Interviewing Guide

SUNY Westchester Community College  Career Services Interview Guidelines 2017-2019 16 Never… Talk too much Provide too much personal information Complain about past jobs, teachers, employers Stretch the truth always be upfront and honest Salary Negotiation It is very important to be prepared with research about the current rate of pay for the position. Don’t ask about the salary and/or benefits offered during the first interview. If they ask you for a figure, tell them that you need to know more about the position before you discuss compensation. The best time to discuss salary and benefits is after you have been offered the job . Now you know they want you and may bemorewilling tonegotiate. Bewilling tonegotiate aswell andremember this is just thebeginningsalary. Try to determine what else may be negotiable- time flexibility, performance reviews, etc. Before you accept a position, be sure to get all the informationyouneed todetermine if this is the right opportunity for you. Youdo have the optionof walking away fromthe offer. Sources of SalaryData- https://www.jobsearchintelligence.com/salary-calculator-intro-etc https://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/wages/find-salary.aspx?frd=true http://www.salary.com/category/salary/ Closing the Interview At the end of the interview make sure the interviewer knows you want the job. Employers want enthusiastic employees so it is critical that you re-state why you want to work there and how your skills, knowledge and experience can specifically help their organization. Ask when they hope to make a decision. If you can, call to follow up at an appropriate time and get a business card of the person that interviewed you. Ask if there is anything else you can provide to support your candidacy. Ask about the next step. After the Interview Immediately after the interview, while you are in your car or on the bus/train, try to write down as many of the questions you were asked and how you answered them. Think about your attitude and the way you responded to the interviewer. Write down any overall impressions of your interview performance; an interview journal will help you keep track. The more information you remember the better you will be able to evaluate your past and improve your future outcomes. Since interviewing is a learned technique, you can learn to do better the next time by evaluating your performance after each interview. Discuss this with a career counselor in career services or a professional in the field.