Before The Interview

Do

• Schedule a mock interview with your career consultant.
• Obtain the interviewer’s name and title.
• Research the position and organization / company thoroughly.
• Review common questions and practice answering them.
• Understand the four main types of interview questions, and how to prepare for them.
• Plan what to wear. Check out the tip sheet on WHAT TO WEAR TO AN INTERVIEW.

Don’t

• Don’t forget the details. Confirm the time, date and location.
• Don’t prepare for each interview the same way. Identify your skills that relate to each job; review your resume and be able to demonstrate how you’re a good fit for the role.
• Don’t forget that you will need to assess if the job and organization are a good fit for you, too. Prepare 3-5 questions to ask.
• Don’t plan to ask questions about salary and benefits but do some research to learn the general salary range for the position.

During The Interview

Do

• Relax, be yourself, and be positive.
• Listen closely to questions; ask for clarification if needed.
• Be aware of your posture, eye contact, and body language.
• Be sure to clarify any follow-up arrangements.
• Time your arrival to 10-15 minutes before the interview start time and bring extra copies of your resume.

Don’t

• Don’t ramble. Be concise in your answers and give concrete examples to back up your claims.
• Don’t slight a former employer or colleague. Keep everything as positive as possible. After The Interview

Do

• Write a thank you email to the interviewer(s).
• Evaluate your performance by asking yourself questions such as: “How well did I present my qualifications?” “Did I use clear, concrete examples?” “How can I improve for my next interview?”
• Follow up with a phone call to find out the status of your application if the employer has not contacted you within the stated timeframe.

Don’t

• Don’t have any spelling or grammatical errors in your follow-up.
• Don’t be afraid to express your interest in the position. Make it known why you are an ideal candidate.
• Don’t stop your job search after one interview. Most students experience several interviews before landing an offer.

Career Center Tips

Main Types of Interviews

• Traditional: Gains basic information about an applicant’s background, interests, skills, and reasons for applying.
• Behavioral: Based on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior on the job. Questions are situation-based and often start with, “Tell me about a time when...”
• Case: Presents the interviewee with a problem to solve.  Getting the correct answer is not as important as your analysis of the problem.
• Situational: Presents the interviewee with a scenario to solve. The interviewer will pose a hypothetical situation and ask the interviewee how to resolve it.

Sample Interview Questions

Sample Behavioral Questions

• Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a difference of opinion with a co-worker, customer, or supervisor. How do you feel you showed respect?
• Tell me about a time you failed at something.
• Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a deadline. How did you handle it?
• Describe the most creative presentation or idea that you developed or implemented.
• Tell me about a tough decision you made. What steps and considerations did you take to make that decision?
• What have you done in your present or previous job that goes beyond what was required?
• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to approach things your way.
• Tell me about a time when you faced an ethical dilemma and how you handled it.
• What are three effective leadership qualities you think are important? How have you demonstrated these qualities in your past or current position?
• Give me a specific example of a time when you had to address an angry customer. What was the problem and what was the outcome?
• Tell me about a time when you demonstrated excellent communication skills. What did you need to communicate, and how did you communicate the information clearly?

Sample Situational Questions

• What would you do if the priorities suddenly changed on a project you were working on?
• What would you do if a team member was not meeting your expectations?

Sample Traditional Questions 

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why are you interested in this position?
• What do you know about our company/ organization/school?
• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
• How would a friend or professor describe you?
• Why did you select your college/university/ major?
• What are your future career goals? 5 years? 10 years?
• Why should I hire you over any other candidate?

Sample Case Questions

Tip: Look at Career Insider powered by the Vault for case interview guides: career.uga.edu/resources/on-line resources

• How many pennies would it take to reach from the ground to the top of the empire state building?
• How many telephones are there in the U.S.?
• How would you redesign an ATM machine to make it more user-friendly?
• How many gallons of gasoline does an average gas station is America sell on an average day?

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Questions To Ask Employers

Tip: State your company research. Ask a question. Example: I saw in the job description that I would be working on A, B & C. How much time will I spend on each area in a typical day?

• How much travel will be involved in the position?
• How would you describe the work environment? Company culture?
• What type of training program or orientation does a new employee receive?
• What is the typical career path of someone in this position?
• What are the next steps in your search process, and what is your hiring timeline for this position?