How To Prepare
1. Identify and be comfortable with your qualifications, strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities.
2. Review your resume. Be very familiar with everything on it and be prepared to talk about any of it.
3. Analyze the position. What do you want from the job: personal and intellectual growth, travel, flexibility, financial security, or a particular geographic area?
4. Research the organization. Learn as much as possible about the size, location, products/services, and benefits by reading everything you can. Become familiar with recent events affecting the industry as a whole.
5. Think about how your experience, education, and interests relate to the position. Your responses will reflect your self confidence, ability to communicate effectively, and interpersonal skills. This process will be helpful when answering questions like "Why are you interested in the organization?", or, "Tell me something about yourself."
6. Practice interviewing. Talk to friends, discuss techniques with people in the field, practice in front of a mirror, arrange a practice interview with a career counselor. Call CSO at x5100 to set up a time.
7. Upon receiving an invitation to interview, verify the specifics such as names and positions of those who will be conducting the interview(s), dates, times, and location. Determine who will bear the costs of necessary transportation, meals, and overnight lodging associated with the interview, if necessary.
8. Be prepared for a drug-screening test. This might be requested at any time throughout the search process. Drug screening should not be taken lightly as positive test results or an affirmative answer to questions regarding illegal drug use can severely limit your employment prospects. Talk with a career counselor if you have questions.
9. If you are having a telephone interview, keep a few things in mind. First, your interviewer cannot see your body language including posture, eye contact, and facial expressions, all of which make up a large part of communication. Thus pay extra attention to your rate of speech, and be sensitive to pauses and breaks in the conversation. And even though it sounds funny, note that your breathing is not too heavy. If possible, ask beforehand if you will be on speakerphone to a room full of people or just a one on one conversation. Take advantage of the ability to have notes out to refer to if necessary. Find a quiet place where you will be free of distraction. Some people find it relaxing to wear comfortable clothes, thus avoiding the formality and perhaps nervousness that comes with traditional interview attire. On the other hand, some people find it puts them in the proper mindset to wear interview clothing, even though it obviously does not matter on the phone. If you’re using a cell phone, make sure it is charged and has good coverage.
