How to Ace the Interview
The ideal interview is a
strategic and well-orchestrated conversation. Your
job as the candidate is to (1) clearly communicate the
unique combination of skills and experiences that qualify
you to do the job or perform in the graduate program of your
choice and (2) determine if the organization is a good fit
for your interests and goals.
The graduate school or
employer's job is to determine whether (1) you have the
skills to succeed in the position, (2) you are a good match
for the culture of the organization, and (3) you have a
clear understanding of what you are getting yourself into.
How do I prepare?
The good news is that you began the process when you chose
Muhlenberg College; a liberal arts college whose mission
includes helping you learn to think and communicate clearly.
The skills that are at the hub of the liberal arts
experience are the same skills needed to interview well. If
you can think about your experiences in terms of how you are
different and what skills you have gained, you can match
them to the positions you are seeking.
The interview process:
Step 1: Research,
Research, Research
• Know Yourself
- What are you good at? What do you enjoy? What are
your values? What skills do you enjoy using? What kind
of person are you?
• Know the
Organization - What makes them unique in their
field? What do they make/do/sell/teach?
• Know the
Position - What would you be doing? How does this
position fit into the organization's mission?
Tip: Keep this
information next to the phone so you will not have to
rely on your memory if you receive a phone call from the
employer.
This step takes
considerable time and effort. Don't
underestimate how important it is.
Step 2:
The Day of the Interview
• Dress
professionally in a manner that is appropriate for the
industry. If you are unsure about your field, visit the
organization ahead of time to get a sense of their
culture, refer to the
Dress for Success article, and see a career
counselor during Quick Questions.
Tip: Make a list
of what to take with you in advance.
• Arrive ten minutes
ahead of time so you can stop at the restroom and
regroup before your interview.
Tip: Practice
getting to the interview location before the actual day
so you know where you will be going.
• Be in "interview
mode" from the moment you leave home. You never know who
you might meet on the sidewalk or in the elevator!
(Tip: Be cognizant of your
nervous habits – Stand tall and proud.)
• Be positive! There
is no room for negativity in an interview.
• Be yourself. YOU
are the best candidate for a position. Pretending to be
someone you are not will get you an offer for the wrong
job!
• Before you leave,
ask about the next step in the hiring process and the
overall timeline.
Step 3:
After the interview
• Take a moment to
think about how it went and jot down a few of the
questions you want to remember later
• Send "Thank you"
correspondence to anyone with whom you spent significant
time.
• Follow-up by phone
or email according to the organization's
timeline. If they said you would be contacted in two
weeks, call when that time has passed.
• See
Follow-up article.
What will the questions be like?
This will vary by
organization and even among interviewers within an
organization. Spending significant time on Step 1
above will help in figuring this out.
Traditional Questions
The interviewer poses a
question (often from your resume) and you respond. Typical
questions include things like, "Why did you choose
Muhlenberg?" "What did you do in your job at the library?"
"What was the best aspect of joining a fraternity?"
The most effective way to
answer traditional questions is to use the 1-2-3 method.
1 - State your
answer.
2 - Give an
example to back it up. (This is the proof that you
have the skill or quality, plus the examples will also
give the interviewer something to remember you by.)
3 - Relate it to
the position.
Sample Question: Why did
you choose Muhlenberg?
Possible Answer:
1. I was seeking a
school where I could be involved with several activities
while taking advantage of a first rate academic program.
2. The psychology
major at Muhlenberg regularly produces graduates who are
accepted to the best graduate programs and are
competitive in market research. My research courses have
prepared me well to construct meaningful research
studies and analyze the results. I also completed a
Leadership Seminar that helped me to increase
participation in Alpha Chi Omega events when I served as
the philanthropic chair.
3. The combination of
strong analytical skills and excellent leadership
capabilities will help me in the Assistant Project
Manager position since I anticipate needing to listen to
the customer's needs, set up a research plan, and
analyze and communicate the results to the customer.
More common today is the
behavioral style interview in which the interviewer
is trying to gauge your future behavior based on your past
performance. The interviewer will have determined certain
qualities that are necessary for the job (many of these will
be mentioned in the job description - read it carefully for
clues so you can better prepare for this line of
questioning). Questions will be presented that attempt to
evaluate how you demonstrated the skill or handled a similar
situation in the past. The following phrases indicate a
behavioral question:
"Tell me about…"
"Give me an
example of…"
"Think of a time
when…"
"Describe a
situation…"
The SAR formula
will help you effectively answer behavioral questions..
S = Situation.
Describe a specific instance that demonstrates the
quality requested.
A = Action.
Tell what your role was or how you acted
in the situation.
R = Result.
Discuss the result of your action. Ideally this would be
a positive outcome. If it is not, be sure to talk about
what you learned from the experience.
Sample Question: Describe
a time when you worked on a team project.
Possible Answer:
S
= I worked as a Career Assistant
in the Career Center and together with three other
students I presented a "Summer Jobs and Internships
Workshop."
A
= My role was to research the
various internship resources in the career library and
present them during the session. One of my partners
designed the PowerPoint presentation, so I prepared the
key points of my section to be included. This required
good time management and communication on my part since
she depended on me for information before she could do
the PowerPoint. The second time that we were scheduled
to do the presentation, one of our partners had a
conflict, so I volunteered to deliver the information
that was in his section. Since he had done the research
and I heard him present it during our first session, I
was able to handle it without much difficulty.
R
= The workshop was well-received
by the students and it was fun to divide the tasks
according to each person's
abilities. I look forward to other group projects since
this one went so well.
Translation:
I can work with others,
communicate clearly, meet deadlines, understand that
people have different strengths, meet the commitment to
deliver the workshop even when conflicts arise, and get
the work done without duplicating efforts.
We
have created an
exercise to prepare your responses. You may also be
asked a situational question to see how you would
behave in a new situation. When analyzing the position,
consider what situations you may be asked about.
How does the interview end?
Typically the interviewer
will ask whether you have questions. You should. Your
questions give you a chance to demonstrate sincere interest
in the position, and clarify information that may be
unclear.
DO ask about:
a typical day
training
career paths within
the organization
how the position fits
into the structure of the organization, etc.
DON'T
ask:
about salary (the
first rule of negotiating salary is "whoever speaks
first, loses." Until you have a job offer, it doesn't
matter what the position pays)
very basic questions
that would reveal that you haven't
done your research (if it is on their web site, they
expect you to know it)
when your first
promotion will be (their goal is to fill this
position).
Tip: If you have a
disability, ask questions to help you figure out how / if
your disability will affect your ability to do the job.
Consider the work environment, values of the organization,
and personality match. Review our
disclosure article before deciding the best time
to disclose your disability.
When you have had your
questions answered, take the interviewer's
lead regarding when to stand up to leave. Be sure to request
a business card and shake the interviewer's
hand before leaving. (Tip: Practice shaking hands with a
friend prior to the interview.) Ask what the next step
will be. Re-state your interest in the position. This will
help to create a good last impression.
NOTE: The Career Center
conducts mock interviews (by appointment) that can be
videotaped if you wish. We strongly recommend
practicing your interview skills in this non-threatening
setting when a job isn't really on
the line.
"Tips" were taken from:
Brown, Dale S. Learning a Living – A Guide to Planning your
Career and Finding a Job for People with Learning
Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia.
Woodbine House, 2000.
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