Interviewing
Tips:
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Pre-Interview
Preparation:
· Prepare your resume or CV (curriculum vitae)
· Create a list of references and previous
managers. Include names, titles, addresses and phone numbers
· Practice answering standard and more difficult
interview questions
· Create a list of questions to ask throughout
your interview
· Do thorough research on the organization or
facility in which you will be working. Conduct internet research.
· Make sure that you can back-up any and all technical claims that you
have put on your resume.
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General Interviewing
Tips:
· Be ready to discuss your
professional goals, objectives and personal interests.
· If there is something that you want to highlight
from your CV, talk about it in the interview.
· Keep in mind people interviewing you are
typically potential co-workers and they want to know what it would be like to
work with you.
· Be ready to sell yourself. Be prepared to
sell your strengths and qualifications without being pompous. This is probably
one of the most important interviewing skills. You need to be able
to present your strengths to those who don’t know you. Think about the
following questions in order to prepare:
o What do others
compliment me on?
o What makes me
unique?
o What will I bring
to the table with my next employer?
o How can I evaluate my
experience as a whole?
· Be prepared to explain any gaps in your resume.
Without an explanation these could be “red flags” to potential employers.
· DO NOT play hard to get. Act as if this
interview is the only one that matters. Be enthusiastic and genuinely
interested in the position. Interviewers are not likely to hire someone they
believe is not excited about their practice. One way to act enthusiastic is to
put together a comprehensive list of questions.
· Be sure to smile, make eye contact, and maintain
good posture.
· Be sure to listen. If you do not understand a
question ask the interviewer to clarify. Do not interrupt the interviewer at
any point in the interview.
· Do not ramble. Give short concise answers with
an example.
· Be truthful.
· Speak only positively about your former
experiences and former employers.
· Be punctual to your interview. Allow extra time.
It is much better to be early than late. This applies not only to face to face
interviews but also to phone interviews.
· For Phone Interviews: Agree on a definitive
time, determine who is going to call whom, and call from an area where you will
not lose service or have interruptions.
· Always close at the end of any interview
(including phone interviews) by asking: Based on this interview, do
you have any reservations about moving me forward in this process? What is the
next step in the process?
· Send a thank you note after interviewing. Either
a hand-written thank you note or an email is acceptable.
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Interview Questions to
be Prepared for:
· Tell me about yourself.
· Describe your personality.
· Describe your work habits.
· With what volume of work are you comfortable?
· Why are you changing jobs? Or why are you
interested in this job?
· What are your long-term goals?
· Why do you want to work with us?
· Why should we hire you? What do you feel you
will bring to the group?
· If you could have any job, what would it be and
why?
· What motivates you? What have you done to
improve yourself over the past year?
· How do you handle your reaction when you do not
get what you want?
· What type of people do you have the most
difficulty getting along with in the work environment and how do you handle
them?
· What constructive criticism have you received
from employers?
· What are your pet peeves?
· How would you describe your skills as a team
player?
· What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
· Describe one of your most recent technical
accomplishments?
· Describe a work scenario that did not go well
that you learned from?
· How will you deal with difficult colleagues
(other engineers, managers, etc.)?
· How do you handle pressure?
· What is your leadership style? Give an example.
· What qualities do you possess that will help you
get up to speed quickly with the demands of your new position?
· Be prepared to answer questions regarding any
negative experiences you have had in the work place, what you have learned from
them, and how you would use those experiences in a positive way in your new
position.
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Good Questions to Ask
During your Interview:
· What is the history of the group? What is the
philosophy of the group?
· What are the biggest challenges that you see
short term and long term?
· Is the group cohesive?
· What professional development opportunities are
available?
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