcripts.

Your first task will be to help build rapport with the interviewer(s). The characteristics of building rapport involve your (1) attitude and (2) nonverbal and (3) verbal behaviors.

(1) Your attitude should be one of openness or sensitivity to interviewer's style and a feeling of mutual responsibility for creating a comfortable atmosphere, establishing a common ground. You should be thinking positively. (If you don't think you are the best candidate for the job, how can you hope to convince the employer you are?)

(2) The nonverbal behaviors that contribute to rapport are: dress and posture, eye contact, handshake, voice level, and gestures.

(3) The verbal behaviors contributing to rapport building include: courteous observations, initiation of discussion, disclosure of personal qualities.

Congruence between the nonverbal and verbal messages is very important to an effective interview. The nonverbal behaviors that are important in an interview include:

• Eye contact that should be open and direct when listening, asking and responding to questions.
• Eye contact is usually broken when concentrating or reflecting on what you want to say or what was said.
• Posture that should be well balanced, erect, relaxed, straight on and open. Know your nervous habits and practice controlling them.
• Hands which should be used in a relaxed way for animation, communicating excitement, interest.
• Facial expression which coveys your sincerity and can add to or detract from your words.
• Voice tone that should be firm, warm, well modulated and relaxed.
• Timing which involves your use of silence, and comfort with pauses.
• Active listening which affects how you respond and communicates your interest. This is difficult when you're nervous-so concentrate!

How you communicate verbally involves your ability:

• To use active verbs.
• To use concrete examples.
• To be concise and complete.
• To summarize and make transitions.
• To be positive and "own" what you have done and what you know.

Your knowledge of what contributes to a "strong answer" also contributes to effectiveness. A strong answer does not create more questions than it answers. The components of a strong answer include:

• Backing up a statement with a specific example.
• Sharing your role (the challenges and accomplishments).
• Sharing the outcome or solution.
• Summarizing to emphasize your strengths.

At the end of the interview set parameters for the next contact.

• State positive feeling-"I'm very interested. When may I expect to hear from you?"
• "What is the next step in the process?"

• Use the interview as a learning experience. Take notes on what you would like to improve after you leave the room.
• Send a follow-up letter to thank the interviewer, and stress points in your background that qualify you for the position.
• If you are not contacted within the specified time, call to restate your interest.
• It is usually best not to accept a job offer on the spot; state your interest and appreciation for the offer and request a reasonable amount of time to consider it, e.g. two days, one week at the most.
• Be sure to evaluate all aspects of the job before accepting it rather than afterward. Once you have accepted a position, your commitment is considered binding by the employer.
• If you do not get the job, you may want to ask the interviewer for some constructive criticism or recommendations for future interviews. If you are consistently passed over for positions, try to identify potential problems; then seek guidance for improvement.

1. Screening

• Done by a person well trained in the act of interviewing.
• Purpose is to week out candidates to cut down on work of hiring person.
• May be brief (half-hour).
• Based primarily on facts - follow the interviewer's lead.
• May be done on-campus, in personnel offices, by school systems or large companies, etc.

2. On-Site

• Often involves a whole day or longer.
• Offers you the opportunity to see the physical plant.
• You will be meeting different people within the organization who will have input into the hiring decision.

3. One-on-One

• Usually with the person who will make the hiring decision.
• Fifty percent of supervisors who interview have no professional training in interviewing.

4. Panel

• Less subjective - better odds at overcoming an individual bias.
• Can get a better idea of how the staff works together.
• Greater chance of anxiety if you are not expecting this.
• Questions may be more rapidly paced because they can frame questions while you're answering someone else.
• It is more difficult to achieve feelings of rapport
• You should maintain eye contact and involve everybody; be professional; smile.
• Answer one question at a time and ask if you can jot down notes.

INTERVIEW CONTENT

1. Gather Background Information
a) Objective: To gather facts about experiences the applicant has faced (probably most common approach.)

b) Method

• Uses detailed questions, usually prepared in advance.
• Follows progression of application/resume as far as experience and education are concerned - basically an amplification of the resume.

c) Pros/Cons

• Yields a wealth of information (including personal) and encourages analysis of data.
• Can be a lengthy process as it covers candidate's life.

2. Encourage Discussion
a) Objective: To form an overall impression of the applicant.

b) Method

• Avoids use of set questions.
• Follows an unstructured progression allowing applicant to set directions.

c) Pros/Cons

• Lack of set questions - may not cover significant portion of candidate's background.
• Emphasis is on analysis of impressions, not facts.

3. Create Stress
a) Objective: To "test" reactions of applicant in a difficult situation.

b) Method: Puts an applicant on the defensive by interrupting, criticizing opinions, questioning decisions, etc.

c) Pros/Cons

• Fallen out of favor although once used by major corporations.
• Interview situation is already "stress".

4. Ask Probing/Hypothetical Questions
a) Objective: To evaluate probable job performance or technical knowledge of the applicant.

b) Method:

• Asks hypothetical questions (what would you do if?) related to job performance based on candidate's concepts or attitudes of what it takes to do a given job. (This is where you need to be positive, show evidence of overcoming challenges and having a good attitude.)
• Asks for solutions, recommendations.
• Requires a set of situations carefully prepared in advance.

c) Pros/Cons:

• Does not give a broad range of personality characteristics.
• Requires a skilled interviewer.

5. Assess Past Behaviors
a) Objective: To identify characteristics and uncover competencies of the applicant, leaving the interviewer to draw conclusions and evaluate what the applicant is likely to do in certain situations.

b) Method:

• Asks questions that will reveal what the applicant has actually done, focusing on both positive and negative experiences.
• Concentration on in-depth description to which the interviewer will compare the candidate's qualifications.

c) Pros/Cons:

• Requires employer to establish beforehand "model" descriptions to which he/she will compare the candidate's qualifications.
• Requires careful formulation of questions so that all areas of model are covered.

Questions You May Be Asked in the Interview

Questions About Yourself

3. "How much do you expect to be paid?"
Never state a flat dollar amount unless you know what the job pays. Try a neutral statement: "I would expect to be paid what other persons in this job are paid" or state a range that you know would encompass any offer, but which goes a bit higher than you would find acceptable. Or answer with a question: "How much does the job pay?" "How much is a new employee usually paid?" If you have experience: "How much do you usually pay someone with my experience?" Emphasize your skills, and ask the employer what he or she feels your skills are worth. However, always be prepared to a range, e.g. $25-30,000.

5. "Why did you leave your last job?"
The employer is trying to find out if you had any problems on your last job.

• Never say anything negative about yourself or your previous employer. If you did have problems think of a way to explain without being negative.
• Don't use the word "fired". Use words such as "laid off" or "position was cut".
• If you were fired and are not on good terms with your previous employer, maybe you should explain. Try to show that you learned something from the situation.
• Tell the employer that the former problem (if it is personal) will not affect your work.
• Common reasons for leaving: general layoff, job was temporary, moved to a new area, company went out of business, no room for advancement, wanted a job that would better use your skills, attending school.