• Unit 2: During the Interview

    This unit offers resources to help you optimize the time you spend with interviewers to learn more about their expectations and convince them that you are the best person to fill a job opening. Remember not to focus exclusively on how to impress a potential employer. Think about what you want. An interview is an opportunity to meet your potential employer to decide whether you want to work for them and if the position they are offering will help you achieve your career goals.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.

    • 2.1: Interviewing Methods

      You want to convince the employer that you are the right person for the job during the brief time you have with your interviewer. How well you demonstrate your preparation, qualifications, and fit with the organization may depend on the type of interview you have. This section will give some advice on how to prepare for several types of interviews.

    • 2.2: Behavioral and Situational Interview Questions

      Employers generally ask two primary types of interview questions: behavioral and situational.

      Behavioral interview questions are based on the belief that job candidates will behave in ways that are similar to how they have behaved in the past and that your past work behavior will predict how you will work in the future. Behavioral questions ask about your work experiences.

      Situational interview questions ask job candidates to imagine a plausible set of work-related circumstances. They put you in a situation you may confront if you are hired. For example, how would you deal with an angry customer, respond if you discover you have made a mistake, or react if you overhear a colleague make an inappropriate remark to another employee or client?

    • 2.3: Following Up After an Interview

      Once the interview is over, you still have some work to do. First, you should ask yourself how well you performed and what you should do differently next time to improve your chances of success. Then, you need to let the employer know you appreciate the opportunity to meet with them and reiterate your interest in the job.