Career Services

Houghton College

INTERVIEWING GUIDELINES

Make A Positive Impression

While an effective resume and cover letter open the door to an interview, your personal presentation in the interview is what determines if you’ll secure the position for which you have applied.  To prepare yourself for this most important aspect of the job search, you are encouraged to do four things:

1.        Conduct a self-evaluation.

2.        Research the organization you are interviewing.

3.        Review sample questions you might be asked or questions you might ask in the interview.

4.        Practice interviewing.

Conduct a Self-Evaluation

Assess your skills, interests, and values.  This means you need to know what you like to do, what you do well, what is important to you in an employment setting, and what goals are directing your life.  Career Services has several resources you can use to assist you in this process.  Career Services can administer a Myers Briggs Type Indicator or Strong Campbell Interest Inventory to help you identify your organizational effectiveness, leadership strengths, work orientation, and other key skills and strengths.  This can also help you identify weaker areas you may want to improve.

While most of the questions you will be asked in an interview relate to how well you can assess yourself, you should also be prepared to discuss your short term and long term career objectives.  You may not know the specific goal or the specific route you will take to reach that goal, but you should have ideas about a direction(s) that you’d like to pursue or things you want to learn or experience.

Research the Organization

Learn as much as you can about the organization can prior to the interview.  Check out web pages and other computer databases to assist you in your search.  Speak with a current employee if possible.  Your research should enable you to ask intelligent questions in the interview, to emphasize how you can be an asset to the organization, and to answer the question of why you want to work there.  Key information to collect includes major products or services, size, location(s), organizational structure, key personnel, competitors, latest news reports, special honors and recognition, reputation,  unions, salary range of the position you are seeking.  In addition, teaching candidates may want to collect information on learning objectives, instructional programs/philosophies, demographics, and student achievement.

Review Interview Questions

A key to successfully responding to an interviewer’s questions is to know what she or he is looking for and trying to assess.  Employers are pretty straightforward about what they are seeking and are not usually in the business of trying to trap you.  New hires cost money and most organizations can’t afford to make hiring mistakes.  So they look for people who fit with the organization, people whose experiences reflect the skills they want to see in their employees, and people who can learn. 

Here are some of the things employers look for in addition to positive personal qualities like neat a appearance,  enthusiasm and positive attitude, good self-expression

                                                   
Typical Interview Questions
The types of questions you will be asked in an interview vary considerably from interviewer to interviewer.  Interviewers who take a TRADITIONAL INTERVIEWING approach will often ask questions such as:     

A more recent approach to interviewing, however, focuses more on specific questions that force you to demonstrate your skills and abilities.  This approach, known as BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING, is based on the premise that the best predictor of future job performance is past performance in similar circumstances. Questions in a behavioral interview are likely to be worded as follows:

                Describe a situation in which you were able to help out a peer or coworker.

                Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in making a decision.

                Give me an example of something you did to help build enthusiasm in others.

                Give me an example of a time you had to persuade other people to take action. 

                Tell me about a time when you had to handle multiple responsibilities.

                Has your schedule ever been upset by unforeseen circumstances?  What did you do?

                Give me specific occasion in which you conformed to a policy with which you did not agree.

                Describe the most significant or creative presentation which you had to complete.

                What have you done to contribute toward a teamwork environment?

                Describe an unpopular decision you made and what the result was.

Whether your interviewer’s style is traditional or behavioral, your approach to answering the questions ought to be very similar.  ALWAYS GIVE A DETAILED AND SPECIFIC RESPONSE.  Remember that the more specific and concrete you can be in your examples and illustrations, the better able the employer is to assess what you really have to give to this organization with whom you are interviewing. Demonstrating desired behaviors may be proven through internships, past work experiences, activities, team activities, and community service.  In citing a particular situation that relates to the question, frame your response as follows:

                State the situation or task.

                Describe the action you took in the situation or task.

                Indicate the result or outcome.

Practice Interviewing

It is one thing to formulate responses in your head to interview questions; it is another to articulate them aloud.  Practice is essential.  The Career Services Director is willing to conduct a mock interview with you.  You may schedule this 60 minute session any day during office hours.  Appropriate interview dress is recommended, and bring a copy of your resume with you. 

Frequently asked questions in specific fields

Education

·         What techniques do you use in developing rapport with students?

·         What evidence can you provide that demonstrates how you work with colleagues and supervisors?

·         How do you handle curricular content in classes with many ability levels?

·         Are you prepared to individualize instruction?

·         What teaching techniques have been effective for you? What are the ingredients of an effective learning program?

·         Tell me about your student teaching experiences.

·         Name and evaluate two professional books you have read recently.

·         What out-of-school experiences or work opportunities have you had to complement your teaching?

·         Why do you want to teach?

·         What is your philosophy of education?

·         What do you believe to be the greatest challenge facing education today?

·         What is your philosophy of discipline?  What procedures work best for you?

·         What difficulties do you anticipate with classroom control?

Medicine

·         Why do you want to study medicine?  What influenced you?  Why not some other health career?

·         What will you do if you do not gain admission this year?

·         How do you spend your time outside the classroom. 

·         What do you perceive to be the greatest problems facing American medicine?

·         In what type of setting do you see yourself working in 10 years?

·         Discuss a problem you faced requiring a group solution.  How did you arrive at the solution?

·         What types of research have you done?

·         Tell me about your family.

·         How will you deal with difficult patients with whom you do not wish to work or who refuse to follow your advice?

·         What are your thoughts about ____(some type of medical dilemma)____?

Social Service

·         Two common interview techniques used in social service interviews are the role play and the case presentation.  Case situations are often presented and candidates are asked to explain the course of action they would take and how they would handle the client(s).  You might also be asked to give an assessment and/or treatment plan.

Business

·         What are your long and short range goals, when did you establish these, and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them?

·         What are the most important rewards you expect from your business career?

·         In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to the organization?

·         Will you relocate?  Will you travel?

·         What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?

·         If you were hiring a person for this position, what would you look for?

·         What suggestions do you have for our organization?

·         What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?

·         In what type of work environment are you most comfortable?

·         What have you learned from your mistakes?

Responding To Illegal Interview Questions

There are laws that regulate the questions an employer can ask a job applicant, whether those questions be on an application form, in the interview, or in the testing process.  Questions must be related to the job for which you are applying.; otherwise, the questions may be discriminatory. Listed below are areas of questioning with examples of illegal questions and their legal counterparts.

Type of Question             Illegal Question                           Legal Question

If you are asked an illegal question, there are several options you have for responding.  Whichever option you choose, the response should be handled tactfully and politely. 

1.  Answer the question, even though you may be providing information unrelated to the job.

2.  Refuse to answer the question, but being careful not to appear uncooperative.  You may want to
     simply inquire how the information requested is related to the job.

3.  Examine the question being asked for intent and respond in a way that might apply to the job.

Questions To Ask The Employer

You will want to ask questions in the interview that might help you know more about the organization, its personnel, and its environment.  Consider asking some of these questions:

·        In what ways are employees encouraged to express their ideas and concerns?

·        What types of training programs exist for employees?  Orientation for new employees?

·        What are the specifications for this position?

·        How often are performance reviews given?

·        What are the long range goals of the organization?  This department?

·        What employee benefits are offered?

·        What would be my primary responsibilities?

·        What special projects might I be assigned to?

·        To whom would I report?

·        Will you describe a typical work day?

·        What do you like best about working in this organization?

·        How do personnel relate to one another?

·        What level of enthusiasm characterizes the employees for their work?  For the organization?

·        What are the facilities like?

Don’t ask about salary during the first interview.  It is better to let the employer disclose the salary range for the position first.

Before leaving the interview, be sure you know the next step.  When will they contact you?  How will they do that?  Telephone?  Correspondence?  Do you need to supply additional information?

After The Interview

·        Evaluate your performance during the interview.  Which questions gave you difficulty?  Where do you need to brush up before the next interview?

·        Send the interviewer a thank you letter within 24 hours.  Continue to let them know of your interest in the position and restate key points to help them remember you.  If you wish to no longer be considered for the position, use this letter as an opportunity to withdraw your candidacy.

·        Follow-up with a telephone call if you have not heard from the interviewer within the time they indicated during the interview.

Additional Tips

Be on time.  Know where your appointment will be held and arrive about 10 minutes early.  This will give you a few minutes to collect yourself and review the questions you want to ask and the points you want to make.

Appearance is important - dress appropriately and immaculately.  Traditional business attire is a dark, conservative suit for men and women; women may also wear tailored dresses (no pants).  Avoid overuse of perfume or cologne.  Be sure hands and nails are clean and manicured.  Shoes must be polished and coordinate with your outfit; no boots.  Hair should be clean and well-groomed. Men: beards or mustaches are usually acceptable provided they are neatly groomed.  Do not wear excessive jewelry; avoid things that dangle or “clink”; body or facial jewelry should be avoided.  Men should remove earrings if they have them. 

Demonstrate self-confidence.  Walk tall.  Smile.  Offer firm handshakes.

Maintain eye contact when speaking and listening.

Be friendly and polite with everyone with whom you come in contact.  Remember names and positions.

Observe restaurant etiquette and table manners.

Acknowledge job offers and rejections. 

·        Even if you are not prepared to immediately accept a job offer, it is important that you at least acknowledge receipt of the offer within 2-3 days.  Reaffirm your interest in the position and provide a date by which you will contact the employer with your decision. Do not delay more than 2 weeks.

·        Once you have made a decision, write an acceptance letter conveying your positive feelings about the job and your future with the employer. State in your letter the position you were offered, the date it was offered, and the starting salary you are accepting.  Confirm your starting date/time.

·        If you wish to reject an employment offer, do so in writing.  Indicate your appreciation of the offer and mention positive reactions to your interview.  If applicable, indicate if you are turning the position down for a more suitable position; do not, however, make unfavorable comparisons of people or the organization.  Thank everyone who helped you.

·        Send a thank you letter even when you have been turned down for a position.  You may express your disappointment in not being offered the position while at the same time acknowledging their need to make a different choice.