Career Services Blog

It takes a lot of time and effort to get an interview for a job or internship. And how you handle yourself in the interview process will generally determine whether or not you get an offer. Bombing an interview is never fun (unless someone else is doing the bombing- like in the videos found here).

The topic of interviewing is broad enough to justify entire books. But below are a few good fundamentals.

Preparation

The best interviewees are exhaustively prepared. So once you've scheduled an interview, research as much as you can about the organization and the position for which you are applying. Know the organization's history, its mission, its position in the greater market and/or community, and its leadership. You should also know the position description inside and out. And you must also know yourself. Your work history, your formal education, your career goals and personal motivations must all be presented in the context of what the organization does and what they are looking for in a given candidate. In essence, you want to focus on the value you bring to the employer.

It's also important to know that the structure of interviews can vary widely. Some can be conversations over coffee, while others are all-day events that include formalized tests and on-the-spot performance assessments. So make sure that the way you present yourself is appropriate for the way the interview is conducted.

Delivery

But in the end, it's the content and delivery of your answers that will most lead to a successful or unsuccessful interview. So below are some frequently asked interview questions, and some notes to help you answer them.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
This is designed to be an icebreaker. A good framework is to talk about three things: where you've been, where you are now, and where you want to go in the future. It's alright to be a little personal, but not too much so. Give them a window into what inspires you to do the kind of work you do. Keep this answer under three minutes.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This is one of the most commonly asked interview questions, so prepare a unique answer for each interview. Your response should demonstrate that you have a career plan and that the position you're interviewing for fits into that plan. The employer's interest is strictly professional. Be honest with the interviewer, and reasonably express how your core competencies will allow you to achieve your short term and long-term goals.

What do you consider to be your greatest strengths?
Here the interviewer is trying to determine what you bring to the position. Demonstrate experience with or passion for the types of responsibilities you'll be expected to do in the role you're interviewing for. Don't just state your strengths, but elaborate on them and relate them to the responsibilities of the job you're trying to land. Convince me!

What is your greatest weakness?
The best general strategy here is to tell them about something you've improved upon. Make sure you spend more time talking about how you have improved upon, or mitigated the weakness than on the problems associated with it. When talking about how you have addressed the weaknes, give examples that are painstakingly specific, especially if your answer is "I tend to take on too many tasks/I have a hard time saying ‘no'" or "I'm a perfectionist" as these are by far the most common answers to this question.

Why should we hire you?
This is your chance to truly sell yourself. You should never walk into an interview without knowing how to answer this question. And you should be prepared to demonstrate three areas of alignment:

• Technical: tell them how your experience and education have provided you with the skills to do the nuts and bolts of the job.
• Cultural: explain what it is about their organization that you respect (i.e. their mission, their capacity for innovation, their reputation as a leader) and why that is important to you.
• Professional: describe the potential for a mutually beneficial relationship. How will success in this role help you achieve your long term professional goals?

The Career Services team at the Evans School can provide more extensive guides on interviewing and can also schedule a mock interview to provide you with feedback about the content and delivery of your answers to these and other questions. We can also help you come up with specifically tailored questions to ask your interviewer(s), which is another key element of a successful interview. To find out more, stop by Career Services in Parrington Hall, room 109 or contact us at evansjob@u.washington.edu.

Published on May 29, 2009