BUILDING INTERVIEW SKILLS

INTERVIEW SKILLS- refer to the abilities and attributes that allow an individual to effectively
present themselves, communicate, and showcase their qualifications during a job interview.
These skills are essential for successfully navigating the interview process and increasing the
chances of securing a job offer.

There are some easy steps/ways that you can take that will increase your chances of success
at interviews:

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

● Research the Company- A company's website is an excellent place to begin. It usually

gives you information on whether it is international or domestic, what its revenues are,
how many locations it has, and the nature of its major products. Most companies are
very proud of their websites.
● Practice interviews- Write down a list of possible questions that you think may be
asked, then have a friend act as an interviewer and direct them to you in a practice
interview situation. Don't stop until you feel comfortable answering each question.
Practicing beforehand will make you feel more comfortable and relaxed during the
interview.
● Dress Professionally- In today's environment, wearing a suit isn't always necessary.
Contact the HR Manager of the company or your recruiter, and find out what the dress
code is for the company at which you are going to interview. Then dress one level
above. For instance, if it is business casual, men can wear dress pants, dress shirt, and
sport coat. Women can wear a pantsuit, dress, or a skirt and blouse. Visual impressions
are very important. Therefore, if in doubt, always dress on the conservative side.
● Arrival-Try to arrive at the interview location a little early. This gives you time to
determine where you need to go, and will give you a few minutes to collect your
thoughts. DO NOT arrive late. Nothing destroys your chance at impressing an employer
more than arriving late and offering no explanation. If you learn at the last minute that
you are going to be arriving late at the interview, call and let the interviewer know.
Interviewers understand that things can come up suddenly. You are never considered
late if you call and make them aware of the fact.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

● First impressions- First impressions take only thirty seconds. Establishing rapport,
direct and sustained eye contact, a firm handshake, a warm smile, good posture, and
introducing yourself in a confident manner are important ingredients. A well-groomed,
professional appearance is critical. Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, whether
it is a woman or a man. (No one likes a weak handshake.) Always maintain eye contact
while shaking hands.
● Smile- A smile denotes confidence in a candidate. Try to smile often. Also, don't be
afraid to use some hand animation while answering questions. This suggests
enthusiasm in a candidate.
● Body Language- Use good posture, and look the interviewer right in the eye. Sit up
straight. Never slouch.
● Speak Clearly-Don't mumble. It portrays a lack of confidence. Speak with assurance.
This indicates confidence.
 ● Listen Before Answering- Allow the employer to begin the interview, but be prepared
with some opening statements or questions Make sure you understand the question. If
not, ask the interviewer to clarify it. Don't be afraid to take some time to think before
answering. Interviewers are impressed with someone who thinks out an answer before
speaking.
● Give Brief Answers- Make your answer concise and to the point. Rambling tends to
suggest that you really don't have the answer to the question(s) asked.
● Be Truthful- Don't lie when asked about something you haven't done. The next question
will be "tell us about it."
● Know Your Resume- Be prepared to talk about every fact that is on your resume. Many
people embellish their accomplishments on their resumes. Avoid this, since the only
point of reference an interviewer has about you is the resume you provide to him/her
beforehand.
● Keep things at a professional level - Sometimes near the end of an interview, the two
parties start feeling comfortable with each other. Don't let this comfortable feeling lead
you to telling them something about yourself that they really shouldn't know. Always
keep things at a professional level.
● Look for Something in Common - This is something that has given an edge in the
past. Try to find a common bond between yourself and your interviewer.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

● Back in Touch Ask the interviewer when s/he expects to get back to you on her/his
decision.
● Get Everyone's Business Card - Before you leave, be sure to get the business cards
of all of the people with whom you visited. If you cannot do that, ask a secretary for their
names and e-mail addresses.
● If the employer signals the end of the interview and asks you for questions, and you
haven't discussed some key points, say: "There are a couple of points I would like to
mention.”
● Thank the Interviewer - Verbally thank the interviewer for taking the time to interview
you, before leaving. Within a day, send thank-you letters to all of the interviewers with
whom you spoke. This does not need to consist of a written letter sent via snail mail; an
e-mailed thank-you works just as well.
● Do not give up Sometimes,within ten minutes of the start of an interview, you will know
that the job is not one you want to pursue. If you begin to feel this way, don't give up on
the interview. Continue to interview as if the job was the most important thing in the
world. This provides you with practice for your next interview, which may be for your
dream job! Not all interviews will lead to offers of employment, but, if you approach every
interview as if it's the most important interview you ever had, you will come out a winner!

Some Interview Questions

Case Questions- are often used by consulting companies to assess analytical and problem
solving skills. The interviewer presents a situation and asks you to discuss possible solutions. A
sample case question is, "Describe a managed care company that you think is successful and
explain why. What do they do that works? What are their potential problems? What is your
outlook for their future? What suggestions do you have for their future?"
Behavioral or situational questions- are used to assess how you would behave in different
circumstances and to predict your behavior in future, similar situations. An interviewer may ask,
"Tell me about a time when a team you were working on was unable to proceed due to some
interpersonal conflict. How did you respond, and what role did you play on the team?"

Role-play questions- entail the interviewer asking you to put yourself in another role and
decide how you would handle a specific problem.
Industry-specific questions- are questions regarding the latest trends or issues in the
industry. An interviewer may ask, "If you were a CEO of Microsoft's main competitor, what
actions would you take in the on-line services market?"
Brainteasers- are quick questions where the obvious answer is not necessarily the right answer
such as, "Which would you rather receive: fifty thousand pennies or a 10x10x10 room filled with
pennies?”