Interview Preparation

THE FUNNEL TECHNIQUE

Using this simple structure will enable you to effectively answer almost any question. The theory is based
upon being able to answers a question “completely” without the need to further question.

The technique is utilised by answering questions with a structure to give a detailed answer starting with
global information and finishing with a specific.

A typical IT question example could be:

Tell me about your experience with IP networking?

Answer:
• I have been involved within IP Networking for 6 years.

• I have been involved in the Design, Test, Implementation and Support of my companies Core IP
environment.

• An example of this is when I ………………. (give you most impressive example)

Also (if required) I have recently been involved in a project that ………. (Give recent example)

• Overall I would say I am very comfortable working within a Core IP environment and rate my
skills here as excellent.

GLOBAL

Years

Project Cycle

Examples

Competency

SPECIFIC

Interviewing

Ten Interview Questions

Here are 10 questions and answers to help you prepare for your interviews. You can either scroll down the
entire page or click on the questions below that interest you.

1. Why do you want to work here?

2. What did you like/dislike about your last job?
3. What would you like to be doing five years from now?
4. What are your biggest accomplishments?
5. Can you work under pressure?
6. Why should I hire you?
7. How do you take direction?
8. Tell me about yourself.
9. What is the most difficult situation you have faced?
10. Do you prefer working with others or alone?

1. "Why do you want to work here?"

To answer this question, you must have researched the company and built a dossier. Reply with the
company's attributes as you see them. Cap your answer with reference to your belief that the company can
provide you with a stable and happy work environment - the company has that reputation - and that such an
atmosphere would encourage your best work.

"I'm not looking for just another pay check. I enjoy my work and am proud of my profession Your
company produces a superior product/provides a superior service. I share the values that make this possible,
which should enable me to fit in and complement the team."

2. "What did you like/dislike about your last job?"

The interviewer is looking for incompatibilities. If a trial lawyer says he or she dislikes arguing a point with
colleagues, such a statement will only weaken - if not immediately destroy - his or her candidacy.

Most interviews start with a preamble by the interviewer about the company. Pay attention: That
information will help you answer the question. In fact, any statement the interviewer makes about the job or
corporation can be used to your advantage.

So, in answer, you liked everything about your last job. You might even say your company taught you the
importance of certain keys from the business, achievement, or professional profile. Criticizing a prior
employer is a warning flag that you could be a problem employee. No one intentionally hires trouble, and
that's what's behind the question. Keep your answer short and positive. You are allowed only one negative
about past employers, and only then if your interviewer has a "hot button" about his or her department or
company; if so, you will have written it down on your notepad. For example, the only thing your past
employer could not offer might be something like "the ability to contribute more in different areas in the
smaller environment you have here." You might continue with, "1 really liked everything about the job.
The reason I want to leave it is to find a position where I can make a greater contribution. You see, I work
for a large company that encourages specialization of skills. The smaller environment you have here will,
as I said, allow me to contribute far more in different areas." Tell them what they want to hear - replay the
hot button.

Of course, if you interview with a large company, turn it around. "1 work for a small company and don't get
the time to specialize in one or two major areas." Then replay the hot button.

3. "What would you like to be doing five years from now'?."

The safest answer contains a desire to be regarded as a true professional and team player. As far as
promotion, that depends on finding a manager with whom you can grow. Of course, you will ask what
opportunities exist within the company before being any more specific: "From my research and what you
have told me about, the growth here, it seems operations is where the heavy emphasis is going to be. It
seems that'.,; where you need the effort and where I could contribute toward the company's goals." Or, "1
have always felt that first-hand knowledge and experience open up opportunities that one might never have
considered, so while at this point in time I plan to be a part of [e.g.] operations, it is reasonable to expect
that other exciting opportunities will crop up in the meantime."

4. "What are your biggest accomplishments?"

Keep your answers job related. If you exaggerate contributions to major projects, you will be accused of
suffering from "coffee-machine syndrome," the affliction of a junior clerk who claimed success for an
Apollo space mission based on his relationships with certain scientists, established at the coffee machine.
You might begin your reply with: "Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, I am
proud of my involvement with... I made my contribution as part of that team and learned a lot in the
process. We did it with hard work, concentration, and an eye for the bottom line."

5. "Can you work under pressure?"

You might be tempted to give a simple "yes" or "no" answer, but don't. It reveals nothing, and you lose the
opportunity to sell your skills and value profiles. Actually, this common question often comes from an
unskilled interviewer, because it is closed-ended. As such, the question does not ,give you the chance to
elaborate. Whenever you are asked a closed-ended question, mentally add: "Please give me a brief yet
comprehensive answer." Do that, and you will give the information requested and seize an opportunity to
sell yourself. For example, you could say: "Yes, I usually find it stimulating. However, I believe in
planning and proper management of my time to reduce panic deadlines within my area of responsibility."

6. "Why should I hire you?"

Your answer will be short and to the point. It will highlight areas from your background that relate to
current needs and problems. Recap the interviewer's description of the job, meeting it point by point with
your skills. Finish your answer with: "1 have the qualifications you need [itemize them], I'm a team player,
I take direction, and I have the desire to make a thorough success."

7. "How do you take direction?"

The interviewer wants to know whether you are open - minded and can be a team player. Can you follow
directions or are you a difficult, high-maintenance employee? Hopefully, you are a Iow-maintenance
professional who is motivated to ask clarifying questions about a project before beginning, and who then
gets on with the job at hand, coming back to initiate requests for direction as circumstances dictate.

This particular question can also be defined as "How do you take direction?" and "How do you accept
criticism?" Your answer should cover both points: "1 take direction well and recognize that it
can come in two varieties, depending on the circumstances. There is carefully explained direction, when my
boss has time to lay things out for me in detail; then there are those times when, as a result of deadlines and
other pressures, the direction might be brief and to the point. While I have seen some people get upset with
that, personally I've always understood that there are probably other considerations I am not aware of. As
such, I take the direction and get on with the job without taking offense, so my boss can get on with her job.
It’s the only way."

8. "Tell me about yourself."

This is not an invitation to ramble on. If the context isn't clear, you need to know more about the question
before giving an answer. In such a situation, you could ask, "Is there a particular aspect of my background
that would be most relevant to you?" This will enable the interviewer to help you find the appropriate focus
and avoid discussing irrelevancies.

Whichever direction your answer ultimately takes, be sure that it has some relevance to the world of your
professional endeavours. The tale you tell should demonstrate, or refer to, one or more of your key
behavioural profiles in action-perhaps honesty, integrity, being a team player, or determination. If you
choose "team player" (maybe you're the star player at first base on a community team), you can tell a story
about yourself outside of work that also speaks volumes about you all work. In part, your answer should
make the connection between the two, such as, "1 put my heart into everything I do, whether it be sports or
work. I find that getting along with teammates - or professional peers - makes life more enjoyable; and
productive.

Or you might describe yourself as someone who is able to communicate with a variety of people, and give
an example from your personal life that indicates an ability to communicate that would also apply at work.

This isn't a question that you can answer effectively off the cuff. Take some time in advance to think about
yourself and those aspects of your personality and/or background that you'd like to promote or feature for
your interviewer.

9. "What is the most difficult situation you have faced?"

The question looks for information on two fronts:
How do you define difficult? and, what was your handling of the situation? You must have a story ready for
this one in which the situation both was tough and allowed you to show yourself in a good light. Avoid
talking about problems that have to do with co-workers. You can talk about the difficult decision to fire
someone, but emphasize that once you had examined the problem and reached a conclusion you acted
quickly and professionally, with the best interests of the company at head:.

"What are some of the things that bother you?" "What are your pet hates? .... Tell me about the last time
you felt anger on the job."

These questions are so similar that they can be treated as one. It is tremendously important that you show
you can remain calm. Most of us have seen a colleague lose his or her cool on occasion -not a pretty sight
and one that every sensible employer wants to avoid. This question comes up more and more often the
higher up the corporate ladder you climb, and the more frequent your contact with clients and the general
public. To. answer it, find something that angers conscientious workers. "1 enjoy my work and believe in
giving value to my employer. Dealing with clock-watchers and the ones who regularly get sick on Mondays
and Fridays really bothers me, but it's not something that gets me angry or anything like that." An answer of
this nature will help you much more than the kind given by a California engineer, who went on for some
minutes about how he hated the small-mindedness of people who don't like pet rabbits in the office.

10. "Do you prefer working with others or alone?"

This question is usually used to determine whether you are a team player. Before answering, however, be
sure you know whether the job requires you to work alone. Then answer appropriately. Perhaps: "I'm quite
happy working alone when necessary. I don't need much constant reassurance. But I prefer to work in a
group - so much more gets achieved when people pull together."
Questions NOT to Ask
Inquiries should not include any questions that could be rephrased, "What's in this for me?" Avoid the
following topics:

® Salary
® Overtime
· Benefits
· Questions about the employer that could be embarrassing

Preparation

STEP 1 - Know Thyself

The first step is to review your own qualifications. This step will make you much more organized
and fluent during the interview. You'll be less likely to have regrets after the interview about what
you failed to mention if you review the following areas of your background in relation to the
requirements of the position:

® Education, course work, seminars

® Skills and abilities
® Work experience
® Extracurricular activities and their value to you
® Strengths and weaknesses
® Values, likes and dislikes--especially as they pertain to your work life
® Career goals--clearly and precisely stated

To prepare in this area you may want to take vocational assessment tests, work with a career
counsellor, buy a workbook, or simply sit down with pencil and paper and make some notes.
Whatever your approach, don't omit this step!

STEP 2 - Know the Employer

A standard part of most interviews is a question about your knowledge of the employer. It is
imperative to do your homework. A weak answer to this question is devastating. These are the
areas to learn about:

® History of the organization

® Products and/or services
® Primary clientele
. Current earnings
. Organizational structure, hierarchy, chief officers
. Major competitors
· Ranking among competitors
· Reputation
· Parent company and subsidiaries
· Prospects for growth

To research an organization, make use of the Internet, the Career Services Centre Library, the
reference sections of the university libraries, local public libraries, and chambers of commerce.
Consult annual reports, newsletters, and trade association publications.
STEP 3 - Know the Position
You should have a good idea of what the job entails, both in general,, and as it exists in the
particular organization to which you are applying. When researching: the position look for this
type of information:

® A typical job description

· Skills required
® Personal traits that are desirable in this field
® Salary information
® Growth in the field--how competitive is it?
® Current trends and major issues in the field

The place to start this research is with any written job description that the company provides.
Spend some time analyzing this and committing it to memory. You will need to draw on this
information in the interview. Useful resources include company literature, and materials from
professional associations, Friends and business contact’s can also be very informative.

When you have finished your research of the employer and the position, match your skills,
personal traits, and experiences (jobs, internships, volunteer experience, academic courses and
extracurricular activities) with those that qualify you for this job. Think through how you will
present this information in a concise, organized manner. The interview is a matching process for
you and the employer. Your research of the company and the position will allow you to present
your case effectively.

Determine the most important material to present. Practice including this material in your answers
and strategize what to do if not asked for this information. There is usually a time for you to ask
questions and make comments at the end of the interview. If you haven't made some important
point, this provides an opportunity.

Also use relaxation and visualization techniques. When completely relaxed, picture yourself
answering questions in an articulate, knowledgeable, organized way. Visualize your interviewer
responding positively. Visualize yourself as confident and relaxed. Supply as much detail as
possible to these images. Most importantly, visualize yourself receiving the

What Employers Are Seeking

The following list of traits was compiled from surveys conducted by UCR's Career Services
Centre and by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

® Initiative
® Communication skills
® Interpersonal skills
® Enthusiasm
® Maturity
® Flexibility
® Problem-solving ability
® Leadership skills
® Cooperation
® Dependability
® High energy level
® Confidence
® Creativity

Dress

The rule of thumb in dressing for the interview is to dress professionally' and conservatively. For most
environments, a gray or navy business suit is appropriate. Stay away from trendy clothing, flashy jewellery,
colognes, and heavy make-up. The image should be toned down and professional. There may be some
exceptions to this, in fields that involve fashion or entertainment, for example. But do your research, and
when in doubt, err on the side of being conservative. First impressions, while they can't substitute for sound
preparation are, nonetheless, highly important. Decisions are often made in the first minute or so of the
interview.

The Interview
· Take extra copies of your resume, a typewritten list of your references with their addresses and
phone numbers, and any work samples you may want to present.

· Arrive five or ten minutes early, but not too early. When waiting in the lobby, remember that the
receptionist may be an informal part of the selection team. Behave professionally while waiting.

· When greeted by the interviewer, respond with a smile and good eye contact. Allow the
interviewer to offer his or her hand. Respond with a firm handshake, neither bone crunching, nor
limp. Be positive, friendly and enthusiastic. Willingly engage in any small talk the interviewer
initiates.

· Be aware of body language, both your own and your interviewer's. Sit up, don't fidget, wiggle
your foot, or "talk with your hands." Try to maintain a relaxed, open manner. Keep your voice
level at an appropriate volume. If you speak very softly, this may be interpreted as shyness or a
lack of assertiveness. Speak clearly and in complete sentences, avoiding one word answers.

· One of your main objectives in the interview is to establish good rapport with your interviewer.
The interviewer is looking for someone he or she would be comfortable: working with. If you are
overly nervous and monosyllabic, or if the interviewer feels that information has to be dragged
out of you, chances are the job will go to someone more forthcoming.

· Listen well. Don't interrupt. Tune in to the interviewer's responses and body language. If you
momentarily lose concentration, ask that the question be repeated, rather than answering the
wrong question. This is a frequent occurrence in interviews. Get clarification before proceeding.

· Keep your answers focused on the job description and the employer. Your research should now
begin paying off in helping you to provide information that is relevant to the job at hand. Be
specific in your answers by giving appropriate examples.

· If asked about something you don't know, be honest, but try to avoid negative qualifiers in your
answers. For example, "I really don't have much background in that, but I did have a summer job
in which..." This answer would be much more effective if it began, "I once had a summer job..."
Perhaps you don't feel the experience you gained that summer was very significant. It's difficult
to predict how the interviewer will evaluate it, but don't sabotage yourself.

· You also want to avoid negative comments about your previous jobs; or bosses. Discuss the
positive aspects of your experiences. Above all, don't ramble. Focus on the question that was
asked. Give direct, well-organized answers.

The Questions
Tell me a little about yourself.
This is often used as an opening question and requires a brief, well-prepared 60 second
advertisement of yourself. A 20 minute soliloquy is definitely not in order. If you are going to
display any nervousness in the interview it will be during the first few minutes. Keep your
answers to the initial questions fairly brief. This will give you a chance to settle into the situation,
will force the interviewer to talk a little more, even if only to ask another question, and will create
more of a dialog between the two of you. And a dialog or a good conversation is definitely what
you want.

Discuss your work experience.

Provide well-organized, well-supported, specific information. Keep it relevant to the job at hand.
It's not necessary to be thorough, giving each job equal time. Focus on the jobs that relate and
highlight the parts of the jobs that would be of interest to the interviewer. Cover the rest in a brief,
general statement.

What are your goals?

Keep your goals consistent with the goals of the field for which you are interviewing and with
those of the employer. Again, your research is important for this answer. Stay away from
interviews in which your goals are not in concert with either those of the position or the
employer. At best, that just wastes everyone's time. At worst, you might end up getting a job that
won't take you where you want to go.

Where do you want to be in five years?

Phrase your answer to this in terms of the next job up the ladder. Don't tell the interviewer you
want his or her job! Don't talk about being the president of the company eventually. Keep your
answer more immediate.

Why do you want this job?

This question gives you a chance to discuss all you know about the .job and why you're such a
good match for it. This is another tough question to answer without having done the homework.

· How would you describe yourself?. What are your greatest strengths? Weaknesses?
In describing yourself use only your positive traits. This is no time to present a balanced view. On
the other hand, outright bragging doesn't come off well either. Provide some objective support to
your answer in discussing your achievements by recounting situations you've been in and how
you've behaved, or how you've solved problems.

The weaknesses question may be the most difficult one of the interview. Plan for what you'll say.
Stay away from the trite approach, "I'm just a workaholic." Some interviewers might perceive this
as threatening. Most will hear it as inauthentic. There are at least two better approaches.
You might focus on a preferred, but peripheral qualification in the job description, particularly if
it could be easily learned. Minimize the deficit and focus on your eagerness to learn more about
it.

Another effective approach is to actually think about problems you have faced in your life. We
seem to be given multiple opportunities to learn lessons in our weak areas. If you can think of a
weakness that has given you trouble, you might consider using it. You will probably score points
for being genuine. A word of caution--obviously, this flaw can't be irrelevant (like a weakness for
chocolate). More importantly, it can't be a fatal flaw, e.g., "I can never seem to meet a deadline,"
or "I'm always late," or "I hate numbers." It should be something that won't have a profound
impact on the work of this position and something you are striving successfully to correct.

Why should I hire you?

Focus on your assets, what you have to offer the employer, the strengths you would bring to the
position.

What are your greatest achievements?

Keep these as relevant to the job as possible. Tailor each answer to the objective at hand.

How much of your college expenses did you earn?

Keep in mind that employers are looking for work ethic and they fear it is missing, often as not. If
you held the normal part-time and summer jobs to keep yourself in clothing, food, incidentals and
your car in gasoline, remember that those expenses add up--possibly to 25 percent or more of
your overall living costs.

What are your educational goals?

This may not be the time to divulge that you only want the job to earn money to go back to
graduate school full-time. Frame you answer around your love of learning either through formal
or informal means, especially as the organization and position might demand.

What are your salary expectations?

You may indicate that this is negotiable, or you may express your expectations in terms of a range
of about £40,000. This range must be realistic or the employer may assume you really know very
little about the field.

Why do you want to work for us?

This is a good opportunity to discuss all that you've learned about [he organization and to use that
as a major part of the reason you want the job.

Other Commonly Asked Questions

® How did you select your university?

® Why did you choose your major?
® What were your favourite classes? Least favourite?
® Tell me about a problem you've had and how you solved it.
® How has your education (or experience) prepared you for this position?
® What did you like most about the jobs you've held? Least?
® Why do you want this particular job?
® Do you feel your transcript reflects your true ability?
® Of what value were your extracurricular activities?
® What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
® How do you spend your free time?
® What type of relationship do you like to have with your supervisor?
® How does this job contribute to your overall career goal?
® Are you willing to relocate?
® Do you work well under pressure?
· How do you define success?
· Describe your ideal job.
· What do you know about our organization?

Ending the Interview

You are generally asked if you have questions or comments at the end of the interview. This is a good point
to interject any important points not covered by the interviewer, or which you forgot to mention earlier.
Questions should be few in number and not require lengthy explanations. This segment of the interview is
usually allotted five or ten minutes before the conclusion. Don't annoy the interviewer by detaining him or
her. On the other hand, it is considered very bad form if you have no questions or comments. Thoughtful
questions display your interest in and enthusiasm for the job. They might include:

® Who would my supervisor be?

® What type of equipment is used (computers, software, etc.)?
· What type of training is provided?
· Tell me about the evaluation process for this position.
· What are the most important skills and abilities that you are seeking?.
· How does one advance in this organization?
· If I were offered the position, when would I start?
· When can I expect to hear from you?