Interviewing Basics
Career Center for Science and Engineering
50 Lind Hall
207 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-4090
Fax: 612-626-0261
Web: www.ccse.umn.edu
Agenda
• Purpose of the Interview
• Interview Preparation
• Expectations of the Interview
• Interview Follow-up
Purpose of an Interview
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The purpose of an interview is not to get a job, but a job offer.
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The more offers you receive, the stronger your opportunity to
choose the position that best fits your goals.
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From a company standpoint, an initial interview should
answer three basic questions:
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Is the candidate ABLE to do the job effectively?
Is the candidate WILLING to put for the effort to be
successful in the position?
Is the candidate MANAGABLE?
Preparing for the Interview
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Research Yourself
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How do you want to market your skills and experiences?
Know your resume inside and out: be able to get specific
Research the Organization/Company
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Show interest in the specifics of the organization
Learn the basic information of the company
Why are you interested in THAT company?
Preparing for the Interview
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Review Interview Questions
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The more you prepare ahead of time, the less nervous you
will be in the interview
Sample/typical questions available in CCSE
Prepare Questions to Ask Interviewer
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It is expected candidates will have at least 3 questions
prepared
Base questions on information you could still need to know
or came across in your research
Interviews are not the appropriate time to discuss salary
Preparing for the Interview
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Look the Part
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The job search is worth investing in a good suit
A conservative suit (navy, black, or grey) is recommended
for interviewing
Your competition will dress formally, do not put yourself at
a disadvantage
Let the content of the discussion be what the interviewer
remembers, not your clothes
Avoid strong fragrances: allergies get bad in small spaces
Avoid big earrings, hair that covers your eyes/face, etc.
The Interview Process
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Introduction
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Ice breaking: making you feel comfortable
First impressions (appearance/manners) formed here
Engage the interviewer; this aspect impacts your success as much as your
formal answers
Body of the Interview
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The interviewer requesting specific information
You will be evaluated on qualifications, likelihood of success, experience,
attitude, work ethic and others
Much like a good story, interview answers are better when they are specific
Be prepared to discuss your short-term and long-term goals
Could include technical and/or behavioral questions
Types of Questions
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Tell me about yourself…
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Keep it professional: avoid personal information
Present, Past, Future…
Motivation/Goal Questions
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Why did you choose this major?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Are you a good fit with the organization
Strengths/Weakness/Qualifications/Skills Questions
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Rule of 3…back it up with proof (example)
The actual weakness is not the most important part…
The job or position description is your answer key
Types of Questions
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Behavioral Questions
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The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior
Makes hiring decisions legally defensible
Focus on specific times when you have had to use specific skills
Primary interviewing style
“Tell me about a time when…”
STAR Technique
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Situation: Describe the situation/setting you were in
Task: Describe a SPECIFIC task when you used the skill(s) identified in
the question
Action: What actions did you take to complete the task?
Result: What is the outcome of the task and your actions?
Types of Questions
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Case Interview Questions
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Tests your analytical abilities, organizational skills, poise, ability to
deal with ambiguity, and problem solving
Many given in the form of a brain teaser: How many jelly beans fit
inside a 747?
Make sure you get the information needed to answer the question
Talk them through your reasoning
There may not be a single correct answer
The purpose is for you to walk the interviewer through your thought
process and how you approach a problem
Types of Questions
• Technical Questions – Trading
– Ability to synthesize, act upon information quickly
– Understanding of macro relationships: impact of data, relationships
between different asset classes & securities
– Self-awareness: ability to understand and account for biases, control
emotions
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Communication/coordination: ability to communicate ideas, work in
global teams, gather different viewpoints
Types of Questions
• Technical Questions – Quantitative Risk Analyst:
– Experience with large datasets & Excel, VBA, Matlab, SAS, R/S-plus
– Experience developing quantitative models /basic finance & economics
knowledge
– Exposure to credit/market/operational/business risk
– Examples of strong time management and multi tasking skills
– Ability to communicate analytical results clearly to non technical groups
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Ability to take initiative /work independently on analysis assignments
Illegal Questions
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Nationality, ancestry, birthplace, etc
Sex or marital status
Race or color
Religion or religious days observed
Physical disabilities
Health or medical history
Pregnancy or child care issues
What
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do you do if asked an illegal question?
Answer in brief and move on
Ignore the question and redirect conversation
Ask about the relevance of the question
Tell them you will not answer if not relevant
If you believe the interviewer is blatantly discriminating against you, you
have the right to walk out
The Interview Process
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Closing
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You will be given the opportunity to ask your prepared
questions
The interviewer will discuss the next stages in the process
If they do not give you a timeline – ASK
End on a courteous note: thank the interviewer for the
opportunity
The Second Interview
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Similar questions, expect more related to the job
Meet with different types of people in the company
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Employees: doing similar work to what you would do
Supervisors: your potential immediate supervisors and
hiring managers
Administrators
Human Resource Personnel: discuss benefits
Assessing Your Interview
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Assess your performance
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Assess your interest
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What went well?
What could you improve on?
What was your overall impression?
How well do you understand the position/Company
Has your interest increased or decreased?
Do I still consider this a worthy position?
Was I impressed with the people I met?
Do you still want to work for the company?
What did I learn from this interview?
Interview Follow-up
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Always send a thank-you to the interviewer within
48 hours of the interview
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Some people wait for thank-you notes before deciding who
to advance to the next stages
Deciding between sending an e-mail or hard copy letter.
Emphasis what you liked about the process/Interview
If there was something you wanted to mention and didn’t,
include it in the thank-you letter
Questions?
Career Center for Science and Engineering
50 Lind Hall
207 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-4090
Fax: 612-626-0261
Web: www.ccse.umn.edu