North Dakota State University

COME PREPARED
Know yourself — your strengths, weaknesses and accomplishments. An interview is not the time to wing it. Preparation is a key indicator of a successful interview.

RESEARCH THE COMPANY
Find out as much as you can about the company through annual reports, newspapers, Value Line, S&P, etc. Your effort will show in the interview, and you’ll be seen as proactive, hardworking and astute.

ARRIVE 10 TO 15 MINUTES EARLY
Punctuality is a subtle clue about attitude and behavior. Tardiness, no matter the excuse, is a major blunder. Research in advance what your parking options are and allow plenty of time.

APPEAR FRIENDLY AND OUTGOING
Smile and say hello to everyone. A positive reaction from the support staff is an important factor in the evaluation. Many hires have been heavily influenced by an administrative assistant.

BE SELF-CONFIDENT
High self-esteem and self-confidence are the hallmarks of the successful individual. With confidence, be able to demonstrate how you have overcome obstacles. There’s nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself.

COME PREPARED FOR KEY QUESTIONS
Practice your responses to all the typical questions, such as "tell me about yourself" and "why are you looking for a new position". How well you speak can have a bigger impact than what you say.

ESTABLISH YOUR WORTH
Discuss your specific accomplishments that demonstrate a proactive attitude. Such as: have you installed systems, done something not required, trained someone, etc.

KNOW YOUR SIX KEY STRENGTHS
Be prepared to discuss in detail and with examples your five or six main attributes. These should be the ultimate reason you get the job over someone else. Assuming you have done the proper homework on the company, these strengths should also be closely aligned to the key traits the employer is looking for in a person to fill their position.

GIVE 1 TO 2 MINUTE RESPONSES
Communication is the key to successful interviewing. A minimum of one to two minutes of well-prepared discussion gives the interviewer insight into your intellect and supports your contentions.

PROVIDE EXAMPLES/DETAILS
Support statements about yourself with specific examples. These will provide legitimacy to your claims. Without them, the interviewer won’t accept them as valid.

REMAIN ATTENTIVE
Stay alert during the interview. Maintain good eye contact. Sit forward in your chair. Show high levels of interest and stay enthused. These actions can maintain or generate momentum during the interview. This is especially important when you are doing multiple interviews on the same day. The energy level must be as high for the last as it is for the first.

ASK QUESTIONS
A few strategic questions can demonstrate your intelligence, analytical skills and assertiveness. Have these prepared from your research. Avoid superficial small talk.

BE POSITIVE ABOUT CO-WORKERS
Don’t bad mouth previous positions, companies or employers. No matter how well founded, this implies a negative attitude, typical of those who don’t take personal responsibility for their actions.

CLEARLY STATE YOUR INTEREST
By the conclusion of the interview, state that you are definitely interested in the position and would like to know when the next step will take place.

Source: KELLY Services