Practice Your Interviewing Skills

Good interviews don’t just happen, they take practice. Putting little time or effort into perfecting your interviewing skills will show in the interview and can significantly impede your prospects. Remember, there is no second chance to make a first impression, so to make sure that your first impression is a positive one InterviewPrep can help.

InterviewPrep is a self-paced online interview practice tool that allows you to build and customize an interview based on your major or area of interest. Once you complete the interview you may complete a self-assessment and send it to Career Services for a staff member to review. The system also has best practice videos from experts.

To activate your InterviewPrep account: 

  • Go to InterviewPrep 

  • Click “Register”  

  • Complete the fields as prompted and click "Register." 

If you don’t have access to a computer on phone with a webcam and microphone, you may use a Media Commons computer in the library. 

Know What to Wear

Men

  • Wear a clean, pressed dark suit and tie.
  • Avoid whimsical ties.
  • Wear polished dress shoes.
  • Present a clean-shaven or neatly trimmed beard.

Women

  • Wear a clean, pressed suit - either pants or skirt.
  • Skirts should be no shorter than 1 inch above the knee.
  • Wear polished dress shoes – flats or heels no more than 2 inches high.
  • Hair should be neatly arranged.

Remember

  • Anything that could detract a recruiter from paying attention to your qualifications (i.e. facial hair, jewelry, heavy perfumes/colognes) will negatively impact the professional impression you want to achieve.
  • When in doubt, be conservative!

The Campus Closet at Penn State Beaver

Have you landed the big interview but don’t have the appropriate business attire? Check out The Campus Closet at Penn State Beaver. Current Penn State Beaver students are able to request a time to explore all the closet has to offer. Business professional or business casual items are available including skirt suits, dress pants, shirts, ties, blouses, blazers, ties and much more. All items are gently worn donations appropriate for interviewing and many sizes are available. For more information on The Campus Closet contact Career Services or stop by 113 Student Union Building.

Preparing for the Interview 

  • Be able to discuss your skills, interests, values and goals that relate to the position. 

  • Research the employer and know about their mission, services and products. 

  • Demonstrate that you have the necessary position requirements. 

  • Know what type of interview to expect (i.e. initial screening interview, telephone interview, second/site interview, panel interview).

  • Be prepared to respond to common interview questions. 

  • Practice your interview skills through a mock interview or InterviewStream.

During the Interview 

Make a good first impression 

  • Be on on time. Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes before your interview is to begin. 

  • Maintain eye contact with the interviewer during your greeting and throughout the interview. 

  • Extend a firm handshake and use appropriate salutation (Mr./Ms./Dr.). 

  • Turn off your cellphone. 

What to Bring 

  • Professional portfolio to carry documents and take notes 

  • Extra copies of your resume 

  • Samples of your relevant work 

  • Reference list 

  • Any requested documentation 

  • A writing utensil 

Ask Questions 

Show that you are engaged and an active listener by asking your interviewer questions. This is your chance to get a feel for company culture, advancement and professional development opportunities, and company growth. Asking questions is an important step within an interview to demonstrate interest and curiosity, and most importantly, to show that you care enough about the opportunity to ask for further information. 

  • What are the most challenging aspects of the job? 

  • What are some of the most immediate priorities or projects for the person entering this role? 

  • Why do you enjoy working for this organization? 

  • What are the biggest challenges facing the organization or department? 

  • What are the goals of the department? Of the company? 

  • What is the management style of the organization? 

  • What specific skills or qualities are especially important for me to be successful in this position? 

  • What characteristics do the achievers in this company seem to share? 

  • What kind of assignments might I expect during the first six months on the job? 

  • What do you (the interviewer) like best about your job/company? 

  • How will my performance be evaluated? How often are reviews given? 

After the Interview 

  • Send a prompt thank-you note for the interview 

  • Follow-up regarding your status in the process if the employer has not contacted you within the agreed upon time frame (you can initiate contact and ask if a hiring decision has been made) 

  • Continue applying for additional opportunities 

Interview Questions 

Common Interview Questions 

Tell me about yourself.

  • Keep your answer to one or two minutes. 

  • Give a short version of your resume including general goals, skills and background. 

  • Focus on the skills, experiences and education you will apply to this specific position within this organization. 

Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses. 

  • Strengths: Relate your skills to the position description (give an example of your strength in action). 

  • Weaknesses: List a weakness you are working on to improve and does not directly disqualify you from the position (employers want to see that you are self-aware and taking steps to better yourself). 

Why are you interested in our organization? What interests you about this job? 

  • Share an informed interest and passion. Know the organization’s mission, products, size, reputation, history and how your role will support/impact the organization. 

  • Talk about their needs and how you can make a contribution to the company goals. 

Where do you see yourself in five years? 

  • Demonstrate that this position fits into your short and long-term goals. 

  • Be realistic. Research the structure of the organization and identify where entry-level employees progress. 

  • Before sharing graduate school plans, research whether the employer supports further education (typically, educational benefits are to be discussed after an offer of employment has been made). 

What experiences have prepared you to succeed in this position? 

  • Relate your experiences (work, volunteer, research, student activities) to the requirements of this position. 

  • Share specific examples which apply to your desired position. 

Behavioral Interview Questions 

Employers ask behavioral-based questions to learn how you have responded to specific situations in the past. Keep in mind that by asking about your past behavior, they can get a better sense of how you will perform on the job in the future. 

  • Prepare and share specific examples. Do not give hypothetical responses. 

  • Anticipate the questions you’ll be asked by looking at the specific job description. 

STAR Technique 

Considering this technique can help you organize responses to behavioral questions. 

Situation:  What was the SITUATION? 
Task:  What TASK(S) did you identify that had to be completed? 
Action:  What ACTION did you take? 
Result:  What was the RESULT of your actions? 

Sample Questions 

  • Tell me about a situation in which you demonstrated leadership. 

  • Describe a time when you did not succeed and how you handled that situation. 

  • Describe a difficult co-worker or customer and how you successfully worked with that person. 

  • Tell me how you manage time amid competing responsibilities. 

Case Interview Questions 

Case interview questions are most common in consulting and strategic management interviews where your ability to listen effectively, analyze information, seek additional details and present your approach to solving the question will be related to your future work. Questions usually center on real-world problems so that the interviewer can see how you structure and think about solving the problem. 

Tips for Case Interview Questions 

  • Ensure that you understand the basic elements of the question. 

  • Identify what information you need about the case (geographic location, budgetary information, number of employees, competitor information, etc.). 

  • Explain why you are seeking this additional information and how you are making decisions. The employer will want to understand your thought process. 

  • Organize your response so that you are presenting your ideas in a logical and coherent manner. 

  • Emphasize how you plan to solve the problem, not the actual solution (keep in mind that there is not one right answer). 

Common Categories of Case Interview Questions 

  • Addressing changes in business conditions (increasing and decreasing revenues and market share) 

  • Deciding to expand into new markets and products 

Sample Case Interview Questions 

  • You are a utility company in a small town and your customers are not paying on time. What would you do? 

  • You have just been promoted to be the president of the university that you are currently attending. What do you think is the biggest challenge you would face? 

  • Your client is considering launching a new product. What should you consider to bring the product to market? 

  • The CEO of XYZ Company has asked for your advice in developing a business plan. How would you approach this assignment? 

What Employers Look For 

  • Interest – Do you want the job? 

  • Skills, abilities and experience – Can you do the job? 

  • Motivation – Will you do the job? 

  • Personal qualities – Are you a good fit with the organization? 

  • Read more: Interviewing Prep 

Reasons Employers Do Not Hire Interview Candidates 

  • Lack of enthusiasm and interest in the position 

  • Inappropriate attire 

  • Responses do not contain enough detail 

  • Inability to connect experiences and education to the position and the organization 

  • Unclear and/or unrelated career goals 

  • Limited knowledge of the organization and the position