Before the Interview
Learn as much as you can about the company or school that you have
an interview with. This conveys interest and enthusiasm (NOTE QUESTIONS
2, 9, 10 in Grad School and 19, 20, 21 in Employers).
What is your e-mail address? What is the message on your answering
machine? Employers are influenced by these factors. How might an employer
view you if they must reply to hotstud@, sexybabe@, or druggy@? The same
holds true with an answering machine. Keep the message professional sounding
- at least while you are job hunting.
Questions that they might ask you:
Graduate Schools (from a TIPS discussion 2/96 and PSYCHTEACHER 1/00)
1. Why do you want to be a psychologist? What qualifications do you
have that will make you a successful psychologist?
2. What attracts you to our program? What do you like about it? What
do you hope to gain?
3. Will you tell me a little about yourself as a person?
4. What are your future plans and goals?
5. What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses?
6. What do you think you will bring to the program? What are your special
attributes?
7. Have you ever had personal therapy? If yes, what did you work on?
If no, why not?
8. What are your research interests? Tell me about your research project.
9. What is your theoretical orientation?
10. Which of our faculty members would you like to work with?
11. Where else have you applied/interviewed?
12. What are your hobbies, avocations, interests outside of psychology?
13. What undergraduate classes did you find the most interesting and
why?
Employers (from VSU's Career Planning and Placement):
1. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
2. What are your long range career objectives?
3. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
4. Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?
5. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
6. Tell me about yourself - how would you describe yourself?
7. How do you think a friend, professor, etc. would describe you?
8. What motivates you to put forth your best effort?
9. Why should I hire you?
10. How do you determine/evaluate success?
11. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?
12. What qualities should a successful (name of job applying for) possess?
13. What two or three accompishments have given you the most satisfaction?
14. Describe your most rewarding experience (in college, etc.).
15. What led you to choose your field or major?
16. If you could do so, how would you plan your course of study differently?
17. Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic
achievement?
18. Are you able to work under pressure? Tell me of a situation where
you had to work under pressure and how you handled it.
19. Why did you decide to seek a position with this company?
20. What do you know about our company?
21. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you
hope to work?
Topics for questioning during an interview - What can you ask?
For the graduate school (from PSYCHTEACHER 1/00):
1. What opportunities for research & practica are there?
2. Do faculty take an active interest in mentoring students?
If so, how?
3. What is the program's philiosophical approach and how does it play
out in their training?
4. Where do students go on internships, jobs?
5. Talk to students and find out whether they are happy there.
Listen to why they are happy/not happy.
6. What percentage of students complete the program?
7. If the program is not APA-approved, why not? What are they
doing to get approval (if they
want it)?
For the employer:
1. Opportunities for growth
2. Typcial career paths and realistic time frames for advancement
3. Typical first year assignments
4. Initial and further training programs
5. Performance evaluations and promotional opportunities
6. Company's "personality" and management style
7. Expectations of new hires
8. Interviewer's own experience with the organization
9. Characteritics and qualities of person successful with company
10. Description of work environment and departmental structure
11. Challenging facets of the job
12. Differences from competition
13. Organizations strengths and weaknesses
How should you look? (From VSU's Career Planning and Placement)
1. Minimum or no cologne or perfume (women, moderate makeup)
2. Clean, attractive, controlled hairstyle (men, facial hair shaved
or neatly trimmed)
3. No food, gum, or cigarettes
4. Clean nails (women, no chipped polish)
5. Clothes should be clean, pressed (suit if possible - typically blue
or grey)
6. Empty pockets (nothing bulging or to play with)
7. Matching conservative sock or hosiery
8. Shined or polished shoes in good repair
9. Moderate jewelry
10. Attache case (women, can be a conservative purse)
Why you might not get the job
This was from the University of Texas website
Poor personal appearance
Overbearing, aggressive, know-it-all attitude
Poor communication skills, poor diction or grammare
Lake of career planning, no future goals
Lake of enthusiasm, passive, indifferent
Too much emphasis on salary and benefits
Poor scholastic record
Expects too much too soon, unrealistic expectations
Laks business ediquette
Asks no questions about the job
Poor eye contact, fidgits during interview
Late for interview
Sloppy resume, data sheet, application
Knows little about the company or position, failed to research company
Lack of poise and confidence
Indecisive, lacks initiative
Condemns previous employers or profs
Immature
Timid, overly nervous
Lake of leadership qualities
Unwilling to relocate
Questionable potential for advancement