Acing Your
Interview
How to get the job offer
© 2008
Marrietta Reber
6/27/2016
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Preparing for the Interview
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Know the Company
Gather Your Materials
Time the Interview Optimally
2008 © M. Reber
Preparing for the Interview –
Know the Company
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Research company, position and your
interviewer
 Check
out company web site
 Read company’s financial and annual reports
 Ask people you networked with about company and
interviewer
 Call company directly and request sales brochure and
any company information they give out
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Confirm interview
 Call
1-2 days in advance and confirm time and
location
 Know how to get there and how long it takes!
2008 © M. Reber
Preparing for the Interview –
Gather Your Materials
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Several copies of your resume on professional
grade paper to hand to interviewers
Portfolio in print and digital format
Paper and pen
Business cards
Reference list
List of questions you want to ask
2008 © M. Reber
Preparing for the Interview –
Time the Interview Optimally
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Try not to schedule on Monday. Work has piled
up over the weekend and people are busy
Try for a late morning interview. People are more
alert in the morning
Try to be the last person interviewed. Statistics
show the last person interviewed is offered the
job more often than the first
Plan for a day when your schedule is relaxed
and flexible
2008 © M. Reber
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self-Assessment
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Purpose
Showcasing Skills and Achievements
Managing Weaknesses
Anticipating Common Questions
Navigating Tricky Questions
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Purpose
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A self assessment gives you a solid inventory
of all your accomplishments, skills, talents,
and abilities to prepare you for the interview
Allot about two hours of focused time a day
or two before your interview to:
 reflect
on your experience and skills
 brainstorm on paper highlights from your past
 record effective responses to common questions
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Purpose
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Make sure to capture all thoughts in an
organized fashion on computer
Choose examples most fitting for the desired job
and company
This exercise will bring your most relevant
experience to your mind in an articulate, cogent
way
If possible, conduct a mock interview to be at
ease presenting yourself
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Purpose
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Create an elevator pitch: 1 – 2 minute summary of
your skills and accomplishments and how your are
the perfect candidate for the job
Review printed self assessment just prior to your
interview. Seeing your answers in print will jog your
memory
The objective is not to memorize your selfassessment, but rather to reflect on and provide a
linguistic flow for your most relevant experiences
Sit down and describe your 5 most important
accomplishments and the specific skills used to
achieve them. Tailor to desired job
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Showcasing Skills and Achievements
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Summarize your achievements and make
them concrete with past experiences
 Situation
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or task
Describe an experience you felt proud to have
achieved or a problem that needed to be dealt with
Describe your response to the situation
Describe the challenges and issues you faced
 Actions
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Describe what you did about the situation
Describe the actions you took
 Result
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or outcome
Describe the outcome
Describe why this experience is important to you
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Showcasing Skills and Achievements
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Examples illustrating how an accomplishment
can be related to specific skills and abilities:
 Increased sales by x %:
 Developed excellent personal customer relations and trust
 Worked closely with logistics to optimize delivery
 Organized and held training seminars with internal customer
support to increase customer satisfaction
 Successful project manager:
 3 promotions in 2 years
 Increased productivity of team by x% and reduced lead time
by x days
 Only manager to finish every project on time/budget
 Worked very successfully work with difficult employees and
clients
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Showcasing Skills and Achievements
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Look for examples that showcase your top
selling points
Choose some examples that are totally positive
and some that started out negatively but either
ended positively or you made the best of the
outcome
Vary your examples; don't take them all from just
one area of your life, include various jobs (even
private life if relevant)
Use fairly recent examples. Start with examples
within last year
Try to describe examples in story form, describe
the situation, your actions and the outcome
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Managing Weaknesses
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Describe a few weaknesses or failures and
explain briefly what went wrong and why
List what you learned from each problem
Don’t go for catastrophic failures but
weaknesses most employees have or that
demonstrate a correlating strength
Show that you dealt successfully with problems
and how you worked to resolve them as
positively as possible
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“Tell me about yourself …”
 Keep
 Have
it to 1 to 2 minutes maximum
a prepared answer ready but don’t make it
sound memorized
 Focus on professional information
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Short summary of most recent entries to resume
Relate past accomplishments to what is required in the new
position
 Mention a personal detail or two
 Where you grew up/lived/went to school
 Unique hobbies, experiences, or volunteer work
 Close with a statement like “I am looking forward
to
further my career in ___ and believe I can contribute
greatly to the success of ___”
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“Why did you leave your last position …”
 Prepare
a short statement that summarizes the
reasons for your departure
 Keep it short and positive, don’t ramble
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State briefly events that affected the company and led to your
departure
Point it out if a group of employees was affected
Examples:
“Due to a merger between __ and __ I was one of 300
people who were released…”
“Due to a restructuring at __ I have decided to resign my
position as __ and search for a position that more closely
matches my career goals ..”
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“What are your strengths/weaknesses …”
 Strength
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List strengths that are relevant to the job
Give examples from past jobs to illustrate
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E.g. creative: patents/publications/campaigns
E.g. leadership qualities: promoted quickly
 Weakness
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Talk about only one if possible
Mention only weaknesses not related to your core
competency
Make sure they are minor
Give explanations how you overcame them
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“What did you like most/least about your last
job…”
 Things
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List what is most relevant to the desired job
Talk about things that you were good at
Don’t mention salary, holidays and short work hours
 Things
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you liked most
you liked least
Try to keep this as short as possible
Phrase carefully as not to sound negative or overly critical
Think of some innocuous answers
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Long commute (unless the new commute would be longer)
Lack of communal feeling in the group etc.
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“Why do you want to work for us …”
 Don’t
give too many selfish reasons
 Flatter the company you want to work for
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Love the work
Reputation of the company/product
Opportunity to meet new challenges
“Why do you believe you are a good fit for this
position …”
 State
you relevant skills, experience and education
 Give examples that relate to the job you interview for
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“Why should we hire you …”
 Deliver
arguments in your favor to the hiring manager
and take your chance to stand out
 Make life easier for hiring manager: Supply him with
all the right reasons why you are the one
 Use your prepared summary why you are ideal for the
job: deliver your elevator pitch and show what makes
you the perfect fit
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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“Do you have any questions …”
 Have
about two or three questions ready to show you
are prepared, engaged, and considering actively
 Don’t ask about holidays or benefits until you are
close to a job offer
 Ask questions relating to company and job
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Reason for job opening
Reporting relationships
Group size
Equipment
Performance expectations for 3/6/12 months
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Anticipating Common Questions
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The answers to these often asked questions
may seem self-evident, but write them out with
examples and practice
 When
have you demonstrated initiative
 How do you deal with pressure
 What would your previous supervisor say about you
 What do you know about our company
 Are you ambitious
 Are you willing to work overtime
 What do you see yourself doing in five years
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Navigating Tricky Questions
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“You seem over/under qualified …”
 Overqualified
(too expensive / you may not fit in and
quit soon / you could be a threat to a supervisor’s job)
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Never address money; rather stress how you always helped
your previous supervisors to meet/exceed their goals
Show by examples that you work well with younger team
members/supervisors
Your experience will help you do the job faster and better
 Underqualified
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Exploit transferable skills from other jobs or volunteer work
Show your flexibility, willingness, and ability to learn or gain
additional training
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Navigating Tricky Questions
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“What are your salary expectations …”
 Don’t
give a fixed number
 Say you’d like more info on the job’s duties and
responsibilities before you can answer
 Try to mention a range if pressed and ask about the
company’s salary range for the job
 To get an idea of the salary range for the job, check
“salary.com” or “salary.monster.com”
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Navigating Tricky Questions
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“Why have you changed jobs so frequently…”
a negative a positive – change as promotion,
development, and growth
 Make clear that you now want a career commitment
to apply all you learned
 Stress that all changes were voluntary (if true) and
your performance was always excellent
 Make
2008 © M. Reber
Doing a Self Assessment –
Navigating Tricky Questions
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“Are you interviewing with other companies…”
 Keep
your answer short
 Be pleasant but non-specific if possible
 If pressed, tell them you are looking, but stress that
this position you are interviewing for is your first
choice
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“I have a few leads, but this job is the one I’m most excited
about …”
“I am considering a few opportunities, but …”
“I have just begun looking and exploring my options …”
 Avoid
giving information on specific companies you’re
interviewing with if possible
2008 © M. Reber
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Questions –
Explanation
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Interviewer needs information not sufficiently
explained in resume or has doubts to be clarified
Interviewer may want to find out about older
qualifications and experiences you just touched
upon in your resume
At this point usually the tricky questions get posed
and you have the chance to explain problems in
your resume
Typical questions
 “Why
have you changed jobs so frequently…”
 “You seem over/under qualified …”
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Questions –
Expectation
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Interviewer wants to clarify your expectations about
the job
Interviewer attempts to find out whether you would
actually stay at the company because it is a good fit
with your expectations
Examples
 “What
are your salary expectations …”
 “Do you have any questions …”
 “Why do you want to work at our company …”
 “Why do you believe you are a good fit for this
position …”
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Questions Scenario
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Interviewer may describe a job scenario and ask how
you would handle it in exact steps
A scenario may cover a single complex problem or a
situation where you have to deal with several problems
Scenario based interviews tend to reflect a situation that
can arise in the job you want
You need to cover three main areas:
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Define the situation exactly and understand what the problem is
Describe exactly what steps, in which order, you would take to
deal with the situation and who would be involved
Describe the outcome you intend your actions to have. If
necessary, describe how you would deal with a negative result if
there is nothing you could do to remedy the situation
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Questions Behavioral
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Interviewing technique based on the idea that
past behavior predicts future behavior
You may be asked to give an example of a
specific, tricky workplace situation and how
you dealt with it
Questions often deal with workplace
situations that are critical, difficult or could
shed a negative light on the applicant
Questions are often very specific and cannot
be prepared for individually
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Questions –
Examples of Behavioral Questions
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How have you demonstrated initiative
How did you successfully interact with a difficult boss,
co-worker or other person
Tell me about the riskiest decision you have made
Describe when you or your group were in danger of
missing a deadline. What did you do?
Tell me about a challenge you met successfully
Give an example of when your persistence had the
biggest payoff
Summarize a situation where you successfully
persuaded others to do something or to see your point of
view
2008 © M. Reber
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview
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Phone Interview
One-on-one with HR and/or Supervisor
Interview by One or Several Co-Workers
Group or Panel Interview
Stress Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview –
Phone Interview
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Show enthusiasm with your voice but don’t overdo it
Hold receiver mouthpiece about 2 inches from lips.
Speak a little slower than normally
Do not use slang and try to minimize an accent
Turn off background music, mobile phone, computer
speaker, and front bell (if possible)
Keep children and pets away
Prepare like for any interview and keep your resume,
your list with achievements and summary at hand
Practice a phone interview with a friend
Don’t smoke, chew gum or drink tea during the interview
Avoid salary discussions in a phone interview
Ask when it is convenient to meet for a face to face
interview
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview–
One-on-One with HR and/or Supervisor
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Interviewer evaluates applicants’ overall potential and fit within
company
Interviewer tries to see if applicant has experience and
qualifications for job
Interviewer asks general questions to test applicants problem
solving abilities and ability to socialize with rest of team
HR tends to focus more on general skills and fit, supervisor
more on technical skills specific to job
Applicant should use previous achievements to back any facts
mentioned
Applicant has to prove both knowledgeable and able to fit into
a team
Applicant has likely to go through several more interviews,
cannot assume that the next interviewer knows what was told
to the one before
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview –
Interview by One or Several Co-Workers
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Assesses applicants’ fit into the department and
group
Allows in-depth interview about specific skills
and accomplishment necessary for job
Gives applicant a chance to show they
understand the nuts and bolts of the job
Lets applicant show willingness and ability to be
team member
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview –
Group or Panel Interview
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Panel often consists of supervisor and one or several team
members. Depending on job, can also include higher-ranking
managers
Panel interview tests various skill at the same time
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Dealing with stress
Communication with possible team mates
Facing the public, customers, and colleagues
Having the skills and knowing the job
Using knowledge in a discussion
All panel members may ask questions
Applicant needs to stay calm. Asking questions can buy some time
to consider answers
Panel interviews can shorten the interviewing process considerably
because less follow-up interviews are necessary
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview –
Stress Interview
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Is less common than normal interviews
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High-stress positions like dealing with customer complaints
High-stress environment where quick and cool reactions are
absolutely necessary like working as international oil prospector
Exposes applicant to unexpected circumstances to
evaluate their ability to deal with stress
Tries to disorient and put the applicant on the defensive
and elicit genuine and spontaneous reactions
Requires applicants to be calm, polite, and think on their
feet
Tests an applicant’s ability to be articulate, graceful, and
polite under pressure
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview –
Stress Interview
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Real-life work-simulation
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Applicant is asked to perform a work task in a real work
environment
Ringing phones, conversations outside the cubicle, and other
distractions evaluate the applicants concentration, ability and
composure
Adversarial interview
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Applicant may be surrounded by interviewers and be asked
several questions simultaneously
Interviewer stares intently or ignores applicant and remains silent
for long periods
Interviewer asks questions rapidly without letting applicant
answer properly or keeps asking the same question without
listening to the answer
Interviewer may be aggressive and hostile or ask strange and
unrelated questions
2008 © M. Reber
Understanding Types of Interview –
How to React to a Stress Interview
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Remember this is a test, nothing personal
Stay calm and in control whatever happens
Answer questions collectedly, force yourself to slow
down and speak softly
Focus only on the question and not on the interviewer
Focus your answer at the interviewer who asks, not on
the whole group to relieve some of the stress
Clarify the question and the nature of the answer desired
– this can buy you some time to think
If you feel the interview is utterly out of hand, remember
an interview is two-sided! Politely speak your mind, take
control, or even end the interview.
2008 © M. Reber
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview
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Dressing for Success
Arriving at the Interview
Opening the interview
Using body language
Interacting with the Interviewer
Closing the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Dressing for Success
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Conservative, professional outfit
Dark or neutral colors
Clean, polished shoes in good repair
Clean, trimmed fingernails. Women may wear
conservative nail-polish
Beards or moustaches must be neatly trimmed
No noticeable fragrances or distracting jewelry
Avoid visible piercings or tattoos
Better to be overdressed than underdressed
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Arriving at the Interview
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Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before appointment
Inform the receptionist with whom you have an
appointment
Try to engage receptionist, be scrupulously
polite and friendly
 Formally
or informally, receptionists may be asked
about their opinion
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Turn off cell phone. Having your phone ring
during an interview is rude
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Opening the Interview
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Introduce yourself
Smile and offer firm, dry handshake at
introduction
Make sure to remember the name(s) of your
interviewer(s) and use them
Be prepared to answer the dreaded question
“So tell me a little bit about yourself …”
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Opening the Interview
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Set a positive tone
 Make
short pleasant small talk if appropriate
 Thank them for their time
 Compliment the office/location
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Impress the interviewer. Likability and good fit for
position is often more important in hiring
decisions than perfect qualifications
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Using Body Language
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Make eye contact
Sit down in a relaxed and confident position
Affirm that you are listening by nodding, etc.
Don’t fold arms or legs
Accentuate your words with gestures but don’t
overdo it
Vary voice tone, volume and inflection, don’t talk
in a monotone
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Using Body Language
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Do not fidget
Watch your interviewer
 When
they glance away, shuffle paper etc., you lost
them
 Stop talking, ask a question, draw them back into the
interview
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Above all, be natural!!
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Interacting with the Interviewer
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Show self-confidence but not arrogance
Don’t make any negative comments or mention
anything negative about your last position
Use phrases that reinforce your good fit: “I am
able/willing … ”, “I work well with others…”
Use strong action-verbs: “contributed”,
“developed”, “managed”. Avoid weak words:
“try”, “guess”, “pretty good”, “maybe”
Stress what you know, not what you don’t
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Interacting with the Interviewer
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Express your interest in the position in uncertain,
strong terms
If you know nothing regarding a question, admit
it, but follow up immediately with a
complementary skill you do possess
React to common questions with winning
responses
Be confident and enthusiastic
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Interacting with the Interviewer
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Give information
 Don’t
give yes-or-no answer, but don’t talk longer than
one to two minutes
 Ask for clarification if you’re not sure what the
interviewer wants to know
 Stress your strengths
 De-emphasize your weaknesses
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Interacting with the Interviewer
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Get information by asking questions
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What caused this position to be opened?
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Growth, previous individual was promoted, etc.
Could you describe a typical day in the position?
To whom does this position report? Can I meet him/her?
What kind of support does the position receive in terms of people
and resources?
What are the performance expectations for the first 3, 6, and 12
months?
What are the prospects for growth and advancement?
When can I expect to hear from you about the next stage in the
interviewing process?
Avoid inquiring about salary or benefits in first interview!
2008 © M. Reber
Conducting the Interview –
Closing the Interview
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Summarize shortly your strengths and
accomplishments as they relate to the position
Reaffirm interest in the job – most job seekers
don’t
 Ask
for another interview or directly for the job
 Ask for timetable for decision
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Affirm the next step
Thank those you met on your way out and use
individual names
2008 © M. Reber
Interview - Overview
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Preparing for the Interview
Doing a Self-Assessment
Understanding Types of Questions
Understanding Types of Interviews
Conducting the Interview
Following up after the Interview
2008 © M. Reber
Following Up After the Interview
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After you leave the interview
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Take notes: What was discussed, what wasn’t, problems etc.
Try to evaluate the interview from the employers’ view
When you get home
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Send a hand-written thank-you note to interviewer. Preferably
mail, else email
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Thank the interviewer
Refer to something said in the interview to emphasize a strong point
or add to an answer that was weak
Express interest in the job again
Follow up by telephone
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Call 5 to 7 working days after interview
Not a push for a final decision but rather an expression of ongoing
interest
2008 © M. Reber
Interview – Additional Resources
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http://www.resumagic.com/job_interviews.html
http://www.jobinterviewquestions.org/questions/intervie
w-guide.asp
http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interviewpractice/Tell-Me-About-a-Time-When/home.aspx
http://www2.oakland.edu/careerservices/job_search_re
sources/Behavioral%20Interview%20Preparationweb.htm
http://www.careerchoiceguide.com/preparing-for-a-jobinterview.html
2008 © M. Reber
For One-on-One Employment Coaching
Marrietta Reber
Executive Upgrade Consulting
marrietta@executiveupgradeconsulting.com
www.executiveupgradeconsulting.com
2008 © M. Reber