HOW TO HAVE A GREAT

JOB INTERVIEW

• Don’t worry! Everyone gets nervous before an interview…being

prepared can help
 WHAT TO EXPECT AT A JOB
INTERVIEW

A job interview is intended for the company to get to know you, and
for you to show the best of yourself to them
 WHAT TO EXPECT AT A JOB
INTERVIEW
• For this class you will all have a mock interview- a casual interview done in
groups of 2-3. This is the opportunity to practice and be familiar with the
process, vocabulary, and questions
• You will also have an official interview (the oral exam), which will be done
individually. It will be done randomly and you should be prepared for it at any
time
- The interview will have 3 parts
- Formal greeting
- 2-4 questions
- Formal goodbye
- Your questions will be chosen at
random from the list in this
presentation
- The number of questions will
depend on the length of your
answers
- Before being assessed, you will do
a practice round in pairs
- This is the rubric used to assess
you
 • Step 1: Do your research!
• Here is a list of things you might want to
know
• What is the company?
• What does the company do?
• What is the company’s philosophy?
BEFORE YOUR
• What is the position you are applying
INTERVIEW for?
• What are the qualities needed for this
position?
 • Step 2: Know the “Lingo”
• Study important vocabulary
• Adjectives to describe yourself
• Technical/industry vocabulary
BEFORE YOUR • Get to know terms/vocabulary specific
to that position
INTERVIEW
• Make sure you know and understand the
words used in the job posting, especially
about the qualities of the ideal candidate
• Review formal language
• Ex. Greetings and introductions
 Doing this preparation before your
interview will make you seem well
informed/prepared.
It will also allow you to highlight the
parts of yourself most suited to the
position
 • Step 3: Use nonverbal
communication (body language) to
your advantage
• Dress for success
DURING YOUR • Wear clothes that are appropriate for
INTERVIEW the workplace you are applying for.
• Be punctual
• Make sure you arrive on time (or
even early) for your interview
 • Project confidence
• Stand up straight, make eye
contact, and give a firm
handshake when you arrive and
DURING YOUR when you leave
INTERVIEW • Listen carefully
• It is easy to be nervous and
overwhelmed at a job interview,
however, listening carefully and
focusing on the interviewer can
help prevent misunderstandings
 • Step 4: Do the interview
• To prepare for your interview, you
can practice answering these
questions
DURING YOUR • “Tell me about yourself”
INTERVIEW • “Why do you want to work for
us?”
This question can feel difficult to answer. It is
• “Could you tell me about your
not desirable to reveal a weakness at a job
greatest strengths?”
interview… but this is fairly common question.
Being honest, but minimizing the trait and • “Could you tell me about your
emphasizing how you are overcoming it, how greatest weaknesses?
you plant to improve, or a different strength
that helps you overcome it.
 • Step 4: Do the interview
• “Tell me about an accomplishment
you're most proud of”
• “Tell me about a difficult situation
you had to handle”
DURING YOUR
• “Why should we hire you?”
INTERVIEW
• “Where do you see yourself in five
years?”
• “If we were to ask you to stay on
long-term, would you be
interested?”
 • Step 4: Do the interview
• When it comes time to answer the
questions during your official
interview, you should already have a
good sense of what you will say
• Having proper English and well
DURING YOUR thought out answers is important
INTERVIEW
• For the mock interviews, you will be
able to ask questions and “pause”
the interview if you need guidance
• This way, for your interview you
will have a good sense of what is
expected and what to say
 • It is also a good idea to have some
questions for you to ask at the end of
the interview
• Most interviews will end with the
interviewer asking you, “Do you have any
questions for us?
AFTER THE • Here, having your own question prepared
INTERVIEW… can show that you are knowledgeable
about the company, and have done your
research
• Also, if you have any questions about the
work environment, anything in your pre-
interview research, or things you learned
through the interview, now is the time to
ask
 Some example questions
• I see that the company is really
interested in_____. How does this
affect the business operations?
• “I read that the company recently did
______. Could I expect for more of
AFTER THE these changes to take place in the
future?”
INTERVIEW… • To get more information:
• “Could you tell me what a typical day
or week might look like in this
position?”
• “Is there anything important to know
about the position that we haven’t
already discussed?
 • Step 5: Follow Up
• Within 48 hours of the interview (and
the sooner the better!), you should send
an email to thank the interviewer(s) for
AFTER THE INTERVIEW their time, for their consideration, and
for the opportunity.
• Keep the email short but polite.
• It is okay to add something important if
you forgot to mention it in your
interview. However, make sure to be
brief.
Here are some bonus things to
think about!
 • Being punctual is important, make
sure you know how you will be
getting to your interview
• Will you take an Uber? Make sure to
plan time in case they cancel
• Is this the first time you go to this
OTHER THINGS place? Make sure you plan some time
TO REMEMBER in case you get lost on your way
• Is it virtual? Make sure you are
prepared with adequate WIFI and a
professional background
• Turn off your phone and other
electronics before the interview
• Stay positive, and relax!
 SOME EXAMPLE
ANSWERS! • The following list will be the
questions you can expect for
your interviews.
Each interview and position will be
different, but you can practice
answering potential/popular
questions to
1. Feel mentally prepared
2. Master the language you want to
use
3. Tailor/specialize the answers to
each position you interview for
• “Tell me about yourself”
• I studied business at IU, have worked in various office positions, and am hardworking, enthusiastic,
and reliable.
• “Why do you want to work for us?”
• I am excited by the opportunity, because I think that the company culture and philanthropic efforts
mesh well with my own values
• “Could you tell me about your greatest strengths?”
• I am a fast learner and very self-motivated, so if there is something I don’t know, I will not stop until
I have learned it. For example, one time I…
• “Could you tell me about your greatest weaknesses?
• I tend to focus very strongly on something when I work on it, so sometimes I need to remind
myself to divide my attention between multiple things
• “Tell me about an accomplishment you're most proud of”
• While I was studying in college, I got sick and had to miss several weeks of classes. Some of my
professors told me they thought that it would be impossible for me to finish the semester, but I was
able to catch back up in just a couple of weeks and even finished the semester with good grades!
• “Tell me about a difficult situation you had to handle”
• While I was working as a waitress, I worked with two other people who did not get along at all. It made
it difficult for us to work together as a team. One day, at the end of a shift, I asked them if we could all
talk. We ended up having a conversation to work through the conflict, and the situation improved after
that.
• “Why should we hire you?”
• You should hire me, because my past experience as an assistant, work ethic, and self-motivation make
me a good fit for the company. I would be able to perform the job at a high level and would contribute
to the team
• “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
• My primary goal is to advance in my career to a role in which I am responsible for other people. In
addition, I hope to have the ability to work abroad in some capacity, be it for a prolonged or temporary
stay. This is actually one of the things that attracted me to this position and to your company.
• “If we were to ask you to stay on long-term, would you be interested?”
• would absolutely be interested, because I would like to find a company with which I could work for a
long time also I really like that your company places such an emphasis on professional development and
training.
 SOURCES

Mariza Grundman, 2021

www.roberthalf.com.au/career-advice/interview
www.monster.com/career-advice/article/boost-your-interview-iq
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/Greatest-Strengths-and-
Weaknesses