| Interview preparation is the best way to
increase your chances of receiving a job offer. Preparation reduces nervousness and
demonstrates initiative. It sends a message that you take your career
seriously. Employers use the interview process to make a prediction of how a
candidate will fit into their organization. They do this by learning about a
candidate's past behavior and technical experience and then applying that behavior and
experience to their open position and organization.
Employers Will Investigate the following:
Education: Core concentration,
major projects & your role in those projects, grades, reason for selecting major, etc.
Work Experience: Accomplishments,
duties, leadership skills, major projects, promotions, training, etc.
Technical Skills: Languages,
hardware, software, operating systems and databases used, percent of time analyzing,
designing, developing, coding, testing, making modifications and enhancements, etc.
Interpersonal Skills: Personality
traits such as leadership, initiative, work ethic, organization, verbal & written
communication skills, flexibility, team work, stress tolerance, conflict resolution
abilities, etc.
Motivation: Describe your goals,
the work environment under which you are most productive, the management style with which
you feel comfortable, your desired career path (short-term and long-term), etc. |