Interviewing is a crucial step in your career search process, as it provides an opportunity for potential employers to evaluate your skills, qualifications, and personality fit for their organization. Preparing for interviews effectively can significantly increase your chances of landing the job you desire.
Interviews can come in many forms such as phone calls, virtual meetings, pre-recorded videos, or even presented in case style where you’re given a real-life problem to solve on the spot. No matter what type of interview you have, planning ahead and preparing for commonly asked interview questions is the key to success. Browse the different resources on this page to learn more about what to expect and how to prepare for your upcoming interviews so that you hopefully won’t run into any surprises.
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Interview Prep- Question Matrix this is an organizational tool to assist you in preparing for your interviews.
Interview Prep Matrix – O’Neill Graduate Students this is an organizational tool to assist you in preparing for your behavior-based interviews.
STAR Interview Method: Many employers use Behavioral Based Interview questions throughout the hiring process. These questions are designed to provide insight into your past actions and to predict future behaviors. You are expected to answer these questions by telling a complete story and using the “STAR” method which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Use this worksheet to start developing your own STAR stories to prepare for your next interview.
Video: How to Prepare for an Interview takes you through the whole interview process: before, during, and after, with an emphasis on the STAR format that is most commonly used in interviews.
Company Research Guide: Researching the company is a critical first step before even applying for a job. Once you land an interview, you have to dig even deeper into the company so that you can give a convincing argument that not only are you the best candidate, that you “get” what the company stands for and want to be a part of it. Use this company research guide and list of resources to help in your search.
Vault/Firsthand introduces articles to help you feel more confident in interviews. Unfortunately, this joy can soon be replaced by anxiety—and that can wreak havoc on your confidence. The good news is there are several distinct ways to fight this anxiety, boosting your confidence in the process. Be prepared!
Tips for Fighting Interview Fear Interview fear is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s natural, stemming from the human desire to seek approval and validation. So, first, when trying to deal with your interview fear, it’s important to recognize that interview fear is normal—and have some compassion for yourself when you notice the fear coming up.
How to Pitch Your Value in Interviews In interviews, one of the most important things you need to do is persuasively communicate how you can add value—to the company and to the specific team.
3 Tips for Overcoming Self-Doubt Before Interviews Interview fear is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s natural, stemming from the human desire to seek approval and validation. So, first, when trying to deal with your interview fear, it’s important to recognize that interview fear is normal—and have some compassion for yourself when you notice the fear coming up. It’s also important to understand that lessening your interview fear is entirely possible. And here are three things you can do that’ll go a long way toward reducing that fear.
HireEd The experts in the Business/O’Neill Information Commons give students a competitive edge in the internship and job search by curating resources and research that helps students customize their application materials, focus interview preparation, and strategize salary and compensation negotiations.
Do’s and Don’ts of Virtual Interviewing Many companies have switched to virtual interviewing. And to ace your virtual interviews, you need to know what to do as well as what not to do. Here are the most important do’s and don’ts when it comes to succeeding in a virtual interview.
7 Tips for Acing Virtual Interviews Since the pandemic, virtual interviews have become the norm—and will likely be so for the foreseeable future. This means that, to grow your career, you need to know how to nail a virtual interview. So, here are six tips for preparing for and acing your next virtual interview.
All Industry Common Interview Questions While companies use a variety of different interview strategies, many of the questions from one organization to the next are very similar. Use this list of common interview questions to prepare answers for your next interview.
Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview Employers are constantly looking for candidates with a clear understanding of what they want in their careers. And one of the best ways in which employers assess this during an interview is through questions candidates ask at the end. This is why asking insightful questions during an interview can make you stand out among other candidates. Asking good questions also sends the message that you’re interested in the role and the company. What follows are some of the best questions you can ask in an interview—along with the reasons why they’re so good.
Behavioral Interview Questions (and Sample Answers) You’ve prepped endlessly for that upcoming interview. You memorized all of the common job interview questions…But you’re not just there yet.You still need to prepare for the behavioral interview questions.And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how!
As with any interview, preparation, and practice instill confidence and make the process easier. So, put aside your anxiety! Review the strategies and tips below so that you feel confident and perform well during your panel interview.
- Research the company and individuals that will be interviewing you. Learn their names and job titles.
- Know their roles, study key details such as their major accomplishments, and have at least one question for their area.
- Prepare to answer how you see yourself working with/complimenting their work; engage with everyone in the room—EYE CONTACT;
- Be conversational, and turn the meeting into a conversation. Try referring to exchanges from earlier in the interview to indicate that you have been listening carefully and processing what your interviewers have said.
- Talk to everyone when you answer not just the person who asked; send thank you to everyone.
Stressed about an upcoming panel and case interviews? We can help! First, consulting firms LOVE case interviews. Why? Because rather than give you hypothetical scenarios, a lot of the cases given during interviews are real scenarios that consulting firms advise clients through. Here are some common trends for what consulting firms are looking for:The approach you take to solving a problem,How analytical and creative your thinking is,Your usage of data to quantify and make your recommendations,Your communication skills in conveying your ideas,How you would suggest implementing these proposals.
Case Interview:Comprehensive Guide posted by My Consulting Coach shows the fundamentals,structure and building blocks of case interviews.
Bridgespan Group Case Interview Resource example information packet
How to Prepare for a Panel Interview Heading into a panel interview? Get ready to talk to a lot of people. The more prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll be and the better you’ll fare.
The firing squad – How to survive a panel interview building a rapport with multiple evaluators is that many times harder than connecting with just one—but it’s definitely possible. Here are a few survival tips for your next panel interview.
How To Succeed in a Panel Interview: Tips and Questions read how to succeed in a panel interview, including some sample questions and answers.
Dressing for Virtual Interviews article When it comes to dressing for an interview, the focus should be on you, not what you are wearing. The most reassuring thing about interviews being primarily virtual now is that the laws of dressing have not changed that much.
You should dress the same as you would in a face-to-face interview. It will help if you pretend that you are meeting with the interviewer in person so that you will feel prepared. Are you worried about what to wear?
What Even Is Business Casual? You probably have at least a vague idea of what you’re supposed to wear to a job interview—but then, if all goes well, you get the job offer. And at some point, you’re told that the office dress code is business casual.
But what does that even mean? Strict “business attire” may be less comfortable for daily wear, but at least we all know what it is. (Hint: It’s a suit.) Business casual is a different sartorial beast. We’re pretty sure it means you don’t have to wear a suit, but you shouldn’t wear jeans—except maybe on Fridays? It’s all very subjective and can be different from company to company. So, let’s go over some of the ins and outs of the business casual workplace.
