Competitive Interview Prep
"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it*
for that determines our success or failure."
- Norman Vincent Peale -
You finally have an interview! Your moment of truth has arrived. Whether your interview is on campus or off* it is important to make the most of it. Because to be successful* you should always seek to retain control of the process* and the only way to do this is to have control over the final decision. You can always walk away from a company that you later decide you have no interest in* but you need to remain in positive control to retain the power to pick and choose. Your objective in every interview should be to take yourself one step further toward generating the job offer. You can do that by doing your very best in each and every interview. Treat every interview as if it were the only one you will ever get with that company and your only opportunity to convince them that you are the right candidate for the position. Although there may be several interviews before the eventual offer* you must score positively in each interview.
Successful interviewing begins with preparation. Read the following sections to be fully prepared before your first interview. And reread the information for additional pointers as your interviewing approach matures over time.
Job Search Information
Mastering the Interview
"To be a great champion* you must believe that you are the best.
If you're not* pretend you are."
- Muhammad Ali -
You are a special person. You know it. Your Mom knows it. Your Dad knows it. Your siblings know it (but probably won't admit it to anyone else). Your Mom really knows it. Your friends and relatives know it. But unless you convince the interviewer of your special talents and abilities* you will fade into that great dark abyss of Interviews Lost.
Study this Section. Get comfortable with the techniques and tactics before your first interview. Remember* every interview counts. Every time you interview successfully* you move one more golden step toward the job offer and career of your dreams.
Dress For Interview Success
While the college campus may be the perfect forum in which to exhibit your flair for the latest in fashion style* the interview is not the place to do so. With very few unusual exceptions (my apologies to Apple Computer)* sandals and sweatshirts are out. Oxfords and business suits are still in. I don't like a necktie (noose?) any better than the next person* but it is still a fact of life in interviewing. Even though many companies have relaxed the internal company dress code* interviews still follow the conservative standard. Don't buck the trend.
Unfortunately* most college grads are woefully underprepared with proper interview dress. They feel they can "get by" with what is already in their wardrobe. Usually not. Dress for the world outside college is quite different from the campus scene. Remember that stylish is not conservative. You should be doing the talking* not your clothes.
This is not to say that you need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Go for quality over quantity. One or two well-chosen business suits will serve you all the way to the first day on the job and beyond. Then* when you are making some money (and have a chance to see what the standard "uniform" is for the company)* you can begin to round out your wardrobe. For now* no one will fault you for wearing the same sharp outfit each time you interview. If you desire some variety within a limited budget* you might consider varying your shirt/blouse/tie/accessories as a simple way to change your look without breaking your wallet.
Fifty Standard Interview Questions
It is not enough to have solid answers only for the above questions. You need to be prepared for the full spectrum of questions that may be presented. For further practice* make sure you go through the required mock interview (see the "Competitive Interview Prep" Section) and for further review* look at some of the following questions:
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you want to do with your life?
3. Do you have any actual work experience?
4. How would you describe your ideal job?
5. Why did you choose this career?
6. When did you decide on this career?
7. What goals do you have in your career?
8. How do you plan to achieve these goals?
9. How do you evaluate success?
10. Describe a situation in which you were successful.
11. What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
12. What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction in your life?
13. If you had to live your life over again* what would you change?
14. Would your rather work with information or with people?
15. Are you a team player?
16. What motivates you?
17. Why should I hire you?
18. Are you a goal-oriented person?
19. Tell me about some of your recent goals and what you did to achieve them.
20. What are your short-term goals?
21. What is your long-range objective?
22. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
23. Where do you want to be ten years from now?
24. Do you handle conflict well?
25. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How did you resolve it?
26. What major problem have you had to deal with recently?
27. Do you handle pressure well?
28. What is your greatest strength?
29. What is your greatest weakness?
30. If I were to ask one of your professors to describe you* what would he or she say?
31. Why did you choose to attend your college?
32. What changes would you make at your college?
33. How has your education prepared you for your career?
34. What were your favorite classes? Why?
35. Do you enjoy doing independent research?
36. Who were your favorite professors? Why?
37. Why is your GPA not higher?
38. Do you have any plans for further education?
39. How much training do you think you'll need to become a productive employee?
40. What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
41. Why do you want to work in the _____ industry?
42. What do you know about our company?
43. Why are you interested in our company?
44. Do you have any location preferences?
45. How familiar are you with the community that we're located in?
46. Will you relocate? In the future?
47. Are you willing to travel? How much?
48. Is money important to you?
49. How much money do you need to make to be happy?
50. What kind of salary are you looking for?
Don't just read these questions--practice and rehearse the answers. Don't let the company interview be the first time you have actually formulated an answer in spoken words. It is not enough to think about them in your head--practice! Sit down with a friend* a significant other* or your roommate (an especially effective critic* given the amount of preparation to date) and go through all of the questions. Make the most of every single interview opportunity by being fully prepared!
Job Fair Success
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
- Albert Einstein -
Job fairs are becoming a common means of entry level recruiting. For the corporate recruiter* they offer an opportunity to reach interviewing terminal velocity--the highest possible number of prospects in the shortest possible amount of time. For many students* job fairs provide a "freebie" opportunity to meet with hiring employers.
However* unless you do your homework* you will end up wasting your time at a job fair. Job fairs are the meat markets of the entry level job market* with employers sizing up candidates quickly* based on appearances and first impressions. Job fairs have a set of rules and protocols all their own. But if you understand how to effectively work within the system* you can easily double or triple your productivity and effectiveness.
Usually a full 50 percent or more of the attendees at job fairs are "window shoppers" who are just browsing to see what is available. While this approach may seem valid* take note that job fairs are not a "get acquainted session" for you to meet prospective employers. They are multiple interview sessions where the plain vanilla candidates are stepped on and over by those who are targeted and prepared. Yes* even the two to three minute greeting and exchange of sound bites is considered a real interview. You are being evaluated* whether it is for thirty seconds or thirty minutes. You always need to be at your very best. If you are to succeed at the job fair of the new millenium* you have to take a very aggressive yet structured approach.
Understanding the Different Types of Job Fairs
The People Behind the Tables
Your Job Fair Portfolio
The Major Job Fair Error Nearly Every College Student Makes
The Walkabout Technique
The Lineage Mileage Technique
The Three Types of Job Fair Interviews
The Most Common Introduction Question at a Job Fair
How to Gain Instant Rapport in the Job Fair Interview
The Key to the Treasure Room Technique
Making the Most of the Time Allotted
How to Gain Favor with Busy Job Fair Recruiters
How to Quickly Bypass Long Interview Lines
The Most Popular Jobs at Job Fairs
The Lasting Impression Technique
The Absolutely Critical Last Step of the Job
Attending Job Fairs at Other Colleges
The Job Fair No-show Technique
On-campus Interviewing Success
"The average person puts only 25% of his energy into his work.
The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity*
and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%."
- Andrew Carnegie -
Consider the on-campus interview for a moment. You will be spending twenty to thirty minutes in a tiny cubicle with a total stranger. This person will subsequently decide whether you will ever have a chance of working for their company. The best you can hope for is to avoid being disqualified* which only takes you one step further into the interviewing maze. One little mistake* one little error* and you could be history.
Actually* the entire process seems rather absurd* except for the fact that you will not get a job without playing the interviewing game. And on-campus interviewing is often the starting point for the interviewing process.
On-campus interviewing is not simply meeting with three or five (or even ten) companies and then picking the one you want to work for. To maximize your on-campus interviewing success* you need to first maximize both the quality and quantity of the interviews* and then maximize your interview efficiency. It is not enough to just "show up" for the interviews and hope that someone will miraculously offer you a job. You have to perform at your peak to gain any mileage from on-campus interviewing. So don't just read this section* but all of the sections at this site related to interviewing.
On-campus interviews are a gift. They will be by far the easiest interviews for you to find. But you should not depend exclusively on it to guarantee you after-graduation employment. There are far more companies than just those that are visiting your campus. Many of the best companies may not be visiting any campuses. So make sure to also take note of the additional Sections on how to reach out to these "other" companies.
After the Interview
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand*
as in what direction we are moving."
- Oliver Wendall Holmes -
It's not over 'til the fat lady sings. In the case of interviews* don't get lulled into thinking that your final "goodbye" is the end of the opera. Far from it.
The Two Most Important Post-interview Activities
The Third-party Recommendation Technique
Generating Job Offers
The #1 Statement to Generate the Job Offer
Early Offers
The Price of Membership Theory
The Multiple Offer Technique
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