Whether you are a graduating senior, a middle-aged career changer, or a freshman looking for a summer job, your greatest challenge is to learn how to interview effectively. The job interview is the forum where almost all hiring decisions are made— your "make or break" opportunity. The following information should increase your chances for success in this process.

Although no two interviews are identical, there are several typical forms of interviews:

• Patterned Interview - Such interviews are highly structured, systematic and designed to serve as a stable yardstick against which applicants can be measured. They are specially adapted for research and designed to overcome problems of inconsistency. Essentially, the identical questions are asked of all applicants, and then the individual responses are compared. The typical use of a patterned interview is in initial screening of many applicants to weed out the more obviously unqualified. Most on-campus interviews follow this format.
• Non-Directive or Free-Association Interview - Typically employs open-ended type questions such as "Tell me about yourself." This allows applicants to express themselves in their own unique way and offers greater exposure to an applicant's personality and attitudes. However, the interviewer needs considerable skill to keep applicants from rambling, and to objectively analyze data. Many campus interviewers will appear to follow this format.
• Stress Interview - The purpose of this method is to measure the applicant's ability to handle stressful situations. Stress interviews are used to weed out individuals who react defensively or get easily injured. Stress interviews are seldom used on-campus.
• Group and/or Area Interview - Group interviews are often used for higher level business and academic positions. Typically a "search committee" composed of personnel representatives, managers, and often psychologists will examine an applicant. Each interviewer will often be assigned a particular area of the applicant's background on which to concentrate (e.g., experience, education, or family background). This approach can be exhausting for the applicant, especially if the interviewing is structured on a one-on-one basis, or if it takes several hours or days.

• Do your homework Research the organization or school before interviewing. For a business or organization, know the size of the firm, its potential growth, its competition, and its prospects for the future. Consult company/university and other literature, such as Standard & Poor's, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, etc. for this information. You should also know the locations of its major offices/plants and its reputation within the industry. For a university, know its size, types of programs, and numbers of students in the various psychology graduate programs (available in Graduate Study in Psychology by the APA). You should also research the individual professors in the department and know their areas of research. Graduate programs are often looking for a match between a student's interest and those of particular faculty members. Knowledge of this information insures a more productive interview because the company/university representative will be able to spend less time describing the company/university/university and more time interviewing you.

• Dress appropriately A good first impression in the interview is essential. Some studies have indicated that physical appearance is the one strongest and most consistent predictor of recruiting success, even ranking over such factors as grades and work experience! With that in mind, you must maximize your physical appearance to compete effectively. Although there are exceptions, you'll rarely go wrong if your dress conservatively. For women, this means a classic navy blue or grey suit, with a modest updated blouse. Although a tailored dress can also be worn, a business suit is considered the "uniform" for interviewing. A pair of classic medium-heeled pumps, with a neutral stocking will compliment the look. Accessories and makeup are fine, as long as they are understated. Keep it simple. Cologne and perfume should be used sparingly. Hair should be clean, neatly styled, and away from face. For men, again, conservative is the rule of thumb. This means a navy blue or grey suit, with a white long-sleeved shirt that has been professionally laundered. A tie that is understated and coordinated will add to the professional image you want to portray. Shoes in black, brown, or cordovan that are polished will certainly complete the look. Jewelry for men should be limited to a wedding ring or class ring. Men also must be careful not to overdo the cologne or aftershave. Hair, along with sideburns and mustaches should be neatly trimmed. Beards are risky, and probably should not be worn. If possible, try to find out how the individuals in the positions and companies you have interest in typically dress. You can assess this by browsing through company/university/university literature, or better yet, actually observing the employees at the company/university/university. If the company/university/university is close, drop by during lunch or as people are leaving at the end of the day. This will give you some idea of what the norm is as far as appropriate dress.

• Role play The interviewer is going to ask you a number of probing questions (see sample questions). Prepare for them by first attempting to predict what will be asked and then by practicing your answers. Role play with someone who knows you well. If possible, record the session. Examine your responses and evaluate your performance. You should try to express yourself in a clear and logical manner and to communicate a sense of self-confidence and direction. The best way to practice for interviews is in a video-taped mock interview. This method is excellent for providing feedback regarding your responses, mannerisms, and overall interviewing style.

    In the vast majority of cases, students are rejected because of one major flaw— lack of proper career planning. Even if you view the company/university/university as nothing more than a career experiment, don't make vague statements such as, "I'll take most any job" or "I want to work with people." In your research you should have identified typical starting assignments—, apply for those positions. If you perform well, opportunities for greater mobility will appear after your initial assignment.

• Interviewer's Objectives You can increase your employment chances if you keep in mind the interviewer's objectives. Recruiters (or graduate faculty's) have specific entry level vacancies to fill. They want people who are seriously interested in a career in a particular field. They need answers to the following questions:

• Nervousness Interviewers are aware that interviewing can cause extreme nervousness. Usually a interviewer will make allowance for this, especially if it is one of the applicant's first interviews. Try not to fidget with your hands or articles of clothing. Keep frequent eye contact with the interviewer, but don't stare. In most instances, nervousness will become less of a factor after two or three interviews. For this reason, it is wise to save your most important interviews until you have acquired some practice. Above all, don't become discouraged; interviewing is a learned skill. However, if you are still having difficulty after your fifth or sixth interview, it may be best to discuss the situation with the director of the Career Services Office.

• Eye Contact Having good eye contact is very important when communicating, especially when interviewing or meeting a prospective employer or faculty mentor. Lack of direct eye contact can give a person the wrong impression about you. We typically think that a person who cannot look us in the eye may either be shy, hiding something, or dishonest. Maintain good eye contact when communicating; it will leave others with a positive impression of you.

• Body Language We can say many things with our bodies using nonverbal communication. Make sure that your body language portrays a message of friendliness and openness. When communicating, watch out for folded hand and arms, crossed legs, head in a downward position, or not sitting directly facing the person with whom you are talking. These gestures could lead others to think you are very closed, aloof, or distant.

• Be Candid While subterfuge may get you the position, it isn't likely to keep it for you. The selecting of a candidate is, after all, an agreement to accept what the candidate has to offer. Unless both parties form an honest evaluation of each other, the agreement is apt to be canceled.

• Enthusiasm Your interviewer has probably worked for his or her company/university/university for several years. In other words he or she is dedicated to the company/university/university. The interviewer expects you to have similar feelings or to at least exhibit enthusiasm for a potential position with the firm/university. A well-researched presentation is probably the best way to demonstrate this quality. Make your questions reflect your knowledge of the employer/university. Find out about the normal routine of the position in which you are interested, where you can expect to be in five years, and opportunities for further professional education. The idea is to convey a sense of long term interest. Above all, don't be too concerned about salary, and fringe benefits. Convey your enthusiasm for the work, not for the awards.

• Think On Your Feet Don't let the interviewing situation stampede your confidence. Make sure you get the opportunity to fully express your strong points. Your answers should be factual, sincere, but should not convey conceit. You should:

    Send a short personal note to the interviewer, and anyone else you have spoken to regarding employment. This can be an extremely effective reinforcer. Although this step is often recommended, few applicants follow up on the suggestion. Thus, you can emphasize your uniqueness just by this simple act of courtesy.

• Tips For Thank You Letters
• Write to the person or persons with who you are interviewed.
• Express your appreciation for the interviewer's time and consideration.
• Indicate your interest in the position.
• Reemphasize your strengths and qualifications.
• Mention something you didn't say during the interview (e.g., work experience or accomplishments).
•  Enclose a resume to refresh the interviewer's memory.
• Unless the interviewer has indicated otherwise, state that you will contact him/her on a specific date to follow-up.
• Be proactive; call as you said you would!

• Tell me about yourself. Expand on your resume.
• For what position are you applying?
• What are your long-term career goals? Where would you like to be in 10 years?
• Why do you feel that you will be successful in.?
• What supervisory or leadership roles have you held?
• How do you spend your spare time?
• What have been your most satisfying and most disappointing experiences?
• What are your strongest (weakest) personal qualities?
• Give me some examples that support your stated interest in_____.
• Why did you select to interview with us?
• What courses did you like best? Least? Why?
• What did you learn or gain from your part-time and summer job experiences?
• Which geographic location do you prefer? Why?
• Would you prefer on-the-job training or a formal program?
• What can you do for us now? What can I do for you?
• What are your plans for graduate study?
• Why did you choose your major?
• Why are your grades low? Why are your GRE scores low?
• Tell me about your extracurricular activities and interests.
• Why did you quit your various jobs?

WARNING: The initial interview is not the time to inquire about salary!

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