During an Interview

Make a Good Impression

Arrival

• Try to arrive at your interview about 10 minutes before it is scheduled to start – and that means in the office ten minutes prior, not the parking lot. Research what the traffic will be like at the time you may be travelling to the interview. You may have difficulty finding the correct office if it is a large or complex building, or you may need to go through security. If you have time beforehand, consider going to the restroom for one last check in the mirror. When you check in, you will likely be directed to take a seat in the lobby while you wait for your interviewer to come greet you; during that time, you can review your notes or the examples you prepared for the interview or simply sit and take some deep, calming breaths (it is believed that oxygenation of the brain reduces anxiety levels and helps bring clarity and focus). 
• When the interviewer arrives to greet you, stand and introduce yourself with a smile and a professional (firm) handshake. Keep your posture tall and confident, and look the person in the eye when you shake his/her hand. 

Non-verbal communication

• Body language: Offer a firm handshake upon meeting interviewers. Be sure to sit up straight, smile, and avoid too much fidgeting. Your body language should show that you are confident and that you want to work here.
• Eye contact: Maintain eye contact with your interviewers, being sure to address the individual who asked the most recent question.
• Small talk: There will be small talk before, between, and after interviews. This is an opportunity for you to get a more realistic feel for your comfort with these team members. Ask open-ended questions, and be sure to keep topics appropriate for the workplace.

Hiring managers report that the most common interview mistakes include not knowing anything about the company, talking negatively about a previous job / employer, answering questions with personal information, asking about benefits / salary, and talking too much. Do your best to avoid these mistakes by preparing for each and every interview!

Remember that your interview begins the moment you get onto the company property. Be polite to everyone you meet – from the parking attendant to the hiring manager.

Types of Interview Questions

You may run into any of the following kinds of questions during your interview:

• Traditional: designed to get to know you and understand why you’re interested in the role
• Behavioral: designed to learn how you’ve handled specific situations in the past so the employer can understand how you’d likely handle a similar situation in the future
• Technical: designed to assess your technical knowledge and skills relevant to the role

It’s important to note that employers cannot ask certain question related to identities and affiliations. Our Handling Illegal Questions guide offers examples of illegal questions and tips for how to respond if you’re presented with such a question in an interview.

Your Questions

Asking good, thoughtful questions shows your interest in the position and demonstrates the company research you’ve done. List approximately five questions to ask the interviewer about the job, the company, and the industry, knowing that at least one or two may be answered through the course of the conversation. If you know you will have multiple interviews in the same day, create unique questions you want to ask each interviewer. If you can get their names ahead of time, look them up on LinkedIn and try to find information you can use to personalize your questions. Here are some examples: 

• What kind of assignments may I expect during the first six months of the job? 
• Do you offer a training program? How long does it last? 
• What products (or services) are in the development stage right now? 
• Do you have plans for expansion? What are your growth projections for the next year? 
• Why is this position open? (Is it a new position, or a replacement position?) 
• What is the largest single challenge facing your staff (department, company, or industry)? 
• What characteristics do top performers in this company seem to share? 
• Why do you like working for this organization? 
• How will my performance be evaluated? How frequently will I be evaluated? 

Avoid asking questions about salary or benefits until a job offer is presented to you so that you have a better understanding of what the job entails and can advocate for your total compensation appropriately. However, you should be prepared for the employer to bring up this topic and know how to respond and negotiate when the time comes.

At the very end of the interview, it’s a good idea to ask questions that will help you understand the employer’s decision-making and hiring timeframe, such as:

• What is the next step in the interview process? 
• Would it make sense for me to follow up with you next week to see where you are in the process? 
• When do you expect to make your final hiring decision? 
• Gather contact info

Observe the environment

During the interview, you get a chance to evaluate the company and determine if it is the right opportunity. You can do this through the questions you ask, but also through simple observation of the interviewing team, the people you meet in the office, and even the office itself. Things you should focus on evaluating can include:

• Company values 
• Team culture 
• Attitude and expectations 
• Physical office environment
• Communication between team members

Think about how the interviewers are talking to each other and how they are talking about their roles at the company – this can give you a good idea of the work environment. This evaluation maybe based mostly off of the feeling you have during and after the interview.