Boston University - Office of Career Services - Interviewing

You probably already did some research on the company before you applied for the job, so you know the basics. You might even know more than the basics, and that’s great. Now that you are going in for an interview, the more you know and understand about the company and the industry, the better you will do in the interview and the more positive an impression you will make. This is a key item and one that can make you stand out from the crowd, giving you an advantage over the other candidates. Surprisingly, not every candidate does company research, which is why if you do, you will be at an advantage.

Learn as much as you can about the company. Dig into their website. Do a Google search and look for recent or significant news. See if Hoovers, WetFeet, Business Week, or Vault.com have any information about them. How many employees does the company have? How many locations? Are they thinking of opening new offices? Have they recently closed any? What has their stock price been doing?

Do you know someone who works for the company? Talk to them. Ask what it’s like to work there.

Find out who the company’s competitors are, and learn something about them, as well. What is happening in the industry? Are there any significant changes taking place? Any major opportunities, challenges, pending or recent legislation, etc?

All of this is not as time-consuming as it sounds, and can have a big pay-off. Remember that if the interviewer can picture you as a co-worker, can begin to think about you as someone who is already a part of the company, that will serve you very well.

You have probably already thought about how your skills match the job requirements, but now it is time for you to give this some additional thought. You will probably have to talk about it in the interview.

What skills and experience do you bring to the job? Prepare some examples to back up your statements. Why are you interested in this job? Be ready to give some concrete reasons. Have you thought about some of the difficulties and challenges of the job? If you are asked about these, do you have a good response?

Think about the work environment, and your preferred work style. Is there a good fit? You might be asked about this; you will need to have a good response, and be able to back it up with examples.

In short, know why you want to work for this company, why you want to work in this job, and be able to articulate the reasons.

Think about the kinds of questions you might be asked in this interview, and prepare to answer them. Don’t “rehearse” answers; you don’t want to sound like you are following a script. If you can be confident in your answers, the words will come naturally.

There are many books and resources to give you tips on dressing for an interview. Some of the basic points to remember, however, are these:

Keep it basic, keep it conservative. Better to be understated than overstated.
Dress up, rather than down. It’s OK to be dressed more formally than the interviewer; better that than to be dressed less formally. Most interviewers will expect you to have dressed professionally.
Plan your wardrobe well ahead of time. Make sure everything fits, and there is plenty of time for any needed cleaning or alterations.
Make sure you are comfortable. If you have to, wear the suit or the shoes around the house for a bit until they no longer feel “strange.”
Women, avoid short skirts or low-cut blouses. Use very little jewelry, conservative make-up, and preferably no perfume; some people find it offensive, or are allergic to it.
Men, wear a suit and tie. Make sure your shoes are clean and polished. Avoid using any kind of scent, for the same reason given above.
The aim is to look professional. When the interview is over, and you are gone, you want them to remember you, not your outfit!

Your interview is scheduled; are you ready?

Have you done a dry run to the interview location, so you know where it is and how long it takes you to get there?
Have you left yourself plenty of extra time, before and after the interview?
Do you know what you are going to wear?
Do you know the name of your interviewer?
Do you have extra copies of your resume to take with you?
Have you thoroughly researched the company?
Have you practiced your interviewing skills?
Are you prepared to answer difficult questions?
Have you prepared some questions to ask the interviewer?
Do you know why you want the job, and understand how your skills and experience fit the company’s needs?
Have you turned off your cell phone?
Have you planned to arrive at the interview location 10-15 minutes early?
Are there any other details you need to remember?

You are ready! Have a great interview.

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