Preparing for the Interview

The following six steps will help you focus and prepare for an interview.

Know yourself
Conduct a self-assessment to be clear about who you are and what would be a good fit for you.

Know the employers
Research everything you can about your prospective employer:

• Check out their web sites as well as unbiased resources.
• Know the company's products and history.
• Become knowledgeable about job titles, the industry, and the current market.
• Get more tips for researching employers.

Your research may generate good questions to ask the employer and will show your knowledge, interest, and enthusiasm for the opportunity.

Develop Your Career Objective
Employers gravitate toward candidates who have a clear career direction and are able to articulate what they want. Present your career objective in relationship to the needs of their organization.

Prepare and Practice
Don't expect to be an expert interviewee without anticipating questions and organizing your thoughts. Use Perfect Interview, a web-based mock interview tool, to practice and perfect your interviewing skills. Attend an interview workshop or participate in a mock interview offered by the Career Center.

See our Interview Questions PDF handout for more sample questions.

Dress the Part
Create the most professional look possible. Your dress and overall presentation should send the message that you are the top candidate. See our Dress for Success page to get a picture of the professional you.