Download the Interviewing Guide (pdf)

With all the different questions being referenced, you may wonder what exactly the employer is looking for. And I will tell you. Following is the list of the top ten critical success factors that nearly every employer is seeking:

1. Positive attitude toward work
2. Proficiency in field of study
3. Communication skills (oral and written)
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Confidence
6. Critical thinking and problem solving skills
7. Flexibility
8. Self-motivation
9. Leadership
10. Teamwork

Courtesy of CollegeGrad.com

Essential Strategies for Interview Success

By Peter Manzi, Career Counselor

Learn about the position you are applying for.

Get job descriptions, know the application process and procedures, and any "unpublished" data you can find, like who is on the search committee, who you would report to, and a general salary range and associated benefits. This will help you determine if this is the right position for you. Scout out the location and leave yourself extra time to get there.

Learn about the company or organization, including its history, staff, and leadership.

Access web sites and any published materials you can, like annual reports, press releases.Use company web sites, the Internet and informational interviewing to learn more about the company. Its current and future financial status, as well as the overall staff morale, is an important factor to gauge.

Anticipate typical and atypical questions and prepare your responses.

Most employers will ask you to "Tell me about yourself", "Why do you want this job," "What makes you the best candidate?", "Where do you see yourself in several years?"  "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" and "What do you know about our company?" Atypical questions may focus on how you would handle a particular problem or issue or specifics about what you would do if hired. You may get some personal and/or inappropriate questions, depending on the skills or experience of the interviewers. Be truthful, keep your answers short and uncomplicated and don't show you are rattled, annoyed or nervous, even if you are. In general, keep a positive focus and don't badmouth anybody, no matter how terrible an employer or boss you once had.

Have a list of your own questions about the position.

Don't go into small details, and don't belabor issues such as salary and benefits in the first interview. Relate interviewer responses to your own assets and contributions to the employer. Don't turn it into an interrogation- that suggests you did not do enough homework about the job and organization. Enjoy the interview process -- it should be viewed as a challenge with a potentially rewarding outcome.

Get very good references.

Prepare them by telling them what you are applying for and why. Send them a copy of your resume, and bring a list of their names, email and regular mail address along with their phone numbers to the interview. It can be helpful to send your references a job description to understand what is expected of you.