Mastering the Art of
Interviewing
Career Center
Qualifications and the Interview
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“Was I judged on my qualifications for the
job or on how well I performed in the
interview?”
Careful preparation and effective
communication could give the applicant an
edge over the competition and help the
applicant get that job.
Advantages to Being Prepared
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If you know what you want to say ahead of
time, you can usually articulate it better.
If you know something about the
organization to which you are applying, you
will have a better idea as to how to frame
questions and answers.
Being prepared will give you more confidence
and boost your overall performance.
How to Prepare:
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Write out answers to sample questions
Videotapes
Give answers to friend, mirror, tape recorder
Attend professional events
Practice Interview
Mock Interview
Research the company or organization that is
interviewing you
Ask people you know questions about the
organization you are applying to
Next comes library and internet research
What to look for:
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Age of the organization
Products or Services it offers
Past and anticipated growth
Current problems or needs
Location of plants, offices, and stores
Does it have a parent organization or
subsidiaries?
Identify information which coincides with your
education, interests, or experiences.
What to Look For: (cont.)
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Key people in the organization
Size in terms of sales and employees
Organizational structure of the company
Major competitors
Reputation
Assets and earnings
Types of customers
Keep In Mind
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Why do you want to work for this
organization?
What interests you about the products or
services the organization provides?
What do you know about the
organization?
Why do you think you would like this job?
Find Out Ahead of Time
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Salary information: range
Nature of the position: duties involved, and
how the position fits into the overall structure of
the organization
Information about your interviewer:
-name, title, pronunciation, and position
* When you are finished with your research,
draw up a list of questions on the
organization or position
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Review Your Résumé and Portfolio
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Review your résumé:
-find what you want to highlight in your interview
-pick most relevant experiences and note these on a
separate piece of paper
-note personal strengths or accomplishments not
mentioned in your résumé
-recall any positive work habits developed at work or in
school
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Review your portfolio:
-leave only the most relevant examples of your work in it
-add any pertinent information
-determine how these might be presented during the
interview
Self-Confidence
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Mental preparation is just as important as
library/internet research.
A self-confident applicant communicates
to the interviewer by demeanor as well as
words.
The Day Before the Interview
Decide what you are going to wear and
lay it out.
 Have all your materials organized and
ready to go.
 Schedule sufficient travel time to allow
you 5-10 minutes in the waiting room.
* you may want to travel to the location the day before
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to be sure you know where you’re going.
Dress to Impress
Women
Men
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Clean, pressed business suit
Light shirt
Conservative tie
Matching socks
Shined shoes
Clean, trimmed head and facial
hair
Fresh shave
Minimal or no cologne
No food, gum, or cigarettes
Clean nails
Empty pockets
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Clean, pressed suit or tailored
dress
Conservative hosiery without
runs
Polished pumps in good repair
Carry either a purse or attache
case
Attractive, controlled hair style
Minimal make-up and perfume
Moderate jewelry
Clean fingernails with no
chipped polish
No gum, food, or cigarettes
Positive attitude
What to Bring:
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Portfolio
Extra resumes
Transcript
List of references
3-5 key strengths
List of questions
Interview portfolio - if you have one
Behavior-Based Interviewing (BBI)
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Behavior-based interviewing is based on
the premise that an applicant’s past
behavior will predict how he or she will
respond in similar situations in the future.
BBI focuses on determining how you, the
interviewee, have actively applied your
skills.
The interviewer is looking for proof that
you can demonstrate the desired
capabilities in the real world.
The BBI Process
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The interviewer’s questions will be designed to
elicit detailed descriptions from you on how you
handled yourself in certain situations.
BBI challenges you to recall (in detail) what you
did, thought, and felt in key situations as if you
were reliving them.
This helps the interviewer better understand
your thought process, decision-making skills,
and emotional state- as well as the results of
your actions.
How to Respond:
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You will be expected to give detailed, but
focused, descriptions of actual
circumstances.
Expect to think-often in painstaking detailunder pressure.
Take your time in formulating your
response.
Be thorough, yet direct.
Create a S.T.A.R. story
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Situation: describe an overview of the
situation
Task: talk about the task
 Action: describe the action you took
 Result: positive result
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Commonly Asked Questions in the
BBI Interview
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Describe a creative/innovative idea that you produced
which led to a significant contribution to the success of
an activity or project.
What was the most complex assignment you have had?
What was your role?
Tell me about a suggestion you made to improve the
way job processes/operations worked. What was the
result?
What are three effective leadership qualities you think
are important? How have you demonstrated these
qualities in your past/current situation?
Give me a specific example of a time when you did not
meet a deadline. How did you handle the subsequent
situation?
Stages of the Interview
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Introductory Stage: 2-5 minutes
Qualification/Background Assessment
Stage: 15-20 minutes
Organizational Information Stage: 10-20 min.
Termination Stage: 1-2 minutes
Introductory Stage
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Shake hands
Use interviewer’s name
Assure interviewer has resume
Project positive attitude-enthusiasm
Qualification/Background
Assessment Stage
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Questions regarding goals, objectives,
education, experience, interests, activities
Listen actively
Watch for cues for feedback
Pride in past performances
Answer complete, clear, concise, true
No “yes” or “no” answers
Common Interview Questions
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Tell me a little about yourself:
Why are you interested in working for this organization?
Why have you chosen this particular field?
Describe your best/worst boss.
What is your major strength/weakness?
Give me an example of a problem you encountered either in
school or at work, explain how you solved it.
Where do you see yourself in three years?
Describe an experience in which you worked as a part of a
team.
If you could be an animal, which would it be and why?
What was the last book you read?
Do you have any questions for me?
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More Questions
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Organizational Information Stage
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Listen.
Clarify any questions about joborganization.
*What aspects of the job would you like to see improved?
* What are the key challenges and/or problems facing the person in the
position?
*Is there room for professional growth and upward mobility?
*When, how, and by whom would I be evaluated? What are the
performance criteria?
*What is the department’s environment/culture like?
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Prepare 3 Thought-Provoking questions.
Questions to Ask
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How do you like working for XYZ
organization/company?
How are new projects or jobs determined
or evaluated?
Tell me about your background and how
working at XYZ has helped satisfy your
career desires.
Termination Stage
Briefly summarize your strongest
qualifications
 Express enthusiasm for the job
 Make certain you understand the next
step (follow-up interview, etc.)
 Thank the interviewer
*Make sure you have the interview’s name
and address so you can send a thank you
letter.
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Interviewing Rule of Three
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List three
List three
List three
hire you
List three
strengths
weakness
reasons why an employer should
reasons why you want the job
Interview Checklist
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Research
Practice
Be prompt and prepared
Act professionally
Converse
Be enthusiastic
Thank the interviewer
Follow-up
Write a thank you letter to anyone you have spoken to
Review the interview process and your performance
Evaluate
Thank You for Coming!
Career Center
201 Behmler Hall
589-6065
http://www.morris.umn.edu/services/career/