The interview is one of the most important phases of the job search process. Your resume and cover letter are simply tools to get you to the interviewing stage. Keep in mind that employers tend to interview candidates who are qualified for the job. Therefore, once you have past the initial screening, it is your opportunity to convince an employer by using your persuasion and communication skills that you are the right person for the job.

Interview Stage

The recruiting process consists of several stages, the most important of which is the interviewing phase. During this stage you need to use your communication and persuasion skills to prove to the employer that you are the right person for the job. All the submitted resumes and cover letters will be screened and candidates with the necessary skills and qualifications, as well as effective documents will be selected for an interview.

Before the Interview

The Job

Each job announcement or job advertisement may include any combination of a description of the job, job applicant qualifications and desired qualities. The description, qualifications, and desired qualities are the keys to preparing for the interview. On a job announcement or job advertisement, these keys may be found under headings such as:

• Position
• Qualifications
• The Duties
• The Requirements

Research is Critical !

The applicant who has worked hard to prepare is much more likely to get a call back for a second interview or an offer of employment. Prior to an interview, clarify the skills and abilities you have to offer an employer, thinking of an example for each one. Research the career field/position you are pursuing to convince yourself this is an occupation you would enjoy. It’s much easier to convince a potential employer once you’ve convinced yourself.

Researching Organization Profile

Prior to the interview, applicants who carry out a thorough research regarding the advertised job vacancy along with the company profile increase the probability of employment. Every interested candidate should precisely read the job description as well as the skills needed, and then think of a related example that demonstrates each of the required skills. Consequently, this will increase your confidence and your chances of convincing the employer that you are the best candidate for the job.

• Use the internet to check whether the organization has a Web site.
• Prepare questions about the organization that you can pose during the interview.
• Show your interest in the organization and the job position you are applying for.

Practice the Interview

• Participate in one of the Interview Workshops organized by the AUB Career and Placement Services jointly with human resources managers of multinational organizations.
• "Practice makes perfect". Attend a mock interview session or practice with a professional person who can assume the role of the interviewer, and solicit constructive feedback to improve your skills.
• Discuss with your university Career counsellor how to promote yourself in the most successful way during an interview.

Researching the Position/Field

1. Review online resources describing various career fields.
2. Talk with personal contacts and alumni about the nature of their work and the organization they represent.
3. When a job description is available, list the key skills being sought so that you can match your skills/strengths with their needs. It is helpful to develop an example from your experiences to demonstrate each skill.

Researching the Organization

1. Conduct a search of the Internet to see if an organization has a Web site.
2. Prepare questions to ask about the organization during the interview.

Mock or Practice Interviews

1. Attend one of the Interviewing Workshops conducted by the Academic, Career, and Placement Center.
2. Have a friend play the part of the interviewer to enable you to practice your responses; ask for constructive criticism.
3. Talk with an Academic, Career, and Placement Center counsellor about how to present yourself most favourably in an interview.

Preparing for Questions

• Whenever possible, answer questions using specific examples to support your response. Think of the acronym STAR (situation or task, action, and result), a simple three step process that will enable you to focus on specific experiences to support responses:
  • Situation or Task – describe a task or project for which you had responsibility
  • Action – talk about the approach you took to deal with the situation
  • Result – discuss the outcome of your action, making sure to mention accomplishments or improvements made due to your action
• Emphasize the most relevant and impressive aspects of your background and qualifications (including paid and volunteer work)
• Stress that the skills you have developed in the past are transferable to the employer’s organization.
• Speak in positive terms about previous experiences and employers
• Don’t be afraid to talk about accomplishments and sills (assume that what you don’t tell and interviewer, she/he won’t know).
• Give evidence of your ability to work as a part of a team

Prepare Answers to Possible Interview Questions

• Try to avoid general and vague answers during the interview.
• Support your answers with examples based on your experience, taking into consideration the four important points:
  1. Define a problem or project that you were responsible for.
  2. Analyze a problem of the project.
  3. Describe how you come up with the innovative strategy and the possible solutions.
  4. Explain the results and emphasize your own contributions.
• Highlight the most related and remarkable features of your qualifications and work experience, whether paid or voluntary.
• Emphasize that your acquired and developed skills will be an asset and added value to the available job position.
• Avoid talking negatively about previous employers and work experiences, highlighting that you interpret your past as a learning experience.
• Remember to elaborate about your skills and previous experiences, so that the interviewer becomes aware of your capabilities.
• Provide past situations that show you are a good team player.

Interview Day Preparation

• If you have followed the Interview Success Plan, you should be ready by the day before the interview. For most people, we recommend completing your preparation the day before the interview.
• Get your rest.
• Don’t get distracted or excited by little things, don’t schedule meetings over controversial issues, or do anything that might break your concentration.
• Taking into account the time of your interview and traffic, go early to find parking and make sure that you have money for parking meters.
• Dress appropriately. If you’re applying for a job where you haven’t worked before, visit the offices of facilities. See what other employees in positions similar to the one that you’re seeking are wearing. Dress at least at that level or higher. Don’t visit on a Friday, you may find yourself dressing for casual Friday.
• Be early. If the interviewers are ahead of schedules, they’ll appreciate the opportunity to get an early start.

Typical Stages of an Interview

First Impression

• Make a positive and professional first impression by being assertive and giving a firm handshake to each interviewer and addressing each interviewer as they are introduced.
• Reinforce your professionalism and your ability to communicate effectively by speaking clearly and avoiding "uhs", "you know", and slang.
• Use positive words. Instead of "if", "I think", "I feel", and "I wish" use "when", "I am", and "I would".
• Establish rapport by relating to each interviewer. Note the wording that is used by each interviewer and when appropriate use similar words. Maintain eye contact with each of the interviewers throughout the interview.
• Sit comfortably. Sit erectly, but don’t stiffly or sprawl over the chair.
• Manage weaknesses or barriers so that they appear to be indications of your strengths.
• Be attentive. Listen to each question carefully and don’t interrupt. If you aren’t sure of what is being asked, politely request that the question be repeated.

Send a Thank You Letter

The most important aspect of a thank you is to send it promptly within 3-4 days of the interview. If you do not have access to a word processor, then hand write your thank you on a note card. It is also possible to send it via email if the recipient has offered her or his email address. The more time that elapses, the less enthusiastic you will be about writing it, and the less impact your letter will have on its reader.

Reasons of Rejection

• Lack of Self-Knowledge. An interviewer cannot determine where you fit into the organization until you explain your career interests and applicable skills.
• Lack of Company Knowledge. Most employers make information about themselves readily available, especially if they recruit on campus.
• Lack of Question. When employers ask if you have any questions for them a negative response indicates a lack of interest in your part.
• Lack of Enthusiasm. Employers want to hire someone who is excited about the prospect of working with their organization.
• Lack of Confidence. If you doubt your ability to do the job, an employer will also experience doubt
• Poor Communication Skills. The employer must be able to hear you, understand your words, and follow your train of thought. Otherwise, no matter how qualified you may be for a job opening, you put yourself at a disadvantage.
• Unprofessional Application or Appearance. It is true that you only have one opportunity to make a first impression. If your resume is sloppy or has typos, you are at an immediate disadvantage and may not even get an opportunity to interview. Additionally, if you present yourself at an interview inappropriately dressed, an employer may decide you wouldn’t fit into their organization

Interview Stages

First Impressions

• Impress the interviewer(s) by a positive body image, maintain eye contact and shake the interviewer’s hand firmly.
• Address the interviewer(s) in the same manner as they were introduced to you.
• Highlight your professional communication skills by speaking in a loud and clear voice, and articulate properly, as well as avoid using slang language.
• Use "I am", "I should" or "I would" and avoid phrases that show a sense of doubt by employing action verbs such as "designed", "created", "assisted", "edited", "analyzed", "implemented" etc.
• Establish a rapport with each of the interviewers.
• Recognize the words that are repetitively used by each interviewer, and try to use similar words.
• Keep eye contact with each of the interviewers throughout the interview session.
• Sit comfortably but not overly relaxed. Also, straighten your back; however, not stiffly.
• Focus on your strength; convert and channel your weaknesses to match positively the job requirements.
• Be a good listener and focus on the question before you answer. Ask the interviewer politely to repeat the question if it seems vague. Avoid interruptions while the interviewer is speaking.

Interview Questions

The interview focuses on "what you say" and "how you say it". In this step, we focus on "what to say". You’re going to be asked about:

• What you know- about your work experience, education, training, goals, character, personal qualities, the job that you’re seeking, the company that you’re interviewing for, and the knowledge required to perform the job that you’re seeking.
• Identify a problem or issue- given a situation, find the problem or issue. The question may focus on a situation that you’ve handled in the past or how you would handle a hypothetical situation.
• Identify a solution- given the problem or issue, how do you proceed? The question may focus on a problem or issue that you’ve handled in the past or how you would proceed in a hypothetical situation.

Questions Asked During Interviews:

Focus on the content and on how you present your answer during the interview, taking into account the following:

• Prepare personal background information such as academic credentials & degrees, work experience, seminars and workshops attended, career goals, and personality traits.
• Prepare information related to the job offer, the company you’re applying to and the skills required for the job that you are seeking.
• Present your personal qualifications and skills related to the job requirements.
• Think of a problem you have encountered and how you dealt with it, since this is a common question.
• Expect to be presented with a hypothetical problem in order to analyze it and create an innovative solution.

Thank You Letter to the Interviewer

• Send a thank you letter shortly after the interview expressing your gratitude for the interviewer via email or as a hard-copy.
• Write the thank you letter shortly after the interview, or else you will be less passionate about writing the letter, and it would have less impact on the interviewer.

Tips to Avoid Rejection for a Job

1. Prepare an effective and professional resume and cover letter so that your application is not disregarded.
2. Make sure that you meet the required years of work experience for the job, and are equipped with the appropriate knowledge and skills.
3. Acquire sufficient knowledge of the company’s profile, services and products.
4. Wear a formal and tidy outfit to show that you are suitable for the organization.
5. Raise relevant and clever questions during the interview.
6. Show interest and motivation for the job.
7. Be assertive and show confidence while replying to the interviewer’s questions.
8. Speak clearly and present your ideas in an organized manner.
9. Behave appropriately and politely during the interview.

Types of Interview

Screening Interviews

These are usually shorter interviews used for the purpose of conducting a brief evaluation of a candidate. Employers are usually looking for reasons to screen an applicant out. On-campus interviews, typically 30 minutes in length, are screening interviews. Job offers do not come as a result of this interaction.

One-On-One Interviews

These interviews are quite common and involve the candidate being questioned by one person.

Phone Interviews

Upon receipt of a candidate’s application materials some organizations will call to conduct a brief phone interview. It is important to remain composed if you get such a call. If the timing of the call is inconvenient, let the employer know. Ask if you can call them back at a more convenient time. Also, while conducting a phone interview, arrange to have a copy of your resume and cover letter in front of you to use for reference.

Panel/Committee Interviews

This scenario involves a panel of interviewers each with questions to ask. These interviews are common for government, academic and some corporate positions. It is important to establish eye contact with each member of the committee early in the interview.

Case Study Interviews

Some organizations, especially consulting firms and companies recruiting for entry-level training programs, rely on case study or situational questions to evaluate a candidate’s analytical skills.

Second Round or Site Interviews

Often, the interviewing process entails several rounds of interviews. If you are considered a serious candidate, after the first interview you may be contacted for a second on-site interview with other members of the organization.

Stress Interviews

Although many interviews can be nerve-racking, some are designed to cause the applicant stress. The interviewer may ask confrontational or particularly difficult questions. It is important to remain calm and think carefully about your answers. Don’t be afraid to take time to think through your answers and don’t get tricked into losing your temper. The purpose of these types of interviews is to evaluate your behaviour and maturity in difficult situations. Stress questions are most commonly used for those positions in which your reaction to stress in crucial.

Different Types of Interviews:

1. Screening interview sessions:
   • Are carried out mostly on campus and last for 30 minutes.
   • Involve a basic assessment to come up with a short list of potential and qualified candidates for individual interviews; however the process does not lead to the final employment decision.
2. Individual one-to-one interview sessions:
   • Consist of only one interviewer and one interviewee.
   • Are considered as the most common type of interview.
3. Phone interview sessions:
   • Are utilized by some organizations.
   • Agree on a convenient phone interview time with the interviewer.
   • Prepare your resume and cover letter, in order to be used as a reference.
   • Stay relaxed during the phone interview.
4. Case study interview sessions:
   • Prepare and analyze a hypothetical situation, prior to the interview, since the interviewer will give a similar case analysis in order to test your analytical and critical thinking skills during the initial interview which is mostly
   • Utilized by consulting and other firms and as well.
5. Multiple round interview sessions:
   • Consist of several rounds of interviews with different employees of the organization.
   • Will be scheduled only if the first interviewer believes that you are qualified for the job.
6. Stress interview sessions:
• Aim specifically to evaluate applicants’ ability in coping with stress situations.
• Consist of challenging and difficult questions or hypothetical situations.
• Stay relaxed and think clearly before answering the questions.
• Present your answers in an organized and logical manner.