This is a Word document that allows you to record information you have
researched on employers.
INTERVIEW FORMATYou need to be ready to handle a variety of interview formats, from the
highly structured to the unstructured type.
Most initial, 30 minute interviews are semi-structured and include:
Ice breaking 2-5 minutes
Interview questions 10-12 minutes
Applicants questions 8-10 minutes
Closing remarks 2-3 minutes
(Source: Penn State Career Development & Placement Services Interview
Skills handout)
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CLASSIFICATION OF
MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Career Goals and Objectives
2. Type of work desired - Job expectations
3. Knowledge of company
4. Personal qualifications
5. Reason for career choice
6. Qualifications for the job
7. Educational choices
8. Geographical preferences
9. Achievement and accomplishments
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QUESTIONS RECRUITERS MIGHT
ASK
1. What are your long/short range goals and how are you preparing yourself
to achieve them?
2. What specific goals, other than those related to your occupation
have you established for yourself for the next ten years?
3. What do you see yourself doing in five years from now?
4. What are your long range career objectives?
5. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
6. What do you expect to be earning in five years?
7. Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
8. Which is more important to you, the money or the type of job?
9. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
10. How would you describe yourself?
11. How do you think a friend or professor would describe you?
12. What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
13. How has your college experience prepared you for a career?
14. Why should I hire you?
15. What qualifications do you have that you think will make you successful?
16. How do you determine or evaluate success?
17. What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?
18. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
19. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor
and subordinates?
20. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
Why?
21. Describe your most rewarding college experience.
22. If you were hiring a graduate for this position, what qualities
would you look for?
23. Why did you select your college or university?
24. What led you to choose your field of major study?
25. What college subjects did you like best? Why?
26. What college subjects did you like least? Why?
27. If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently?
Why?
28. What changes would you make in your college or university?
29. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
30. Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic
achievement?
31. What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?
32. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
33. How do you work under pressure?
34. In what part-time work are you interested? Why?
35. How would you describe the ideal job for you following graduation?
36. Why did you decide to seek a position with this company?
37. What do you know about our company?
38. What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
39. Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?
40. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you
hope to work?
41. Do you have any geographical preference? Why?
42. Will you relocate? Does relocation bother you?
43. Are you willing to travel?
44. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which
our company is located?
45. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with
it?
46. What have you learned from your mistakes?
WHAT
IS JESUIT EDUCATION?
Includes the Mission, History and Character of The University of Scranton.
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BEHAVIOR
BASED INTERVIEWING
BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING
The employer's goal in an interview is to evaluate successfully your
skills, experiences, and personal characteristics. One way to do
this is through a process of behavioral interviewing. Behavior-based interviewing
is a method of asking questions which focuses on specific examples of past
bhavior as a menas of predicting future behavior. For example:
Behavioral questions: Tell me about a time when
you demonstrated intiative. Describe a time when you had to work with others
on a project. What did you do?
Non-behavioral questions: What are your long range
career goals? What's your ideal job?
What's the best way to answer behavior-based questions?
Use the STAR Method!
Think about a Situation you were in, the Task or problem
that confronted you, the specific Action you took, and the Results
of your actions. This is called the STAR method. You need to
address each part of the STAR to answer behavior-based questions fully.
Here's an example:
Tell me about a time when you feel you gave exceptional customer
service.
Situation: When I was working for the university's catering office,
I was responsible for booking reception rooms for special events.
A woman called two weeks before her daughter's wedding to cancel her reservation
for the reception room. A death had occurred inthe family, and the
wedding was being postponed until further notice.
Task: This customer was obviously very upset about these
unfortunate circumstances, and I decided to do as much as I could to put
her mind at ease about the reception arrangements.
Action: I knew that it wasn't too late to book another
party for that room, so I checked with the manager regarding the possibility
of refunding her deposit. We were able to return her full deposit,
and I assured her that we could book another room for her when the family
was ready to make plans.
Results: The customer wasn't expecting to get any money
back and was pleasantly surprised, as well as relieved that cancelling
the reception plans wasn't a hassle. My manager complemented me for
taking the initiative with this customer.
(Source: Larry Beck (1995). Behavior-based Interviewing Handout)
Behavioral
Based Interviewing - from the Career Development Center at Union
College. Click on Behavior Based Interviewing which is listed under
the Job Search Handouts.
-
What exactly is behavior based interviewing?
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Important points about behavior based interviewing.
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Sample behavior based interview questions.
Behavior
Based Interviewing - from Career Services at UWED
-
What is behavior based interviewing?
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What do employers evaluate in a behavioral interview?
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How are behavioral questions different from other types of interviewing
questions?
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How can I best answer behavior based questions?
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Can you give me an example of a complete PAR story?
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A quiz on questions.
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How can I prepare for a behavioral interview?
HANDLING
ILLEGAL QUESTIONSThis site has examples of some illegal questions and the options you have
should you be asked an illegal question. By NACE.
QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK
Interviewers expect candidates to ask intelligent questions concerning
the organization and the nature of the work. Moreover, you need information
and should indicate your interest in the employer by asking questions.
Consider asking some of these questions if they have not been answered
earlier in the interview:
EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK
*Tell me about the duties and responsibilities of this job.
*How does this position relate to other positions within this organization?
*Is the person who had this position still with the company?
*What would be the ideal type of person for this position: Skills?
Personality?Working Style?
*Will I be responsible to answer to just one person, or will I have
a multitude of bosses?
*Are openings for better positions generally filled from within?
*If I do an exemplary job, when might I expect to be promoted?
*What am I expected to accomplish during the first year?
*Based on your experience, what type of problems would someone new
in this position likely encounter?
*What do most employees like and dislike about working in this organization?
*When do you expect to make a hiring decision relevant to this position?
QUESTIONS
TO ASK TO HELP EVALUATE JOB OFFERS - This site lists questions
you can ask about the position, your supervisor, future opportunities,
employer's continuing education programs, quality of management, employer's
values, employer's compensation philosophy. (Source: Jobweb.com (NACE).
Adapted from Planning Job Choices. 1997 by Keith Johnson).
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WHAT COMPANIES LOOK FOR
AND AVOID
The following is a compilation of traits or characteristics that many
companies look for, or avoid. Which ones describe you? Are they strengths
or weaknesses? Use those that are strengths to your advantage, and take
whatever steps are necessary to improve upon your weaknesses.
COMPANIES LOOK FOR:
People who set personal and professional goals
People who seek opportunity vs. security
People who generate enthusiasm
Honesty, sincerity, believability
Assertiveness Maturity, emotional independence
Optimism Persistence
Strong listening skills
People who learn from their mistakes
People who admit and accept limitations
People who express thoughts clearly and concisely.
COMPANIES AVOID:
Poor personal appearance
Lack of confidence and poise
Evasiveness
People who are unrealistic
People who ask poor or no questions
People interested in best dollar offer only Inflexibility
Unwillingness to relocate or travel
People who are indifferent
People who show lack of preparation
People who ramble
People who show a lack of career direction or planning - no goals
People who display a lack of knowledge in area of career interest
People who are over-aggressive, conceited, cocky.
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TEN GENERAL TIPS FOR INTERVIEWING
(1) Arrive at least ten minutes early.
(2) Greet the interviewer in a friendly, open manner.
If the recruiter starts the interview late - Please note it is not
done intentionally. It is not appropriate for you to make a comment regarding
his/her lateness.
(3) Don't sit down until you are asked to do so
(4) Look directly at the interviewer when talking
(5) Never criticize others
(6) Relate your qualifications and experiences readily
(7) Stress your strong points
(8) Answer questions in detail rather than "yes" or "no". Use of examples
from previous experiences is suggested
(9) Show interest in the job
(10) Express appreciation for the interview
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GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
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Keep your answers to 1 1/2 to 2 minutes long.
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Speak in a clear, audible voice. Listen to how quickly you speak and look
for moderation.
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Use good grammar and diction. Say "yes", not "yeah". Don't punctuate sentences
with "you know", "like", "see", or "okay".
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Maintain eye contact, but don't stare. Your aim should be to stay with
a calm, steady, non-threatening gaze.
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Be aware of your body language/non-verbal communication. Give a firm handshake,
sit up straight, avoid folding your arms, keep your hands
away from your face. Smile naturally when the opportunity
arises.
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Demonstrate active listening by giving complete answers to the questions
being asked. Do not start your answer
until the interviewer has completed asking the question.
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Give specific examples when answering questions. Use illustrations, descriptions,
and
-
statistics to support your claims.
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THANK YOU LETTER
This is one of the most important yet least used tools in a job search.
Thank you letters should be sent to the interviewer the same day, if possible.
At the very latest, within a week. Make your letters warm and personal,
and use them to:
* Reemphasize your strongest qualifications
* Reiterate your interest in a position
* Draw attention to the good match between your qualifications and
the job requirements
* To express your sincere appreciation
SAMPLE THANK YOU LETTER
2913 Baxter Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23465
January 25, 1996
Dr. Julia Edmonds, Director Technical Design Group Atlantic Engineering
Systems, Inc.
1220 Warwick Avenue
Newport News, VA 23607
Dear Dr. Edmonds,
I want to thank you very much for interviewing me yesterday for the
associate engineer position. I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about
your research and design work.
My enthusiasm for the position and my interest in working for AES were
strengthened as a result of the interview. I think my education and cooperative
education experiences fit nicely with the job requirements, and I'm sure
that I could make a significant contribution to the firm over time. I want
to reiterate my strong interest in the position and in working with you
and your staff. You provide the kind of opportunity I seek.
Please feel free to call me at (804) 685-5555 if I can provide you with
any additional information. Again, thank you for the interview and your
consideration.
Sincerely,
(Written signature)
Frederick Bryan
(Source: Job Choices, 39th Edition, 1996)
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STARTING
SALARY EXPECTATIONS
This site looks at the factors that affect starting salaries. It
provides salary ranges for Associate Degree Candidates, Bachelor's Degree
Candidates, and Selected Master's Degree Candidates.
"The ranges are provided to give you a rough idea of salary potential
for a variety of majors, but keep in mind the factors that affect salary offers - and remember your
starting salary may be higher or lower than the figures responded here."
Salary
Information
This site includes links to other sites for Cost of Living, Negotiating
a Salary, NACE Salary Survey Snapshot, General Salary Information, and
some links to sites for specific majors: accounting/finance, advertising,
computer, education, engineering, executive, and healthcare.
EVALUATING
JOB OFFERS & NEGOTIATING SALARY
This site maintained by NACE discusses the 7 most important factors
you should consider before making your final decision: Job Content,
Your Boss, Salary & Benefits, Your Co-Workers, Typical Work Week, Location,
and Organizational Flexibility. Also listed are additional factors
to consider and 3 job offer options are explained. Page 2 of this site
has 5 steps to use when negotiating salary and information about considering
fringe benefits.
Weinberg
Memorial Library Research Guide for Employment
Contains resources for gathering more information about resumes, job search,
and companies. Includes the name of 2 internship directories.
