Academic Job Interview: Dos and Don'ts
INTERVIEWING “DO’S”
- Know
where you’re going before your appointment.
-
Prepare…know about the company, the job, and how your
background relates.
- Dress
appropriately. Keep in mind the
job for which you’re interviewing.
Take extra care with your grooming.
- Bring
along your questions for the employer an extra resume,
and your list of
references. Also, your social
security card if it is a job that they tend to hire on the
spot.
- Arrive
about 10-15 minutes early. Take
a short walk or deep breaths.
- Remain
calm. It’s ok to be nervous,
and you can control it by being prepared.
-
Introduce yourself. Wait until
you are asked to be seated before sitting down.
- Be
positive…stress your strong points.
- Be
confident, determined.
- Be
honest.
- Show
enthusiasm and interest in the job and company.
- To be
prepared means you have researched the company.
- Listen
carefully. Understand the
questions before answering.
Think before speaking. Speak
clearly, distinctly, and loud enough to be heard.
-
Support your general statements with specific,
job-related examples.
-
Maintain eye contact. Think of
this as an opportunity to make a friend. They might help
you with future jobs or be on future interview teams.
- Be
concise.
-
Anticipate probing questions about any difficult career
experiences such as gaps in employment, long periods of
unemployment, jobs held only briefly, etc.
- Thank
the interviewer for his/her time.
- Be
polite and pleasant to everyone you meet including the
receptionist.
-
Evaluate and learn from every interview.
INTERVIEWING “DON’TS”
- Don’t talk too much--the employer will think you
don’t work…you just talk.
- Don’t talk too little--employer wants you to answer
the questions with more information than “yes” and “no”.
Explain your answers in 1-2 sentences.
- Don’t interrupt the interviewer.
Let interviewer “lead” the interview.
- Don’t go unprepared—practice answers to interview
questions and above all, sell yourself and your
qualifications (have a 30-second commercial about your
skills).
- Don’t wear dirty shoes or clothes—and no holes.
Be sure to bathe, trim hair, brush teeth, clean
fingernails. Face needs to be
clean or neatly trimmed.
- No shirts that say things like “Take My Job and
Shove It.”
- Don’t be late to interview.
Check out where the interview will be ahead of time,
figure travel time and allow for traffic, trains,
accidents, etc.
- Don’t bring wife, girlfriend, children, or friends.
Be on your best behavior.
- Don’t ask the salary. If at
the end of the interview if the subject hasn’t come up,
then ask what the benefit package is.
You should know ahead of time what the going wage
is for that position in case you must negotiate.
- Don’t talk about unrelated subjects.
Share your interests, education, skills, goals,
and objectives. You need to
know your goals for the future.
“Where do you plan to be in 10 years.”
“Tell me about yourself”—tell your skills, not
your personal life.
- When you are asked why you want the job, don’t say
“To make my truck payment.” Let
them know you want to work for them, you bring
such-and-such benefits and skills, and this company fits
into your goals in the long run to be a ……….
Remember, organizations want an energetic,
contributing employee who will stay for the long term.
They don’t want a “yes” person, but a supportive
team member.
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