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The following information assumes you know the basics of interviewing. The important question is what will give you the edge over everyone else? Each step in the job search process builds on the previous step: the interview is a continuation of your resume. The interview lets the interviewer know if you are as good in person as you appear on paper. Given that recruiters only interview people they think can do the job, they are looking for contributors who will fit in with the company’s culture and people. (“Is this someone I want to be with for 8 days on the road?”)

At least 50 UT recruiters were interviewed for “straight from the horse’s mouth” feedback on their expectations of high caliber students. An effort was made to include recruiters representing most of the concentrations at UT. The suggestions that follow are based on their feedback.

It doesn’t take long to discover that recruiters all appear to seek the same qualities:

§ Communication skills: proper grammar, ability to articulate well organized, sophisticated thought processes, and excellent questions of the interviewer.

§ Curiosity, which can signify an intellectual aliveness, creativity, and an interest in learning.

§ Flexibility: both in ability to change course quickly, and in mobility (especially outside Texas).

§ The first and most important thing to figure out is how to differentiate you from others. Assume everyone else you are competing with has similar qualifications to yours or even better. How do you stand out and why? Know why they should hire you and communicate this. They won’t figure it out if you can’t. Use the interview as a forum to convince the interviewer that you’ve already made the match between you and them.

§ Be focused. Know what you want and why. It’s very important that the company understands why you specifically want their company, industry and the job. Remember, it’s a multi-tiered decision consisting of what you want to do, where and for whom.

§ Convey enthusiasm and energy. This is done with both verbal (your voice and choice of descriptive words) and non-verbal communication (use of hands, leaning forward, facial expressions).

§ Listen attentively. Make sure you answer the question asked, not the question you want to answer. React to ideas, not to the person. Ask for clarification if it’s needed. Keep good eye contact and good posture: these are prerequisites to good listening (and to conveying interest).

§ Don’t forget to SMILE. It is amazing how a smile lights up your face and affects impressions of you.

§ Research the company and industry. Do more than read the literature sent here. Conduct periodical searches, run Lexis-Nexis, talk to people who work there.

§ Be prepared with questions to ask the recruiter that show intellectual curiosity and knowledge. If you have done your homework, you won’t be asking very basic questions. Interviewers enjoy talking with people who seem like a professional peer.

§ Prepare for “tell me about yourself”. Definitely make it conversational. Practice until you are comfortable with your answer.

There are at least three types of interviews in which you may participate, namely: informational (networking), search firm, and employment. Within the employment category, there is the screening interview and the selection interview. Sometimes there is also a stamp-of-approval or follow-up interview.

1. Be on time. It is bets to give you enough time to allow for a fifteen-minute stall in traffic or some other possible incident. If you arrive well ahead of schedule, and it is a company interview, make use of the time by finding out more about the company. If you haven’t already seen the company’s annual report (highly recommended if published), look around the area. There are often copies of annual reports, industry magazines, product brochures, etc. If there are none, you might ask the receptionist/secretary if an annual report is available. Read the President’s letter to shareholders, and scan the rest for trends, new product announcements, reorganization, etc.

2. Let your actions reveal a quiet confidence. Be cordial and friendly with whomever you come in contact. They may be asked for their reactions to you later by the interviewer.

3. Initiate the handshake, and make it natural. Don’t sit down ahead of the interviewer unless invited to do so. Follow the interviewer’s lead.

4. Try to find out, up front, how much time has been planned for the interview and the interviewer’s preferred process.

5. Sit naturally and comfortably, without slouching. Maintain good eye contact, and lean forward slightly when you want to show increased interest in a particular topic. Keep your hands free for natural gestures.

6. Remember that non-verbal communication is as important as verbal. Thoughts and feelings, conveyed non-verbally will have much to do with the outcome of the interview. A pleasant facial expression, and voice whose volume, rate, pitch and inflections reflect confidence, interest and enthusiasm, are sometimes more important than your discussion of technical abilities which may be already inferred from your resume.

7. If a question or comment is not clear, ask for clarification, or use rephrasing to confirm your understanding before responding directly to what is asked.

8. Allow the interviewer to talk. Don’t rush in to fill a void. A good interviewer may be testing you with silence.

10. Sound like a “team player”. Don’t knock your previous company or its employers.

11. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so. If your answer is based on an assumption, state it as such.

12. Be prepared to discuss accomplishments, skills, strengths, and areas for improvement as they relate to the position in question.

13. Watch for both verbal and non-verbal cues of the interviewer’s desires, including the closing of the interview. Don’t overstay your welcome in the interest of providing more information.

15. Listen carefully for clues to the kinds of persons preferred by the prospective employer. If you think you don’t fit, ask more questions before making your decision.

16. If you’re asked to take tests, comply. This may be an indication that you are being given serious consideration as a candidate.

17. The interviewer who wants references will ask for them. Don’t volunteer references in advance.

18. When you sense the interview is drawing to a close, don’t overstay your welcome. Close with a positive statement that reflects confidence in the outcome or make an appropriate comment following the interviewer’s positive statement, inquire into the next step, and thank the interviewer while shaking hands. If there isn’t sufficient interest to warrant going forward, be gracious and, depending, upon the circumstances, try to get information that will assist you in your networking.

20. Write a “Thank You” letter. Use specific references to your conversation during the interview, pointing out the skills and experience you have that ensure your success in the position. Affirm your interest in the position, the company, and in taking the next step, if you’re still interested. If not, use the letter in an attempt to start a networking relationship.

21. Evaluate the interview. How well did you handle it? What did you learn? What were the results? Use the knowledge gained in preparing for your next interview.

22. If referred by a search firm, ask the consultant for feedback from the prospective employer. Do not go “around” the search firm unless you’re certain such action will not be frowned upon.

1. Get as much advance information as possible – the company’s products, and / or services, size, history, ownership, management personnel, philosophy/culture, marketing policies, market position, financials, etc. This information can be obtained from the company’s annual report. Also, talking to other people who are familiar with the company can be particularly helpful, whether that be a current or former employee or an outside source who has worked with the company. Consultants, attorneys and accountants are often good sources of information because they have a large number and variety of clients.

2. Get the name and title of the person(s) with whom you will be interviewing. Anything else you can find out about him/her may prove valuable, whether the interview is a screening, selection or follow-up interview. Try to find out how long he/she has been with the company, how long in the current position, the person’s background, degree of influence in the hiring process, etc.

3. You will be told where the interview will be held, but be sure to ask the best way to get there and how long it might take.

4. Dress appropriately. It is best to dress on the conservative side. Men: dark-colored suit and tie with white or light blue dress shirt. Women: dress or suit, and appropriate accessories. The idea is to create a professional appearance. Presenting the right image is important in creating an overall positive first impression.

How would you answer each of the following questions? Spend sometime in preparing the best possible answers to these questions. Think through and “script” out your answers. Planning ahead eliminates the chance of your being caught off guard, and therefore not delivering the type of answer you otherwise would. Ask for help from others if you have any doubts as to the quality of your answers.

Note that most of the questions are open-ended, that is, they cannot be answered with a simple word or two. Answers to these kinds of questions are more revealing and give you an opportunity to market yourself during the interview, if you are prepared!

4. Have you ever failed at anything? Would you care to share an experience with me?

5. What have been the three most important decisions of your life? Do you have any regrets? Why?

17. What are some of the problems you have encountered? Which one frustrated you the most? What did you do about it?

18. What did you think of your boss? What did you like most/least about him/her?

22. What are your short/long-term goals? How will you benefit by achieving them? What plans have you made to achieve them?

25. What are your greatest strengths/skills? How have you applied them to the job?

30. Is there any particular personality type you enjoy working with more than others?

44. If we were to hire you, how long would it take for you to make a contribution?

45. If this job is offered to you, in what areas will you seek to improve yourself to be more effective?

46. Is there anything you particularly liked or disliked about your last company?

48. Is there anything you want from your next job that you didn’t get in your last job?

51. What do you think you can do for us that someone else can’t do just as well?

5. What has become of the person who previously held the position? Is he/she still with the company? Is it possible to talk with him/her?

13. What promotional opportunities will be available to me, assuring I do an exceptional job?

15. Was anyone within the organization considered for this position? What was the outcome?

17. What are the company’s objectives for the next year? … for the next five years?

27. Have I told you everything you need to know about my background? Do you have any concerns?

3. Dress appropriately, shake their hand, and make eye contact. Interviewer’s opinions are being formed within the first three minutes (often before you begin speaking)!!!

4. Be animated: use voice inflection, gestures, and facial animation to reinforce your points.

5. Have clear, concise examples of leadership, teamwork, a time you failed, creativity, initiative. Structure all your answers to address SITUATION à ACTION à RESULT.

§ Are questions specific and abrupt, or are they vague and open-ended – begging for you to take over?

You can use these clues for judging whether to pick up the pace, slow down, be jovial, or get down to business.

7. When asked vague questions, use them to frame your experience and knowledge in best light or to talk about things they haven’t specifically asked about.

8. The stranger the question, the more out-of-the-blue it seems, the more significant it is. Interviewers spend time thinking about what special questions they’ll ask to get to the core of a candidate. Be thoughtful when you respond to these.

9. Tell them if you are very interested in the opportunity, ask for a business card (so you can write thank you note) and ask what steps are next.

10. Go home and practice for the next interview. Some people write down the questions they were asked to prompt them for the next time. It’s a bull market and there is always another interview.

This page contains feedback Procter & Gamble gave first year students from the classes of 1999 and 2000.

2. It’s easy to see who’s done their grid and PRACTICED OUT LOUD! These are the people who will get the jobs!

3. Most people solid on eye contact, confidence, enthusiasm, general intelligence. Those who stood out had all this AND were able to clearly, succinctly articulate their accomplishments.

4. Need to focus on Situation/Action/Result framework. Many people spent too much time on the Situation part and not enough on the Action/Result part. Remember to BRIEFLY set up your story and then quickly move to the part that says what YOU did.

Note: be wary of vague questions about what you did in various jobs. Don’t fall into the trap of giving job descriptions. Take the opportunity to talk about the results you generated in the position.

6. Opening question: need to have a 2 – 3 minute canned response that addresses:

7. Characteristics of a good leader: remember, this is not “characteristics of a good manager.” For example, “coordinating” and “facilitating” are not words that describe leadership. Think like a CEO to answer this. Also, have your answer ready: you WILL get this question from somebody.

8. Some of you have great stories that aren’t in your resumes. It’s not always appropriate, but try to get those stories on your resumes.

9. According to the P&G folks, everybody and their dog is “chair of the Central Challenge!” With all due respect to item #5 above, be careful what you take credit for, especially if your classmates are all on the same project. Note: if many of your classmates are working on the same project you’re describing, you can bet that, by the time you get to the interview, the interviewer has already heard the background on the project too many times. Don’t bore him/her with yet another description – give specifics on your role in the project. You’ll more interesting and more credible.

10. Need GOOD AND BAD examples of packaged-goods products! Have examples ready and be able too discuss WHY you think they do a good (or bad) job marketing products.

11. Rest assured that, even if some of your classmates aren’t preparing for these interviews, you competition at Michigan, Northwestern, et al definitely are. You will be rewarded for your preparation, and you will be screwed if you don’t prepare.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

There are several different types of interviews and all kinds of interviewers. Some interviews are very structured with a set list of questions the interviewer asks each candidate; others are very informal, and there is a whole range in-between. What follows is a list of questions you may be asked and questions that you can ask the interviewer. Remember, an interview is a conversation, and both sides ask questions. These questions are to help you be more prepared for your interviews. When preparing, present your responses in a positive light.

TYPICAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED

11. What do you do in your spare time? (Don’t answer that you have no spare time)

13. Give me some examples of times you’ve felt it necessary to break the rules.

22. Tell me about the most complex formal presentation you ever made. Why was it complex? How did you go about presenting it? How did it turn out?

24. Tell me about when you set your sights on a high, demanding goals and achieved it.

25. Imagine we are reviewing your performance at our firm after working with us for 6 months or a year. What do you think our criticism of you would be?

26. Take me through your last job: Identify the issues from an organizational or competitive standpoint.

28. Few people get along with everyone. How do you handle conflict? How do you handle working with someone you dislike? Give some examples.

The questions above are not specific to any particular concentration or job. It is incumbent on you to know the industry, company and job so that you can both respond to and ask relevant questions. Some interviewers ask case related questions. Sometimes you’re given time to prepare a case, other times you’re asked to think on your own feet. Preparation for this is best done through student organizations with the assistance of professors and/or students who have held such jobs.

INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES

PURPOSE / DEFINITION

§ To communicate both verbally and non-verbally a representative picture of yourself as you want to be seen by others.

§ A mutual exchange of information designed to enable the interviewee and interviewer to make an informed career/hiring decision.

§ A conversation between two interested parties pursuing the same goal – appropriate employment.

§ A dialogue in which the buyer (employer) and seller (potential employee) actively market their products (each other).

INTERVIEW PREPARATION – WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

§ Prior preparation is essential for a successful interview. You are the product and the more you know about yourself (product knowledge), the more convincing you will be in the interview.

§ Do not simply try to tell the employer what you think they want to hear, but rather what you want to say. The best way to at in an interview is not to act at all. BE YOURSELF.

§ Having to convey the essence of yourself to someone who has never met you provides you with an excellent opportunity to project a positive image. Remember that you never have a second chance to make a good first impression.

§ Before the interview, you will want to identify and assess your values, interests, skills, and personality traits, particularly with respect to the job for which you are applying. Be prepared to cite specific examples that highlight your marketable qualities.

§ Once you have determined who you are, why you are applying for this job, and where you are on your career path, you will need to communicate this knowledge effectively to the interviewer.

§ Non-verbal communication skills are critical to support your verbal communication and include:

§ Although you have something worth saying to the interviewer, it may not be heard if you do not reinforce it non-verbally with the aforementioned. Practice your non-verbal communication skills by using tape recorders (voice inflection), mirrors (eye contact, facial animation), and video-tapes (gestures, body language).

§ Because the interviewer’s opinion is being formulated within the first three minutes (typically before you begin speaking), it is imperative that your non-verbal communication skills be at their peak.

§ There is often no one right answer to the questions that will be asked of you. It is, therefore, critically important for you to convey how you think, how you decide, how you act and react rather than to reiterate a memorized answer. Your uniqueness is your marketable commodity, not your sameness to other candidates. Your oral communication skills should convey the essence of you in a logical, reasonable, sequential fashion, and be reinforced non-verbally.

§ Once you have obtained “self knowledge”, you need to obtain knowledge of the industry, employer, and job by reading about the industry, speaking with people doing what you want to do, or by attending company sponsored functions. Because you know yourself, you will be better equipped to apply the company information, which is compatible with you.

Being equipped with both self-knowledge and employer knowledge enables you to use the interview as a forum in which to convince the interviewer that you have already made the match between you and the employer. In doing so, you are putting the interviewer in a position of merely having to agree with you rather than to have to make your career decision.

THE PRELIMINARY / PRESCREENING INTERVIEW

§ The initial interview usually lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and is designed to determine a broad alignment between you and the firm particularly with respect to personality and values. Remember your qualifications are what got you the interview – now the interviewer wants to get to know you personally. Let the interviewer control the flow, while you control the content.

§ The interviewer will meet you, greet you, and escort you to the interviewing room. The interviewer will begin the interview by trying to put out at ease with question about your hobbies, campus, etc. Do not try to rush things. Take advantage of this time to begin to assess the interviewer, the company, the path you are going to take, etc.

§ Next, the interviewer will ask more in-depth, probing, or open-ended questions designed to allow you to expand on your past background, more so than the information contained in your resume. A sample list of questions commonly asked in a preliminary interview has been provided to you. Look for similarities in these questions, such as the reason that you chose to attend a particular college may be indicative of the criteria used in your selection of this particular employee.

§ After the interviewer’s questions to you, you will be given an opportunity to ask your questions of them. During this phase, you will want to continue to dominate the interview by asking questions that sell you – again, market your unique differences. Tailor and individualize your questions. Select those questions that provide you with the information you require to make an informal career choice.

§ After your questions to the employer, the employer will either close the interview with the projected response time or ask you to reconcile particular inconsistencies that you may have created during the interview. The interviewers slogan is when in doubt on an applicant – decline. The important point here is to reconcile any inconsistency that you may have created in order to alleviate that doubt.

§ Follow the interviewer’s cue with respect to closing the interview. Remain sensitive to the interviewer’s time constraints and work within them. Immediately following the interview, be certain to follow-up with a thank you letter which is actually your decision letter to continue on the interviewing process or not.

§ Maintain a log or journal of when the interviewer’s will be contacting you regarding secondary interviews so that you can follow up should you not hear from the interviewer within the prescribed time frame and how you thought you did in the interview – i.e. areas that went well or areas to improve. Always consider doing mock interviews on video tape with the career counselors in the Career Services Office.

SECONDARY INTERVIEW

§ Anticipate three to five or more interviews lasting approximately one hour each. Generally, these interviews are conducted by the more senior level managers in the firm who are concerned not only with your personality, but also with your technical competencies. The variable is not in the questions asked but in the multiple personalities assessing your personality. Therefore, allow your personality to shine through your answers. These rounds typically consist of line managers interested in what you can do and high-level managers interested in the future big picture of where the firm is going.

§ Because secondary interviews are typically conducted in the headquarters office or at the company job site, you will want to clarify:

§ You will want to give yourself plenty of time to make all of your appointments on time.

§ It is customary and appropriate for the subject of salary to be addressed in the secondary interview. In order not to shortchange yourself, you should become familiar with industry averages. After determining the industry/company salary ranges, determine your individual salary requirements by reviewing you own financial needs.

§ It is not unusual for the secondary interviews to request a list of references to contact by telephone. Simply have a list of references (listing name, address, phone number, and employer) typed on 8 ½ by 11 inch quality bond paper ready to give them. These references are typically 3 – 5 business references of your professors teaching academic subjects related to your career choice.

§ During the interview, be aware and remain sensitive to your feelings with respect to certain answers you have given the interviewer. You can be your most accurate critic, providing you maintain a steady stream of consciousness (self-evaluative input throughout the interview).

§ Assess the interviewers non-verbal and verbal cues – do they indicate an active listening, a genuine interest in what you are saying, or do they indicate a passive/tuning out of what you are saying?

§ Log this type of information immediately following the interview, so that you can begin to track your behavior trends. Use your input and any employer input to improve and refine your interviewing techniques to the point that your behavior, non-verbal communication skills, appearance, responses to questions (delivery and content) all convey a congruent, positive, and complete self-image.

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

Career Services Office

DEFINITION

§ An interviewing technique based on the premise that past performance is an indicator of future performance.

§ Behavioral example: a description of the situation or task, the applicant’s actions, and the results of those actions relative to a particular past event.

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

§ Interviewer is looking for past actions, and not what the candidate will do, or should have done.

TIPS

§ Be able to describe work experience, difficult situations, and involvement on campus and group projects.

§ Show a logical thinking process by describing the situation or task, the action taken and the results.

§ Do not generalize or be theoretical about what you could, will or should do. The interviewer is looking for past examples of what you did do.

EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

§ Give me an example of an instance in which you had to get cooperation from a person or a group of people in order to achieve a goal or accomplish a task?

§ What is your procedure for keeping track of items that need your attention? Tell me about a time when you used that procedure?

§ Describe a situation that required you to accomplish several things at one time. What did you do?

§ Have you ever had to go “the extra mile” to satisfy a customer? Tell me about what you did.

§ Describe a stressful situation for you. What made it stressful and how did you react?

§ On which decisions have you deliberated the longest? Tell me about them. How did you decide what to do?

§ What are some of the best ideas you tried to sell to a boss or peer? What was your approach? What was the result?

AFTERTHOUGHT

§ If you do not have the behavior that the company deemed necessary for success in that position, be glad you will find out before you invest your time in a career that probably is not he one for you. You will most likely be more successful in a career that utilizes your skills and behaviors best.

THE GRID

BACKGROUND

The attached “grid” is a framework for organizing your past accomplishments for discussion in the interview room. While most commonly associated with P&G, the grid is actually an invaluable preparation tool for any resume-based interview.

1. Quickly recall specific accomplishments from your work, school, or other expenses.

3. Feel more confident going into interviews, because you will know you are prepared.

HOW TO USE THE GRID

Across the top of the grid are the characteristics employers are looking for as they interview you. These include initiative, leadership, creativity, etc. Under each of these columns, there is space for numerous examples from work, UT MBA, and your undergraduate years. Follow these steps to organize your accomplishments:

1. Think about the accomplishment you are most proud of, and place them in the appropriate box. For example, if you developed a cure for cancer in your previous job, that’s probably a good example of thinking/problem solving. Put it under that column.

2. The chronological sections along the side (work, MBA, BBA) are there only to help you organize your thoughts. The goal is to get your best accomplishments, so if you have 5 from work, 1 from MBA and 1 from BBA, that’s ok.

3. What you really need is about a dozen good stories – total. There’s space for 9 examples under each column, but clearly nobody is going to have enough quality stories (72!) to fill up the whole grid. You’ll find that your #1 leadership example can also be used for initiative, working effectively with others, creativity, overcoming obstacles, and so on. If it’s your best story, just make sure you use it!

4. For each example, develop a succinct (non-rambling) way to articulate what you did. Use the following framework: situation, action, result. What was the situation or goal you were presented with? What specific action (s) did YOU (NOT “WE”) take? What was the result of your action?

5. Practice saying it! Tell each story to a mirror/spouse/significant other/friend/neighbor/pet so many times that you don’t even have to think about the words any more. When the question comes from the interviewer, you should be able to reel off your example like a memorized type.

Here’s an example. Let’s say a recruiter asks you for an example of how you’ve solved a difficult problem. You immediately recall the grid column for “thinking/problem solving”, and you effortlessly pull out example #1:

Situation: I was selected by my company to develop a cure for cancer within 6 months.

Action: I memorized every biology textbook ever written in just 4 weeks, redesigned modern research techniques, and interviewed a doctor. In less than 90 days, I was able to crack the code and cure cancer.

Result: As a result of my finding, 77 million people around the world have been cured of cancer, resulting in a 14% increase in pre-tax earnings for my division.

Note: This story could be tailored to serve as an example of creativity, leadership, or just about any of the headings along the top of the grid.

After you’ve used the grid to identify your key accomplishments in each area, try putting them on a “cheat sheet” that can be reviewed prior to interviews.

Before the interview, go over each category in your head, just like you’re studying for a test. Make sure you can list each accomplishment.

Then, since you’ve said each example OUT LOUD so many times, once you’re in the interview room and you select an example, articulating it will be easy!

INTERVIEW TIPS

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

TYPICAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED

INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES

PURPOSE / DEFINITION

INTERVIEW PREPARATION – WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

THE PRELIMINARY / PRESCREENING INTERVIEW

SECONDARY INTERVIEW

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

Career Services Office

DEFINITION

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING

TIPS

EXAMPLE QUESTIONS

AFTERTHOUGHT

THE GRID

BACKGROUND

HOW TO USE THE GRID