What Employers Really Want To
Learn From Your Interview
Dr. Tom Cassel
tcassel@upenn.edu
https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices//interviewingadvice/
Campus
Outreach
Application
Interview
Screening
Hire or
Schedule
Site
Interview
Schedule
phone,
Skype or
site
interview
Hiring
Manager
or Team
2nd Site
Interview
Hire
Interviews typically go wrong
because…
• The student lacks interest or enthusiasm.
• The student is unsure what the organization does.
• The student doesn’t really know why he/she
applied for this position or how it fits into his/her
career path.
• The student lacks humility.
Prepare for the interview
• Research the company, the business unit/site, the interviewer.
• Know what to expect.
• Understand the role you’re being interviewed for:
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•
•
•
• In a large firm, focus on specific area of interest.
• If applying for multiple positions in a large firm, prioritize.
Identify your relevant skills.
Compile “treasure trove” of relevant personal stories to pull from.
Do a mock interview at Career Services.
Bring an updated resume:
• 1-page for college-level applicants.
• Tailor the objective to align with the role.
• Shows you went the extra mile to prepare.
• Compile 3-5 good questions to ask the interviewer.
“Both of us are being interviewed”
• Questions to ask your interviewer
www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/
/interviewingadvice
Put your best foot forward
• Suit and tie:
• Important to some interviewers,
less to others.
• Even if you’ll never wear it on the
job.
• Tips the scales in your favor.
• Be composed and show interest:
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•
•
•
Firm handshake.
Eye contact.
Open body language.
Don’t fidget.
• Be your authentic, honest self.
Show interest and enthusiasm
• You set the tone for the interview:
• Show your enthusiasm and strong desire.
• Smile and be excited – it’s OK!
• Articulate why you want to be there.
• Express commitment to the mission.
The importance of humility
• Willingness to learn and accept feedback
• Lack of humility is a problem:
• Blinders: Not being open to others or to new ideas.
• Not being easy to work with.
• Excess humility can be dealt with:
• Ability to listen and learn
• Openness to others
• Qualities of a good team player
• Boldness to ask questions
• Questions for the interviewer at the end of the interview.
• Confident in what you’ve done…
• … but in a humble way.
• Boldness to express a point of view.
Interview formats & objectives…
• 30-Minute Behavioral Interviews
• Discuss your relevant experience, achievements, leadership
examples, and examples of your initiative and curiosity.
• Demonstrate your enthusiasm, interest and communication skills.
• From your trove of personal stories, tell stories of relevant
capabilities.
• Tell your stories authentically.
• Case Interviews
• Listen and ask questions; take a logical and, as appropriate, creative
approach; make realistic assumptions as needed; prioritize issues;
perform a sound analysis of relevant case data; communicate
clearly and concisely with confidence.
• Team Case Interviews
• All of the above, and demonstrate your leadership skills.
Always asked questions…
• Come prepared with answers to:
• Why are you interested in this position?
• Why are you interested in our company?
• What skills and experience make you a good fit for this
position?
Other commonly asked questions…
www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/
/interviewingadvice
Expect open-ended questions
• Topic openers
• “Tell me about your last internship.”
• Self-appraisal
• “What was it about your leadership style that allowed
you to achieve this?”
• Situation-based
• “How would you deal with this (specific) situation?”
“Describe a team experience that
didn’t go well…”
• STAR Format:
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•
•
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Situation
Task
Action
Result
• Take ownership
• Use the pronoun “I”
• Taking action vs. being an observer
“Describe a time when you had to
work with someone different from
yourself…”
• How well do you handle a difference in opinion.
• How well do you handle cultural differences.
• Listening skills.
• Brute force does not work.
People will adopt a point of
view more readily when they
are allowed to arrive at it
themselves, than when they
are told.
Benjamin Franklin
Employers are also looking for…
• Students who have gone above and beyond:
• In classwork.
• In extracurriculars.
• In service.
• Students who are willing to raise their hand.
Following the interview…
• Email within 24 hours, “Thank you for your time”
and no more than 3 concise sentences
underscoring your interest. Avoid TMI.
• If you don’t hear within 2-3 weeks (or the
timeframe within which they tell you you’ll hear),
contact them. Make sure you haven’t fallen
between the cracks.
• In a large firm, keep applying even if you don’t get
this offer. Applying for multiple jobs is encouraged.
Salary negotiation is not looked
upon unfavorably
• Can be a “smart thing to do” if done with humility.
• Must be supported with rationale and justification:
• Not “I want more.”
• Not “My friend got more.”
• For student positions, not much leeway.