- Preparing for an Interview
- "Interview" means two or more parties looking into a common area: Do you and the company share the same values, goals and personalities?
- Prepping for an interview-just as important as the interview itself:
- Understand yourself: strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments
- Understand the basics of interviews: ask and answer questions well
- Understand the company and the job
- What products or services do they sell?
- Who are the chief competitors?
- What, if any specific problems, challenges does the company or field have?
- What may be happening in the industry?
- Some additional interview preparation tips:
- Call the Career Center at 487-2313 or send an email to career@mtu.edu to make an appointment for a mock interview
- Consider using InterviewStream to record and review answers to typical interview questions.
- Develop a brief overview of who you are and your professional/academic background as it relates to the position for which you are interviewing
- Identify WHY you want the job.
- Identify what you have to offer the company.
- Research the company and products!
- Become familiar with behavioral, case study and traditional questions, and know what questions to ask (see links on left).
- Dress for Success
- A week to a few days before your interview, check out and try on your clothing. Make sure it fits you well, is clean, and pressed and has all the buttons. Make sure you check out the BACK view also!!! If you are wearing a skirt, make sure you have a spare pair of nylons in your car or in your purse.
- Know Where To Go
- Find out exactly where the interview will be. The majority of interviews on Michigan Tech's campus will be held in the Career Center (located across the street from Jim's Foodmart). HOWEVER, INTERVIEWS MAY BE LOCATED ANYWHERE ON TECH'S CAMPUS FOR UP TO 3 DAYS AFTER FALL AND SPRING JOB FAIRS-INTERVIEW LOCATIONS WILL BE POSTED AT THE CAREER CENTER DURING THESE BUSY TIMES.
- For off site and second interviews in unfamiliar cities, try to travel to the interview location the day before (at approximately the same time as your scheduled interview) to ensure that you can find the building. Show up 10 minutes early. It's ok to be earlier but don't "announce" yourself to the receptionist more than 10 minutes before your scheduled time. Check out your appearance in the bathroom, stay in your car, take a 5 minute walk to calm yourself and go over your notes.
- Interviewing Don'ts
- YOU WILL MOST LIKELY STILL BE LOOKING FOR A JOB IF YOU DO THE FOLLOWING DURING AN INTERVIEW. DO NOT:
- Chew gum
- Wear a walkman
- Carry a backpack
- Brush off anyone you see in the building-from the janitor to the receptionist, to the guy you bumped into getting into the elevator-play nice. You never know who this person is, or what influence they may have over your hiring.
- Annoy or flirt with a receptionist who is busy
- Take along a friend who will be waiting for you in the lobby
- Carry a cell phone that may ring during your interview or introduction
- In the interview room, sitting in a chair that was meant for the interviewer. NEVER SIT before getting instructions from the interviewer
- Wing it: lie about knowing someone or some term and then getting caught in this lie during the interview
- Ask about salary, vacation or office space during the interview
- A Huge Tip
- Write a thank you note/email! Few people know the effect this simple gesture has in the hiring process. Samples can be found on our web site.
