• Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled interview. Punctuality is important!

• Dress professionally.

• Review your resume. Emphasize accomplishments to illustrate your strengths.

• Always bring an extra copy of your resume.

• Prepare questions and answers for the interview.

• At your first interview, ask open ended questions that create a two way dialogue. Do not discuss personal, family, or financial problems.

• Act interested, be flexible, candid and straightforward. Keep good eye contact - this shows confidence.

• Be familiar with the position. Research the organization and determine how you could make a contribution to the company.

• Never say anything negative about a former/current employer or co-worker.

• Make sure references you give know they are going to be called.

Common Interview Questions

During an interview, an interviewer will not only ask you questions pertaining to the position for which you are applying, but will also ask questions to help him/her get a better sense of your work ethic, accomplishments, and compatibility. These questions are relatively uniform throughout all interview processes, and being prepared to answer them could mean the difference in being accepted for a position.

Question 1: What are your strengths/weaknesses?

This question is almost always asked in some variation, and there are several ways it can be answered. Although you might be tempted to use humor, avoid it, as a joke may not be interpreted the way you intended. Instead, focus on strengths that emphasize how well you work with others.

Question 2: What makes you the best candidate for this position?

When answering this question, be sure to focus on traits or experiences that relate well to the position. Try to be specific, as more detailed accounts will likely leave a greater impact on the interviewer.  One effective way to answer this question is to mention a short anecdote that highlights something you can bring to the job. Illuminating your experience this way will likely be more memorable than giving the interviewer a laundry list of characteristics.

Question 3: Where do you see yourself in five years?

When answering this question, try to remain general. Talk about your values, and your goals, but don’t get bogged down in a detailed explanation of your career path. Remember, the interview is about fitting you into the position, and all your answers should be geared that way.

Body Language

Body language can play several important roles in an interview. Strong body language can help make an interview process much smoother. When in an interview, remember to stand and sit up straight, as they are signs of confidence. Also try to lean your body forward slightly, as this shows interest. Make sure to keep as much eye contact as possible, and to limit the amount of fidgeting you do. If you are having difficulty with fidgeting, however, try and ignore it. Getting frustrated or focusing on the fidgeting could lead you to ignore the interview itself, which would make a much worse impression than lightly tapping your foot.

Acting Professionally

It is often thought that an interviewer makes a determination on a candidate in the first 30-60 seconds of an interview. Because of this, it is important to remember that you are being reviewed for every second you’re with the potential employer. This includes before and after the formal interview. Because of this, it is important to treat any employee of the organization with respect and dignity.

After an interview, it is favorable to send a personal, hand-written thank you to the interviewer. While an email is acceptable, a hand-written note is preferred, and should be sent 24-36 hours after the interview. In your note, thank the interviewer for making you feel welcomed and at ease. Be sure to include something new that you learned about the organization during the interview, and also how your skills and experience would benefit the organization.