INTERVIEW TOOLKIT

Behavioural
• Conflicts
• Teamwork

Experience based
• Avoid Embellishment
• Desire / Willingness to learn

Open-Ended
• Strengths / Weaknesses
• Short Term / Long Term Goals

Personal
• Salary expectations / travel availability /address
• Other informational questions (e.g. status of residence)

Technical
• Either know it or don't
• Research / leverage what you know
During interview, use the “STAR” format to stay organized and successfully articulate
your answers:

Situation Task Action Result

What was the What did you have to How did you do it? What was the
situation? Give as do? What strategies did outcome? Quantify
many contextual you utilize? the results whenever
details as you can possible
 1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you know about this company?
3. Why are you a good fit for this role?
Why are you looking (or why did you leave your last job)?
20 SAMPLES OF
4.

5. If your previous co-workers were here, what would they say

about you?
FREQUENTLY 6. Where do you see yourself in five years?

ASKED 7.

8.
What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
What motivates you to do a good job?

INTERVIEW 9. Describe a situation in which you were able to use

persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things
your way.
QUESTIONS 10. Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to
a problem.
11. Provide a specific example of when you used good
judgement and logic in solving a problem
 12. Give an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.

13. Tell me about a time when you set a goal and were able to
achieve it.
14. Describe a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of

20 SAMPLES OF
duty in order to get a job done.
15. Provide an example of a time when you had to make a split-
second decision.
FREQUENTLY 16. Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with
another person even when that individual may not have
ASKED personally liked you (or vice versa).
17. Give an example of a time when you tried to accomplish a task

INTERVIEW and failed.

18. Describe a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very

QUESTIONS upset customer or co-worker.

19. Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and
developed preventative measures.
20. Do you have any questions? (Be sure to prepare relevant
questions related to the function of this role. Do not use this as an
opportunity to bring up compensation).
▪ Make sure you have all the details of the interview (including Company Name /
Location of Interview / Date / Time / Duration of Interview / Directions /
Interviewers Name(s)) If the interview will be conducted virtually, please see the
“Virtual Interview Tips”
▪ Dress professionally, even during virtual interviews (Professional attire will make a
strong first impression)
▪ Research the company background (Check recent news, press-releases, updates
on the company website)
Example: if the company recently acquired another company, consider how this
has affected the business unit / team connected to the role you’re interviewing for.
Remember, only focus on questions that are relevant to the organization / role /
industry
▪ Review Job Description in detail and understand what the responsibilities include
(note any questions about the role to ask the interviewer as a follow-up)
▪ Understand your interviewer(s) background / experience from LinkedIn (where
applicable)
▪ What to bring with you in your Padfolio:
❖ Print 3-4 copies of your resume
❖ If you have business cards, keep these handy
❖ Keep 1-2 blank pages / writing pad to take notes

▪ Get adequate rest and visualize yourself succeeding in the interview!

 VIRTUAL INTERVIEW TIPS
▪ Look at the camera, not the screen - Looking directly at the video camera is the only way to maintain direct eye
contact with your interviewer. Focus on sitting up straight and making eye contact, which is a lot more difficult than it
may appear. Again, you’ll be tempted to keep your eyes on the monitor, focus instead on the webcam. When you do,
interviewers will see you looking at them directly.
▪ Ask the interviewer - If not done by the interviewer first, ask the interviewer to confirm he can hear the conversation
just fine (only once in the beginning of conversation, avoid asking “can you hear me” situation multiple times.)
▪ Prepare your surroundings - Pick a quiet place to interview without an elaborate backdrop so that you can be the focal
point on the screen. Remove anything distracting behind you and keep it neutral (i.e. turn off your ceiling fan).
▪ Close other programs on your computer - Getting Facebook notifications during your interview is distracting and
unprofessional. Before your interview, make sure all other windows on your computer are closed (especially if they
make noise).
▪ Watch your body language - Not all physical cues translate from in-person interviews to video interviews, which make
the ones that do even more important. Be sure to have good posture and relax your shoulders to avoid stiffness.
▪ Make sure the interviewer is engaged - Pause occasionally, and make sure your interviewer is engaged in what you
are saying. Being aware of the interest level of your interviewer is crucial in virtual interview since they may have
interesting e-mails pop up that direct attention away from you.
▪ Test run - Video technology is simple to use, but it might take some time and practice to make your video look and
sound clean. Prepare for your interview well ahead of time and you’ll look good to the hiring manager and save yourself
a whole lot of stress. Especially if the platform chosen by the client is new to you, do a test run before the interview.
▪ Finally - Don’t Forget to Smile!
▪ Interview will begin with a few light-questions / small-talk to ease in.
**REMEMBER** the interviewers know what you’re going through and likely
have been in your position before. They will do everything they can to keep
you from getting nervous, but it’s also up to you to show your confidence.
▪ While answering questions, keep the focus on what was asked and avoid
straying away too far from the question asked by the interviewer.
▪ Always ask Questions at the “DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US?”
section. (Employers often determine a candidate’s level of interest in a role
based on the quality of questions they ask of the interviewer).

Sample Questions to Ask the Interviewer

• In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a suitable
candidate for this role?
• What is the general breakdown of the role across various
functions?
• Can I clarify anything else about my experience?
• How does this department fit in to the overall organization?

Questions to AVOID
• Would I get paid for overtime?
• How many vacation days would I get?
• Are there any corporate discounts on products and services?
• Do you offer work-from-home options?
• Religious / personal beliefs / political questions.