Interviewing Guide

SUNY Westchester Community College  Career Services Interview Guidelines 2017-2019 11 Business Week http://www.businessweek.com/careers/index.html Forbes http://www.forbes.com/leadership/careers/ Fortune http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/index.html Vault http://www.vault.com/ Better Business Bureau http://www.bbb.org/ Small Business Administratio nhttp://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/lib/library.html Connect on an organizations LinkedIn page. The WCC Library subscribes to many online resources for information about organizations. At the very least, you should know the following information before going on an interview:  What are the company’s products or services  Who are their customers  Who is the competition  What is the company’s mission statement or corporate philosophy Another great idea is to talk to current or past employees. If you really want to know what it is like to work for an organization, talk with people who are or have worked there. They will give you an invaluable perspective and help you determine if this organization is a good fit for you. Once you have analyzed your strengths and researched the careers and companies that interest you, you will be better able to see which organizations are a good match for your background and which employers best fit your career needs and desires. It is also important to look at the corporate culture and the nature of the work you will be doing, not just the knowledge and skills the position requires. (Check the Appendix for a list of websites for further research on the organizations that interest you.) Asking Questions Think about what is important to you in working and the type of organization to which you would like to be a part. Think about the lifestyle that you envision. This will help you determine what questions you should ask on the interview. Now review the list of questions in the Appendix. Add questions of your own to the list. Your questions should demonstrate knowledge of the industry and organization and indicate understanding of the problems and needs of the employer. You will always have an opportunity to ask questions, but you do not need to wait to be asked. This is your opportunity to show what you know about the company, formulate questions that relate to what you want to do/learn and ask about the tasks for which you will be responsible. It is NOT a good idea to ask questions about salary, benefits, overtime or holidays in the initial interview. It sends the message that all you are interested in is what the organization is going to give you. Wait until you are being seriously considered for the job to ask about the organizations benefits and wait until you have an offer to discuss salary. You want to impress upon them that you are most interested in what you can do for the organization- how your skills and background are a match to their needs. Once an offer is made, be sure to clarify ALL your questions before accepting a position.