Interview Preparation

1. Interview Preparation Engineering Career Services University of Wisconsin-Madison

2. NOTE: ECS Interviews • Two typesof interviews through ECS • Career Connection interviews • Employers create their own scheduled on students they meet at Career Connection • Campus interviews AFTER Career Connection • Sign-up occurs through your myECS account

3. NOTE: MyECS Sign-up • All sign-ups begin promptly at 7 AM on your MyECS account • Preplan your priority sign-up requests and sign-ups • View interview listings from the Datebook (Recruiting Calendar) and Job Postings features daily

4. Interviewing Preparation

5. Be Proactive in your Approach • Interviews don’t happen to you • you play an active role • View it as a business meeting • Be able to answer, “Why are you interviewing with us today?” • If you can’t, you shouldn’t be there!!!

6. Prior to Each Interview • Know the specific employer’s needs • Assess your skills & qualifications • Anticipate the topics & questions • Develop 3-5 themes about which you will NOT leave the interview without discussing • Practiceresponses – yes, out-loud! • Do not, however, memorize responses!!

7. Know the Employer’s Needs • Review MyECS job posting for the employer • Research the employer website • Highlight key words and phrases

8. Anticipate Employer Perspective • Can I do the job? • Am I a qualified candidate for this employer? Why? • Resumes, papers and documents support the “can’s” • Will I do the job? • The interview itself provides evidence about the “will’s” • Examples of motivation, ability to listen, present and persuade, integrity, maturity, team player, leader, ethics and values

9. Anticipate Topics • Achievement-oriented • Analytical problem-solving • Flexibility • Communication • Leadership • Innovative/creative • Technical expertise • Organization • Ability to prioritize • Work standard • Ethical judgment • Integrity • Team player • Ability to motivate

10. Anticipate Questions • ECS Job Search Guide, pages 50 – 68 • Proper interview attitude • 25 worst interview mistakes • Typical interview questions • Questions for you to ask recruiters • Behavioral interviews, Case interviews and Brainteaser interviews • Telephone interviews

11. Prepare Responses • Think about the employer’s perspective • Develop responses based on specific examples • Use structured responses - STAR method • Situation – Task – Action – Result • Summarize response with “what I learned from this experience…”

12. Anticipate Topics & Questions • TIPS: • Make each response personal to you • An answer that is generic or hypothetical is NOT a good response • Use all of your resume when using examples • Do not only use your internship or one work experience • Examples of things that did not go well, or were difficult are good to use, but stress what you learned

13. Develop 3 -5 Themes • Be determined that you not leave the interview without emphasizing your 3 – 5 themes or strengths • Help the employer clearly see what differentiates you • Use to form a good summary statement for the interview close

14. Bring a Portfolio • Resumes • List of references • Unofficial transcripts • Lists of Publications/Presentations • Notes • Binder of Visuals

15. Practice Responding to Questions • It’s not… the best prepared student who gets the job, but the… student who is best prepared at getting the job.

16. Practice Out loud! • Become adept at telling the story behind your experiences and skill development • Never provide a simple yes or no response • Past behaviors are the best indicators of future behavior • Work related • Academic related • Community related

17. Take responsibility • Leave nothing for assumption • Explicitly make your qualifications and interests clear to the employer • 30 - 60 minutes is a very short time to discuss all that is important about your qualifications • Be present in the interview by listening carefully to the questions

18. Successfully Close the Interview • Ask questions • Summarize your themes and strengths • Thank the recruiter • Ask what the next step will be • Restate your interest in the job • Obtain a business card

19. More Tips: Appearance • Body language, eye contact, posture, handshake, smile • Welcoming • Confident, not arrogant Aim between being frightened and overly confident

20. More Tips: Vocal • Vocal pitch, volume, speed, and tone • Particularly for a phone interview

21. General Tips: Communication • For brief interactions, what is remembered: • 7%, is verbal (what you say) • 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) • 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice) Business Week Feb 07

22. Professional Dress • Suit or jacket with pants or skirt • Collared shirts • Tie for men • Dark socks and professional shoes

23. Professional Dress & Grooming • Fresh hair cut • No facial hair, unless nicely trimmed • Hair held back, away from face • Minimal make-up and jewelry • No cologne

24. Professional Dress • Jacket buttoned when standing, unbuttoned when seated • Always leave bottom button unbuttoned • Stilettos are not appropriate!

25. Business Casual • No suit jacket • Perhaps no tie • Otherwise, very similar to business dress • Ironed khaki’s or pants or skirt • Collared shirt • What is NOT business casual: • Jeans • Flip flops • T-shirts • Wrinkled anything! • Tank tops and spaghetti straps

26. Feedback from Recruiters • Improve handshake • Make eye contact when responding to questions • Be confident, but not arrogant • Know what my company does

27. Feedback from Recruiters • Don’t be too mechanical • Be genuine; show me your personality • Relax

28. After each Interview • Assess yourself • Send a thank you emailwith 48-hours • Prepare for your next interview • Follow-up every 2 weeks until you receive an answer

29. Questions?