Interviewing Best Practices

Preparation:

Learn as much as you can about the agency you are applying for. Visit their website, for example look at their vision mission or goals and find what relates to you and you speak to authentically in an interview.

Study the Duty Statement/Job Description. Connect your education, work or volunteer experience and skills to tasks listed on the job description. Identify specific examples from your experiences you can pull from during the interview. This will take time to prepare do not skip this step. The better you prepare the better you will perform during your interview.

If it seems like information they should know, say it anyway. For example, it may seem too obvious to mention you can write, however you must verbalize it, so the interview panel can write it down as experience. Give more detailed examples “I have experience writing essays, research and analytical papers”.

The job post may also highlight special requirements or desirable qualifications, therefore if you possess any of those prepare examples and ensure to speak to these during the interview.

Remind yourself you don’t have to know how to do the job already, think outside of the box and ask yourself, “What current skills do I have, that are transferable to this job? Tell them what previous experience would demonstrate how you would be able to execute the job. Do not sell yourself short or dismiss any type of experience whether it be work, school, volunteer, community experience, education, training etc.

Potential formats to follow for problem solving questions:

S.T.A.R. interview method: “The situation, task, action, result (STAR) format is a job interview technique used by interviewers to gather all the relevant information about a specific capability that the job requires.”- Google it and then prepare an example with it, doesn’t hurt.

Problem, Action, Result (PAR) is another method you can use.

Practice your responses out loud, record yourself even, doing so will allow you to hear how you sound, your tone of voice, how well you articulate and allow for adjustments to be made where necessary.

Before the Interview

• Dress in a way that is professional even if it is a virtual interview
• Bring a pen/pencil, professional folder with a resume and references
• Prior to your interview, investigate public transportation or where to park
• You should be checking in at least 10 minutes early in person or 5 minutes early virtually
• If you feel nervous or anxious, take a few slow deep breaths and remind yourself that you are capable and lean on moments in your life been this already. The fact that you were invited to the interview means you are qualified for the position.

During the Interview:

• Here is your chance to sell yourself, use the entire time allotted for you to demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the position. USE ALL THE TIME!
• Don’t be too vague. Provide as much detail that you feel is relevant to the job that showcases how it enables you to execute certain tasks or duties.
• You cannot ask them to explain a question however you can ask for clarification, do you mean… such as… they can then say yes or no.
• You can skip a question and come back to it or add more information to a certain question at the end of the interview if time allows.
  • Do not be afraid of silence, asking them to repeat the question or even taking time to read the question yourself after they have read it to you is completely fine. You will not be negatively scored for remaining in silence while you gather your thoughts. Try pausing for 3-5 seconds before you respond this allows you to process the question and slow down your though process to gather the most important facts.
• Always be yourself, however, ensure you present yourself in the most positive light with your experiences.
• Feel free to ask job-related questions at the end of the interview that indicate your interest. For example, you want to learn more about the day-to-day job activities, culture of the office environment or what preferred skills are needed to execute the position. Always respond back to what they share, and bonus if you can share something else about yourself that you did not get a chance to share. Best not to ask about salary or when you will hear back from them. Negotiation, pay or benefit related questions can be done once the job is offered.

Behavioral Interviewing:

Behavioral interview questions can be a big part of most job interviews. Hiring managers use these types of questions to get an idea if you have the skills and competencies needed for the job. Behavioral interview questions require candidates to share examples of specific situations they’ve been in where they had to use certain skills.

The rationale is that if they know how you performed in the past it will help give a sense of how you might do in the future.

The problem is most candidates might have a general idea of how to answer these questions, but the answers usually come out way too long and unfocused and won’t put you in the best light.

That’s why you’ll need to make a concerted effort to create these stories and adapt them to the relevant competencies and duties from the duty statement.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the answers “should provide verifiable, concrete evidence as to how a candidate has dealt with issues in the past.” In short, it’s a way to let your past work performance prove what you’re capable of doing in the future for this potential employer.

• Describe how you did behave, not how you would
• Provide details, don’t theorize, or generalize
• Recall recent situations that show favorable behaviors or actions
• If appropriate, provide quantitative information such as; Completed project 1 month ahead of schedule, created over 10 desk manuals, saved the project X amount of dollars, presented over 50 trainings a year, etc.

Mock Interview

If you have the ability, ask teachers, mentors, friends, or family to conduct mock interviews with you so you can experience the discomfort, get some of the nerves out of the way and to hear yourself respond to the questions.