Chapter 20: Interview Strategies

Interviewing is the phase of the job search process where you go from being an applicant on paper to a real, 3-dimensional person.  In one way or another, you are being evaluated on your verbal communication skills through this face-to-face (or phone) interaction. Employers want to see if you match up to the qualifications described in your résumé and they want to see if you have good interpersonal communication skills to get a sense of how you would function as part of their team.

Employment interviews come in all shapes and sizes. A potential employee may very well be screened by a computer (as the résumé is scanned) and interviewed online or via the telephone before the applicant ever meets a representative or panel of representatives. The screening process may include formal tests that include personality tests, background investigations, and consultations with previous employers.  Depending on the type of job you are seeking, you can anticipate answering questions, often more than once, to a series of people as you progress through a formal interview process. Just as you have the advantage of preparing for a speech with anticipation, you can apply the same research and public speaking skills to the employment interview.

The invitation to interview means you have been identified as a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications and demonstrates potential as a viable candidate. Your cover letter, résumé, or related application materials may demonstrate the connection between your preparation and the job duties, but now comes the moment where you will need to articulate those points out loud. Interviews are often intimidating for job seekers who feel the pressure of being evaluated and feel uncomfortable with the interview format. While the nervousness may never go away, effectively preparing for the interview can make you feel more confident, and, with practice, you will be better able to stay in the moment and treat the interview like a conversation.

Preparation

The right frame of mind is an essential element for success in communication, oral or written. For many if not most, the employment interview is surrounded with mystery and a degree of fear and trepidation. Just as giving a speech may produce a certain measure of anxiety, you can expect that a job interview will make you nervous. Anticipate this normal response, and use your nervous energy to your benefit. To place your energies where they will be put to best use, the first step is preparation.

Good preparation before an interview is based on understanding who your audience is—understanding the employer and the industry. This is not the type of information that you can memorize the night before. Take as much time as you can to read and absorb information from a variety of sources to get a thorough sense of the company—not just the basic information you find on the “About” page of their website, but the tone and personality they broadcast in social media, their achievements, and their community involvement.

Businesses hire people to solve problems, so you will want to focus on how your talents, expertise, and experience can contribute to the organization’s need to solve those problems. The more detailed your analysis of their current challenges, the better. You need to be prepared for standard questions about your education and background, but also see the opening in the conversation to discuss the job duties, the challenges inherent in the job, and the ways in which you believe you can meet these challenges. Take the opportunity to demonstrate the fact that you have “done your homework” in researching the company. Figure 20.1 presents a checklist of what you should try to know before you consider yourself prepared for an interview.

^{Figure 20.1 | Interview Preparation Checklist}

Performance

Once you have prepared mentally and gathered information for the interview, it’s time to prepare for the interaction during the interview.

Dress the Part

Dress your best. In most business cultures, dressing professionally is a sign of respect, conveying that you care about the position and that you want to make a good impression.

Here are the basics:

1. 1. • Wear your best professional clothing.
      • Try on the complete outfit to make sure you’re comfortable. Does it fit? Stay in place? Can you sit down, shake hands, and move comfortably? You don’t want your clothing to distract you or the interviewer.

Even if you know the work environment is casual, you should dress “up” for the interview—more professionally than you would if you worked there. The exception would be if you are explicitly told not to—for instance, if the recruiter specifies that you should dress “business casual.”

Don’t Come Empty-Handed

Arriving at the interview with important documents and notes shows that you are prepared and thinking ahead. Organize all your materials in a nice folder or folio—presentation matters! Print out several clean copies of your résumé and any other documents you might want to reference, like the job or internship description or your references. You should also bring a few samples of your work, if possible, documents you’ve prepared or artifacts from projects.

Make the most out of all of that research and preparation by bringing notes. A nice notebook or paper and a pen are perfectly acceptable for you to have in the interview, and they can help you feel more focused by getting some of the information out of your head and organized on paper.

Follow these guidelines:

1. 1. 1. Be organized. Re-write or type and print your notes so you can easily find the information you need. You don’t want to be shuffling through scraps of paper.
      2. Keep it simple. Write down keywords, brief phrases and ideas that will jog your memory, not a complete script.
      3. Prepare questions for the interviewer. You typically have the opportunity to ask these questions at the end of the interview.

Body Language & Interaction

As a general rule, it’s important to be observant and take your cues from the interviewer. Reflect their tone and pay attention to the dynamic they set. Are they very formal and professional or more conversational? It’s okay to make small talk, but you want to follow the lead of the interviewer.

1. 1. 1. Shake hands. Most of the time, these professional interactions will begin with a handshake. Be prepared with a firm (but not too firm!) and confident handshake. It never hurts to practice!
      2. Be conscious of your posture. You will want to sit up straight and avoid crossing your arms in front of your chest.
      3. Make eye contact. Look at the interviewer while they ask you questions and give them non-verbal cues—smiling, nodding—when appropriate. Make it clear that you understand what they’re saying, that you’re listening.
      4. Speak clearly and thoughtfully. Adjust your volume for the environment and make sure the interviewer can hear and understand you easily. Don’t rush yourself and take the time to deliver thoughtful responses. Ask for clarification if you don’t understand a question.
      5. Project calm. Fidgeting and extra movement can make you seem nervous even if you aren’t. Be aware of your tendencies and try to minimize them. If you know you fidget, try to keep your hands folded and avoid clicking or tapping the pen. Don’t wear jewelry that you will play with or that will make noise while you move. Wear your hair in a way that will not tempt you to touch or play with it constantly. If seated at a table, sit towards the front of the chair and plant your feet on the floor. It can help keep you steady.
      6. Be yourself. With all of the previous tips in mind, you also need to feel comfortable and like yourself. If you are enthusiastic, if you talk with your hands, if you are shy, that’s fine. You just need to be the most engaged, professional version of yourself you can be in order to show the interviewer what you are capable of in the workplace.

Common Interview Questions

Employment interviews involve a degree of uniformity across their many representations. Here are some common questions you are likely to be asked in an employment interview:

1. 1. 1. Tell me about yourself.
      2. Have you ever done this type of work before?
      3. Out of all the candidates, why should we hire you?
      4. What are your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
      5. What do you consider to be your biggest professional achievement?
      6. Give me an example of a time when you worked under pressure.
      7. Tell me about a time you encountered (X) type of problem at work. How did you solve the problem?
      8. Why did you leave your last job?/ Why do you want to leave your current job?
      9. How has your education and/or experience prepared you for this job?
      10. Why do you want to work here?
      11. What are your long-term goals? Where do you see yourself five years from now?
      12. Do you have any questions?

When you are asked a question in the interview, look for its purpose as well as its literal meaning. “Tell me about yourself” is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and explain what makes you perfect for the position. The employer is looking for someone who can address their needs. 

In the same way, responses about your strengths are not an opening to brag, and your weakness not an invitation to confess. If your weakness is a tendency toward perfectionism, and the job you are applying for involves a detail orientation, you can highlight how your weaknesses may serve you well in the position.

Interviewers may ask behavioural questions to learn how you reacted in past situations as this will give them a good indication of how you will react in similar situations in the future. Here are some common behavioural questions:

1. 1. 1. Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.

      2. Share an example of a time you had to make a difficult decision. What did you do?
      3. Have you ever made a mistake? How did you handle it? 
      4. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your boss. How did you resolve it?
      5. Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

When responding to behavioural questions, use the STAR method. With this method, you answer the question by explaining the Situation, Task, Action and the Result. Figure 20.2 explains the STAR method in detail.

You can also anticipate that the last few minutes will be set aside for you to ask your questions. This is your opportunity to learn more about the problems or challenges that the position will be addressing, allowing you a final opportunity to reinforce a positive message with the audience. Keep your questions simple, your attitude positive, and communicate your interest.

At the same time as you are being interviewed, know that you too are interviewing the prospective employer. If you have done your homework you may already know what the organization is all about, but you may still be unsure whether it is the right fit for you. Listen and learn from what is said as well as what is not said, and you will add to your knowledge base for wise decision-making in the future.

Questions to Ask the Interviewer

In addition to revealing your knowledge of the company, questions to the interviewer are also an opportunity for you to figure out if the employer and the company culture are a good fit for you. Think carefully about what matters to you, what would allow you to do your best work, and try to ask questions that will give you insight into those factors.

The following are some questions you can ask the interviewer:

1. 1. 1. What are the primary tasks or responsibilities for a person in this position? What does a day in this job look like? Is travel required? Overtime?
      2. What is the orientation or training process?
      3. What are the goals/priorities for a person in this position? How will success be measured?
      4. What is the company’s assessment and review process?
      5. Does the company support professional development activities?
      6. How does this position fit within the team/department? What is the reporting structure?
      7. How would you describe the company culture or team dynamic?
      8. What is this company’s approach to management?
      9. What are the company’s overall goals and priorities and how do those affect someone in this department/position?

NOTE: This is not typically the best time to ask about salary and benefits. This is your opportunity to learn about the workplace and the position—the environment, how it’s structured, and employee support programs.

Figure 20.3 summarizes the interview process.

Postperformance

Remember that feedback is part of the interview process: follow up promptly with a thank-you note or email, expressing your appreciation for the interviewer’s time and interest. Email is a standard and expected vehicle for this message, and you will likely have already been in contact with the interviewers via email or will have their business card from the interview. An example of an interview thank-you letter is demonstrated in Figure 20.4.

The formula for this message is simple, but choose your words carefully and try to extend their good impression of your written communication here as well. Us the following format when writing your interview thank-you message:

1. 1. • Relevant subject line
      • Gratitude for their time and the opportunity
      • Your continued interest in the position
      • Something specific from your conversation (this is where taking notes comes in handy!)
      • Reminder of your qualifications
      • Positive and forward-looking conclusion

You will want to reflect the overall tone of your interaction. Try to make it consistent with the person they met the day before.