Tips for a Successful Interview 

Prepare for an interview by:

• Performing research on the company and position you are applying for 
• Spending time on the employer’s website and learning as much as you can about them
• Carefully examining and analyzing the job description 
• Confirming your qualifications meet the requirements of the job
• Preparing several thoughtful questions for the interviewer(s)
• Anticipating what questions, you might be asked at the interview  
• Answering what questions, you might be asked at the interview 
• Speaking and rehearsing some of your responses
• Working on body language including maintaining eye contact, sitting up straight, smiling genuinely, nodding when necessary, not crossing your arms, keep gesturing at a minimum

Hiring Managers want to know the following:

• Hiring managers want to learn about your career goals and how the position fits into your plan
• They want to make sure that you are sincerely interested in the job and if hired would you be motivated to perform the job
• They want to find out what you know about the company, industry, the position and most importantly if you took the time to research the company and the position
• They would like to find out if you have the pertinent experience and if you have done your homework
• They would like to figure out if you are loyal, ethical
•  They would like to know about your soft skills relating to communication, critical thinking, leadership, work ethic, positive         attitude, team work  

Be mindful of your level of confidence during the interview 

The interviewer may ask you to talk about yourself:

• How you answer this question will set the tone of the interview
• You want to tell a great story about yourself that you can share in no more than two minutes
• Start with an important fact about yourself
• Talk about your most recent or a past role you enjoyed

Beware of sounding overly confident 

• If the interviewer asks: Why do you think you are qualified for this position?
• You might answer as follows: I am qualified for this position because I have the skills you need and the experience to back it up…
• HOWEVER, a better answer might be as follows: I believe I am the most qualified for the job because I have completed 15 years in this field…
• Be mindful of how you answer questions because it will portray who you are. This may be perceived favorably by some managers but perhaps not to others, so it’s best to be careful.

Important questions to ask an interviewer

• What are the day-to-day responsibilities of the position?
• What are the Company’s values?
• What is your favorite part about working at this company? 
• What does success look like in this position and how do you measure it? 

Closing an Interview

• Ask pointed questions about the job and the company
• Restate your interest in the position
• Find out next steps
• Send thank-you emails