Interview Preparation

The most important part of the interview process is to prepare. No matter how competent you feel you may be during an interview, you can always do better! Your competition will be prepared for their interviews so in order to stand out from the rest, you need to do your homework.

Learn to market yourself

The focus of the interview is you, so you should be able to clearly articulate your skills, interests, abilities, and goals.

• Review the job description and think about how your skills and experience match the qualifications sought by the employer.
• Be ready to expand on everything listed in your resume or cover letter.
• Prepare concrete examples of tasks, responsibilities, or experiences that demonstrate transferable skills.

Research the organization

Learning more about the organization is your chance to decide whether or not the position is a good fit for you.

• Read about the organization’s history, mission, programming, products, geographic locations, clientele, and plans for growth. See the Conducting Employer Research handout for more information.
• Prepare a list of questions that demonstrate your interest in the company or position and also what you have already learned from your research that led to additional questions. There is a list of sample questions later in this guide.

Practice!

• Practice reciting answers to questions outlined in this guide with a friend, in front of a mirror, or into a tape recorder.
• Use the STAR technique (later in this guide) to keep your answers short and to the point.
• Schedule a mock interview at the Loeb Center to practice in a more realistic situation and receive feedback prior to the interview.