How to Prepare for the On-Site Interview

By Vernon E. Martin, Jr.

To prepare for the on-site interview, you should know the company's products and services, financial picture, geographical locations and culture. You should take the time to find out if alumni from your institution are working there. If so, interview them about the kinds of positions that are available and the environment or workplace culture. Others in the workplace can provide firsthand knowledge about the pros and cons of working for the company. Successful interviews are those in which you, the candidate, and interviewer both leave the room with a feeling that they know and understand each other.

In the interview, the employer has three objectives: (1) to gather relevant information about your qualifications; (2) to assess how your qualifications match the requirements of the job; and (3) to present the organization to you in a positive way.

Your objective as a candidate should be to communicate information about yourself and your qualifications clearly and accurately, and to seek relevant information about the particular job, position, and employer.

Most interviews can be successful for you if you prepare for the expected and unexpected. This is usually a six-part process:

1. Preparation
2. Establishing rapport
3. Talking about yourself
4. Talking about the organization
5. Close-Out
6. Evaluation

You are involved in the first five segments; the sixth typically takes place while you are on site or shortly after you leave the premises.

When you travel to the interview city, you will most likely arrive the evening before the interview is scheduled. Be sure you are comfortable with knowing exactly where you are going for the interview. Plan on arriving at least 30-45 minutes before the actual interview. This allows you time to unwind, make sure that you are well groomed and have time to relax.

Most on-site interviews will put you before a panel or group, or you may be in a one-on-one setting. Be sure that your handshake is firm, and keep eye contact with each individual as you are introduced. Let the interviewer invite you to be seated. Your eye contact is very important because often it is the believability concept that sells what you are saying. Your body language also sends a message of confidence and sincerity. In addition to the firm handshake and eye contact, be sure to have well-balanced posture, an open, relaxed facial expression, a firm voice, and use appropriate gestures when emphasizing key words.

The first 30 seconds to five minutes of the interview are very important. The first impression is next to impossible to change. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Your appearance and dress are critical in that you should fit into the culture of the workplace by dressing appropriately. You should wear conservative colors and avoid excessive jewelry, flashy colors, excessive makeup, strong perfumes or colognes.

Be sure that you have practiced your 30 second or 3-5 minute infomercial. The strong lead tells the interviewer about yourself, what your assets and strengths are and the value you can bring to their organization. Be prepared to give examples of a time when you exemplified leadership, a time when things were not going well and you turned them around. Also be prepared to discuss your involvement in professional societies, civic organizations and summer or part-time employment. Be able to describe a time when you experienced failure and the lessons that came from that experience.

Be yourself during the interview. Bear in mind that the organization chose to interview you. Let the knowledge and your interview preparation bolster your confidence. During the interview, take notes. Inform the interviewer(s) at the beginning of the interview that you would like to take some notes to help in the questioning and answering session at the end of the interview.

The competencies that will be evaluated during the interview are skills that you have polished during your education, extracurricular involvement, internships, co-op and summer experiences. The areas that will be evaluated are adaptability, communication, initiative, interpersonal acumen, planning and organization, accountability, resourcefulness, work orientation, and negotiation skills among others. Be a good listener but not reticent about asking penetrating questions.

Some routine questions that will be asked of you during the interview are listed below:

• Tell me about yourself. What do you look for in a job? What are your special abilities? How do you perform under pressure?
• Why did you choose your particular field of study and work? What do you perceive as the advantages of your chosen field?
• What makes you think that you could be successful with our organization? What do you know about our organization?
• What types of positions are you most interested in?
• Are you willing to relocate multiple times?
• What have you learned from some of the jobs that you have held?
• Is your GPA indicative of your ability?
• What leadership positions have you held in college and in your community?
• Are you very creative? Give some examples.
• What is your philosophy of management?
• Why should we hire you?

In answering all questions, be specific, concise, and give examples that show your ability to provide direction, allocate resources, that you can execute with quality, and have a passion to succeed. Exemplify that your value system is one of fairness, truth telling, promise keeping, and respect for all individuals.

Be prepared for the unexpected by writing down five questions that you hope no one would ever ask you in the interview. Take some time and thoughtfully answer those questions. Once you master how you would answer those questions on site, your comfort level will come naturally.

Some routine questions that you may want to ask the interviewer are:

• If hired, would I be filling a newly created position, or would I be replacing someone?
• Would you describe a typical work day and the things that I would be responsible for and accountable for?
• What are the most critical duties of the job?
• How will I get feedback on my performance?
• What is the career path from this position to the top of the organization?
• How does this position contribute to the bottom line of the organization?
• What is the diversity mix of your management, the organization and the area in which you will be working?

Do not ask about salary. Let the organization bring up the subject.

During the interview, sell yourself, show what you can do for the organization, show that you are a team player, ask for the job, and never apologize for any areas where you need growth. Present those areas from a positive viewpoint if they must be discussed. Project confidence and never imply that
you can work miracles. You should not discuss religion, politics or race, although, as stated above, you may ask about the company's diversity.

Be sure that you never lose your personal touch, and give the interviewer(s) a true sense of the value that you can bring to their organization by letting your unique qualities come out.

Consult a dining etiquette book or website to be sure that you are prepared in case part of the interview takes place in a restaurant or company dining room.

Be clear, as you end the day, on what the next steps in the process are for moving forward. If an offer is made on the spot, thank the organization and take some time to ponder in order to make an informed decision. Send a personal handwritten thank-you note to those who interviewed you in the process.

It is important that you feel valued, challenged, and have an excellent compensation package, training for personal and professional development, and clearly defined career progression.

Good luck in your career search.

Vernon E. Martin, Jr., is a writer and frequent contributor to THE BLACK COLLEGIAN.