Interview is an opportunity for both the employer and the applicant to gather information.

The
employer wants to know if you, the applicant, have the skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and
motivation necessary for the job. At this point you can be confident that the employer saw
something of interest in your resume. He or she also wants to determine whether or not you will
fit in with the organization's current employees and philosophy. Similarly, you will want to
evaluate the position and the organization, and determine if they will fit into your career plans.
The interview is a two-way exchange of information. It is an opportunity for both parties to
market themselves. The employer is selling the organization to you, and you are marketing your
skills, knowledge, and personality to the employer.

Interview Preparation
Research is a critical part of preparing for an interview. If you haven't done your homework, it is
going to be obvious. Spend time researching and thinking about yourself, the occupation, the
organization, and questions you might ask at the end of the interview.
Step 1: Know Yourself
The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will
know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory
of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at
any time during the interview process. In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with
experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra-
curricular involvements, volunteer work, school projects, etc.), it is fairly easy to identify your
skills.
Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself "What could I have learned by doing
this?" "What skills did I develop?" "What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?"
Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic. Technical skills are the
skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include
knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an
outreach worker, technical skills might include counseling skills, case management skills, or
program design and evaluation skills. Generic skills are those which are transferable to many
work settings. Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are
all generic.
Analytical/Problem Solving
Flexibility/Versatility
Interpersonal
Oral/Written Communication
Organization/Planning
Time Management
Motivation
Leadership
Self-Starter/Initiative
Team Player
Often when people think of skills, they tend to think of those they have developed in the
workplace. However, skills are developed in a variety of settings. If you have ever researched
and written a paper for a course, you probably have written communication skills. Team sports
or group projects are a good way to develop the skills required of a team player and leader. Don't
overlook any abilities you may have When doing the research on yourself, identifying your
experience and skills is important, but it is not all that you need to know.
Step 2: Know the Occupation
The second step in preparing for an interview is to research the occupation. This is necessary
because in order to present a convincing argument that you have the experience and skills
required for that occupation, you must first know what those requirements and duties are. With
this information uncovered, you can then match the skills you have (using the complete
skills/experience inventory you have just prepared) with the skills you know people in that
occupational field need. The resulting "shortlist" will be the one that you need to emphasize
during the interview.
It is also in your best interest to identify the approximate starting salary for that position, or
those similar. There are several ways to find out about an occupation:
Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (Human
Resources/Personnel) or check with Student Employment Services. If you are responding
to an advertisement, this may also supply some details.
The Career Resource Centre has general information files on a variety of occupations. Make sure
you have read through the appropriate file and are updated on the occupation. If you belong to a
professional association related to the occupation, use its resources. These associations often
publish informative newsletters and sponsor seminars. It is also a good way to meet people
working in the field. Conduct information interviews with people working in the field. Read
articles about people in the occupation, and articles written by people in the occupation. Sources
include newspapers, magazines and the internet.
Step 3: Know the Organization
The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you
can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:
Where is it located?
How big is it?
What are its products and who does it serve?
How is the organization structured?
What is its history?
Have there been any recent changes, new developments?
There are a number of ways in which you can access this information. Most medium- to large-
sized organizations publish information about themselves. You can access this a number of
ways:
On campus at the Student Employment Services (company literature and business
directories) or at the Drake Centre Library
The Winnipeg Centennial Library has a business microfiche with information on over
5000 Canadian companies and business directories
Many companies have internet home pages which you can locate by searching by
industry and company name
Finally, you can visit or phone the organization and request some information on their
products, services or areas of research
If the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published.
In this case, it will be necessary to do an information interview. Contact someone within the
organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask
if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and
about what exactly the position would involve.

Step 4: Prepare Questions
Having completed your background research, you are now ready to prepare questions to ask the
interviewer(s). Try to think of questions for which the answer was not readily available in
company literature. Intelligent well thought-out questions will demonstrate your genuine interest
in the position. Be careful how many questions you ask, however, as too many can imply you
feel the interview was not successfully run. Pick your questions with care - this is your chance to
gather information, so ask about what you really want to know. Avoid sounding critical by
mentioning negative information you may have discovered. This is one of the most effective
ways to compare different employers, so for issues of particular importance to you (for example,
whether they support staff upgrading), you should ask the same questions of each employer.
The Process
There are many different types of interviews designed to serve different purposes or situations.
Regardless of the type of interview, most will incorporate the following stages: establishing
rapport, exchanging information, and closing the interview. Pay attention to the job titles of the
interviewer(s). This can help you decide how much technical detail to provide in your responses.

Establishing Rapport
This is a very important part of the interview because while establishing rapport, first
impressions are made, and the tone of the interview is set. Some people suggest that the decision
to hire is greatly influenced by the first five minutes of the interview. A good interviewer will
introduce him/herself, and take the lead. Follow his or her lead - if they are chatty, be chatty; if
they are formal, be formal. Some employers use what seems to be casual conversation to get to
know you on a more personal level this may be crucial to a hiring decision!
Tips:
Smile and maintain eye contact. This is one way of communicating confidence, even if
you don't feel it.
If the interviewer offers his or her hand, shake it firmly. If they don't, it is appropriate to
offer yours.
Wait until the interviewer sits or offers you a seat before sitting down.
If the interviewer is making small talk, participate. Keep your answers short and positive.
Exchange of Information
This is the bulk of the interview. It is your opportunity to let the interviewer know what you
have to offer, and your chance to learn more about the organization.
Tips:
When you answer a question, look the interviewer in the eye.
Be aware of the interviewer's reactions. If he or she looks confused, ask if you can clarify
anything.
Be aware of what your body is saying. Avoid closed postures. Sit upright, but not stiffly.
Try to find a comfortable position as that will make you feel more relaxed.
Control your nervous habits. Don't swing your foot, talk with your hands (to an extreme),
or fiddle with jewelers, buttons, pens, etc.
Show that you are interested in the job by asking questions.
Try not to appear bored or anxious. Don't look at your watch.
Closing the Interview
When the interviewer is done gathering the information that is needed, he or she will ask if you
have anything to add, or if you have any questions. This is your opportunity to mentally review
your inventory of skills and make sure that you have communicated everything that you wanted
to. If any of your questions have not been addressed during the course of the interview, now is
the time to ask them.
Tips:
Thank the interviewer for his/her time and consideration.
Ask when you can expect to hear from him/her.
If it is not known when a decision will be reached, ask if you can phone in a week's time
to inquire about the progress.
If the interviewer offers his/her hand, shake it firmly. Otherwise, it is fine to offer yours
first.
If not already discussed, you can offer to leave a sample of your work, or portfolio if you
have one.