by Kirsten Kinsley
FSU Career Center/Division of Student Affairs
The thrill of getting the phone call from a prospective employer has faded. Though you are glad your resume did its job, you are beginning to feel the dread of the fast approaching day of the interview. To alleviate your anxiety, consider the process of interviewing in three parts: (1) Preparation, (2) Interview, and (3) Follow-up.
(1) Preparation — You know the saying, “The half of knowledge is to know how to find knowledge.” Well, the half of interview success is to know how to prepare for it.
a. Self-awareness — review your strengths/weaknesses, your experience, and your goals and job-related values. Imagine how you might answer sample interview questions.
b. Research the employer — use print, online, and people (alumni, professors, etc.) resources to find out about a company’s basic facts, employer history, philosophy, products and services, finances and organizational culture. This step will help you devise questions for the interviewer.
c. Logistics — determine where the interview’s exact location is, buy your interviewing attire, and practice answering typical interview questions.
(2) Interview — Be on Time!
a. Greeting & Small Talk–Smile, give a firm handshake, establish good eye contact and maintain good posture. The interviewer may talk about the weather or ask about your personal interests.
b. Interviewer questions — You may be asked questions related to your work-style, personality, future goals, education and/or experience. Results-oriented/behavioral questions to get specific measures of your skills may be asked.
c. Interviewee questions — Ask about such topics as: training opportunities, performance evaluation schedules, and supervision. (Remember these questions demonstrate your interest in the organization/company). Do not ask about salary and benefits.
d. Closing — Ask for business card(s) so that you can remember names when it comes time for the last step of the interview process…
(3) Follow-up Activities
a. Write Thank you note — to re-affirm your interest and add anything you did not get to say in the interview.
b. Evaluate yourself — ask yourself what you might have done better; if you do not get the job, ask the interviewer what you could have done better.