Pre-Interview Prep
Interview Checklist-What to Wear
Interview Checklist-What to Bring
Behavioral, Screening, Case, Informational? What Kind of Interview Is It?
Preparing Your Interview Answers
Researching the Employer
Preparing References
Dressing Professionally and for the Interview
Following Up After the Interview
A Student's Guide to Interviewing With Third Party Recruiters, from the National Association of Colleges and Employers

Pre-Interview Prep

• Research Organization/Industry—know trends, news, standards, projects, competitors, alums
• Find out who you are interviewing with
• Know the job description inside and out
• Know your resume cold, be able to walk through it
• Have an answer ready for: Tell me about yourself--your elevator or 30 second speech
• Know your top 3 strengths related to position
• Be aware of and know how to talk about your weaknesses
• Know how YOU fit with the organization
• Research and practice typical questions
• Line up your recommenders
• Prepare a list of questions to ask
• Prepare portfolio materials if applicable
• Read the newspaper to have topics handy for small talk
• Practice! Mock interviews, in front of mirror, with friends

Interview Checklist-What to Wear

• Well-fitting conservative suit
• Clean and pressed clothes
• Shined shoes
• Subtle accessories
• Dark socks for men
• Neutral hose for women with skirts
• Minimal make-up
• Clear or light nail polish

Interview Checklist-What to Bring

• Portfolio with paper and pen
• Job description
• Resumes/References
• Questions for the interviewer
• Master resume to reference for company application, if necessary
• Show and Tell items—publications, writing samples, etc.

Behavioral, Screening, Case, Informational?
What Kind of Interview Is It?

There are a variety of types of interviews, such as a screening interview, group interview, lunch interview, phone interview, and one-on-one. Then there are also styles of interviews, and the most common are the behavioral interview (questions about past behaviors as they are believed to predict future performance), the traditional interview (questions such as tell me about yourself or what are your strengths and weaknesses), and the case interview (format like a test, where you will be called upon to solve problems either individually or as part of a group).

A Little Background on Types
Types of Interviews, jobskills.info

The Phone Interview
Sometimes the phone interview is a screening interview conducted by an HR manager. Other times it can be the real deal. Check out ways to prepare and improve your phone presence:
Five Ways To Do Better in Phone Interviews, from the author of The Brazen Careerist, Penelope Trunk
How to Ace a Phone Interview, by Anne Fisher, FORTUNE senior writer
Telephone Interviews, pdf below

Case Interviews
Case interviews, often used by consulting firms to test your quantitative and problem-solving abilities, require a special kind of preparation. Two Vault Guides are of particular interest for this kind of preparation:
Vault Case Interview Practice Guide [Yale Library electronic resource] /Rajit Malhotra ... [et. ... al.]. prepare for your consulting case interviews with detailed step-by-step analysis of 18 cases
Ace Your Case! Consulting Interviews, Wetfeet Insider's Guide. Available to check out from CDO library.
Case Interviewing, pdf below

Preparing Your Interview Answers

Long before you are ready to go out on interviews, you will need to spend time preparing your interview question answers. How do you do this without knowing the questions? There are many sources available on typical interview questions, both of the traditional variety of interview and the behavioral-based interview. If you are interviewing for consulting firms, find out if they do case-based interviewing, and start preparing for case interviews.

Research typical questions and start working on your answers. Once you have your stable of ready answers to typical interview questions that showcase your experience, knowledge and abilities, you can spend more time on researching organizations and refining your goals. Here are a few resources to get you started:

Traditional Employment Interview Questions, from Quintessential Careers
Behavioral Interview, from About.com

Answering the Behavioral-Based Interview Question: STAR = Situation, Task, Action and Results
The best way to have people connect with what you say about yourself, and remember what you say, is to tell a story. Most people instinctively list details about their life, “I did this, then this, then this.” It’s not very interesting. Stories are more engaging, so get used to talking about yourself in stories instead of in lists.

Telling stories about yourself takes practice. A lot of it is trial and error. As you’re telling the story out loud, you’ll instinctively feel if it’s a flop or not. When you find a good story, hone it until you’re conveying what you want people to know, in a way they’ll enjoy hearing. -- Penelope Trunk, From Be Memorable By Telling Good Stories About Yourself, The Brazen Careerist

See STAR Interviewing Response Technique for Success in Behavioral Job Interviews from Quintessential Careers for more details on the method.

Behavioral interview questions ask you to refer back to or imagine a situation or problem and describe your actions and the results, and were developed because past behavior is usually a good indicator of future behavior. Instead of merely describing a skill, subject knowledge, a project or a personal quality, what you are really being asked is to tell a story. Your ability to construct a narrative is in itself a key element, and reflects your level of self-awareness, your logic patterns, creativity and communication skills.

Behavioral-based interviews will include open-ended questions where you are asked to "Tell us about a time when you..."

The STAR method is a handy acronym to help guide you through your narrative, which you may be developing on the spot.

Do a little research on behavioral-based interview questions and sample STAR answers (CDO has several books available with sample questions and answers). Then download our worksheet to help you get your answers down on paper. Once you have a few handy story/answers, you can start practicing them aloud.

Researching the Employer

Having a good knowledge of who you are interviewing with is vital to successfully interviewing. The following pdf offers ideas and resources for your research.

Preparing References

Preparing your list of references in advance of interviewing is a key element of your overall job search strategy. The below pdf offers guidelines for gathering and communicating with your referrers.

Dressing Professionally and For the Interview

From Monster.com: Dress Appropriately
From Worktree.com: http://www.worktree.com/tb/IN_dress.cfm
From Princeton University's Career Office website: Dress Code

Following Up After the Interview

• Thank you note, either hand-written or email, to EVERY person interviewed with, including for informational interviews. Personalize notes to specifics of conversation. For higher level positions with large interview committees, long and detailed thank you notes are called for
• Depending on the information you got regarding process, follow up with HR Dept. regarding status of your application within a reasonable timeframe
• If you said you would send an article or a contact, be sure to do so!
• If informational interviewee suggested a contact or resource, follow up and let them know you followed up (for more on informational interviews see Networking Resources)

See the following pdf for important tips.

A Student's Guide to Interviewing With Third-Party Recruiters

As you conduct your job search you will find that some employers hire third-party organizations to assist them in identifying and hiring college students. An employer can hire a third-party organization to do on-campus recruiting, represent the company at a job fair, screen job candidates who apply through an Internet web site, or other hiring activities. Many college career centers allow third-party recruiters to work with students through their offices. Some have special policies that apply to how, when, and where third-party recruiters can work with students. The (name of your career services office) at (name of your college/university) recommends that you be aware of issues that are pertinent to working with these organizations. (Career services staff can insert a statement that tells students where they can read the instituion's policy on third-party recruiters.)

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) defines third-party recruiters as "agencies, organizations, or individuals recruiting candidates for temporary, part-time, or full-time employment opportunities other than for their own needs." Categories of third-party recruiters include:

* Employment Agencies: Employment agencies list positions for a number of organizations and receive payment when a referred candidate is hired. The fee for listing a position is paid either by the firm listing the opening or by the candidate who is hired. If the job listing does not include the phrase "fee paid," be sure to ask who pays the fee before signing any papers.
* Search Firms: A search firm contracts with employers to find and screen qualified persons to fill specific positions. The fee is paid by the employer. Search firm representatives will identify the employer they represent.
* Contract Recruiters: Employers hire contract recruiters to represent them in the recruiting and employment function.
* Resume Referral Firms: A resume referral firm collects information on job seekers and forwards it to prospective employers. Data can be contained in resumes or on data forms (either paper or electronic). The employer, job seeker, or both may pay fees. You must give the firm written permission to pass your resume to employers. Your permission should include a statement that expressly states to whom and for what purpose the information can be used.

Questions to Ask

A third-party recruiter may be helpful to you in your job search, but be a wise consumer. Read all materials carefully. Ask questions. Ask your career services office staff for information. Ask a lawyer to read any contracts you are asked to sign. Here are some general questions you may want to ask:

1. How many job openings are there for someone in my field? If you have the opportunity, inquire about the positions being filled or the number of openings related to your field. These are important questions because, in some instances, recruiters may not really have the type or number of openings they advertise. They may be more interested in adding your name to their candidate pool as a means of attracting more employers or clients to their services. Or they may be collecting resumes from students for potential job opportunities. (Name of your institution/career center) does not allow third-party recruiters to interview students unless they are trying to fill actual job openings.
2. How is this information being used? A third-party recruiter is allowed legally to share your resume with the contract employer for positions that you are actually seeking. The recruiter must tell you, in clear terms, that your materials and information will not be shared outside the organization or used for any purpose other than with the company they represent at the time they interview you. The third-party recruiter cannot sell your information to anyone else. You may choose to authorize the recruiter to share your data elsewhere, but your authorization should be given to the recruiter in writing.
3. Are candidates treated equally and fairly? If you are qualified for the job opportunity, the third-party recruiter must pass your information to employers without regard to your race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
4. Who pays the fee? Before you agree to anything or sign a contract, ask the recruiter who will pay the fee.

For assistance with these questions or other related topics, contact the (name of institution/career center, your campus address, and hours you are open).

Copyright © 1999 National Association of Colleges and Employers, reprinted with permission

Reviewed May 2006.