Interview Preparation

Four Steps to Interviewing | The Perfect Interview | Sample Questions and Answers |
Questions Most Asked By Employers | Questions To Ask Employers | After the Interview

The Interview [PDF]

Four Steps to Interviewing

Know Yourself

The first step to any career development is knowing yourself - your skills, interests, and values. This information not only helps you develop a career objective, but also guides you in answering interview questions. When preparing for an interview, remember to consider questions such as:

• In what kind of environment do I work best?
• What kind of daily schedule would I like to have?
• What are my career goals in five years? Ten years?
• How could this job help me work towards those goals?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?

Know The Employer And The Position

"What can you do for my organization?" is the question on the mind of each employer. Study the mission statement, goals, finances, and growth projections to get an idea of the company's direction. Think honestly about why you would like to be part of this organization so you can share it with the employer.

Define The Interview

Think of an interview as a conversation. A conversation implies that you share information about yourself with a person who has similar interests. The interview gives you a time and a context to talk about all of your previous hard work, your career goals, and your aspirations to someone who is eager to listen. Instead of seeing the interview as something to dread, consider it a chance to share your enthusiasm about the potential job.

Dealing With Stage Fright

The fact that evaluation is an inherent part of interviewing causes anxiety for many people. Often, when people are nervous, they are responding to an internal voice that warns them not to make a mistake or risk looking dumb. Interviews rely on your positive energy, so it is very important to counteract this negative internal voice by strengthening positive self-messages. Think about the following phrases below. Consider how can they help you to identify negative self-messages and develop positive ones.

• What do I fear most about the interview situation?
• What is the worst thing that could happen?
• If I were giving advice to someone else in this situation, what would I tell him/her?

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The Perfect Interview - an online interviewing tutorial

Practice your interviewing skills online any time of the day or night! Click on the Perfect Interview link, then click on the 'Create a New Account' button to get started. If you have any questions about the program you can meet with a Career Counselor daily during Drop-In Hours 11:00am - 1:00pm, SSB 206, or email your questions to alegator@sfsu.edu.

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Sample Questions and Answers

Here are some Sample Questions and Answers for interviewing.

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Questions Most Asked by Employers

Here is a list of Questions Most Asked by Employers.

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Questions To Ask Employers

Here is a list of Questions to Ask Employers during your interview.

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After the Interview

Be sure to obtain a business card with the name, title, and address of the recruiter. This card will be useful when you write your thank-you note or want to contact the interviewer in the future. Provide whatever applications, references, or transcripts requested by the prospective employer, as soon as possible.

Follow-up letters

Follow-up letters are an appropriate method of maintaining contact with the interviewer, and it's a great way to reinforce your suitability for the job. Thank the employer for his or her time and the opportunity to be interviewed. Don't forget to let the employer know you want the job and why you would be an excellent choice.

Should you email a follow-up letter or handwrite one? Consider the industry and experience with your interiewers, to make your decision.

• Was your interview environment more formal and conservative, often found in Business, Accounting, and Science industries? Consider sending a formal email.
• Did you interview in a more relaxed environment, often found in human service, education, or hospitality? A hand-written note may be more appropriate.

A few Thank-You Letter samples have been created to help you get started.

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