· D - If you have a situation where you didn't get the desired result, you can still use it. Just explain what you would do Differently now. This demonstrates that you learn from your experiences, and that you will not repeat these mistakes in your next position.

Case Questions either present real or hypothetical scenarios, or present “guesstimate” or “brainteaser” types of problems. They test your diagnostic, analytical and communication skills. Although you will usually need to produce a quantitative answer, the skills that the interviewer is evaluating are how you narrow down a problem, if you can you follow a logical line of reasoning to reach a conclusion, and if you express yourself clearly. Ex. How many golf balls are used in the U.S. each year? You will need to break this “problem” down into parts, and you can do this in a variety of ways. One way is to indicate that you would first estimate the country's population, followed by your estimate of the percentage of golfers, the number of golf balls used per golfer, etc. It's okay to ask if you can take some time before answering, and be sure to have a paper and pencil with you to gather and structure your thoughts. However, you might also be asked to give initial thoughts without any time to prepare as a test of your ability to think on your feet. (For more info on case interviews, click this link to wetfeet.com .)

Wrapping up the Interview

Do you have any questions ? When the interviewer asks this, you must have questions ready, and one good question is not enough (you should have multiple questions prepared). If your key points have not yet been addressed, let the interviewer know that you do have questions, but that there are a few additional things you'd like to note first. Then, in addition to job or company-specific questions, questions like How long have you worked here? What do you like about working here? What keeps people happy here? are fair. Think of the interview as a two-way conversation: you are there to sell yourself, but you also want to find out if the organization is a good match for you.

Before you leave, be sure to ask when the company expects to inform you of the next steps. Also ask about the best way for you to follow up (email, phone, etc.) and whom you should contact when doing so. Finally, make sure you thank them for their time. Although many people neglect it, a hand-written thank you note sent within one or two days of your interview will go a long way in displaying your enthusiasm.

 

Barbara Limmer is Director of Career Management Programs at Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management. She oversees the student preparation functions of the Career Management Center , including job-search related workshops and programs, individual career advising, and the Graduate Associate Program.

 

Prior to coming to Thunderbird in December 1997, she spent 11 years working in human resources, with positions involving recruiting, training and employee relations for companies including AlliedSignal, Bank of America, MetLife Capital Corp., and Aldus Corp (now Adobe). Ms. Limmer also worked as a “headhunter” in New York City while attending graduate school and as a career advisor at UCSB and UCLA.

Ms. Limmer received her bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her master's in organizational psychology from Columbia University . She also has earned lifetime certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from the Society of Human Resource Management Certification Institute.

 

The above is an excerpt from The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need: How to Find and Get the Job or Internship of Your Dreams, which is available for sale for $19.85 in our bookstore or $27.00 at Amazon.com but for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. This hot new book contains job search secrets of the most experienced, most knowledgeable and most respected career experts. Learn career planning, job hunting tools and tactics, interviewing, cover letter and resume writing (lots of samples!), networking, and how to find an internship. Written by 149 career experts. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter.

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