Get Ready for Your Interview

 

Learn About the Employer and the Position

  • Check out their website: Interviewers frequently ask if you have visited their website. Doing this research shows the interviewer that you are interested in the agency and that you have done your homework.
  • Make note: What do they do? Do they specialize in something specific? Think about how you can contribute to the agency’s goals.
  • Review the job description: What about it interests you? What makes you qualified for this position?

Learn About Yourself

Practice interviewing with friends, employment services and/or on tape: It is important to review what you would say during an interview in order to communicate it well and feel comfortable and prepared during the interview. Think about:

  • What are your work and/or volunteer experiences, education, and other qualifications?
  • What are you strengths and weaknesses?
  • What type of supervision works best for you? What do you expect from a supervisor?
  • What are you looking for in a job?
  • Why do you want to work with people with disabilities?
  • What is your knowledge of or experience with people with disabilities?

Be prepared to answer questions related to real life situations:

  • What would you do in a certain situation that may be quite common in this job?
  • How will you react to different situations?

Make a Good First Impression

  • Know where you are going and how you are going to get there. Arrive 10 minutes early so that you are not rushed and you have time to collect your thoughts.
  • Firm handshake, eye contact, and confident body language (slouching and crossing the arms can be interpreted as being disinterested or insecure).
  • Act self-assured but not overly aggressive.
  • Appropriate attire.
  • Positive attitude.
  • Respectful interactions with other employees.

This is an Interview for the Employer, Too

At the end of the interview, you will have an opportunity to ask the interviewer questions about the agency and the position. Not only does this give you an opportunity to learn more about them in order to decide if this is a good match for you, but it also shows that you are interested. Some questions to consider are:

  • What are you looking for in a candidate?
  • Are there opportunities for advancement in this position?

Make an Impression after the Interview

Make sure to get a business card from each person that you interview with and send a thank you note or email to each interviewer. In the note, briefly recap your qualifications, reiterate your interest and express your appreciation for the interviewers’ time and consideration.

Follow-up:

  • If the agency has not followed through with their next step after the interview it is appropriate to follow-up to inquire about the job.
  • Seeing if they fulfill what they said they would is an opportunity for you to observe the organization and responsiveness of the agency.

Resources:

  1. Human Services Career Network: Interviewing Skills; http://www.hscareers.com/careercenter/articles.asp?id=1
  2. California State Univeristy, Chico : Interviewing Skills; http://www.csuchico.edu/plc/interview.html