Interviewing + Attire

What is an interview? An interview is simply an exchange of information between a candidate and someone who can make a hiring decision. While interviews are usually formal, you are interviewing any time you meet someone who can influence whether you advance in the search process.

Interviewing is typically one of the last stages of a job search, it is also one of the most important. All the other steps of your search process leading up to the interview. This is where it all comes together – the opportunities you discovered, your research, resume and cover letter preparation, and your conversations with networking contacts.

So how do I prepare for the interview? Before the interview, prepare by reviewing the research you gathered, the job description, your resume and cover letter, and any information the organization may have provided. Try to determine the type of questions the interviewer may ask. You can use the Researching Worksheet to help you organize the information.

Pay close attention to the skills and experience they are seeking and match it to your experiences that demonstrate these abilities in a positive way. Take some time to reflect on skills, experience, successes, strengths, and weaknesses, and most importantly why you want their specific opportunity and how you can help them fulfill their needs.

We have all heard the saying, “practice makes perfect.” This is certainly the case with interviewing. You can practice interviewing by having a friend role-play an interview with you, or scheduling an appointment for a mock-interview with one of our coaches. Also, make sure to review all the information on this page.

What should I wear? A polished appearance creates a positive first impression and allows the employer to focus on your qualifications without distraction. Research on interviewing suggests that approximately 80 percent of hiring decisions are determined within the first few moments of meeting a candidate.

You should invest in modest attire with industry-appropriate colors and designs that convey confidence and professionalism. Plan ahead! Don’t wait until the night before your 8:00 a.m. interview to verify that the clothing you plan to wear fits and is appropriate!

Clothing should fit well and be clean and pressed. Shoes should be polished and in good condition with any scuff marks removed.
A suit, in black, navy or gray, is always the best (and safest) choice.
Deodorant is a must, but it’s best to avoid cologne, perfume, or body sprays.
Keep interview accessories professional. Take a briefcase or a nice leather- or vinyl-bound portfolio to carry your resume, references, or other pertinent documents. Leave tattered manila folders or college logo folders at home.
Turn off your cell phone and place it, along with your watch, in your jacket pocket or handbag once you make it to the front door so that you’re not tempted to look at them before or during the interview.
Do NOT bring backpacks, gum, iPods, coffee, or soda into your interview. Avoid putting keys or coins in your pocket. This ensures they will not rattle when you walk or cause your pocket to bulge.

Check out our Pinterest page for examples of business professional and business casual attire.

Types of Interviews

Interviewing styles vary from employer to employer and from interviewer to interviewer. To better prepare for an interview, you should be familiar with the different types of interviews that you may encounter.

Behavioral Interview. This interview is based on the idea that your past behavior is useful in predicting future performance. Typical questions center on how you have handled past situations where skills, abilities, and teamwork have been demonstrated. Topics could include project work, relevant work experiences, difficult situations, accomplishments and leadership roles. The questions usually begin with, “Tell me about a time when you… ?”

Case Interview. This interview is the favorite format of consulting firms. Typically, you will be given a scenario and asked to identify the problem and a resolution in order to assess your mental acuity. Take your time and be creative – but if you realize your first solution won’t work, back out of it and try again.

Group Interview. A group interview could involve several people taking turns asking questions or presenting scenarios for you to answer or solve. It may be structured as a group discussion that can help determine how you interact with potential colleagues.

Meal Interview. This is the scariest of all interviews, with many pitfalls for the unwary! Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a social occasion for you to delve into your personal life. You are not being taken to eat because the interviewer wants to become better acquainted; he or she is testing you to see if you listened when your mom taught you social graces and table manners. Have a snack before the meal since you will be busy answering questions and promoting your accomplishments.

Phone Interview. This interview is sometimes used as a screening interview if you are located a long distance from the employer. These interviews are often used to decide whether you should be considered for an on-site interview. Occasionally, students seeking internships and summer jobs have been interviewed and hired using this method alone.

Screening Interview. The goal of this type of interview is to get the facts from you by identifying relevant skills and abilities while verifying the resume and looking for a solid potential employee. It usually lasts less than one hour and, depending on the employer and location, can take the form of an on-campus, site visit, video or telephone interview.

Stress Interview. This format may involve the interviewer posing rapid-firing questions, and he or she may seem angry, may use harsh tones, or contradict and challenge everything you say. You are being tested on how you respond to pressure. Do not take it personally; rise to the challenge and respond like the cool-headed professional you are becoming.

Team Interview. The purpose of this interview is to see how you perform on a team. You will be observed as teams are developed, and projects distributed to test each team member. To emerge as a leader and a good team player, take time to receive ideas and suggestions as much as you give them. The worst thing you can do is to sit in silence and not participate.

Technical Interview. This format is used by employers recruiting for engineering, science or IT positions. The activities or questions (e.g., brainteasers, coding challenge, etc.) are designed to gauge if your understanding of technical concepts and problem-solving abilities align well with the scope of the position.

Video Interview. Video conferencing equipment is used by employers to conduct screening, behavioral and other types of interviews. The following are tips to help you prepare for this type of interview:

Treat a video interview as seriously as any other type of interview.
Dark clothing is best suited to a video interview.
Speak clearly and slowly, as the sound system is powerful enough to pick up regular conversations.
Allow the interviewer to finish speaking before beginning a response.
Smile and follow basic rules of interviewing etiquette.

Types of Questions

Commonly Asked Interview Questions:

Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
What do you consider to be your greatest strength? Weakness?
How do you think a friend, classmate, or professor who knows you well would describe you?
Why should I hire you?
What qualifications do you have that make you think you will be successful in this job?
In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?
What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?
Do you have plans for continued study?
In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why?
Why did you decide to seek a position with our organization?

By carefully constructing your answers to these questions, you should be better prepared for the interview. Take as much time as you can and start early. The longer you practice your answers, the more polished your answers will become.

Questions to Ask During an Interview:

Prepare a list of well-researched questions to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview. Keep in mind that your questions should reflect the amount of research you have done, rather than your lack of research.

The questions below are guidelines. Create and adapt the questions to meet your individual needs and interview situation.

Which parts of the job are most challenging?
What do you enjoy most about your job? Least?
What activities are routinely performed in this job?
What other departments/divisions do you interact with the most?
How much travel is involved and where?
How are new product teams formed?
Where will the position be located?
Will relocation be required in the future? To where?
What is the length of the training program/period?
What is the average time to move within this particular career path?

Behavioral Interview Questions:

The concept behind behavioral interviews lies in the notion that your past performance is the best predictor of future performance. Interviewers ask for specific examples of specific events in order to draw a conclusion as to how you would perform in a similar situation. The questions are more probing than those in traditional interviews and discourage vague, canned or hypothetical answers. The interviewer determines the capabilities and traits that are necessary for success in a position and then asks questions that are designed to determine whether or not the candidate has the ability based on specific past experiences.

Give an example of a time when you could not participate in a discussion or could not finish a task because you did not have enough information.
Give an example of a time when you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
Tell me about a time when you had to use your verbal communication skills in order to get a point across that was important to you.
Describe a situation where you felt it necessary to be attentive and vigilant to your environment.
Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to gain the information needed to solve a problem. Then tell me how you analyzed the information and came to a decision.
Give me an example of an important goal you had set and tell me about your progress in reaching it.
Describe the most significant written document, report or presentation that you’ve completed.
Give me an example of a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get the job done.
Describe a time when you felt it was necessary to modify or change your actions in order to respond to the needs of another person.
What did you do in a project or class to contribute toward a teamwork environment? Be specific.

CAR Method. Using the CAR (Challenge-Action-Results) method provides you with a framework to use when responding to behavioral interview questions.

Challenge: Give an example of a situation in which you were involved that resulted in a positive outcome.
Action: Talk about the various actions involved in achieving the outcome.
Results: What results directly followed because of your actions? Before the interview process, identify two or three of your top-selling points and determine how you will convey these points (with demonstrated CAR stories) during the interview.

It is helpful to frame your answer as a story that you can tell. Typically, the interviewer will pick apart the story to try to get at the specific behavior(s) they seek. They refer to this as “digging a well.” The interviewer will sometimes ask you open-ended questions to allow you to choose which examples you wish to use. When a part of your story relates to a skill or experience the interviewer wishes to explore further, he/she will then ask you very specific follow-up questions regarding your behavior. These can include “What were you thinking at that point?” or “Tell me more about your meeting with that person,” or “Lead me through your decision process.”

Be prepared to provide examples of when results didn’t turn out as you planned. What did you do then? What did you learn? Your resume will serve as a good guide when answering these questions. Refresh your memory regarding your achievements in the past couple of years. Use examples from past internships, classes, activities, team involvements, community service, and work experience to demonstrate desired behaviors.

Example of a CAR Answer:

Challenge: During my internship last summer, I was responsible for managing various student activity events. I noticed that attendance at these events had dropped by thirty percent over the past three years and wanted to do something to improve these numbers.
Action: I designed a new promotional packet to go out to students, which included an assessment form to collect student feedback and suggestions for future events.
Result: We used some of the wonderful ideas we received from students and raised attendance back up to previous levels.

Improper or Illegal Interview Questions:

If you believe you have been asked an improper or illegal question at any time in the interview process, do not accuse the interviewer but do bring your concern to the Career Center. In this way, the issue can be addressed without harming your job prospects. Illegal interview questions include the following:

Age
Sexual Orientation
Disabilities
Marital/family status
National origin

If you are asked an illegal question, you have three options:

You can answer the question.
You can refuse to answer the question; unfortunately, this may harm your chances of getting the job.
You can ask the intent of the question and answer as you see fit.