PRDV103: Interviewing Skills

This chapter provides a checklist to follow when preparing for an interview, and explains how to convey professionalism in your appearance.

As you read this chapter, pay particular attention to the section on what to do during the interview. This will help you understand how your appearance and preparation indicate your respect for the interviewer and your interest in the position. Employers believe that most job candidates fail to prepare properly for their interviews. You should consult multiple resources when researching a company and a position. Remember to clearly communicate what you learned from your research to the interviewer.

Read this section for some useful tips on researching an organization, preparing for and answering questions, and what you should consider after your interview.

This article offers suggestions on how to research a company, dress appropriately, prepare for a job interview, and ask questions. The author explains that it is okay to respond that you do not have an answer to a question. To make a good first impression, it is important to arrive on time for your interview.

Your interview outfit should be different from what you will be required to wear for the job. Dressing appropriately requires focusing on the social norms, values, ideals, and expectations of the workplace. It may be helpful to ask an expert to help you plan your wardrobe for certain types of jobs. Read the section on using a stylist for options that range from budget-friendly to extravagantly expensive.

This article gives tips on how to look your best for an interview, and how to dress to make a positive first impression.

Read this article to learn how to make an interview count. Employers often mention interpersonal skills and personal characteristics when thay are asked why they decided not to hire a certain candidate. The author lists some of these factors, most of which are almost always within your control. After you read, revisit the article in section 1.3 on what to do before, during, and after an interview for some activities to help you practice and how to answer open-ended questions. Your candidacy does not end when you leave the interview; you can increase your chances of being called back with an appropriate follow-up strategy.

Read this article for more on how to prepare for an interview and research a company. Pay special attention to the discussion on references. Be sure to tell your referees that you will be interviewing, and that they should be prepared to receive a call. Think about the interview process from an employer's point of view, and pay attention to some of the open-ended questions employers often ask. Think about how you would formulate effective responses to these questions.

At the end of the interview, your interviewer will probably ask you if you have any questions. This is a time to express your interest in the job and your motivation to work for the company. This is also your opportunity to learn about the company's culture, the challenges of the position, the training process, and next steps. When you prepare for questions you might ask your interviewer, do not ask questions just for the sake of asking. Make sure you are really interested in the interviewer's responses.

Read this article to learn about various types of interviews. The article explains what the interviewer may be looking for in each case and gives examples of some questions that you might be asked.

Read this article to learn how to prepare for various types of technology-based interviews. Remember, the interviewer is looking for the same information during the interview no matter what the format of the interview is – using technology or face-to-face. You always have to pay attention to your posture and body language.

Many employers use video calls to conduct interviews. Watch this video for tips on how to make a great first impression from miles away. A few of the most important suggestions are to meet from a quiet, undisturbed location, and to take notes throughout the interview.

Read this article for advice on having a successful phone interview. Many employers conduct phone interviews after they have reviewed your resume and believe you are reasonably qualified for the job. A phone interview is your opportunity to make the interviewer interested enough in you to invite you to a face-to-face interview.

This video discusses behavioral questions that ask you to describe situations that involve teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, and your reaction to past failures.

The moderator recommends using the STAR technique to remember how to describe your response to a workplace challenge.

1. Tell a story about a situation you encountered, such as a problem or challenge the company faced;
2. Describe the task, or what you needed to do;
3. Describe your action, or how you responded; and
4. Describe the results, such as how your action helped the company, led to increased sales, or put the organization in a better place. You should also describe the lessons you learned.

This resource lists some common open-ended interview questions. For these kinds of questions, the interviewer expects you to expand on your answer rather than respond in one or two words. Try answering some of these questions! The more you practice, the more comfortable you will get with your interview skills.

Watch this video. The speakers recommend providing three good reasons why the company should hire you. What sets you apart and why are you a good fit?

Watch this video. During the closing you should summarize your main points, express your enthusiasm for the position, and ask about the next steps in the process. For example, "when should I expect to hear from you and when would be an appropriate time to follow up?" Be sure to ask your interviewer for a business card so you can follow up.

This resource lists some questions a potential employer can and cannot ask you for legal reasons in the United States.

Read this article to learn about some possible follow-up activities. Revisit the article in section 1.3 on what to do before, during, and after an interview to review your options for a follow-up strategy.

Although this article centers on compensation in the non-profit sector, the questions and answers can apply to any job search. You should understand your personal finances and the typical compensation for jobs in your industry and location.

Review these responses to questions about compensation. You need to decide whether a position opening is still a good fit even if the posted salary is substantially above or below your current range. The author of this article suggests ways to close the gap between your current salary and the position for which you are applying.

Use this tool to find salary information for more than 800 different occupations. 

Watch this video, in which a dental assistant describes the factors that have played a part in her wage history as an hourly worker. She recommends you ask others who perform similar jobs in various locations about their compensation. She was surprised to learn she could have been making significantly more per hour for the same job if she moved or commuted to a different city.

This resource comes from a textbook written for human resource professionals in the United States. In other words, it was written to help U.S. employers understand some different benefits a compensation package might include (note that any laws it mentions pertain to practices in the United States).

For example, these benefits might include group health insurance, dental insurance and vision plans, disability insurance, life insurance, wellness benefits, flexible spending accounts, retirement and 401K plans, vacation and sick leave, family and medical leave, childcare benefits, and education and tuition stipends.

Your benefits package is often open to negotiation. Take some time to think about whether the benefits your potential employer is offering you are important to you and your family. For example, the ability to participate in a comprehensive health plan may be more important, and perhaps even less expensive, to you and your family than the monthly salary amount being offered.