Academic Training Info Sheet

Interviewing in the STEM Fields

Preparing for the Interview

Set up a practice interview with your host university’s career services center within one month of arriving at your host institution. This way
you’ll be prepared for interviews that come up suddenly.

Before the Interview

Carefully research the company or organization at which you will be interviewing. Make sure you check the company website and search
the internet for any recent publications or news about the company. Practice travelling to your interview site to avoid being late or getting
lost. Think of a couple questions you can ask your interviewer about the company and the potential internship.

Time
Being late is considered unprofessional and may significantly lower your employer’s opinion of you before you even meet. Plan on being in
the area of your interview site 20 minutes before your interview and check in five to 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I bring to the interview?
A: Bring a folder or briefcase, copies of your resume, a notebook, pen, list of references (to provide only upon request), transcripts (if
requested by the interviewer), and sample items (this could include writing sample, project, or proposals).
Q: How should I dress for my interview?

A: Dress conservatively and professionally. For women, stay away from low necklines, short skirts/dresses, and open-toed shoes. For men,
wear nice pants and a collared shirt. For large or formal companies, wear a suit. It is preferable to be overdressed than underdressed. For
more tips on how to dress for an interview go to: http://www.career.uci.edu/documents/QuickTipDressforanInterview.pdf.
Q: How should I conduct myself during the interview?
A: Address the interviewer(s) formally using Mr., Ms., Dr., etc unless otherwise instructed. Shake hands with your interviewer(s) when you
meet them, sit up straight, don’t chew gum, and maintain eye contact with your interviewer(s). If you don’t understand a question, don’t
hesitate to ask for clarification! When the interview is over, ask when you should expect to hear back from them and shake hands.
Q: Can I ask questions at my interview?
A: Yes, you should definitely ask questions during and/or after your interview. Most companies expect that you will have questions that
show you know something about the company and really understand what they want from you—an example is, “You mentioned I’ll be
working with various computer programs. Which ones do you think most of my time would be spent working with?” If you don’t have any
questions, you can still ask things like, “ What do you find the most challenging part of your typical work day here?” etc., so that you have a
better understanding of what your experience at the company may be.
Q: What questions should I expect to be asked during an interview?
A: You will generally be asked three types of questions in an interview: general questions, technical questions, and behavioral questions.

Typical general questions that you may be asked are: “Why are you interested in interning for this company?” and “Why are you interested
in this position?” Some companies might also ask you technical questions. For these types of questions, they might ask you to solve hypo-
thetical problems, test you on skills that you list on your resume or give you a scenario and have you describe how you would solve it.

You could also be asked behavioral questions. This may include discussing teamwork or your leadership skills. If you are asked a question
about a team project, be ready to discuss your individual contributions to the project as well as to highlight your ability to collaborate and
get along with coworkers. A good way to practice answering behavior questions is to use the STAR method. Go to this website to learn
about the STAR method and to find examples: http://www.drexel.edu/scdc/resources/STAR%20Method.pdf
Academic Training Info Sheet

Q: What should I do if I don’t know how to respond to a question?

A: Ask for clarification of the question. If you still are not sure how to respond, try to describe how you would go about solving the
problem or question at hand. For example, if you were given an equation to solve, but don’t know what the answer is, or get stuck, ex-
plain what method or formula you would use to solve it.

Q: Will I be required to have a background check and/or drug test for my internship? What do they involve?
A: This depends on the internship, but is relatively common in the STEM fields. A background check is used to determine if you have a
criminal record or any offenses. A drug test may require you to provide urine, blood, or hair that a lab will check for traces of illegal drug
use.

Q: I want to get an internship working with children. Are there any restrictions or requirements?
A: This depends on the organization and state or city law. Some may require a background check and/or drug test. Ask the organization
before applying to an internship to see if there are any requirements or restrictions for working with children there.

Q: Can I participate in an internship opportunity that involves direct patient contact?

A: No. This is forbidden for students who hold a J-1 visa status. Direct patient contact, human and/or animal, includes: diagnosing,
touching, and talking (except for basic greetings such as “Hi,” “How are you?” “My name is…”