If you are seeking a job or internship, chances are that you will participate in at least one interview during the overall selection process. This is perhaps the single most critical component of the entire job search process; where you have the chance to promote and position yourself as the best candidate for the job, and demonstrate your fit with the company and the position. Use the resources provided here to address some of the most frequently asked questions related to interview preparation, and to access tools and resources that can assist you in your practice.
Start Here:
- The Interviewing Chapter in the CBCC Career Guide (starting on page 76) includes:
- What to expect during different rounds of interviews
- Types of questions commonly asked
- Overview of Behavioral Interviews and the STAR format
- Overview of Case Interviews
- Resources for Interview Preparation and Interview Checklist
- Behavioral Interviewing Webinar – a 14 minute video that covers the basics of behavioral interviewing
Preparing for a Behavioral Interview Checklist
- Review Notes
- Review Job Description
- Identify STAR Stories
- Tell Me About Yourself
- Prepare for non-behavioral questions
- Review notes from your networking meetings or information sessions with the employer. Reach out to anyone you connected with at the company and let them know you are interviewing.
- Review the position description and identify the key skills (i.e. verbs) and experiences the employer is looking for.
- Identify a STAR story that can be used for each of the core skills/experiences that you identified from the job description. Hint: Use the ‘STAR Story Matrix Workbook’ (found below in Resources) to help you organize your stories.
- Have your “Walk me through your resume” or “Tell me about yourself” story ready. See below for more information on how to prepare.
- Have answers for “Why are you interested this role?” and “Why are you interested in this organization?” perfected
InterviewPrep
InterviewPrep is an online tool that uses your computer’s webcam in order to video/audio record your responses to commonly asked interview questions. Great for practicing on your own!
Behavioral Interview Examples
Tell Me About Yourself Examples
Most interviews begin with some version of “tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume”. You will want to prepare to have a 2 minute introduction that touches on your educational and professional experience paired with your skills, achievements and aspirations. The first video below is a great guide and the second is a more detailed example.
