Category: Job Interview

Education How has your college experience prepared you for this career? Describe your most rewarding college experience. Why did you select Muhlenberg? What led you to choose your college major? What college subjects did you like best/least? Why? If you could do so, how would you plan your academic study differently? Why? What changes would…

This information is meant to raise your awareness of issues related to interviewing and specific interview questions, not to scare you. Most employers are honest and only ask questions that are relevant to the position. What is an Illegal Interview Question? Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes discrimination on the basis…

A job interview should not be completely one sided. Just as it is the employer’s opportunity to get to know you, it is also your opportunity to get to know the company and the position. Below you’ll find a list of questions you may want to consider asking during the interview. Why is the position…

The purpose of an interview is to exchange information about you, the job, and prospective employer. For this reason, preparation is critical. Always research a company, know your skills and abilities, be professional and be yourself. The Informational Interview An informational interview is NOT a job interview, but an opportunity to meet with an individual…

Below we will discuss seven quick tips for writing thank-you note after the job interview. Use these tips to create the thank you note. 1. Decide whether email or regular mail makes more sense Consider the timing involved and the formality of the person and organization you’re sending it to. If you need to get…

What is an Informational Interview? The informational interview is an opportunity to learn about a career which interests you, by meeting and talking with someone who is working professionally in that field. In a question-and-answer session, you will learn first-hand about a job directly from someone who performs the tasks on a daily basis. Arranging…

Research your profession’s salary range Check with recruiters, competitors, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook and the Internet. Select a target salary or salary range You may not get the amount you want, but having a specific range gets you close. Don’t initiate salary discussions Wait for the interviewer to bring up the…

Few job seekers are prepared to discuss their pay requirements prior to a job offer or to negotiate it well after a job offer is made. As a result of their blunders, many job seekers are eliminated from consideration during the selection process without even knowing why. Others who do get a job offer too…

CONGRATULATIONS – YOU HAVE THE JOB OFFER! Now what? The following are a few points to consider on negotiating salary. You are in the best position to negotiate a salary after you receive the job offer, but before you accept it. Not all job salaries are negotiable. It is considered unethical to accept a job…

Networking Quick Facts 60% – 90% of jobs in today’s market are found through networking. Networking will assist you in locating un-advertised jobs (50 – 70%). It will lessen your job search time by turning personal contacts into job interviews. What is networking? Networking is the process of linking people, through in-person meetings in business…

A strong first interview will often result in a second interview. This time, you will most likely meet with more people. You may meet with staff members individually or simultaneously. The interview may also take place in a different location, possibly the company headquarters. It may last for most of the day. This time, the…

After an interview, you might wish to send some follow-up correspondence in order to solve a problem or to present a proposal. We have already shown you some examples of thank-you letters and notes that were sent following an interview. In some cases, a longer or more detailed letter would be appropriate. The objective of…

The Importance of Thank You Note Resumes and cover letters get the attention, but thank-you notes often get results. Sending thank-you notes makes both good manners and good job search sense. When used properly, thank-you notes can help you create a positive impression with employers that more formal correspondence often can’t. Three Times When You…

After a Job Interview The interview has ended, you made it home, and now it’s all over, right? Wrong, Effective follow-up actions can make a big different in getting a job offer over more qualified applicants. What to Do After a Job Interview Following up can make the difference between being unemployed or underemployed and…

Interviewers will have no interest in you if you wait until the interview to prepare. Take preparation seriously. And if you don’t get the interview or the job, don’t get disheartened. You’ll need to send several resumes to get one interview and have several interviews before being offered a job. Look at each interview as…

You never get a second chance to create a first impression. You must look and act the part before they will offer you the job. Take care to present a professional image, one that merits respect. How to Look • Dress professionally and appropriately for the job. Men should wear a suit, shirt and tie….

Job interviews play a very important role in whether or not someone gets the job they are applying for. They are important because they give the employer or interviewer a chance to see first hand what the person is all about and what they like or dislike about the individual. The interview is a crucial…

The Three-Step Process is important for understanding that the interview question being asked is often an attempt to discover underlying formation. You can provide that information in an effective way by using the four-step Technique: 1. Present a concrete example. People relate to and remember stories. Saying you have a skill is not nearly as…

What do you want to accomplish in your next interview? Although most people know that the interview is important to both you and the employer, few job seekers have a clear sense of what they need to accomplish during those critical minutes. Later, we will describe interview techniques in more detail, but what follows will…

To make a good impression on interview day, use these tips: Get there on time. Try to schedule several interviews within the same area of town and time frame to avoid wasted time in excessive travel. Get directions online or ask fro directions from the receptionist to be sure you know how to get to…

QUESTION AN INTERVIEWER CANNOT ASK HAVE YOU EVER CHANGED YOUR NAME? (can ask about “other names used” for reference checks) MARITAL STATUS? NAME OF SPOUSE OR NEAREST RELATIVE? (can ask for the name of the person to contact in emergency) ARE YOU PREGNANT? DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN? NAMES OR AGES OF YOUR CHILDREN? WHO WILL…

The odds are very high that you could be eliminated from consideration for jobs based on your answer (or, more likely, your lack of a good answer) to one or more of the interview questions or issues we bring up here. None of us is perfect. We all have things about ourselves and our past…

The following list presents questions most often asked by recruiters who interview new graduates at college campuses. Although some of the questions may not apply to your situation, they give you a good idea of the types of questions a trained interviewer might ask you in an interview. Look over the list and check any…

Tell me about yourself. Who or what has had the greatest influence on the development of your career interests? How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position? What factors did you consider in choosing your major? Why are you interested in our organization? What kind of work do you want to…

Question: Why don’t you tell me about yourself? This is the classic open-ended interview question. You could start telling your life’s history in two hours or less, but that is not what the interview wants to hear. Instead, such a question is a test of your ability to select what is important and communicate it…

What shift do you prefer? (also, how do you feel about overtime?) For an interviewer to conduct a lawful employment interview, the employer must demonstrate job related necessity for asking the questions. The intent of the question is important and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will look at the relevancy to determine if discrimination…

In the preparation for a job interview, one must begin by taking a look at oneself. A good look in the mirror would be a good start to make sure nothing is being overlooked. Being clean and neat would definitely be a plus in making a good first impression. A good first impression is key…

Employers don’t have to hesitate when asked what they see as the number one problem with job candidates: a complete lack of preparation. True, a good many people are well-prepared to speak about themselves and their accomplishments, but they should have some know about the job, the origination, and the interviewer as well. Unfortunately, gaining…

What happens before the interview is extremely important, although it’s often overlooked. Before you meet prospective employers, you often have indirect contact with those who know them. You might even contact the employer directly through e-mail, a phone call, or correspondence. Each of these contacts creates an impression. There are three ways an interviewer may…

Sample Questions For a Behavioral Screening: What type of opportunity/position are you looking for? Describe your ideal job. What are you looking for in this position? What is your ideal work environment? How would your current teacher/co-worker describe your work? What are your top three priorities or motivators? What areas in your career are you…

INTERVIEWING “DO’S” Know where you’re going before your appointment. Prepare…know about the company, the job, and how your background relates. Dress appropriately.  Keep in mind the job for which you’re interviewing.  Take extra care with your grooming. Bring along your questions for the employer an extra resume, and your list of references.  Also, your social…

The tips on research and preparation still apply if your interview is by phone. However, since the interviewer can’t see your facial expressions showing your enthusiasm, warmth, sincerity and confidence, you need to be extra aware of making that come across in a phone interview. The interviewer also can not see if you have your…

Before we get into the specifics of how to succeed in interviews, it might help you to read about the different forms your interview might take. Your first interview is likely to fall into one of the following six categories: The Preliminary Screening Interview In the most common type of first interview, you meet with…