Interviews

Before the Interview

• Evaluate your interests, skills/abilities, and weaknesses relative to the position for which you are interviewing. If possible, obtain a copy of the position description.
• Research and review the organization's purpose, structure, strengths, and challenges. Use the organization's website, press releases, contacts.
• Dress professionally (clean, conservative, classic)for the desired position.
• Know exactly where you are going for the interview and give yourself plenty of time to get there with a few minutes to spare.
• Be courteous to everyone your encounter. You never know who will have the opportunity to offer input and impressions in the hiring decision.

Questions You May Be Asked

Tell me about yourself. This is the most important question to prepare for as it sets the tone for the entire interview. Plan what you will cover in this response and stick to your academic and professional background and goals as they apply to the specific position and organization. Be sure to include an overall statement of why you are interested in the position and why it is a good fit.

Personal

• What are your hobbies?
• Why did you choose to interview with our organization?
• Describe your ideal job.
• What can you offer us?
• What do you consider to be your greatest strengths?
• Can you name some weaknesses?
• Define success. Failure.
• Have you ever had any failures? What did you learn from them?
• Of which accomplishments are you most proud?
• Who are your role models? Why?
• How does your college education or work experience relate to this position?
• What motivates you most to succeed?
• Have you ever had difficulty getting along with a professor/supervisor/co-worker? How did you handle it?
• Have you ever spoken in front of a large group? How large?
• Why should we hire you rather than another candidate?
• What do you know about our organization (mission, goals, competitors, products, services)?
• Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years?
• Do you plan to return to school for further education?

Education

• Why did you choose your major?
• Why did you choose to attend your college or university?
• Do you think you received a good education? In what ways?
• In which campus activities did you participate?
• Which classes in your major did you like best? Least? Why?
• Which elective classes did you like best? Least? Why?
• If you were to start over, what would you change about your education?
• Do you think your grades accurately reflect your ability? Why or Why not?
• Were you financially responsible for any portion of your college education?

Experience

• What job-related skills have you developed?
• Did you work while going to school? In what positions?
• What did you enjoy most about you last employment? Least?
• Have you ever quit a job? Why?
• Give an example of a situation in which you provided a solution to an employer.
• Give an example of a time in which you worked under deadline pressure.
• Have you ever done any volunteer work? What kind?
• How do you think a former supervisor would describe your work?

Career Goals

• Do you prefer to work under close supervision or on your own?
• What kind of supervisor do you work best with?
• Would you be successful working with a team?
• Do you prefer large or small organizations? Why?
• What other types of positions are you considering?
• How do you feel about working in a structured environment?
• How do you feel about travel?
• How do you feel about the possibility of relocating?
• Are you willing to work flextime?

Questions You May Ask the Interviewer

• Please describe the duties of the job for me.
• What qualities are you looking for in the candidate who fills this position?
• What skills are especially important for someone in this position?
• What characteristics do achievers in this organization see to share?
• What kinds of assignments might I expect the first six months on the job?
• Does your organization encourage further education?
• How often are performance reviews given?
• What products (or services) are in the development stage now?
• Do you have plans for expansion?
• What are your growth projections for the next year?
• Have you cut your staff in the last three years?
• How do you feel about creativity and individuality?
• Do you offer flextime?
• Is your organization environmentally conscious? In what ways?
• In what ways is a career with your organization better than one with your competitors?
• Is this a new position or am I replacing someone?
• What is the largest single problem facing your staff/department?
• What is the usual promotional time frame?
• Does your organization offer either single or dual career-track positions?
• What do you like best about your job/organization?
• Once the probation period is completed, how much authority will I have over decisions?
• Has there been much turnover in this job area?
• Do you fill positions from the outside or promote from within first?
• Is there a lot of team/project work?
• Will I have the opportunity to work on special projects?
• Where does this position fit into the organizational structure?
• How much travel, if any, is involved in this position?
• What is the next course of action in your search process? When should I expect to hear from you or should I contact you?

Behavioral Interviews

Behavioral-based interviews assume that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. Rather than asking you directly if you have a particular skill or trait, the interviewer asks you to provide an example of a time when you demonstrated the skill or trait. Respond with specific examples from real-life experiences rather than hypothetical ones. If you do not have the direct experience described, provide examples of similar situations.

Prepare: While you cannot predict the specific questions you will be asked, you can use the job description to determine the skills and traits desired by the employer. To best prepare, think of 3-4 stories from your past where you demonstrated those traits and use them in your responses. Try to focus on stories from past professional or academic experience.

Organize Your Answers: Like a story, your response to a behavioral interview question should have:

• beginning (describe the situation or challenge)
• middle (describe your action)
• end (describe the outcome)

Be sure to stay on track and keep the emphasis on your individual behavior and the results you produced. Those results will typically be positive, but if you must tell a story with a less than happy ending, be sure to add what you learned from the experience and what you now do differently because of it.

Mock Interviews

Meet with a Career Counselor for a mock interview to practice your interview skills and receive constructive feedback on your performance. Or, practice with an employer volunteer during one of our Mock Interview Days.

Access "Perfect Interview" through your Husker Hire Link account. Perfect Interview™ allows you to practice and develop your interviewing skills. See videos of questions from professional interviewers, then provide your own answer. A webcam or text entry records your answers. Get tips from the on-line coach or e-mail your interview to others for feedback.

Information Interviews

Information interviews involve talking with people currently working in a career field to gain a better understanding of an occupation, organization or industry. The informational interview provides first hand experiences and impressions of someone in the field. It is also an excellent way to build your network of contacts in that field. However, it is not appropriate to ask for a job during an informational interview.

Identify Contacts: Start with lists of people you already know: friends, fellow students, present or former co-workers, supervisors, neighbors, etc. Professional organizations, organizational directories, and public speakers are also good resources.

Request the Interview: Contact the resource person by telephone or letter. You can also have someone who knows the interviewer make the appointment for you.

• Phone- Plan and practice what you will say in advance. For example,
  "Hi, my name is ______ and I'm a student at UNL. I got your name from ______. You're in a career field that I'm interested in, and I was hoping that you could help me gain insights into the profession. I'm sure that my questions could be answered in a 20-30-minute informational interview."
• E-mail - If you use a letter or e-mail it should be a professional introductory letter. Be sure to include information about how you can be reached. If you indicate that you will follow up in some way, be sure to follow through on time.

Ask politely. If the person you are contacting agrees to the interview, select a time and location that works for both of you. Be as flexible as possible with your schedule and indicate how much time you are looking for. 30 minutes is a good starting point.

Prepare: Dress professionally and be on time. Research the person and organization as much as possible before the interview. Don't ask basic questions that can easily be answered elsewhere. Ask for the person's insight, opinions and advice.

Conduct the Interview:

• Listen. Be ready with a list of open-ended questions and be prepared to listen more than you talk.
• Take notes. Write down anything that might be important. Ask follow-up questions.
• Be brief. Keep track of time and don't overstay your welcome. Be sure to stick to the amount of time you initially requested of the person.

Follow Up: Be sure to send a thank-you card or letter within one to three days after the interview. This is a great way to stay in touch and leave a positive impression. Indicate that the person was helpful and that you appreciate the time they spent with you.