The Interviewing Cheat Sheat

The Interviewing Cheat Sheet:
Resources for Interviewers and Candidates

By HR World Editors on September 25, 2007

There’s no doubt that the interviewing process can be stressful, not only for the person applying for the job but for those doing the hiring as well. There are ways, however, to make job interviews a more rewarding and successful experience for both parties.
 
With a little preparation and research, you can make interviewing a positive experience; read on to find useful articles and resources that will get you on the fast track to interviewing success.

Sample Interview Questions

Not sure what you’ll be asked when applying for a job? Unsure of what to ask potential employees? These are a few lists of common interview questions that cover a wide variety of professions.

• Types of questions: This article from the University of Manitoba lays out some of the basic types of questions asked at interviews including direct, indirect, hypothetical and behavioral questions.
• Fifty standard interview questions: CollegeGrad.com lays out some of the most commonly used interview questions.
• Illegal interview questions: Not everything is fair game to ask at an interview. Make sure you know what’s allowed.
• Questions for academic positions: This guide can help you know what to kind of questions to expect when applying for an academic position, as well as some pointers on how to answer.
• Sample interview questions for engineers: Engineers looking for work can expect to hear these kinds of questions at an interview.
• Interview questions for lab positions: Here you’ll find a list of questions you might be asked when applying for lab work.
• Sample interview questions for management: If you’re applying or interviewing for management and supervisory positions, these questions can be a valuable resource.
• Seven interviewer questions for first-timers: If you’re new to interviewing candidates, this article’s seven important questions can help you get started.
• Questions to ask your interviewer: When you interview for a job, you’re not the only one who should be interviewed; you should ask questions of your interviewer as well.

Answers for Candidates
Knowing the questions you’ll be asked is only half the battle; you’ll also need to be prepared with good responses. Here are some examples of answers to commonly asked questions.

• Fifty common interview questions and answers: Blogger Bhuvans provides answers to the most common interview questions, excerpted from the book “The Accelerated Job Search.”
• Job interview questions and answers: Job Bank USA gives sample answers for more than 60 types of interview questions.
• How to answer interview questions: Tips on how to answer 10 common interview questions so you can make the most of the opportunity.
• Twenty-five most difficult questions: Reprinted from FOCUS magazine, this article gives you advice on how to answer some of the hardest questions you’ll be asked at an interview.
• Ten tough interview questions and ten great answers: This article provides some guidance on how to answer tough interview questions.
• Interview questions and answers for IT professionals: Those looking for IT jobs will find good advice on this site. It provides questions and answers for programming languages like C++ and Java, as well as information on interviewing with companies like Microsoft and Google.
• How to give job-winning answers to interview questions: Don’t just give answers, give the right answers. This article can help.
• Find the best answers to interview questions: This article from The Wall Street Journal offers advice on thinking over and formulating your answers to interview questions.
• How to give great answers to tough interview questions: Here, you’ll find advice on how to formulate and think about your answers to tough interview questions.
• Ten killer job interview Questions and answers: Many interview questions have a hidden agenda. This article offers tips on recognizing it and giving the answers that will get you the job.

Types of Interviews
There are many different ways to interview candidates besides the simple one-on-one interview. Here are some helpful articles on different interview styles that can give employers some ideas and let candidates know what to expect.

• Group interview: Group interviews are often used to see how potential employees will act in a group setting. This article gives some tips on how to prepare and excel in this format.
• Panel/board interview: Panel interviews require candidates to present themselves before several people from the hiring company. Here, you’ll find advice on how to handle a panel interview.
• Telephone interview: Phone interviews can sometimes be as stress-inducing as face-to-face interviews. This article from Quintessential Careers gives candidates some advice on the proper etiquette for interviewing over the phone.
• One-on-one interview: By far the most common type of interview.
• Impromptu interview: Impromptu interviews are often not much like interviews at all, but you still need to know how to handle one.
• Dinner interview: A dinner interview can often feel informal, but you should remember that it can still have a big impact on getting the job. Use this article to help you ace the dinner interview.
• Situational interview: Situational interviews attempt to put the candidate in a situation like one they would experience on the job. This article provides tips on how to prepare for this style of interview.
• Structured interview: Structured interviews ask all candidates for a job the same questions. Learn how to make this style of interview work for you with this Cando Career article.
• Multiple interviews: Multiple interviews can be taxing, as candidates have to talk to many different people. Careerhub.com gives advice on how to prepare for multiple interviews.

Interviewing Techniques and Advice
How you conduct an interview can make a big difference in your ability to find good employees. Below are some techniques and tips for interviewing to help you find the best person for the job.

• The Microsoft interview: Your tech company might not be as big as Microsoft, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the same interviewing technique.
• SOARA technique: Here you’ll find the basic definition of the SOARA (Situation, Objective, Action, Results, Aftermath) technique and how to use it to gather all the information you’ll need from a candidate.
• How to interview candidates: This guide from Monster gives you tips on every step of interviewing and hiring candidates.
• Five steps to giving quality interviews: Interviewing is serious business, and this article from CareerBuilder.com gives you tips to preparing for yours.
• How to interview and hire top people each and every time: Businessman Gregory Smith gives his take on interviewing in this informative article.
• How to conduct an effective employee interview: This article offers pointers on building your interviewing skills, so you’ll always find the best employees for the job.
• Interviewing for employers: While written specifically for those working in the legal field, this extensive article gives some great guidelines for interviewing in any kind of business.
• Seven steps to hire the best: Manager Michael Mercer provides seven tips regarding how to predict who the best employees will be before and during the interview.
• Seven warning signs to look for when interviewing candidates: This TechRepublic article gives interviewers seven things to watch out for when interviewing potential employees.

Interviewing Strategies for Candidates
No matter what kind of job you’re applying for, you should go into the interview with a strategy. Here are some ideas on how to be successful in a variety of different interview styles.

• How to behave in a behavior-based interview: This article from JobWeb.com gives job seekers insight into what they’ll need to know for a behavior-based interview.
• How to beat the stress interview: Stress interviews can be extremely taxing if you’re not prepared. This article gives you some helpful hints that can help you be more successful with this type of interview.
• Post-interview strategies: Don’t let your interview strategy end with the interview. Use this article to help you find success even after the hard part is over.
• Behavioral interviewing strategies for job seekers: This extensive article gives candidates everything they need to know about preparing a behavioral interview strategy.
• Interview strategies: This article from The Princeton Review Inc. gives some great general tips for making a good impression at your interview.
• Case interview strategies: Case-based interviews are growing in popularity among employers, and candidates can get step-by-step advice on looking great in them with this article.

Interview Attire
The first thing employers will see when they meet you is how you’re dressed, so be sure you’re making a good impression; the following articles can help.

• How to dress for your interview: Here, you’ll find general rules for both men and women when it comes to dressing for interviews.
• SYMS dress to achieve: SYMS is dedicated to helping young professionals and recent college grads learn how to dress appropriately for business. Here, you’ll find complete guides to dressing for an interview.
• Dress to impress: Geared toward women, this site uses photographs to show what you should and shouldn’t wear to an interview.
• Dress appropriately for interviews: This article gives basic advice on dressing appropriately for your interview.
• What to wear by industry: This site gives candidates suggestions of proper attire for women in five different fields.
• Dress codes deciphered: If you’re not quite sure what business casual entails, you can use this guide from CNN to give you some insight.

What Not to Do
While it’s useful to know what you should do in an interview, it’s also important to know what you shouldn’t do. These articles offer advice that helps both employers and candidates alike avoid common mistakes.

• Eight hiring mistakes employers make: This article on About.com gives some assistance in avoiding common hiring pitfalls, saving you time and money.
• What not to wear to an interview: Think yo have the perfect outfit for your interview? Check out this article to make sure you’re not making one of these fashion blunders.
• Avoid these 10 interview bloopers: You can be the most qualified candidate and still botch your interview if you make these mistakes.
• Make-or-break interview mistakes: This article from BusinessWeek gives some advice on what not to do in an interview and how you can impress HR.
• IT interview mistakes Score that tech job you’ve always wanted by avoiding these interview mistakes.
• How not to act in an interview: Here, you’ll find real-life examples of outrageous interview behavior, which is definitely not to be imitated.
• What not to put on your résumé: GeekInterview.com gives advice on things you should never put on your résumé if you want to get hired.
• Things not to say at a job interview: Top personnel executives of 100 major American corporations compiled a collection of the absolute worst things to do at a job interview, providing education and humor to the rest of us.

Preparation Resources
Don’t go into an interview just expecting to wing it. You need to prepare beforehand if you really want to be successful. Try checking out these resources before you go into your next interview.

• The ultimate guide to job-interview preparation: This extensive guide helps you get ready for your interview with tips on self assessment, research, references and more.
• Preparing for a software-engineering interview: Written by Niniane Wang, who has worked for Google and Microsoft, this article offfers helpful pointers on what you need to do to get ready for a software- engineering interview.
• VideoJug’s how to prepare for an interview: VideoJug has how-to videos on almost everything, and interview preparation is no exception. Watch this short video to get on the path to success.
• How to prepare for a phone interview: Even though you don’t have to see your interviewer face-to-face, you need to prepare. This article can help get you ready for that phone call.
• Preparing to interview candidates: These simple criteria can help you prepare to interview candidates for any position.
• Practice interviews: Practice makes perfect, so why not give your interview a test run with these practice interviews?
• The virtual interview: Get a friend to help you go through this virtual interview so you’ll be better prepared for the real deal.

Follow-Up Resources
Just because the interview is over doesn’t mean your work is done. Following up is just as important, so use these resources to make sure you’re getting it right.

• Interview follow-up do’s and don’ts: Professor of Marketing Dr. Randall Hansen offers some advice on what you should and should not do after the interview.
• Ten tips for interview follow-up: This article provides an informative look on what to do while you’re waiting to hear back about the job you interviewed for.
• Guide to follow-up letters: Don’t let a job slip through your fingers because you fail to write a follow-up letter. This guide can help you through the process and offers sample letters and advice on what to include.
• The follow-up process: Here, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to dealing with the follow-up to an interview.
• Thank-you letters: Want to write a thank-you letter but not quite sure how to go about it? This article gives you insight on what to include and how to address the letter.
• The two most important post-interview activities: Don’t drop the ball on these two very important elements of the interview process.

Résumés and References
Doing well in your interview is important, but you also need to have a great résumé and some reliable references for potential employers to call. Use these resources and articles to help you with both.

• Resumes.com: Whether you get a free or paid membership, Resumes.com can help you build a better résumé with a résumé database and tools to help you create your résumé.
• Resume Help.org: Resume Help.org provides readers with resources for writing cover letters and résumés, plus advice for doing well in interviews.
• Best Sample Resume: If you’re not sure how to format your résumé or what to include for your particular field, résumé samples can be helpful. This site has offerings in dozens of professions.
• How to write a résumé: Find out how to put your résumé together using this site.
• Ten tips for an interview-winning résumé: It’s hard to get an interview when you don’t have an effective résumé. Check out this site for advice on how to put together a résumé that will fill your calendar with interviews.
• Keys to choosing and using the best references: Here, you’ll find a list of tips on the do’s and dont’s of giving references to a potential employer.
• Sample reference-check questions: If you’re not sure what to ask when calling a candidate’s references, try these questions.
• Cover-letter checklist: Before sending out your cover letter, make sure it includes these basics.
• Ten tips for writing effective cover letters: The cover letter is arguably the most important part of your résumé. Make yours stand out with these ten tips.