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What are the different experiences from job interviews?

I am a junior. I am interested in the different perspectives of those who have gone to job interviews, either it is a career interview or a regular job interview is fine. #job-search #career #user-experience #interviews #interviewing-skills

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Adele’s Answer

Hi Paola,


The job interview experience can differ hugely depending on the industry, company and person you are interviewing with. As a general rule, the interviewer is trying to figure out three things:

  1. Can you do the job?
  2. Will you do the job?
  3. Will you be a good fit?

Knowing which of these the interviewer is trying to assess can help you frame your responses, especially when the question is slightly unusual or something you hadn't expected.


Interview questions can be technical challenges (eg in engineering interviews they have you solve problems on the spot), hypothetical exercises (presenting you with a made-up situation and asking how you would respond) or questions about your own experience ("tell me about a time when you...").


<advice> As Kim mentioned, it is important to have a strong grasp of your key skills that are relevant to the job (3-4) as well as anecdotes that demonstrate those skills. In general, you should try to get to know yourself and your strengths -- identify 4-5, you will be able to pick from these or use them as jumping off points when you are applying for specific roles. For each skill, prepare one or two stories that show how you used that ability to produce results. It always helps to show ("I did XYZ") rather than just tell ("I am a hard worker").


Good interviewers will always leave time for you to ask questions. Do so! As long as you are expressing curiosity and being positive, people are usually happy to answer/share their experiences, and can give you valuable information.


<advice> Always remember that the the interview is an opportunity for both you and the employer to find out if you are a match for each other! Use this chance to get real insights about the company, team or role that you are interested in. Even if you have done research about the job or company, there will be things you will not be able to know unless you have been there, and the interview gives you the chance to find out from someone with relevant personal experience. Examples: what does a typical day look like? What would you change/how would you improve your job? What other teams do you work with most often?


Finally, always, always practice out loud - even if you do it alone (but ideally with another person). Pretend you were asked a question, and answer in full. You don't have to get perfect, but it will really help you get comfortable with similar questions, and in answering questions in general.


Adele recommends the following next steps:

Identify 4-5 of your key strengths (you should list 3-4 relevant skills for each job, but listing more now is good for flexibility and to know yourself)
Prepare 1-2 anecdotes for each relevant skill
Practice answering basic questions out loud
Have an interview! It doesn't have to be a real job interview; even an informational interview or talking to someone new about work can help you get comfortable with these situations
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Jim’s Answer

As mentioned in the other responses, every interview can be different. Some interviews can be with just one person or you can have others that you are interviewed by a panel. I found that going in with a positive and friendly attitude helped the interview go smoothly. Let the people interviewing you get to know you on a personal basis, be yourself and answer the questions honestly.

Good Luck!
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Jay’s Answer

Hi Paola — the easiest way to think of an interview is as a date. It's a "get to know you" situation and you want to bring the best version of yourself you can.

As was mentioned before, the particular questions will vary depending on industry and, to be honest, your interviewer, but the purpose remains the same: to determine if you are a good fit for the position and company.

Questions generally fall into two categories: behavioral and technical.

Jay recommends the following next steps:

Read https://ocs.yale.edu/get-prepared/interview-preparation
Explore other online resources!
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Charlotte(Carly)’s Answer

As others have mentioned, depending on what industry/company you are interviewing for it can change in style. Ultimately, doing proper research on the company - why you would like to work there and what you could bring to the role are normally always covered.

Try giving examples of real life situations so you can demonstrate your own skills.

Then ask a few questions at the end. (About the role, about the team and about next steps).
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Kim’s Answer

Paola,

Following up on Jeff's excellent advice: in addition to "being" yourself, it is important to "know" yourself. Review the job description, and review your work history and extra activities. Have this information fresh in your mind, so you can easily reference it during the interview. Understand the concept of "Transferable job skills," so you can easily say, "no, I've never done public speaking as part of my job, but I was the Master of Ceremonies for my school's awards banquet." Also learn about STAR: these are situational questions: "Tell me about a time you had an irate customer...." The preferred answer format is : Situation (what was going on) , Task (what did you need to accomplish), Action (what you did) Results. Tell a story! Get them hooked into it!


Please understand, each interview will be different. Some will be great. Some might be horrible. Sometimes the bad ones are the fault of the person conducting the interview. I've known of people being assigned, literally at the last minute, to go interview the applicants! When the interview is over, while it is fresh in your head, review the good and bad. Then move on. Don't dwell on it!


Also, if it will ease your stress level, remember, you are also interviewing the company to see if you want to work there! So, you can imagine that you are conducting the interview. Just don't try to totally take over and control it. :-)


Just do your best, smile occasionally, listen before speaking, and try to learn from the experiences. When it's the right job, with the right people, it will all connect!


Kim
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Jeff’s Answer

It's great that you're considering interviews before college! I am a junior in college but have gone through several interviews, and the common theme I have experienced is that being yourself is essential to succeeding in and feeling confident about each interview. Being yourself is beneficial because you can relax, focus on listening to your interviewer, and your interviewer develops an understanding of how you interact in a professional atmosphere. In addition to being yourself, you should ALWAYS have questions prepared to ask your interviewer at the end of the interview. In my experience, I research the company before the interview and then think of 5 to 10 questions to ask based on that information (What are the company's biggest growth opportunities? How will I be evaluated in this job? Etc.). I also listen closely to my interviewer during the interview and try to think of questions on the spot (How did this experience that you had at the company help you become a manager? Etc.).
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Simeon’s Answer

I've found that most job interviews are fairly amicable and they ask straightforward questions. From what I can tell, most recruiters have a pretty good idea who they want to hire before any interviews are actually done, so it's best not to be too stressed out about them. As long as you give pretty normal answers, you're not going to do too bad in an interview.
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