Interviewing 101:

How to Score Yourself a

Job
Chinyi Chen
Camille Johnson

What Youll
Learn

You will:
Learn necessary skills and
techniques in the
interviewing process: from
interview preparation to
follow-up
Learn how to approach
different types of
interviews: in-person,
phone, & webcam
Know what it means to
dress professionally
Practice answering
interview questions

Whats so important
about the job
interview?

Preparing for the

Interview

Interview Preparation Tips

Practice, practice, practice!

Do your research: Use the
Internet to find a list of common
questions, think of specific
situations you have been in that
can help your answers
Look up your interview venue
and do a practice run to plan
travel time
Plan your outfit beforehand:
check for dangling threads,
stains
Get a professional-looking
binder (leather preferred) that
can hold a pen, resume copies,

Interview Day

General Tips

Be on time: 15 minutes
early, but no sooner
Bring extra copies of your
resume/business cards
Your interview starts the
moment you arrive at the
venue
Dress to impress
Turn your phone off, not on
vibrate
Greet your interviewers as
Ms or Mr and use their last
name
Shake it like you mean it

 Standard/Basic:
Straightfoward, e.g. What did
you do in your last job?

Types of
Questions

Behavioral: Based on your

past behavior, e.g. Tell me
about a time when you
experienced failure and how
you approached it.
Situational: Hypothetical
questions, e.g. What would
you do if the work of one of
your team members was not
up to expectations?

When Interviewing, DO:

Answer questions with specific

information: Follow the ProblemAction-Result (PAR) method
Answers should last 30
seconds - 2 minutes, but no
longer
It is ok to ask the interviewer to
repeat or clarify the question
Be aware of body language:
Steady eye contact, posture
Prepare questions beforehand:
A job interview is a two-way
street!
Be professional: Finish what
youve started
SMILE!

When Interviewing, DONT:

Bring up salary/benefits during

the first interview
Be negative about past
employers/bosses
Falsify answers to questions
Chew gum or smell like smoke
Fidget or use too many hand
gestures

After the Interview

 Thank-you notes:
Handwritten ones are a
must!

Post-Interview
Thank You Notes
&
Following Up

Thank-you emails are fine

when the decision has to
be made quickly, but
always follow up with
written correspondence
If the company gives you a
set timeframe and a week
goes by after the
timeframe without any
word, send a concise and
friendly follow-up note

Types of Interviews

Interview
Types

In-Person
Phone
Webcam

In-Person Interviews

Individual
Group
Lunch/Meal*
Panel

Lunch/Meal Interviews

Turn off phone!

Elbows off the table
Wait for everyone to be seated
Place napkin in your lap - if it
falls to the ground, ask server
for a new one
Bread/rolls: Break into bite-size
pieces
Eat slowly and with care
Place used utensils on side of
plate
Reach for items in front of you:
Politely ask others to pass you
items out-of-reach
Bring food to your mouth

Phone Interview

Confirm the interview time

beforehand
Dress up: When you look good, you
feel good
Always test the phone connection
with a friend
Plan your environment: Minimize
background noises
Have your resume or key notes in
front of you in case you get stuck:
But dont make it obvious!
Smile: They can hear it!

Webcam Interview

Ensure Internet connection is highspeed

Dress like its an in-person
interview
Test the software you are using
(Skype, Google Hangouts, etc) in
advance: Turn off all alerts from
programs
Avoid cluttered shelves or rooms:
Find a neutral wall to frame you
Turn off phone
Prepare lighting: Best is soft light
source facing you, about 6 ft
behind your monitor
Position screen so your entire
upper body is visible

Dressing for Success

General Tips
Dress a step up from what professionals in your industry would
wear
Conservative colors/fabric:

Navy, dark gray, and black

Solids or very subtle weave patterns or plaids that look solid across a room
Wool, wool blends, good quality natural and synthetic fibers

Invest in quality that is appropriate for your first 2 or 3 years on the

job
Everything should be clean and well-pressed!

Activity: Interview
Practice!

Guidelines

Find a partner
You will each take turns
being interviewed
Imagine that you are
facing a prospective hiring
manager in the field you
want to work in
Remember: Answers
should be within 30
seconds to 2 minutes!

Question 1:
Tell me a little bit
about yourself.

Question 2:
Describe one
strength & one
weakness you have.

Question 3:
Describe a time when
you faced conflict &
how you handled it.

Question 4:
What role do you
normally play in a
team?

Question 5:
If you could be any
animal, what would you
be & why?

Discussion

How did that feel?

What went well?
What was challenging?

Questions?
Contact us!
Office of Student and Community Engagement
8-025
(937) 512 - 2956
Mock interviews
Interview Stream