Career Center

Interview Preparation

You will be asked how your qualifications will relate to the job requirements. Obtain a copy of the job description and analyze your qualifications and how they match up. Think of examples of how you handled similar duties and be prepared to provide examples. Remember that the interviewers are interested only in those experiences that can relate to the job you are directly interviewing for. Try not to go off onto tangents.

• Have others review your application and/or resume and obtain constructive criticism to improve the marketing of your qualifications.
• Participate in mock interviews.
• Consider taking courses and workshops that will help you with oral and written communication skills.

Items to consider bringing to the Interview

• Use former supervisors who are familiar with your work.
• Include their names, titles, companies, and phone numbers.

• Review your resume thoroughly and be prepared to discuss all points.
• Always bring a resume copy identical to the one supplied to the interviewer.
• Bring along samples of your work, if applicable.

• Bring a folder and pen to the interview to write down notes.
• Bring directions to the interview location as well as the interviewer's phone number in case you are running late.

• Arrive no earlier than fifteen minutes before the interview (but no later than five minutes prior to the interview).
• Allow adequate time for traffic, parking, and a last minute appearance check. If possible, scout out the location the day before the interview to avoid last minute problems.
• Review your notes and go in with confidence.

Interview Tips

• Shake hands firmly and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. This is your first meeting and presentation skills are very important.
• Maintain a high energy level and be positive. Maintain your best posture.
• Be poised, confident but more importantly be yourself.
• You should give complete but brief and relaxed answers to questions. Try to engage the interviewer in conversation - try to avoid the “question, answer, question, answer…” interview. By engaging the interviewer, the conversation will flow more freely.
• Be sure to turn off cell in an interview.
• Asking questions for clarification will give you a chance to demonstrate your knowledge in the field as well as to establish an easy flow of conversation and relaxed atmosphere between you and the interviewer.
• Prior to the interview, prepare a list of questions that you will want to ask.
• Ask about your potential peers, subordinates, and supervisors.
• What would my responsibilities and duties be?
• What are your expectations of someone in this position?
• Describe a typical day on the job?

After the Interview

• At the end of the interview, ask for a tentative time frame as to when the employer expects to make the hiring decision.
• Use follow-up techniques to continue to show your enthusiastic about the position, but not desperate.
• Get the correct titles and names of all the people who interviewed you.
• Write individual thank you notes to each person who interviewed you -- within two business days. It is now becoming more acceptable to a thank you email. No matter which method you choose the process is the same. Each note can be similar, but try to differ each a bit in case the interviewers compare them! Thank you notes are very important - send one even if you are sure the job is not for you. Courtesy for a person’s time goes a long way and you never know when another position may come available that you would be interested in.
• In the thank you note, you should show appreciation for the employer’s interest in you and do remind the employer about why you are a good candidate for the position.
• Make sure thank you letters never have any grammatical errors!
• Tell your references - that they may be getting a phone call from the employer.
• Be patient, sometimes the hiring process can take longer than the employer expects.

Counter-Offer Information

DO NOT ACCEPT A COUNTER-OFFER!

If you choose to accept an offer and resign from your current position, you must be prepared to resist powerful, persuasive tactics, which your employer can use to change your mind.

Because of the undeniable costly inconvenience for employers to recruit your replacement, often they will do everything they can to keep you. But don’t be fooled – this is for their convenience not yours. They may offer large increases of money or benefits, titles and promises for the future. They can also apply strong emotional and psychological pressure. Often these promises can be attractive and tempting to accept.

However, once your employer knows you are unhappy, they will regard you as disloyal. National statistics show that over 85% of people that accept counter offers have left their employment within six months, either because their employers find a replacement in their own time, or more importantly, because the real reasons for wanting to change your job in the first place, have not gone away.

10 Reasons for Not Accepting a Counter offer

1. Why is it that the company you work for has to see you formally resign before they give you what you are worth?
2. Where is the money for the counter offer coming from and why could they not have already awarded you that? Will your next pay raise be delayed? Most companies have strict wage and salary guidelines, which must be followed.
3. Your company most likely will start looking for a new person at a lower salary.
4. You have now made your employer aware that you were willing to leave your position. Your loyalty will always be in question. When it is time for a promotion your resignation will be remembered – do you think you will get it?
5. When your employer may need to do a layoff, your position could be in jeapordy.
6. The reasons that have caused you to consider a change will most likely remain unchanged and repeat themselves in the future; even if you accept a counter offer.
7. Statistics show that if you accept a counter offer, the probability of voluntarily leaving in six months or being let go within one year is extremely high.
8. Psychologically, accepting a counter offer gives the impression that you can “be bought”.
9. Often times when your peers find out about the counter-offer, relationships may change. You can risk losing the satisfaction of peer-group acceptance.
10. If you hand in the written resignation letter and then allow your employer to talk you out of it, it gives he/she the feeling you can’t make a decision and stick to it. You can be perceived as weak, and your attempt to give notice was just a leveraging tool to get more money. A person who can’t make a decision and stick to it is often considered to be too weak for management.

Sample Resignation Letter

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Date

Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

I would like to inform you that I am resigning from my position as Accounting Manager for the XYZ Company, effective August 1.
Thank you for the opportunities for professional and personal development that you have provided me during the last five years.
I have enjoyed working for the agency and appreciate the support provided me during my tenure with the company.
If I can be of any help during this transition, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Typed Name