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Interviewing Styles & Questions
Interviewing Styles & Questions STYLES
Have you ever wondered what attributes employers look for in candidates and how they can evaluate if a candidate is right for the job? After polling on-campus recruiters in a variety of industries we learned that the five most sought after competencies include: communication skills, leadership skills, problem solving skills, team player and fit. So how do they know who has these skills and who doesn’t? They know by conducting an interview.
Generally speaking there are four main styles of interviewing: behavioral, resume-based, technical and case. The secret to successfully mastering any or all of the styles is ample preparation. Before entering any interviewing scenario, be sure that you have researched the company; can confidently articulate your strengths, weaknesses, goals and achievements; conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times; and ask thoughtful, intelligent questions that demonstrate your knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for the company and position.
Note: It is not unusual for an interviewer to use one or more of these approaches during an interview.
Behavioral interviewing is one of the most common techniques used by employers. The basic premise is that “past behavior predicts future success”. Therefore, interviewers will be asking you to detail specific moments in which you demonstrated a particular skill or competency that they have deemed critical for success within their organization. Using the STAR technique, outlined below, you will be able to develop well thought out, specific, results oriented examples. With practice and preparation, the behavioral interview should be your best opportunity to shine. Don’t forget to smile and have some fun with it.
Situation Describe the context in which you performed a job or faced a challenge Make your examples specific Examples can be sourced from many areas of your life, including: work, internships, extracurricular activities, athletic teams, course projects, community service, and more Use a variety of settings for the examples you pick – don’t go back to the same well for every example!
Task
Describe your responsibility in that situation
Action Detail your behavior of the actions you took to resolve the situation Be sure that your role is clear and significant
Result Share the outcome or the results of the situation Many students struggle to communicate the results piece, so if you effectively prepare and include this in your response, it can help set you apart
Let’s practice! Below you will find a sample Behavioral Interview question with a basic response, followed by what you can do to make it better!
Give me an example of a time in which you felt you were able to motivate a group.
The typical response…
I have always considered myself a leader and have been fortunate enough to assume many leadership roles. In fact, a number of my teammates on the football team have said what a great leader I am and just last week my coach pulled me aside to tell me what a great job I have been doing.
A better response…
As a member of my college’s football team, I know what it means to motivate a group. For example, last October our team was experiencing a losing season. Many of my teammates had become frustrated with our poor results and were on the verge of giving up. I knew we could turn things around if we were a bit more focused. I called an impromptu team meeting and spoke to the group about all the various things we could do to begin to make a difference. Together we came up with a plan; we would extend our practices by ½ hour every evening in order to improve our conditioning. The results were amazing, it really made a difference. We never lost a game after that meeting!
We asked recruiters seeking Bentley University students to list the key skills they were looking for in their interns and entry-level hires. Here are sample questions for the top five competencies (in no particular order) in addition to some questions focused on flexibility/adaptability you might expect during your interview.
Communication Skills (Oral and Written)
Give me an example of a time when you were successful in communicating with a difficult person(s) or circumstance. Describe the most significant written report that you had to complete. Give me an example of a time when you communicated with Senior
Level Executives. Tell me about a time when you were able to use persuasion to convince someone to see things your way.
Leadership Skills Give me an example of a time you have placed yourself in a leadership position. How might you have improved your role? Give me an example of a time when a group you were leading failed/did not meet expectations. Tell me about a difficult decision you have made in the last year.
Problem Solving Skills
Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem with very little guidance or direction. Walk me through the most complex problem you have experienced to date. How did you decide to go to Bentley University?
Team Player What did you do in your last job/internship to contribute toward a teamwork environment? Tell me about a time when you put the needs of a group before your own when completing a task. Tell me about a time when a willingness to share your knowledge significantly enhanced an outcome or decision.
Flexibility/ Adaptability
Personality and Fit
Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree. Give me an example of a time when the rules or structure of a project were changed last minute. Give me an example of a time when you had two important projects competing for your time. Give me an example of a time when you were forced to change your negotiating position midway in order to achieve an objective.
What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example. Describe your ideal job. Where do you see yourself in three to five years? What type of management style do you thrive under? When you are not studying or working, what types of activities do you enjoy?
The best way to ace a resume-based interview is to follow these simple suggestions:
Know Your Resume Inside and Out
Be sure that you can confidently speak to each and every point. Numerous students cite various achievements or volunteer work on their resume but, when pressed, cannot expand upon these experiences. Have a short anecdote or explanation for every bullet point and never, ever, list something on your resume that you cannot effectively expand upon.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Always Remain Positive
Ask Questions
Many of the questions you will be asked will seem very conversational in nature. Be ready for such ambiguous statements as, “Tell me a little bit about yourself.” (You will find some suggestions on the next page on how to attack this tricky question.) Think hard about how you want to approach such questions. Test yourself. Are your responses a bit long? Do you go off on tangents? Are you boring even yourself with your response? Have you taken full advantage of these opportunities to sell yourself?
Even if you had to make a million copies at your last internship, when asked, “Tell me about your previous internship experiences”, turn it into a positive. Be enthusiastic, talk about your past work experience with energy. Resume-based interviews are geared toward determining one’s communication skills, attitude, competence and “fit” within the company, as well as one’s skills and abilities.
By thoroughly researching the company in advance and listening well during the interview itself, you should be able to ask some thoughtful, intelligent questions. Don’t wait until the end of the interview. Feel free to raise points or ask questions throughout, as appropriate. A good resume-based interview should feel like a dialogue between you and the interviewer.
How do you approach one of the hardest interview question out there? “Tell me a little about yourself” seems like such a harmless question, but it is an important question that may make or break your conversation. See below for some tips on how to make the right lasting impression.
Your response should:
Be concise and enthusiastic Show off who you are Highlight your expertise Tell them why you’re there
Your response should NOT:
Regurgitate your resume Be too modest and vague Be too casual Result in you asking the interviewer to clarify what they are really looking for Share too much personal information
Reminders:
Practice, practice, practice! Your answer to this question is your lasting first impression Do your research on the company / position to ensure you are highlighting your most important skills / experience
SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
Tell me a little about yourself. (Hint: keep it brief no more than a minute or two)
What do you know about the company, our products or services?
Why are you interested in this job and, conversely, why should we be interested in you?
Why should I hire you?
What are your favorite/least favorite classes? Why? (Hint: remember to always stay positive, even when discussing your least favorite classes)
What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project or job?
Walk me through your work experience. What did you like/dislike about your positions?
What is your GPA? Do you think it reflects your abilities? Why?
What are your three greatest strengths and/or weaknesses?
What are your career goals? Two Year plan? Five-Year Plan? How do you plan to achieve them?
What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?
Do you have any questions for me? (Hint: you should have a minimum of three, see the Asking
Questions section of this guide for some examples)
What are your salary requirements? (Hint: if you don’t know, speak with a Career Advisor prior to the interview)
Technical interviews involve testing the applicant on systems knowledge or processes necessary to be successful in the position. Although most popular in the IT field, technical questions can also come up in a variety of other fields as well. Oftentimes, you will find that the technical interview will be employed in conjunction with a resume-based interview or behavioral interview. See below for some suggestions on how you can best prepare for this unique interviewing experience.
Be honest If you say you know Java, can you prove it? If you say you have network administration experience, can you talk an interviewer through the process of setting up a mailbox and giving multiple users access to it? Be prepared to answer questions about how to build a particular application or tackle a specific problem. If you don’t know the answer—say it. It is not unusual for an interviewer to ask a difficult question that no student could reasonably answer. Simply respond that you do not know but list the various avenues you might pursue to figure it out.
Technical Questions
Because technical questions are so specific to the position itself, it is difficult to list sample questions that you could expect to receive. We recommend that you thoroughly review the job description and any responsibilities that might be included in the description. Check out the company’s website to see if it can provide additional insight into the requirements of the position. Once you have greater clarity around the necessary skills, create your own questions and work with your Career Advisor to determine the types of questions you might receive.
Interviewing Styles & Questions CASE INTERVIEWS
Typically used within the consulting or banking fields, the case interview is becoming more popular in a wide variety of organizations. The case interview involves you being presented with a business problem that mimics what you might encounter in a real-life work situation or in many cases, a brain teaser or game of logic. They ask case questions to determine self confidence, discover the interviewee’s personality and to see if problem solving is something you enjoy. Here are some tips on how to approach these questions.
Work slowly but surely. Don’t respond with the first thing that comes to your head. Wait, consider the question, take and refer to your notes, and feel free to ask questions if something needs clarification.
Answer the question that was asked. It may be helpful to summarize the question or verify with the interviewer the crux of the question asked before even beginning. From there, formulate your strategy and framework.
Demonstrate a logical thought process. This is one of the few times in life where it is okay to give the wrong answer. In many cases, the interviewer may not even know the “right” answer. Instead, it is critical that your response appear logical, thoughtful and articulate. Always summarize your findings and recommendations so that your reply contains a clear beginning, middle and ending.
The devil is in the details. Do your best not to go off on tangents. Take cues from your interviewer, do they need more information or less? They will often warn you if you are headed in the wrong direction. When using numbers (and you should always use numbers) make them even numbers thereby allowing you to do the math more quickly and easily.
Relax and have fun with it. Remember, the business problem you are given will often mimic a real-life work situation. If you aren’t enjoying the case interview, one might think you won’t enjoy the job. Don’t forget to smile!
Key Publications
The following resources have wonderful samples and tips on how to successfully respond to a case question. Make sure you utilize these in your preparation!
Vault Guide to the Case In Point
Case Interview Complete Case Interview Preparation
Key Websites In addition to the publications above, the following websites provide invaluable information as well: • www.casequestions.com • BCG.com • Bain.com • McKinsey.com • https://careeredge.bentley.edu/resources • Marc Cosentino Workshop Video • How to Ace the Case Interview with Vistaprint workshop
Interviewing Styles & Questions ASKING QUESTIONS
By thoroughly researching the company in advance and listening well during the interview itself, you should be able to ask some thoughtful, intelligent questions. Don’t wait until the end of the interview. Feel free to raise points or ask questions throughout, as appropriate.
In addition to the thoughtful questions you prepared through your research, below are some additional questions you could consider asking:
Do you mind if I take a few notes during our conversation? What kind of skills or attributes are you seeking in a candidate? What kind of assignments might I expect in the first six months on the job? How is performance measured? What is the retention rate of people in this position? What type of training is provided? What is the culture of the firm? What do you like best / least about working for the company? or, How did you ultimately decide to work for this firm? What is the greatest challenge facing your office / staff today? Is travel involved or expected with this position? What characteristics do the highest achievers in this company seem to share? What makes your organization different from your competitors?
It is totally appropriate to ask questions during interviews or other interactions to assess their organizations’ DEI priority commitment. See below for some examples given by Chelsea C. Williams, founder and CEO of College Code:
How does your organization define diversity? What lenses of diversity has your organization made a direct commitment toward? Does your organization have a chief diversity officer (CDO) or a designated leader to drive DEI and engage internal and external stakeholders? What social causes does your organization support?
DEI Questions (continued): Does your organization actively support diverse suppliers, contractors, and small businesses? Has your organization made any formal commitments in support of racial equity? How does your organization center diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging? Does your organization offer any formal employee training around biases, anti-racism, or general
DEI? How has your organization prioritized executive accountability toward DEI advancement? Does your organization have any affinity groups or committees to support diverse populations? If so, how do these groups contribute to the culture of the organization? Does your organization complete annual compensation equity analysis? What resources has your organization provided to its employees in support of COVID-19 and racial injustices?
There is one final question that must be asked before the interview ends if it hasn’t already been covered:
What are the next steps?
Asking this final question will allow you to reiterate your interest in the opportunity and give you a guideline as to when you should be hearing back from the employer. Don’t leave the interview without this information!
