One of the more common reasons for appointments in the Career Services office is for help with INTERVIEWING. Today, I am sharing, with permission, a few Tips on Interviewing that Highmark has on their website, www.highmark.com. They are a major employer of new grads and interns and have some very good advice to share.
Successful interviews begin with a full understanding of the new opportunity.
Before your interview, you should research our company and our industry. You
should also familiarize yourself with the job description and prepare questions ahead of time.
Before the interview: Assess your career aspirations and be prepared.
Know what you bring to the table:
Inventory your background and experiences. Your resume is a great place to start. Be prepared to discuss your past experiences, positions, roles and responsibilities in detail.
Consider the motivators that led you to consider opportunities outside of your present role. Some examples could include job content, company or industry change, financial factors or organizational culture.
Assess your career aspirations: We’re hiring for more than the present opportunity.
Be prepared:
Bring multiple copies of your resume to the interview.
Practice ahead of time.
Dress appropriately. Wear business attire, unless otherwise noted.
Arrive at least 15 to 30 minutes early. Some of our sites are large and require time to park, obtain building access, etc.
During the interview: Ask questions and exchange information.
Inquire about daily roles and responsibilities.
Learn about the leadership of the group, management styles, etc.
Exchange information and discover mutual interests:
Understand career ladders and advancement opportunities
Find out what the growth opportunities are beyond the position and what an individual needs to do to advance.
Ask the interviewers for contact information.
After the interview: Consider your correspondence and be aware of next steps.
Correspondence: E-mail concise, individual thank-you notes to the members of the interview team. Be specific and outline why you are a good fit for the department.For further tips and advice, see the Interviewing Tips section on the Career Services Students link and try an on-line practice interview using our Interview Stream Resource.