Interviewing

Job interviews can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. With the right approach, you can set yourself up for success. Our guidelines and strategies can help you navigate the interview process with confidence.

From researching the company and refining your resume to mastering common interview questions and perfecting your body language, the information below is designed to ensure you make a positive, lasting impression on potential employers. Whether you're a first-time interviewee or a seasoned professional looking to sharpen your skills, following these guidelines will help you present yourself as the ideal candidate for the job.

Preparing for an Interview

Practice makes perfect! Everyone gets nervous and it's easy to forget important key points that you want to make. Whether you have an in-person, virtual, or phone interview, practice answering anticipated interview questions multiple times, out loud. You need to get comfortable speaking about your skills, experiences, qualities—not just thinking about them. Speaking out loud helps us remember things better and being repetitive helps ensure you say everything you want to.

1. Know Yourself

Be able to articulate your skills, abilities, education, training, experience, top strengths, areas of improvement, career plans, and goals.

2. Know The Organization

Have a clear understanding of the organization’s products, services, history, operations, growth, and future prospects by thoroughly researching their website and LinkedIn page. You can also connect with any Oswego alum who is a former or current employee.

3. Know The Specific Job

Have a clear description of the job and required skills so that your responses can reference specific aspects of the job responsibilities. You want to demonstrate your qualifications and communicate to the employer that you are prepared and did your research. Prepare at least five questions about the job and the organization.

4. Know Your Career Field

Be able to discuss current trends and noteworthy issues in your field. Read articles and job descriptions to familiarize yourself with typical responsibilities and the qualifications needed to succeed. Network with Oswego alumni, family, friends, faculty, and others in your desired industry to gain an inside perspective.

Guidelines to Follow

Set yourself up for greater success by following these guidelines for virtual, phone, or in-person interviews. Taking the time to follow these steps will help you come across as more relaxed and confident.

Phone Tips

Keep a copy of your resume and the job description near you for reference.
Have the company website open on your computer or phone.
Write down answers to anticipated questions, highlighting your strengths and supporting examples.
Stand up to help boost your energy level and maintain a good posture.

Video Tips

Test the video and audio technology beforehand.
Remove all distractions. Have a neutral background and an uncluttered area.
Position the camera at eye level and look directly into it to maintain eye contact.
Maintain good posture and relax your shoulders.

Phone and Video Tips

Identify a quiet place with good reception/Wi-Fi.
Speak clearly and slowly so the interviewer can easily understand you.
Dress as you would for an in-person interview.
Smile. Even when you are on the phone, it will come through in your voice.

In-Person Tips

Maintain good posture. Sitting up straight communicates enthusiasm, professionalism, and confidence.
Extend a firm handshake, but be cognizant of individual sensitivities around physical contact.
Maintain good eye contact with the interviewer(s) to keep them engaged and show that you are listening.

During the Interview

Arrive/log on at least 10 minutes early.
Turn off your cell phone and avoid outside distractions. For virtual or phone interviews, find a quiet spot to sit where you won't be interrupted.
Do not eat or chew gum.
Build rapport quickly with every person you interact with, including administrative assistants, greeters, etc. Use people's names when addressing them.
Be articulate. Make sure that your response to a question is direct. Rambling can make you seem unorganized and unprepared. Interviewers prefer 5-10 seconds of thoughtful silence rather than 2-3 minutes of loosely connected thoughts. Don’t be afraid to ask for a moment to think about the question.
Avoid filler words, such as “um,” “like,” “gonna,” “stuff like that,” “ya know,” and “so, yeah.”
Be professional but still be yourself. In addition to your education, experience, and skills, interviewers also want to get a sense of your personality. They want to bring on a new team member who will be enjoyable to work with and add value to their current team. Likewise, you will want to find an organization and team that matches your style.
Use examples whenever possible. The best predictor of someone’s future behavior is their past behavior. Rather than simply saying, “I am really organized and hardworking,” say, “I have strong organizational skills. I am the Secretary of the Psychology Club, an English tutor, I have a part-time job off-campus and I still have a 3.3 GPA, so I have to stay organized while juggling a variety of responsibilities.”

Types of Interview Questions

Interviewers are interested in learning about your skills, knowledge, and experience. They also want to find out how you handle yourself in certain situations. Learn about the different types of questions you could be asked and what kind of answers the interviewers are looking for. Check out SkillsFirst for hundreds of interview questions that you can practice and record! Mock interviewing is key for refining your skills, reducing your stress, and building your confidence around interviewing. Register a SkillsFirst account to get started!

SkillsFirst Account

Traditional Questions

Straightforward questions about your experience, background, and personal qualities.

Tell me about yourself.
Why are you interested in this position/organization?
Why should we hire you?
Describe your ideal job.
Describe your ideal supervisor.
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Tell me about a past accomplishment.
What have you learned from your failures?
What motivates you at work?
How would your coworkers/classmates describe you?
Where do you see yourself in five years?

Behavioral Questions

Based on the idea that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. The interviewers are looking for specific examples.

Context—What was the problem or matter at hand?
Actions—What steps did you take, and what skills did you demonstrate?
Results—What was achieved? And how does that relate to what the organization is looking for in an employee?

Interpersonal skills: Tell me about a time when you worked on a team and dealt with a strong disagreement among team members. What did you do in that situation?
Communication skills: Describe a time when you had to persuade a person or group of people.
Initiative: Provide an example of a time when you went above and beyond.
Creativity: Describe a situation when you provided a creative solution to a problem.
Leadership: Tell me about a time when you took a leadership role. What was the outcome?
Planning/Time-management: Describe a situation where you had many assignments and projects at the same time. How did you manage the competing obligations?
Flexibility/Humility: Describe a time when you received constructive criticism.
Decision-making: Provide an example of when you had to make a difficult decision, and explain your approach.

Technical and Case Questions

Common in Business fields, STEM fields, and Education. Technical questions aim to gauge discipline-specific knowledge, which may be related to specific skills or concepts that you learned in courses. Case questions may often pose a situation to which you won’t know the answer but will need to make an attempt, as the interviewer is evaluating how you approach the problem. Be sure to demonstrate your logical reasoning and thought process.

A man and woman shaking hands across a table

Questions to Ask Employers

Bring at least 5 questions to show the employer you are prepared, and to assess your fit with the organization! Do your research and avoid asking questions that are answered in the job description or easily found on the company’s website. Some examples are:

Can you tell me more about the training provided to new employees?
When and how are employees evaluated?
What do you see in the next five years as being the organization’s biggest challenge?
How would you describe the culture of this organization?
What do you think makes your company unique from the major competitors?
How does your organization support employees of diverse backgrounds?

After the Interview

As soon as possible following the interview, write down notes about what the interviewer(s) shared. This will help you with your thank you notes, follow-up outreach, and with second-round interview preparation.

Thank You Notes

Sending a customized thank you note via email to each interviewer within 24 hours after your interview communicates that you are courteous and that you are genuinely interested in the position. Most applicants do not send them, so you will stand out from the other candidates. Include a specific reference to your conversation with the individual to show that you were engaged. You can send a handwritten thank you note in the mail, in addition to the more timely email, to add a special touch.

Following Up

One to two weeks after an interview is an appropriate amount of time to wait until following up. You can call or send a brief follow-up email to restate your interest and ask about your candidate status.

Contact Us

145 Marano Campus Center
Phone: 315-312-2255
Email: [email protected]

Connect with a Career Coach
Meet with a Career Peer Intern

Career Tools

Discover the best online tools available to help you explore majors and careers, find internships and jobs, develop amazing documents, and connect with others!

Online Career Tools