Interview
Preparation
Congratulations! You’ve been selected for the job interview. Time to
prepare!
Conduct Your Research
It is essential that you prepare yourself for the interview by doing
research on the organization. Interviewers will want to know why you want to
work for them as opposed to working for some other organization. You should
have knowledge of their services, products, or goals before going into the
interview. This is a must for on-campus interviews. SUalso recommends that
you research the industry for which you are interviewing (e.g., banking,
insurance, advertising,non-profits).
A few good resources for conducting your research include:
- The employer's homepage (if
available) - most employers have a website, and you can be certain that they
will expect you to have viewed it!
- College professors and
people already working in the field.
- Stock brokerage firms for
annual reports.
- Online career research
tools such Wetfeet (available through SU website).
- Job Choices Magazine for
basic information on organizations which hire college graduates
Industry-related magazines or journals. (In SU Career services Library)
- Reader's Guide to
Periodical Literature, Business Periodicals Index, F & S Index of
Corporations and Industries for magazine articles about an organization,
products, or services. Many of these are on SU's website.
Practice Makes Perfect
-
Schedule a practice
interview with an SU Career Counselor. We can tape it if you wish.
-
Drop by SU's Career
Services Office to get last-minute tips from a counselor.
-
Make a list of questions
you want to ask about the organization.
-
Rehearse answers to
questions that employers are likely to ask you.
The Day of Your Interview
- Dress appropriately!
Appearance is the first thing you communicate to others. A suit for both
women and men is almost always appropriate for all types of interviews.
Visit What to Wear for more detailed tips on interview attire.
- Know the name of the
interviewer. Be ready to greet him/her by a last name and be prepared for a
handshake
- Bring a pen and
portfolio-style folder containing extra copies of your resume. Don’t bring
your book bag to the interview.
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
You never want to start off an interview with an excuse for being late.
- Relax and be yourself
because you are great! Give it everything you have.
Use the
STAR
Technique to answer behavioral questions.
Click here for the Do's and Don'ts of Interviewing
|
