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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.