Lake Zurich High School
Career Advisory Council
Mission Statement
The mission of the LZHS Career Advisory Council
is to provide students with a better understanding
of career opportunities, to help local employers
understand and enhance career interests and to
build a foundation for the development of
enrichment programs that will benefit business
people and education.
Among the services of the Career Advisory
Council is the organization of interviewing days
each semester for junior and senior students.
LZHS faculty members and volunteers from area
businesses and organizations volunteer their time
to conduct simulated job interviews.
This guide will assist you in preparing for the
interviewing process.
Before the Interview
Once you have made a decision about the career
or profession in which you want to work, begin
gathering information about the career.
 Ask your parents or another adult about
your choice of future work
 Research the career at the library or on
the Internet.
 If you have a chosen a specific company,
research the company.
 You should endeavor to learn the
following:
o Company history
Products and services
Location of offices
Customers
Competitors
Philosophy
Financial information
(sales, profits, stock
performance, number of
employees, etc.)
o Recent news
Verify the time of your
appointment.
Dress and groom
appropriately. Outlandish
hairstyles, excessive cologne
or makeup are “turnoffs”
Be energetic; get plenty of
sleep the night before.
interviewer the feeling that he or she
would like to be your friend. This is a
key ingredient of a successful
interview.
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During the Interview
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Make a Good First Impression
You get only one chance to make a first
impression. Please use it well!
 Arrive on time. Promptness
conveys maturity, commitment,
dependability and
professionalism.
 Be positive and try to make
others feel comfortable. Show
openness by leaning into a
greeting with a firm handshake
and smile.
 Relax. Think of the interview as
a conversation, not an
interrogation.
 A pleasant and agreeable
demeanor will give the
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Show self-confidence. Make eye
contact with the interviewer and
answer his or her questions in a clear
voice. Work to establish a rapport
with the interviewer.
Remember to listen. Communication
is a two-way street. If you are talking
too much or interrupting, you will
probably miss cues concerning what
the interviewer feels is important.
If the interviewer asks a complex
question which you don’t understand
fully, reflect the question back with
your own question. For example, you
might say: “Let me see if I understand
your question. You are asking….. Is
that right?”
If you get a difficult question, think
for a moment before answering and
frame your response carefully. For
example if you are asked “What
salary do you expect?” you might
answer by saying “That is a good
question. What are you planning to
pay your best candidate?”
When it is your turn, ask the
questions you have prepared in
advance. (See separate list of sample
questions.) These should cover any
information about the company and
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the job position you could not find in
your own research. You might want to
include in your question some
information you have learned about the
company. That will show the
interviewer you have initiative and
interest.
Early in an interview don’t ask questions
that raise red flags.
o “Is relocation a requirement?”
(May indicate your
unwillingness to relocate)
o “How much vacation do I get?”
(May indicate that time off is
more important than
contributing to the company.)
o “Would I have to work nights
and weekends?”
Don’t make negative comments about
current or former employers
Show you want the job. Display your
initiative by talking about what function
you could perform that would benefit
the organization and by giving specific
detail of how you have helped past
employers. You could also ask about
specific details of the job position such
as functions, responsibilities, who you
would work with and to whom you
would report.
Avoid negative body language:
o Frequently touching your
mouth or pulling on your ear;
o Swinging your leg or tapping
your foot;
o Folding or crossing your arms;
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Slouching;
Failing to keep eye
contact with the
interviewer.
Interview Errors to Avoid
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Arriving unprepared;
Wearing the wrong clothes or
being poorly groomed;
Talking too much;
Undervaluing or overvaluing
your worth;
Acting desperate for the job
And Finally….
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End the interview with a
handshake and a “thank you”.
Reiterate your interest in the
position and your qualifications.
Ask if you can phone or email to
check the status of your
application.
Promptly send a “Thanks for the
interview” note or email.
Interviewing
Guide
For
Students