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.
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- 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.
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- Interview questions for tech companies: This article provides sample interview questions for numerous types of high-tech programming jobs. Questions pertain to Perl, shell scripting, MySQL and more.
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- Sample interview questions for teachers: Virginia Polytechnic Institute provides a list of commonly asked questions for teaching candidates.
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- Interview questions for health-care positions: Nurses and other health-care professionals will find this a useful resource when preparing for an interview.
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- 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. Here are some important questions to ask before you accept a new job.
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. -
- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- One-on-one interview: By far the most common type of interview, this article from Monster gives some insight into what the one-on-one interview is all about.
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- Impromptu interview: Impromptu interviews are often not much like interviews at all, but you still need to know how to handle one. This article can give you some helpful pointers.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Developing a behavioral interview: This site gives you instructions on how to develop behavioral interviews, as well as some sample questions.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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 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.
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- 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.
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- Interview strategies: This article from The Princeton Review Inc. gives some great general tips for making a good impression at your interview.
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- 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. -
- 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.
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- Dress to impress: Geared toward women, this site uses photographs to show what you should and shouldn’t wear to an interview.
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- 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. -
- 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.
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- The most common hiring mistakes and how to prevent them: This article gives some statistics-backed reasons not to make these hiring mistakes.
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- Twenty things not to do at an interview: This site provides a guide to the most basic blunders to avoid when interviewing. Much of it may seem like common sense, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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- 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. -
- How to prepare for a behavioral interview: This wiki can give you the tips you need to prepare for any behavioral interview.
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- Practice interviews: Practice makes perfect, so why not give your interview a test run with these practice interviews?
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- 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 i mportant, so use these resources to make sure you’re getting it right. -
- 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.
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- 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.
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.
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- Resume Help.org: Resume Help.org provides readers with resources for writing cover letters and résumés, plus advice for doing well in interviews.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Reference guidelines for your job search: References can be an important part of getting a job. This article offers advice on who to recruit.
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