Interview Guidance

Interview Preparation and Questions

Preparation is the most crucial step in the interview process; this could be your only chance to impress the potential employer. Here are some helpful tips to ensure a productive interview.

• Know all the details about the interview. Exact location, directions, interview time and the names of everybody you will be meeting.
  
  
• Research the company. The internet allows us to have an incredible amount of information at our fingertips, take advantage of it. Go to the company’s homepage to find out annual revenues, principal lines of business, and recent press releases. If you do not know the company’s web address, try looking it up at (http://www.google.com/).
  
  
• Find out from your recruiter what skills are important to that hiring manager. Be ready with examples of you utilizing these specific skills in your current job.
  
  
• Dress professional. Although many of the companies have adopted business casual dress code, first impressions are very important. Everybody looks sharper in professional attire.
  
  
• Be able to articulate and communicate your accomplishments. It is best to boil down the accomplishment to quantifiable results (i.e. saved the company $1 million by identifying an incorrect accounting entry).
  
  
• Prepare questions. Questions allow you the opportunity to better understand the position, as well as reinforce your interest from the client’s point of view. Here are some common questions:
  
  

Sample Questions to Ask Employers

• What characteristics make people successful in this company?
  
  
• What outside influences do you anticipate having the biggest affect on the company’s growth?
  
  
• What are the short & long range objectives of the company?
  
  
• What is the organizational structure of : A) the department B) the company?
  
  
• How long was the last person in this position, and what made them successful?
  
  
• What are the expectations of the person coming into this position in the first 6 months?
  
  
• What do you see as the biggest obstacle for the person coming into this position?
  
  
• What do you see as the primary focus of this department?
  
  
• What sets this company apart from the competition?
  
  
• What attracted you to this organization?
  

Sample Questions Most Commonly Asked By Employers

• Tell me about yourself (Hit the major highlights, no more than 1 minute!!!).
  
  
• Why are you leaving your current position? (Never speak negatively about current or past employers!!)
  
  
• What are your career goals? Short term/Long term?
  
  
• Why are you interested in this position?
  
  
• How would your boss/co-workers describe you?
  
  
• What is your greatest strength? / What is your greatest weakness?
  
  
• What are you looking for in a job?
  
  
• What distinguishes you from your peer group?
  
  
• How do you: A) Set priorities B) Organize your time C) Solve problems
  
  
• What has been your biggest professional/personal challenge/accomplishment?