Job Interview

The five part interview

Part One - Before the interview

• Women: dress, skirt (not too short), or dress pants with a nice blouse or

blazer.  No excessive jewelry, make-up, or “big hair”. 

• Men: pants (not jeans), collared shirt, tie, sport coat and shoes. A suit is

not always necessary.

• Do not wear loud clothes! Be conservative!

Part Two - The Start

 

Inform the secretary/the receptionist that you have an interview, whom it is with, and the

time of the interview.

• When you meet the interviewer, look straight into his/her eyes, shake hands firmly,

introduce yourself, smile, be confident and wait until you are offered a seat. 

• Be positive in your communication (Remember: You’re selling yourself!!), don’t slouch, try

not to be too bold or too shy. Let the interviewer lead the interview. Express that you

are happy to have the opportunity to interview.

DO NOT: Smoke, chew gum, curse, slouch, put your hands on items on

the interviewer’s desk, fidget with rings, pens, ties, change, or other items

in your reach. 

• When all else fails: SMILE!!

Part Three - The Interview 

• Always face the interviewer with good posture and body language.

• Stay positive with your attitude and your answers. Let the interviewer know about the

skills, knowledge and experience that make you a qualified candidate.

• Know your resume and portfolio well and be prepared to answer questions about them.

• Don’t be a know-it-all! Express your willingness to learn!

• Be honest with all answers. Experienced interviewers can see right through “little white

lies.” 

Be thorough with your answers. Never answer with just a “yes” or “no.” Always provide

explanations and examples.

• If you don’t understand the question, ask the interviewer to explain.

• Pay close attention to what the interviewer is saying.

• Organize your thoughts before speaking. Feel free to think for a moment about tough 

questions. Silence is not a bad thing as long as you do not take an excessive amount of 

time. 

Watch for illegal questions, such as information about your age, religion, race, ethnicity or

marital status.

• DO NOT: – Emphasize your weaknesses. – Draw attention to negative attributes such as

poor attendance, grades, being fired, etc. – Criticize former employers, co-workers, or

school personnel. – Discuss personal issues, good or bad, which are irrelevant. – Discuss

salary or benefits unless the interviewer brings it up first.

• Remember that you represent a risk to the employer. A hiring mistake is expensive.

Show you are highly motivated and energetic.

Part Four - End of  Interview

• Ask the job-related questions you prepared for the interview.

• You may be offered the job immediately. In that case, you should ask about specific salary,

benefits, and work hours. You do not have to give them an immediate answer. Ask for a

day to think about it.

• If you are told you will be contacted, ask about how long it will be. Offer to call in a few

days to find out the decision. This shows your continued interest.

Thank the person for the interview and their interest in you as 

a potential employee or student. Shake hands firmly on the way 

out.

• Make sure the interviewer knows how best to contact you and

that you are available for any additional information that may be

needed.

Part Five - The Follow Up

• Send the interviewer a thank-you letter soon after the interview.

• Call the company or college about a week after the interview to find out if they have

made a decision. If they have not, find out when they expect to have a decision. 

Why People Are Not Hired

• Poor personal appearance

• Inability to communicate clearly, poor voice, and grammar

• Lack of planning for a career...no purpose or goals

• Lack of enthusiasm and confidence in the interview

• Condemning past employers

• Failure to look the interviewer in the eye