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Interviewing

Congrats! You have made it to the interview stage. This means that the employer has decided that you are a competitive candidate for the job. You have met the minimum competency! You don’t need to prove that you know what you are talking about. From this stage forward, the focus of the hiring process has shifted. The main question is “Are we a good fit for each other?” Even though the interview will focus on asking you questions, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions! If you are this stage, I would like to reiterate—you are focusing on whether you will work well together—this doesn’t mean that this is a time to discuss money. This will come later! And it will be a fun discussion when it is the appropriate time.

Some job seekers do little preparation for the interview, believing that it is just a conversation and questions are not provided ahead of time, so preparation is not possible. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! Employers’ questions have themes and though the wording may be different, framework of answers can be pre-determined. It’s also a common theme for employers to ask for examples of when different stories where you shined or had struggles, think of these examples ahead of time! Or compile your professional portfolio so you can provide work samples and reference them in your interview. Tie in your examples to way that correlate with the company’s mission statement, state values of strategic plan by researching the company ahead of time. Please review the attached worksheets to help find examples and guidance on interview content: Interviewing Handout (pdf)

Career Services does offer practice interviews for EVERY enrolled student. Please don’t be shy and schedule an appointment if this would be of interest to you. Practice interviews can be conducted in-person and virtually.

Making a Great First Impression on the Interview

Dress for Success in your chosen industry. Since this is the health sciences field, it is perfectly acceptable to wear scrubs to the interview or you can wear business professional attire. Regardless of which avenue you choose, statistics show that wearing solid, neutral colors to be more successful in hiring rates. This is one tip for success; however, please visit here for more information on professional attire: Professional Attire Guidelines (pdf)

If you have any questions about dress code or norms for the employer, it is a good idea to ask the HR representative who scheduled your interview about any concerns that you have. Tattoo and piercings policies are typically asked BEFORE the interview and adhered to during the interview to show compliance to the company’s culture and policies.