Interview Preparation

Apply

• Keep your response specific, but succinct.
• Be work specific and share where you are now professionally, what you have learned from past work experiences, and what makes you excited about this opportunity.
• Learn what qualities this organization is looking for and communicate how you possess them.

Avoid

• Do not dive into your life story.
• Do not go on about experience you may have that isn’t related to the job you’re interviewing for.

Apply

• Talk about specific things you like about the organization. Do your research on the needs of the organization and share how passionate you are about fulfilling their needs.
• Show how your strengths align with the posting and the organization’s culture.

Avoid

• Avoid responding in a way that shows you are not committed to the organization (i.e. stepping stone, financial necessity, benefits, commute, etc.).

Apply

• Find out from your research of the organization and the job posting for what strengths the organization values.
• Highlight a strength that is crucial to the position.

Avoid

• Do not be overly modest, be confident.
• Do not make claims you cannot support with examples or facts.
• Pass on strengths that are irrelevant to the position.

Apply

• Share an area of improvement and what you have done to overcome it.
• Be prepared with examples.

Avoid

• Avoid responding in a manner portraying a sense of arrogance, because everyone can improve. 
• Avoid highlighting a weakness that is listed as a minimum qualification for the job posting.

Apply

• Be truthful.
• Avoid stating reasons that cannot be verified.
• If you left voluntarily, share a specific characteristic that the organization you are interviewing for has that attracted you to the position.
• If you were terminated (i.e. temporary, budget cuts, restructuring, furloughs, etc.), explain what you learned from the experience.

Avoid

• Do not speak negatively about your current or previous organization, superiors, and colleagues.  
• Avoid reasons such as career change, boredom at current position, etc.  Share a succinct and positive reason for why you are interested in the position.

Apply

• Share an accomplishment that shows how you will be a good fit for the organization and for the position you are interviewing for.
• Display a sense of enthusiasm when talking about your accomplishment.

Avoid

Avoid being too humble. This is your opportunity to highlight some of the great work you have done.

Apply

• Prepare to discuss a success story relating to a problem you have overcome.
• Choose an example of a problem or challenge that you have solved in the past that could arise again in this new position.
• Be specific and succinct.
• Use the S.T.A.R. Method.

Avoid

• Avoid speaking negatively of others.
• Avoid being overly confident and share if the solution was a team effort.
• Avoid rambling. Prepare your response.

Apply

• Allow your response to the question demonstrates your level of commitment to the position.
• After demonstrating your commitment, outline a realistic growth strategy that is directly tied to the role you are in.
• Show that you are an ambitious person and focused on the job at hand.

Avoid

Avoid responding in a way that shows your ambition for the position as just a stepping stone as you move your way up the ladder of the organization.

Apply

Be truthful and use adjectives that are easily understandable and descriptive.

Avoid

Sharing negative information regarding your current or previous place of work/co-workers. 

Apply

• Have a few questions prepared and have one based around something you found during your research of the organization.
• Focus your questions on the organization and what you can do for them.
• Ask what qualities they are looking for in the successful candidate.

Avoid

• Avoid saying  “No, I think I’m good.” Always have questions ready!
• Do not ask questions you can easily find the answer to or ask about time off/benefits if it is too early in the process.