Interviewing Strategies

Sign up for a mock-interview in the MCC Career Center

Learn the kind of questions you may be asked and develop the best answers. If your qualifications are weak in some areas, determine how to express them positively.

Research the organization, look through the Employer files in the Career Library, scan through brochures, catalogs and articles, and check to see if the employer has a web page.  Familiarize yourself with the organization and then incorporate this into your interview conversation.  

Know three good reasons why you are an outstanding candidate and subtly work them in to your responses.

Adjust to the interviewer's style and try to ascertain why particular questions are being asked.  Respond completely to all aspects of a question.

While interviewers usually want more than a simple "yes" or "no" answer, you should also avoid speaking for lengthy periods of time.  Make your answers accurate, brief and as interesting as you can.  

An optimist is more useful to an organization than someone who appears to be negative.  An interview is not a forum to speak negatively about former employers or co-workers.  If you can be enthusiastic about past experiences, you are likely to be positive about future employers.  Point out why you like this organization.

Asking questions shows that you are interested in the position and working for the organization.  This is another way to demonstrate your knowledge and research of the organization.  Attempt to defer questions regarding salary until the second interview or until you are offered the position.