Interview Checklist

Before the Interview

  • Check location, time, date, and name of interviewer
  • Research the company
  • Prepare answers to common interview questions, especially ones that may be difficult
  • Practice interviewing and ask someone to critique your performance
  • Determine salary expectations
  • Dress appropriately and present a clean appearance
  • Take extra copies of your résumé
  • Arrive on time

During the Interview

  • Be prepared to shake hands when you introduce yourself to the interviewer
  • Remember the interviewer’s name and use it during the interview
  • Recognize that the interview is a conversation, not an interrogation, it is your meeting
  • Maintain good eye contact and smile
  • Listen carefully and respond appropriately to questions
  • Ask intelligent questions to show you are interested in the job
  • Have 3-5 questions ready for the end of the interview
  • Don’t initiate money or benefits conversation until you have a job offer, but be prepared to negotiate

a salary when the subject is raised

  • Answer questions fully, but don’t dominate the conversation
  • Maintain good posture and present a positive attitude with a confident self-image
  • Don’t lie and don’t discuss negative issues pertaining to past employers and workers
  • Ask about the employer’s requirements for the position and explain how you will meet them
  • Convince the employer that you are the best candidate for the job by carefully presenting your

technical skills, general abilities, and personality traits

  • Close the interview by asking for the job
  • Find out when to follow up

After the Interview

  • Send a thank you letter reasserting your interest, qualifications, and how you will be a solution to their staffing needs
  • Follow up in a timely manner
  • If you are not selected, call and ask why you were not selected and if they could provide a critique of what you did well and not so well during the interview

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Questions Frequently Asked At An Interview

1.Tell me about yourself?

(Transferable skills, how well you get along with people, hobbies.)

2.Why should we hire you?

(Transferable skills, I’m the best person for the job; give examples of work experience.)

3.What are your strong points?

(Transferable skills, I’m detail oriented, I have good communication skills, and I’m a team player.)

4.What are your weak points?

(Spin negatives into positives: "I have a hard time delegating work, but I have been working to resolve this. I like to do everything myself, but I have learned that I have my responsibilities, and need to let others be responsible for their own work when it is delegated to them.")

5.What did you dislike about your last job?

(Nothing, I enjoyed my responsibilities and I related very well with my co-workers.)

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6.What did you like about your last job?

(I related very well with my co-workers; I enjoyed being busy and I enjoyed what I was doing.)

7.What qualities do you bring to this job?

(Transferable skills, I’m punctual, I enjoy helping others, I’m very flexible and I work great under pressure.)

8.What job-related skills do you bring to this job?

(Transferable skills, I’m able to work on multiple tasks. I have great customer service skills. I can type 50 words per minute.)

9.Can you follow directions? (Yes! Give an example.)

10.Can you work without supervision? Explain.

(Yes! I’m always on time. I get my work done. And I take the initiative to help others when my own work has been completed.)

11.How soon would you be able to start if you were hired?

(Immediately! Or give a specific date.)

12.Why do you want this job?

(Transferable skills, and relate your job skills. Make sure you find out about the company and position before the interview.)

13.What kind of work are you looking for?

(You’re looking for the job that you’re presently interviewing for.)

14.Have you ever done this kind of work before?

(Yes or no, stress how easily you can learn the job. Mention skills from other jobs that you can relate to the position you’re applying for.)

15.Why did you leave your last job?

(Lack of work. Seeking advancement. Career change. Went back to school.)

16.Can you tell me why there are gaps in your work history or work record?

(I went back to school/I had a health condition; no longer a problem. There was a family emergency; no longer a problem.)

17.Why do you want this job when your qualifications are over and beyond the requirements for this job?(Because I understand that when starting in a new company I might need to start from the bottom in order to learn as much as I can about the company before I can advance.)

18.How would you describe yourself?

(Transferable skills, I’m honest, a team player, very flexible and willing to learn.)

19.What accomplishments gave you the greatest satisfaction?

(Getting my G.E.D.; Receiving an award, high school diploma, certification, or degree.)

20.What was your worst mistake?

(Dropping out of high school, but I’ve gone back to get my G.E.D. Not finishing college…)

Sample Answers to the Preceding Interview Questions

  1. Tell me about yourself?

I have a MBA with a concentration in human resources from St Xavier Graduate School of Management. I also have a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Illinois UniversityI in Speech Communications and Pre-Law with supporting coursework in Rhetoric and Business. I have 6 progressive years of experience in human resources and the field of healthcare. I have great interpersonal skills and am a person of integrity.

  1. Why should we hire you?

I am a leader by nature and I am efficient at assessing situations and solving problems. I have the knowledge skills and abilities needed to successfully coordinate projects and implement change that is necessary.

  1. What are your strong points?

I am professional at all times, I give great attention to detail, and I am a team player and team-builder.

  1. What are your weak points?

In the past, I had a hard time delegating because I liked things to be done properly the first time. However, I learned how to delegate assignments according to my counterpart’s strengths.

  1. What did you dislike about your last job?

I would have appreciated the opportunity for continued growth within the organization.

  1. What did you like about your last job?

I really enjoyed the company’s culture. We worked well as a team and celebrated accomplishments like a family.

  1. What qualities do you bring to this job?

I am innovative and an effective communicator. I am a quick learner, great multi-tasker and I definitely have what it takes to support and carry out the vision of this company.

  1. What job-related skills do you bring to this job?

I bring superb management, research and writing skills. I also recognize the importance of sharing information so that others can excel. In addition, I possess technical skills, interpersonal skills, and computer skills.

  1. Can you follow directions?

Yes. In my last position the CEO was really impressed with how well I listened to his instructions and produced the results that he was seeking.

  1. Can you work without supervision?

Yes. I work best when my superiors trust me enough to perform well without their supervision. I know this is what they expect.

  1. How soon would you be available to start if you were hired?

As soon as possible.

  1. Why do you want this job?

I would like to utilize my management skills and apply the knowledge supported by my MBA to assist this company in excelling beyond measures expected.

  1. What kind of work are you looking for?

I seek a position where I am responsible for the duties of Director of Human Resources where I can support my team in generalist duties as well.

  1. Have you ever done this kind of work before?

Yes, my last position was very similar to this one and I performed exceptionally well in that position.

  1. Why did you leave your last job?

I was laid off due to economic hardship.

  1. Can you tell me why there are gaps in your work history or work record?

There are no gaps.

  1. Why do you want this job when your qualifications are over and beyond the requirements for the job?

I realize that when starting in a new company, I may need to start at the bottom in order to learn as much as I can in order to advance.

  1. How would you describe yourself?

I am a visionary, results-driven, very flexible and willing to learn.

  1. What accomplishments gave you the great satisfaction?

Receiving my MBA full time while working full time displayed my since of discipline. Also, in my last position, I served as the company’s compliance officer receiving a 99% on our on-site evaluation.

  1. What was your worst mistake?

Honestly, I don’t have any regrets. I am progressively moving forward and excited about it.

A good weakness is actually a STRENGTH - Here are a Few examples:

  • I can get impatient when other people don’t work as quickly as I do. But I try to just pay attention to my own work and not be concerned about anyone else.
  • I can get impatient when other people don’t work hard. But I’ve learned to just let them do their job and focus on my tasks at hand
  • I have a tendency to take on additional work assignments; subsequently, I have to be careful not to take on more than I can handle. I have learned to focus on successfully completing my current assignments.
  • Sometimes I tend to be a people-pleaser, causing me to have trouble saying no to people. I have learned to be careful not to assume a co-workers duties and responsibilities.
  • Procrastination: I’d put things off; however, I’ve learned that it’s better to complete tasks quickly; Now, I like to accomplish my tasks as soon as possible. I’ve gotten in the habit of making a "things to do" list and calendaring them to be sure that everything gets done.
  • Education: I feel that I am lacking skills in or a degree in the following area; however, Iam currently working on obtaining the training and certification which will make me a greater asset to my employer. I believe in life-long learning in order to keep my skills up-to-date.
  • I’m a very neat person and sometimes this can bother people. I’m always straightening things and keeping order. After awhile, people usually just joke with me about it. I do like to keep my office and workstation neat, orderly, and safe.
  • I sometimes forget to go to lunch or leave work on time. I enjoy working and getinvolved; sometimes it’s hard for me to leave until I have completed my projects; however, I have learned to pace myself and balance my work and personal life.

Note: These are only examples. Create your own questions with answers in your own words. Do not use one of these examples if it is not true, or you’ll have difficulty answering if the interviewer asks for details or examples. Be prepared for answers that are not listed here, especially behavioral questions that ask you would handle a specific job related task that might arise while on the job.

Telephone Interviews

Many employers conduct telephone interviews to screen candidates for basic qualifications. It is also an alternative when it is not practical to invite an out-of-area candidate to the office.

Telephone interviews can be challenging because it is more difficult to gain rapport with the interviewer because you cannot see the interviewer's non-verbal reactions and cues. Conversely, the interviewer cannot see your enthusiastic expressions or professional appearance. This places all the weight on your phone manners, clarity of speech, voice tone and the content of your answers.

Here is a quick tip list for excelling at a telephone interview:

  • Treat the phone interview as you would a face-to-face interview.
  • Select a quiet, private room with a telephone in good working condition.
  • Conduct a mock telephone interview with a friend to gain feedback on your voice quality and speech.
  • Before the interview, prepare talking points for the call including value you bring to the company and specific questions.
  • Arrange the following items: your resume, cover letter, copy of application if you submitted one, highlights of corporate information and brief talking points.
  • Dress in business attire.
  • Breathe deeply and relax. Speak slowly, clearly and with purpose. Smile, it changes your speech and the person on the other end can sense it.
  • Write down the full names and titles of each call participant. Take notes when appropriate.
  • Be courteous and try not to speak over the interviewer. If you do, apologize and let the interviewer continue.
  • Support your statements with detailed examples of accomplishments when possible. It is easy for someone to get distracted on a phone call, so paint a vivid picture to keep the interviewer interested.
  • Explain any pauses in your speech to ponder a question or take notes. If you think of a question or comment while the interviewer is speaking, jot a note on your talking points list, so you remember it later.
  • During the interview, if the interviewer inadvertently answers a question from your prepared list, cross it off. If you forget and ask it, it will seem as if you were not listening.
  • Offer to provide additional information or answer other questions.
  • Use your talking points list of specific skills and accomplishments; cross them off as you work them into the conversation. At the end, if you have some uncrossed items, you might say something like, "I thought you might be interested to know I led a major conversion project, quite similar to what you are planning. I managed a $2.5 million budget and completed it 45 days early, saving over $48,000."
  • Before ending the call, be sure you know the next step in the process, and offer to provide any additional information needed.
  • Do not hang up until the interviewer has hung up.

Promptly send a formal follow-up / thank you letter, just as you would for a face-to-face interview.

Be Ready to Answer the Top 10 Interview Questions

Your best weapon to mastering the job interview is to practice, practice, practice your answers to the most commonly asked questions by employers. The most certain way to sabotage your chances to win over a potential employer is to try and wing the interview. Your answers can appear aimless and without direction, making you look unprepared or worse, unqualified.

Don’t risk the future of your career by flying by the seat of your pants. Prepare yourself by developing answers to the most commonly asked questions:

  1. Tell Me a Little Something About Yourself.

This is probably one of the most dreaded questions of all time. We quiver and sweat in our seats wondering what the employer really wants to know. Hey, relax! For starters, this is a great opportunity for you to sell yourself to the employer. Talk about your key accomplishments and strengths and how these factors will benefit the employer in the desired position. Write down ahead of time what you plan to say; perfect it; then practice it every chance you get.

  1. Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job?

This question is basically a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It appears harmless enough, but it can damage your potential in a heartbeat if you’re not careful. By all means, keep your answers to this question as positive as possible. Above all, do not dwell on how much you hate your current boss! The interviewer wants to hire a team player to the position, not a negative and vindictive hater.

  1. Are You Still Employed and If Not, Why Not?

If you are, great, but if you aren’t, you can still use your answer to this question to shine a light on your positive features. For example, if you were laid off or terminated, focus less on the actual termination and more on what you learned from the whole process. You’ll look mature and wise in the employer’s eyes!

  1. Do You Have Any Budgeting Experience?

If you haven’t, be honest; but you can answer in a way that shows that you have had some exposure to adhering to a budget—on a project, for example. If you do have budgeting experience, discuss your fiscal responsibility.

  1. Have You Ever Managed Anyone?

This question is most important to those who are seeking a supervisory type of position. If you have managerial experience, elaborate on how many people you have supervised and what their positions were in the spectrum of the organizational chart. However, if you haven’t had direct managerial practice, talk up how much you were a part of the decision process of a team project, or how you organized volunteers for a fundraiser.

  1. What Are Your Strengths as an Employee?

To adequately answer this question, you need to be aware of the strengths you possess in the following areas: personality, experience, and skills. Once that information is known, match your strengths to the requirements of the position for which you are interviewing.