Interviewing and Tips

Put your best foot forward at your job interview, and negotiate your job offer.

Interviewing

Structuring Answers to Interview Questions

For all industries it is important to research the organization thoroughly. Be able to communicate your technical and transferable skills as well as your organizational fit. Target your answers to each job and give examples to demonstrate your skills and qualifications.

The CART Method allows you to think about the various aspects of each experience to help you provide an answer that describes your experiences and accomplishments.

  • Context: Provide information about the organization; its climate; size, number of employees/co-workers, interesting or otherwise impressive; timing; relevant interpersonal situations. What was the goal you were trying to accomplish? What was your purpose within the organization/project?
  • Action: Explain your actions, framed in the context of the situation. What work did you actually do? What were your responsibilities?
  • Result: Explain the result and its benefit. If possible, quantify your results with numbers to demonstrate your impact on the organization or the field. Example: “Implemented new data analytics method to streamline the process of solar cell creation, resulting in a 65% reduction in cost to the consumer.
  • Takeaway: Connect your experience with the desired qualifications of the job. What skills from your previous experience will you be able to use in this job?

Sample Interview Questions

Many common interview questions across fields can fall into the following categories. You should be prepared with answers to general questions, as well as those specific to your industry.

Resume & Fit
Assesses your skills, interests, and fit for the position to which you are applying and provide context for experiences listed on your resume.

  • Why are you interested in this position? Why should we hire you? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
  • What has been your most significant accomplishment to date?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?

Behavioral
Assesses your past behavior in order to predict your future behavior in the workplace.

  • Provide an example of a time when you worked on a team. What was the project, your role, and the outcome?
  • Give me an example of a time when you solved a complicated problem.
  • Tell me about a time you failed.

Case
Assesses your demonstrated skills in the areas of: problem solving, communication, teamwork, and analytics. The case is often a business decision that simulates an actual scenario that you will work through in real time either individually or in a group.

  • “Your client is a ski resort. Global warming has reduced natural snowfall by 50% in the past two years, which is having a significant impact on the cost of operations and the length of the ski season. What should they do and why?”
  • “The Star Trek transporter has just been invented. Spell out some of the effects on the transportation industry.”

Technical
Assesses your technical knowledge, aptitude, and problem-solving skills.

  • “Compare and contrast REST and SOAP web services.”
  • “What is copper trading at today?”
  • Coding problem—delivered on a white board in real time.

Download this handout for more examples of industry-specific questions.

Thank You Letters

Writing a handwritten thank you note, or more commonly – sending a thank you email is expected after any job interview at any stage. The purpose of the thank you note is to reaffirm your interest in the position, and thank those involved in the interview for their time. This is also an opportunity to highlight your strengths and fit for the position. Thank you notes don’t necessarily earn you a position; however, if they aren’t received, hiring managers may count it as a strike against you as a candidate.

Send a thank you email within 24-48 hours of an initial phone screening or Skype interview, to ensure your thank you reaches the search committee or hiring manager before a decision is made about who will be moved along in the process. Handwritten thank you notes can be used after a final interview. However, if a decision is expected quickly – getting the thank you out via email is recommended to ensure it is received before a decision is made.