Interviews

• Screening Interview: Typically conducted by a human resources representative (although not always), these interviews may be held on campus or conducted by phone. The employer’s primary goal is to see how well you can communicate/express your ideas and your overall presence. Typical length is 30 minutes or less.
• Phone/Zoom: As a time-saver, employers will opt to conduct a screening interview via phone or using a video conferencing platform. Prepare as thoroughly as you would for an in-person interview.
• On-site Interview: If you perform well during the screening interview, the employer may invite you to participate in a more extensive in-person interview. Expect the interview to last two to three hours. Plan to meet members of the organization with whom you will be interacting should you be offered the position. You may be asked to present on a topic (sometimes provided in advance, but not always). You might also be asked to participate in a group presentation with other potential candidates.
• Group/Panel Interview: A group of three or more interviewers. This group is comprised of key members of the organization who will assess your competency. Often the individuals represent various roles within an organization.
• Technical Interview: These are designed to gauge your problem-solving skills, your ability to think under pressure, and your technical knowledge in your chosen field. The interviewer wants to see how you think through a problem to reach a solution. Reaching the “correct” answer is not necessarily a requirement. Ask the recruiter what to expect in the interview. This will allow you to prepare appropriately.
• Series Interview: All-encompassing, on-site interviews that can last a full day or across two to three days. During this time you are being assessed by multiple people at varying levels throughout the process. This may include one-on-one interviews, a presentation (including time for Q & A) as well as a panel interview. Typically, series interviews are conducted for positions in academia or for executive-level positions.
• Case Interview: Designed to gauge your ability to think on your feet and to solve real-world problems specific to an organization. The employer explains a typical scenario and provides you with the information needed to solve the problem. All questions are based on the information provided. The goal is for you to provide logical solutions using your knowledge of the organization, industry and any other relevant information.

Watch the Types of Interviews video in Big Interview for insight into the types of interviews you may encounter. The video can be accessed under Part 1 of both the Fast Track and Mastery Track video curriculum on the Learn tab.

• Have your documents in front of you, including a copy of your résumé and a copy of the position description, with key information highlighted.
• Prepare some thoughtful questions about the position.
• Allow for ample time; the interview may go beyond 30 minutes.
• Make sure you’ll have good reception, or use a landline. Make sure you are speaking clearly/audibly. Sit in a quiet place free of background noise.
• Have a clock handy so you can gauge how long you are talking as you answer each question and to give you a sense of the amount of time left.
• Do your research! At a minimum, be sure to check out the company website, taking note of the mission/vision.
• Project energy and enthusiasm, as you would in a face-to-face conversation. Listeners can “hear” you smile!
• Remember this is a real interview—even though you may be in the comfort of your own home, put yourself together and project professionalism. Don’t use the phone as an excuse to stay in your PJs!
• At the end, ask, “What is the next step in your process?”

General

Some of the most common, general interview questions are also the most challenging. See: Responding to Challenging Questions.

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why were you attracted to this opportunity?
• What is your greatest strength/weakness?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• What specific goals do you hope to accomplish in the next 5-10 years?
• Why are you the best candidate for this job?
• How do you handle ambiguity?
• Do you have any questions for me?

Behavioral

Behavioral-based interviewing is based on the premise that a person’s recent, relevant past performance is the best predictor of future performance. Instead of asking how you might behave in a particular situation, a behavioral interviewer will want to learn about how you did behave during certain situations. You will be asked to provide a specific example of a past situation or task to demonstrate the way you performed in that specific situation or task.

• Provide an example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments.
• Describe a time in which you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills. How did you respond? What was the outcome? Looking back, what could you have done better?
• Give me an example of an important goal that you set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
• Describe a situation where your decisions were challenged by your supervisor/professor. How did you react? What was the outcome?
• Tell me about a time when you experienced failure.
• Describe a time when you “went the extra mile” to help someone? Why did you assist them? What was the outcome?
• Describe a time in which you worked with a difficult supervisor or teammate.
• Tell me about a time when you delegated a project efficiently.
• Give an example of when you were able to learn a new skill in a short period of time.

The best way to respond to behavioral interview questions is by using the STAR Technique:

Academic

• How did you choose your major?
• Describe a tough academic choice you had to make.
• Tell me about a time you had a particularly heavy course load. How did you manage that?
• Which of your courses or projects have helped prepare you for this internship?

In addition to general questions, you may be asked some that are more specific to the industry you want to enter.

Business

• In your opinion, what elements are necessary for a successful team and why?
• Tell me about the project you are most proud of, and describe your contribution.
• Walk me through your latest budget preparation process.
• What do you recall as the greatest trends affecting the economy today?

Service/Non-Profit

• What attracted you to working for a nonprofit organization?
• Tell me about your most rewarding volunteer experiences.
• Do you have a personal connection to a particular part of our mission? If so, which one and why?
• Tell me about your experience with fundraising.
• Tell me about a time when you raised community awareness for a cause.
• Describe a time when you accomplished big results on a limited budget.

Scientific/ Analytical

• How do you approach a multi-step problem?
• Relate a specific instance when you found it necessary to be precise in your actions in order to complete the job.
• Tell us about a time when you had to analyze information and make a recommendation. What were your thought processes? What was your reasoning behind your decision?

Technical

• What languages are you most familiar with?
• Tell me about the project you are most proud of, and what your contribution was.
• Describe your production deployment process.
• How would you improve the design of this pen/item/software, etc.?
• Precise questions such as, “Why are manhole covers round?”
• Some employers may ask you to solve logic puzzles.
• Focused technical questions.

Resource: Technical Interview Preparation Course (free resource)

What is the best approach to answering a technical question?

• Think out loud. According to recruiters, the most important thing to remember when answering technical questions is to verbalize your thought process. The interviewer is as interested in your problem-solving approach as he/she is in your solution.
• Ask clarifying questions. Make sure you understand the question and have all the information you need to solve the problem. Some questions may be intentionally ambiguous to gauge your confidence in asking questions and your ability to gather data to tackle problems that are not clearly defined.
• Don’t bluff your way through an answer. If you don’t know the answer, take some time to think it through. Think out loud as you consider possible approaches. If you have absolutely no idea, admit that you don’t know. Admitting that you don’t know is better than bluffing.

During the interview, expect to be asked the following questions. These questions are challenging in that there are a variety of methods and strategies for how to effectively respond. We strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with a career advisor for assistance with these and other questions.

“Tell me about yourself.”

You can expect to hear this at the beginning of your interview. Prepare a thoughtful response which provides an overview of your skills, educational background and experience related to the position for which you are interviewing. Prepare for this question in advance.

“What is your major weakness?”

There are several strategies for dealing with this question.

Strategy 1: Identify a weakness that will not significantly hinder you in the job for which you are interviewing. Then highlight a strength that compensates for the weakness and/or you can describe steps you are taking to overcome the weakness.

Strategy 2: Identify a “weakness” that may also be viewed as a strength. (Be careful with this one. The “I have a tendency to take on too much” weakness gets overused, and employers get tired of hearing it.)

Strategy 3: Point out something that they already know but does not appear to be a stumbling block (a low G.P.A., or a lack of certain technical skills, and then explain why this would not impact your success).

“Why do you want to work for this company?”

The employer expects you to show knowledge of and interest in the company. Refer to the research you conducted before the interview.

“Why did you leave your last job?”

The employer is trying to find out if you had any problems on your last job. Never say anything negative about yourself or your previous employer. Some common reasons for leaving might be: general layoff, job was temporary, moved to a new area, company went out of business, no room for advancement, wanted a job more aligned with your skills, looking for more challenges.

“What are your future career plans?”

The employer wants to know if you are ambitious, plan ahead and set goals for yourself. It’s acceptable to communicate you are considering several options as opposed to describing specific details.  In the case of an internship, the employer may also want to know if you would consider working for them full time after graduation.

Be wary if the interviewer asks any questions about:

• Race/ethnicity
• Citizenship/nationality
• Marital status
• Whether you’ve had, or plan to have, children
• Sexual orientation
• Religion
• Age
• Disabilities
• Military discharge
• Organizations you belong to
• Criminal record

Employers cannot legally ask direct questions about any of the above and you are NOT obligated to supply this information if they do. However, they may legally ask indirect questions such as, “Are you eligible to work in the U.S.?” or “Can you fully perform the functions of this job?”

How to Respond to an Illegal Question

Becoming offended or saying, “Isn’t that illegal?” will probably not help your chances of landing the job. If you believe an honest mistake has been made, you may choose to answer the question, provided that you feel comfortable doing so. Or you may deflect the question and refocus the conversation on more relevant topics. For example, if asked, “Do you plan to have children?” you could say, “My personal life is important to me, but I have always been deeply committed to my work.”

However, if you found the question to be threatening and/or evidence of discriminatory hiring practices, you may reconsider whether you wish to work for the organization. In addition, there may be formal courses of action that you can take. Please contact the Career Center for more information.

Big Interview is a FREE interview training system that features a new and innovative way to help you prepare more effectively for a job interview. Training AND practice are combined to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence. You can access a video curriculum and question library to learn how to craft your answers and then record your responses to review yourself or share with others for feedback.

Log into Big Interview with your myUMBC username and password or view a demo for help navigating the system.

1. Learn

• Go to Big Interview and watch the video curriculum.
• Browse the question library for commonly asked questions and tips on how to craft your best answer.

2. Prepare

• Record yourself through Big Interview and send the video share link to interviews@umbc.edu for review and feedback.
• You may also schedule a 30 or 60-minute interview-prep appointment with a career advisor (optional).

• How to share your interview with the Career Center

  If you would like us to rate and give feedback on your practice interview, go to the “My Videos” section from the top left corner of the home page and click:

  1. The check mark next to the video you want to share
  2. The blue “Share” button on the top right hand side of the page
  3. “E-mail the following people” and enter interviews@umbc.edu
  4. Add email after you enter the above email address
  5. “Share Now” and your video will be sent.

  Additional information on sharing your video can be found on the Big Interview Help Page. After sending the link to your video, a Career Center representative will reply with in two business days.

3. Practice

• Big Interview will help to improve your interviewing skills significantly. You will have access 24/7 and can record yourself interviewing as often as you like. However, if you’d like to practice in person, you may also schedule a practice (mock) interview appointment with the Career Specialist in the Career Center. Call us to schedule a “mock interview.” Note: We strongly recommend that you use this this helpful tool to practice before scheduling practice (mock) interviews in the Career Center.

Don’t have the ability to capture video/audio on your computer/device? Not a problem? You can reserve an interview room in the Career Center to record your interview. Just complete the Interview Room Request Form, call or stop by.

Please do the following:

1. Call the Career Center to schedule your practice interview appointment. You have the choice of whether to have your session video recorded or not.
2. If possible, be prepared to share the position for which you are being considered. If you are preparing for a graduate school interview, please select a school for the interview. Your career specialist will use this information to select and tailor questions for your session.
3. Conduct research on the organization or graduate/professional school with whom you will be “interviewing.” (Interviewers expect candidates to do advance research. If no research is conducted, it can severely impact your ability to move on to the next interview phase.)
4. Have your résumé, sample job description (if applicable).