Information to Have on Yourself During an Interview
Be prepared to give examples and talk about yourself in terms of your skills.
- Creative Skills: Develop models, experiment, apply theory, synthesize, predict, create new ideas, use imagination.
- Organizing Skills: Keep deadlines, details, accept responsibility, reason, use logic, make contacts, arrangements, decisions, clarify, clerical skills.
- Numerical Skills: Use computational and statistical abilities, inventory.
- Communication Skills: Write reports, letters and promotional materials, edit, explain, speak clearly, effectively.
- Instruction Skills: Coach, facilitate groups, design educational materials.
- Persuasion Skills: Influence others, sell, develop trust and support, motivate, arbitrate, negotiate, advance proposals, reconcile conflict.
- Human Relations and Interpersonal Skills: Understand, listen, question, guide, review, represent, advocate, team work.
- Research and Investigation Skills: Identify information sources, formulate questions, design experimental models, use a variety of information, assess needs.
- Design and Planning Skills: Set priorities, schedule time, identify alternatives, set goals, follow through, predict future trends.
- Performing Skills: Public speaking, humor, story-telling, stage presence
- Leadership Skills: Organize time, initiate, clarify and solve problems, take risks, self-directed, set goals and standards, assign, organize ideas, design projects, make decisions, share responsibilities, implement projects, build teams.
- Economic/Financial Skills: Prepare and administer budgets, financial accountability.
- Critical Thinking Skills: Identify critical issues, identify general principles, define parameters of a problem, reasoning, logic, creative problem solving, analyze from any angle.
- Evaluation Skills: Assess performance, set standards, make decisions, analysis review.
Information to Have on the Employer During an Interview
- Organizational goals
- Relative size of firm
- Growth potential for security
- Percent of annual sales growth last five years
- Array of product or service line
- Who are competitors?
- Reputation
- Organization structure by product line
- Geographical locations – relocation policies
- Number of plants, stores or sales outlets
- Short-term profit picture
- Average time in non-management assignment
- Recent items in the news and periodicals
- Structure assets – price of stock
- Percent of annual growth in earnings/share
- People you know in the company
- Formal vs. on-the-job-training
- Typical career path in your field
- Company Culture
- Consumers: Public/private, industry/business, lease/buy products