The In-Person Interview

As I noted previously, the actual in-person interview may consist of a series of one-on-one interviews, a group interview, or some combination thereof. Here are some tips.

1. If you are asked a question and you don’t know the answer, don’t guess. You might get lucky and answer correctly, but you’ll look foolish if you confidently blurt out the wrong answer. The only exception to this rule is if the interviewer actually asks you to take a guess.
2. You are not expected to know the answers to 100% of the technical questions. Some interviewers will take perverse pleasure in asking obscure questions, feeling superior in that they have some knowledge the interviewees don’t. But more likely, in asking tough questions the interviewers are just probing the limits of your knowledge.
3. Many interviewers will ask you the dreaded “Your biggest weakness” question. Have an answer ready, but avoid the cheesy “I work too hard” ones that will cause the interviewer to groan. Instead, try to think of a mild weakness that you are “working hard to overcome”.
4. Keep your answers short – no more than 20-30 seconds or so. The interviewer will prompt you if they want you to expand on an answer. Nothing’s worse than an interviewee who rambles on for 5 minutes describing the deepest and most boring details of the payroll system they worked on ten years ago.
5. Maintain eye contact, but don’t keep a steely gaze fixated on the interviewer; you’ll come off as a stalker or psycho. Look away every now and then.
6. Don’t get overly chummy with the interviewer; stay professional. If they start BS’ing or shooting the breeze, nod and acknowledge them briefly, but don’t get drawn into a deep discussion about sports, movies, or whatever, and above all don’t let your guard down. Your time is limited, and you want the discussion to stay focused on the job and your qualifications.
7. Try to smile once in a while – it helps people connect with you. But don’t force it.
8. Remember, the interview is also an opportunity for the company to sell itself on you. Don’t be afraid to ask why you should work for the company. If you want to approach it more politely, ask the interviewers what they like most about working there.
9. Don’t ask the interviewers how you performed in the interview; that can be extremely awkward.
10. If the interviewers ask legally off-limits questions (e.g., age, marital status, ethnicity, etc.), just tell them that you can provide that information later if necessary.