Interview
with*
Confidence!*
Christina*M*Hall
Career%Adviser
chmhall@ucsc.edu
The employer probably
already thinks you can
do the job
Are you what you
seem like on paper in
person?
Do I want the office
next to yours?
What*the*interviewer*
wants*to*witness
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Your%true%personality
Communication%skills
Confidence
Enthusiasm
Concrete%examples
Types*of*Interviews
• One;on;one*< a%single%person%interviews%you
• Panel*< a%group%interviews%you
• Group < you%are%interviewed%simultaneously%
with%several%other%candidates
• Case< you%are%given%a%situation%and%are%asked%
to%present%a%solution
• Phone – could%be%one<on<one%or%panel
• Video– could%be%one<on<one%or%panel
• Over%meals%or%other%unique%settings
All successful%interviews%require
The%2%P’s
Preparation%&
Practice!
Before*you*go
Research*
• Research(the(company(and(the(position
– General(information(about(the(organization
– Organizational(structure,(type(of(supervision,(
type(of(training(programs
– Philosophy,(goals(and(image
– Company(culture
– Interviewer’s(name
Websites*for*Company*Research
Their%own%website
www.glassdoor.com
www.linkedin.com
Search%news%(Google)
Social%Media%(Twitter)
Before*you*go
Rehearsal*
• Start%with%frequently%asked%interview%questions
• Use%the%job%description%to%develop%questions%and%answers%in%
regards%to%the%qualifications
• Practice%answering%those%questions%out%loud
Quantitative*Finance*Analyst
Qualifications:
• Minimum%of%1<3%years%of%quantitative%modeling%experience
• MS%or%PhD%Degree%in%Economics,%Econometrics,%Statistics,%
Engineering,%Mathematics,%Operation%Research,%Finance,%or%related%
subject
• Experience%&%proficiency%in%programming%languages%such%as%SAS,%R,%
Matlab
• Ability%to%multitask%and%properly%prioritize%multiple%projects
• Willingness%to%work%under%pressure%to%meet%deadlines
• Effective%verbal%and%written%communication%skills%
Frequently%Asked%Questions
• Why%do%you%want%this%
job?%
• What%are%your%
strengths%and%
weaknesses?
• Where%do%you%see%
yourself%in%five%years?
• Why%should%I%hire%
you?
Keep it professional
•Give multiple strengths and
one weakness
These
•Make are
yourcommon
weakness questions
a natural
inflipside
a variety
of career
fields.
of your
strengths
•Explain how you compensate
for that weakness
You don’t have to predict the
future, but you do need to
show that the job is a good fit.
Before*you*go
Rehearsal
Be*ready*for*“Tell*me*about*yourself”*
“Tell*me*about*yourself”
Basic*Formula:
1.%Relevant%past%experiences%%
2.%Relevant%strengths%and%abilities%
3.%What%you’re%looking%for
4.%“Is%there%anything%else%you%wanted%to%
know?”
Before*you*go
Rehearsal
Have%a%few%“Tell%me%about%a%time….”%stories%
prepared%for%behavioral*questions.
“Tell%me%about%a%time%when…”
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You%developed%creative%ways%of%dealing%with%a%problem
You%accomplished%something%important%to%you
You%showed%initiative
You%reached%a%goal%you%set
You%promoted%teamwork
Your%ideas%were%criticized
You%failed%at%something
You%didn’t%get%along%with%someone
You%solved%a%problem
Stories%about%successes%and%overcoming%obstacles%are%impressive!
Behavioral%Questions
• Used%to%determine%how%you%would%operate%on%the%job.%
• Remember%to%use%the%STAR%method%for%your%answers
Tell*me*about*a*time*when…..
Give*me*an*example*of*a*time*when….
S.T.A.R%
Use*the*STAR*method*to*tell*these*stories
• S – Scene%(set%the%scene)
• T – Task:%what%was%the%task%or%challenge
• A – Action:%what%you%did,%skills%used,%
characteristics
• R – Result:%outcome,%what%happened
CRAFT,*DRAFT*&*PRACTICE
Pick%a%question%from%the%list%below.%Draft%your%STAR%story.
“Tell*me*about*a*time*when/Describe*a*time*when…..”
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You%managed%multiple%projects.
You%solved%a%problem%for%an%employer,%peer,%or%customer.
You%accomplished%something%important%to%you.
You%showed%initiative.
You%reached%a%goal%you%set.
You%worked%with%a%team.
You%worked%under%a%deadline
Your%ideas%were%criticized.
You%failed%at%something.
You%didn’t%get%along%with%someone.
You%overcame%an%obstacle.
You%utilized%creativity%on%the%job.%
Before*you*go
Rehearsal
• Be%prepared…PRACTICE%out%loud!!!%%%Watch%your%
“ums”%and%“likes”%and%eye%contact
• Career%Center%–Interview%Practice%for%a%run%
through%%
• Trial%run%to%company%
• Clean%up%your%social%media
Illegal%Questions
These*types*of*questions*should*not*be*asked*but*
sometimes*are:
•%%%Age%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
•%Disability%status
•%%%National%origin%%%%%%%%%%%%%%•%Marital/family%status
•%%%Arrest%record%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%•%Military%discharge
•%%%Religion%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%•%Race
•%%%Gender
You*can:
• Ask%how%the%question%is%related%to%your%qualifications%%
• Say%that%you%do%not%see%the%relationship%between%the%
question%and%your%qualifications.%
Day*of
Appearance:%Dress
Rule&of&thumb:
Whatever&the&office&style&is,&
dress&one&step&higher
Dress%Appropriately
Offices%fall%under%four%general%styles%of%attire:
Casual
Business%Casual
Business%
Conservative
Business*Formal
Day*of*
Appearance
Hair,%Facial%Hair:%%
Clean,%trimmed,%and%neatly%combed%
or%arranged
Fingernails:%
Neat,%clean,%and%trimmed%
Teeth:%
Brushed%and%fresh%breath.%Beware%of%
tobacco,%and%coffee%odor.
Make<up:%%%
Use%sparingly%and%be%natural%looking
Perfume/Colognes:%%%NONE!%
Jewelry:
Simple,%small
Tattoos:
Cover
Piercings:
Remove
Cleavage:
Nothing%showing
Shoes:%
Polished!%Closed<toe.
Phase*2:*Day*of
Before%you%leave
Gather:*
– copies/of/your/resume
– list/of/references//
– a/portfolio ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;!
– performance/reviews,/appraisals,/letters/of/
recommendation,/certificates/(if/applicable)
– Your/list/of/questions/for/the/employer
– printed/out/directions/
– $$/cash/for/parking
Day*of
Before%you%leave
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Eat%Breakfast
Keep%rehearsing%(out%loud)%%
Review%your%route/map,%set%your%GPS%
Tissue%or%two%in%your%pocket%for%sweaty%palms/sneezes.
Leave%yourself%more%than%enough%time%to%get%there
When%you%arrive
• Arrive%10%minutes%before%%
• Turn%OFF%your%cell%phone%(not%vibrate%– OFF!)
• Be%very%pleasant to%the%person%greeting%%you
Day*of
Opening%moves
During*the*first*few*minutes….
Wait*to*be*invited*to*sit*down!
Be*formal*– no%first%names%unless%you%are%asked%to%use%it
Smile!%Look%and%sound%happy%to%be%there!
Posture:%Sit%firmly%and%lean%your%back%straight%against%the%
chair.%It’s%an%automatic%signal%of%assurance%and%confidence.
• Look*around*for%something%you%can%compliment%or%have%
in%common.
• Many%questions%during%the%interview%may%be%standard%and%
seem%a%bit%rehearsed,%so%slightly%stray%from%the%norm%with%
small*talk*during%the%earlier%part%or%latter%part%of%the%
interview.
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The%Interview
• Don’t(Bad(Mouth(Anyone
– This(will(only(make(you(look(
bad—your(goal(is(to(always(
remain(professional.
– If(you(left(on(shaky(terms,(
practice(how(you(will(
PROFESSIONALLY(address(
this(in(the(interview.
– Answer(all(shaky(questions(
honestly.(Employers(can(
find(out(what(is(and(is(not(
the(truth—don’t(risk(your(
reputation(because(you(
don’t(know(how(to(handle(a(
difficult(question.
The%Interview
Use%positive%phrases%like:%
– to%take%a%job%with%more%
responsibility
– moved%
– seasonal
– business%closed
– job%or%contract%ended
– temporary%work
– laid%off
– reorganization
– returned%to%school
– career%change
Avoid negative words
like:
–fired
–quit
–absenteeism
–tardiness
The*Interview*Itself
General%Tips
The*DO’s
• Mirror%the%interviewer
• Some%interviewers%will%just%want%the%answers%and%that’s%
what%you%should%give%them
• Others%will%want%to%have%a%casual%conversation%and,%if%
they%do,%schmooze%with%them
• Use%“please”%and%“thank%you”%when%appropriate.
• Give%concrete%examples
• Nod%head%while%you’re%listening
• Leaning%slightly%forward% while%you’re%speaking%(keeping%
your%shoulders%back%and%down,%and%your%chest%high)%
demonstrates%interest%
• Keep%answers%between%1<2%minutes%long
The*Interview*Itself
General%Tips
The*DO*NOT’s:
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Interrupt%the%interviewer
Get%off%subject%or%give%rambling%answers
Volunteer%more%information%than%necessary
Ask%about%salary%or%benefits
Fidget
Give%one%word%answers%(Yes.%No.)
Don’t%discuss%personal%issues,%family/%health%problems
Overuse%slang%and%pause%words%(such%as%"like,"%"uh,"%and%"um")
Closing*the*interview
Questions%for%the%employer
“Do*you have*any*questions*for*me?”
• Ask%3<5%Questions.%You%should%be%interviewing%them%too!%
Common*questions*you*can*ask*an*employer:
• What/is/a/typical/day/like/for/the/person/in/this/position?
• Why/did/you/choose/to/work/here?//
• Is/this/a/new/position?/
• What/are/the/expectations/for/new/hires?
• Can/you/tell/me/about/the/training/I/will/receive?
• Can/you/think/of/any/reason/that/you/wouldn’t/hire/me?
Closing*the*interview
Thank%you…what’s%next?
• Ask%for%the%job%%
“After/what/I’ve/learned/about/you/and/your/company,/I’m/
confident/I’d/be/a/good/fit/and/that/we/could/work/well/together./
Are/there/any/questions/I/have/left/unanswered?”
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Ask%what%the%next%steps%are%in%the%process
Ask%for%business%card(s)
Extend%another%handshake
Thank%them%for%their%time
The*Follow*Up
Send*a*thank*you*email*the*day of*your*interview.*
• Mention%some%things%that%were%discussed%and%
anything%that%might%help%you%stand%out%in%his/her%
mind.
• Describe%in%one%or%two%sentences%why%you%are%the%
best%applicant.
• Reiterate%your%interest%in%the%position
Sample*follow*up*email
“Good%morning%Ms.%Morris,%
I%hope%you’re%having%a%great%week.%You%
mentioned%that%your%team%would%be%finalizing%
a%hiring%decision%on%the%Marketing%Intern%
position%this%week.%I’m%eager%to%hear%when%
you%have%an%update.%And%certainly,%if%I%may%
provide%any%additional%information%to%support%
your%decision<making%process,%please%let%me%
know!”
Reasons*People*Don’t*Get*Hired
• Lack%of%knowledge%about%the%company%and%
position%
• Untidy%personal%appearance%
• Inability%to%express%information%clearly%
• Lack%of%genuine%interest%or%enthusiasm%
• Lack%of%eye%contact%
• Not%providing%concrete%examples%when%
answering%questions
• Being%late%for%the%interview%
• Lack%of%confidence
Christina*M*Hall
Career%Adviser
chmhall@ucsc.edu