Interviewing
The interview is a conversation in which you and the employer will exchange information about your skills and qualifications, who you are as a person, and why you should be hired for the job or internship you are being interviewed for. An interview is an opportunity for you to learn more about the organization and the job and an opportunity for the employer to get to know you and evaluate your qualifications as a prospective employee.
This page will help you learn more about different types of interviews, how to prepare, and what to do after an interview.
Looking to Practice your Interview Skills?
We offer 2 options for you to practice before an interview.
-
- Practice Interview with a Career Advisor: Our staff can do a practice interview with you and provide constructive feedback afterwards. You can schedule an appointment for a practice interview. Please note that we do not offer same-day appointments, but we do offer drop-in hours for career advice.
- Video Interview Practice with Interview Prep: Practice for your virtual video interview with pre-recorded questions or access a database of interview questions based on industry. This service is available 24/7 with your UWW email address. Learn more and login.
Types of Interviews:
- This is often the first round of the hiring process and serves as an initial screening.
- Prepare for this type of interview the same way you would for any other interview.
- Speak with self-confidence and an enthusiastic tone of voice. People can hear you "smile over the phone".
- Find a private and quiet place to conduct the interview.
- Speak directly into your phone. Do not use speakerphone.
- Take notes to reference at the end of the interview. This may impact the questions you ask during the interview or can be used as part of a "thank you" note.
- Treat phone interviews as if they were an in-person interview in terms of posture and preparation. You may also consider dressing in professional interview attire. If you look and feel the part, the employer will be able to sense your confidence over the phone.
- Virtual interviews are real-time conversations with an employer through a computer platform, phone, or other device.
- Video interviews are often pre-recorded and not done with any real-time interaction with the employer. An employer will watch your video interview at a later date and time.
- Visual cues are important for both types of interviews. Be sure to dress professionally and think about your surroundings. Try to find a neutral backdrop or a blank wall. Career Services can help reserve an interview room on campus if needed.
- Be aware of your body language, hand gestures, and posture.
- Remember to smile.
- Eye contact is important just as with a face-to-face interview. Remember, eye contact on videos is with your web camera and not the screen.
- Be sure to confirm the logistics for the interview. Employers may have more than one office location and you want to be sure you are heading to the correct one.
- Think about potential challenges in arriving for your interview: class times (for on-campus interviews), road construction or traffic (for employer visits), etc.
- Plan to arrive 15 minutes early for in-person interviews.
- Remember, the entire visit is part of the interview so be professional at all times. This includes any meal functions that may be part of the interview visit or the time you spend waiting at an employer's location prior to your interview.
Tips for the Interview Process:
The tabs below include helpful information for you to prepare for the entire interview process.
1. Know Yourself:
- Review your own resume! During your interview you should be prepared to speak about any experiences that you have listed on the resume.
- Think about what you have learned or gained from your academic experience, previous employment, and extracurricular involvement. Be prepared with specific, detailed examples to share during your interview.
2. Research the Organization:
- Review the company website.
- Research the company using third-party websites like GlassDoor.com.
- If you met the employer during a campus career fair, review the handouts or other materials they may have provided for you.
3. Research the Job:
- Review the job description to refresh your knowledge about the job duties/responsibilities and the qualifications the employer is seeking.
- Think about how your past experiences have helped you to develop the skills to meet these qualifications.
4. Prepare for, and Practice, Questions:
- Review sample interview questions on Interview Prep and practice your answers.
- Schedule an appointment with your career advisor to complete a practice interview or do general interview preparation.
- Revisit the job description. You can anticipate some questions focused on the skills or requirements of the job you will be interviewing for.
5. Make a List of Questions to Ask:
- You MUST ask questions at the end of every interview. This shows the employer your level of preparation and interest in the job/internship that you are interviewing for.
- Develop a list of questions that you are genuinely interested in hearing a response to. These could pertain to: more information about the organization, the day-to-day aspects of the job or internship, questions about the team you would be working with, the timeline for the employer to make a decision about the next step in the interview process, etc.
- Write your questions down in advance of the interview and refer to them when it is time to ask questions during the interview. Prepare more questions than you think you will need as some of them may be addressed during your interview.
1. Dress Professionally:
- First impressions are important, so look professional.
- Unless otherwise instructed by your recruiter, it is safe to assume that you should wear professional attire for your interview.
- Need help finding professional wardrobe pieces? Visit the Warhawk Success Closet to find FREE professional clothing items that you can keep.
2. Be on Time:
- For on-campus or in-person interviews, arrive 15 minutes early. This gives you time to review your notes, prepare for the interview, and relax.
- For online interviews, log on about 5 minutes early. If you need to test your equipment or get comfortable with the online interview platform, be sure to log in earlier.
3. Know How You Communicate Non-Verbally:
- Non-verbal communication makes up a significant part of all communication. This includes your attire, how you stand, sit, use hand gestures, make eye contact, and how you listen.
- For phone interviews, your tone of voice is important. Make sure to convey your enthusiasm for the job you are interviewing for.
- Eye contact is important. During video interviews remember that eye contact is with your web camera not your computer screen.
4. Provide Detailed Answers to Employer Questions:
- Don't simply give "yes or no" answers to interview questions.
- Provide specific examples to highlight your experience, your accomplishments, and relevant skills for employers.
- Be prepared to answer some behavioral interview questions. We have provided some below for you to practice.
5. Ask your Prepared Questions:
- You MUST ask questions at the end of every interview.
- Prepare your questions in advance, write them down, and develop more questions than you think you will need as some may be answered during the interview.
- Ask the interviewer about the next step in the interviewing process and a timeline of when you can expect to hear back from the employer.
1. Analyze the Interview:
- Reflect on your interview. What did you learn about the organization or the job? Did the answers the employer provided to your questions help to strengthen your interest in the opportunity? Did it raise any concerns?
- Is there anything you would do differently in your next interview?
2. Send a Thank You Note:
- You should send a thank you note after every interview. Be sure to thank the individuals involved in the interview, reaffirm your interest in the position, and express enthusiasm for the next step in the process.
- Send a separate thank you note to each person you interviewed with. Personalize the note for each person.
- E-mail notes are perfectly appropriate.
3. When Appropriate, Follow-up:
- If the employer does not contact you by the date they stated during your interview, call the organization and ask about the current status of your candidacy.
- This is why it is important to ask about a timeline for next steps in the process during the interview.
Answering Behavioral Interview Questions:
Think about behavioral interview questions as "story-telling problems". They are based on the belief that past behavior will predict future behavior and performance. Interviewers will use these types of questions to gain an in-depth understanding of the way you have responded to situations and challenges in your past experiences (both in and out of the classroom). When answering a behavioral question be sure to provide specific, detailed examples.
- One key to answering behavioral questions is to keep your thoughts organized. This helps to ensure you are providing sufficient detail in your answer and conveying your message in a clear, organized way.
- Two strategies for answering these questions are the "STAR" method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or the "BAR" method (Background, Action, Result). Using these strategies will ensure you are providing enough detail while making your story easy to follow. Download a handout explaining the “STAR” method.
- You can practice your answers to these types of questions. As you review your resume, think about the experiences you have detailed in past jobs, volunteer experiences, student organizations, athletics, and classes.
- You can utilize Interview Prep to review and practice answering behavioral interview questions.
Example Behavioral Questions
- Give me an example of a project you worked on with little or no guidance.
- Tell me about a time you had a conflict with someone at work or school and how you resolved the conflict.
- Describe a time when you worked on many different projects at the same time. How did you manage your time?
- What accomplishment has given you the greatest satisfaction?
- Tell me about a time you were part of a great team. What was your part in making that team effective?
- Tell me about a goal you have set for yourself that you were not able to accomplish.
- Can you describe the most challenging customer service situation you have encountered?
- Tell me about a time when you made sure a customer was pleased with your service.
- Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a client's expectation. What happened, and how did you attempt to resolve the situation?
- Describe an experience you have had working in a fast-paced environment.