Interview Prep Resources
The interview is one of the most important elements in the job search process.
The interview gives you and the employer the opportunity to exchange information to determine if you are a good "fit" for each other.
Here are some easy steps to help you feel prepared and confident.
Step 1: Start preparing before your interview day
To be prepared before the interview, you will want to: Know the position, know the company, and know yourself
Expand the menu below to learn more about each of these
- Carefully review and understand the position description
- When a written description is unavailable, ask the hiring manager for details and/or speak with professionals you know at the organization or in the same industry
- Understand the desired/required qualifications, and be ready to share relevant examples from your experience
- Research the organization's mission, vision, and values
- Be familiar with the organization's products/services as well as recent news and trends
- Be prepared to share specific ways you will help the organization reach its goals
- Know what is on your resume and be prepared to elaborate and offer specific
examples - Create a list of strengths and skills you have to offer that relate to the position
- Come up with a few brief stories about your past skills, strengths, and accomplishments to illustrate your experience and skills; real-life examples provide evidence of your abilities
Some additional general tips prior to the interview day:
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early and turn off your cell phone
- Use effective non-verbal communication: a firm handshake, friendly smile, and appropriate eye contact
- Remember that body language can help convey confidence, enthusiasm, and interest
- Be courteous to everyone and only speak positively about others (faculty, past employers, co-workers, etc.)
- Always be sincere and honest
- Prepare several questions to ask the employer (see pg. 13}
- Collect business cards from all interviewers and promptly send separate thank you notes (email and/or mail) and any requested materials
- If you have not heard from the employer by the date they said they would contact you, allow 1-2 extra days, then take the initiative to follow up
Step 2: Learn about the different types of Interviews and Interview questions
There are many different types of interviews, as well as interview methods and techniques. Every job is different, and some jobs use a combination of different interview strategies.
Different types of interviews include:
- Screening Interviews, Phone Interviews, One-on-One Interviews, Panel Interviews, and Group Interviews
An interviewee will benefit from using the CAR strategy when responding to interview questions.
CAR stands for: describe the CHALLENGE, what was your ACTION, and what was the RESULT.
Expand the menu below to see more about each part of the CAR strategy
The challenge gives your interviewer some context of the situation. This part of the question should be concise, only about 30% of your response.
Example: While I was working in my part-time role at the music store, we noticed through our tracking that store visits and sales always dropped in the fall months, specifically October. In previous years, the owner had tried to run promotions to increase traffic, without success.
The action response should focus on what you specifically did. If you were working
on; team, make sure
to highlight your role and contributions.
Example: I approached the owner and asked if I could spearhead an initiative to bring customers in the door during our slower months. With a $200 budget, I created marketing plan and event calendar, including collaborations with local musicians, non-profits, and schools
The result should always be positive and directly correlated with the action you took.
T to quantify your
results as much as possible.
Example: Compared to previous years, our October sales increased by an average of
18 and foot traffic
increased by an average of 63%!
Expand the menu below to see some examples of common interview questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- What do you consider to be your greatest professional strengths? Weaknesses?
- What three words would your peers use to describe you and why?
- Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful?
- Who or what influenced you the most with regard to your career objectives?
- What is your greatest professional achievement?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Describe your current or most recent job, internship, or leadership experience.
- How has your education prepared you for this position?
- Describe a project you have completed and the steps you used to complete it.
- What did you enjoy most about your last job or internship? Least?
- How would a former supervisor describe your work?
- What motivated you to apply for this position?
- Why do you want to work for our organization?
- What do you know about our company?
- How does your previous experience relate to this position?
- What are you looking for in a new position?
- What type of work environment do you prefer?
- Describe three skills or qualities you would bring to this position.
- What significant trends do you see in this industry?
- How do you like to be supervised?
- Why are you the best candidate for this position? Why should we hire you?
Behavioral questions are used commonly by employers to evaluate if you have the soft skills and competencies needed for the job. By telling them how you performed in the past, they will have a sense of how you will perform in the future.
COMMON BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS
- Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult team member.
- Describe a time you worked in a team environment and encountered conflict.
- Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership skills.
- Describe a time you had a conflict with a supervisor.
- Describe a situation which you found a creative way to overcome an obstacle.
- What was the best idea you came up with at your last job?
- Tell me about a mistake you made. What did you learn from it?
- Tell me about a time where you had to assert yourself to get a point across that was important to you.
- Describe a time you went above and beyond the call of duty to get a job done.
- What is a typical day or week like?
- What are some of challenges you think a new person in this position would face?
- What are your department goals for the coming year? Long-term goals?
- What are some common characteristics of successful employees?
- What is the greatest challenge facing your staff/department right now?
- How would I be evaluated in this position?
- What is most engaging about your work here?
- What are the next steps in the hiring process? When can I expect to hear from you?
Step 3: Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice your answers to sample interview questions. If you can, find friends or family who will practice with you.
If you would like to set up a mock interview with the Career Connections team, fill out one of our Career Connections intake forms or email Jobs4you@cuesta.edu.
Need professional clothing for your interview?
Career Connections has a Career Closet with free new and gently used clothes for students. Students can collect one free professional outfit per semester at Cuesta College.
