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1. What is interview
The word interview comes from Latin and middle French words meaning to “see between” or “see each
other”. Generally, interview means a private meeting between people when questions are asked and
answered. The person who answers the questions of an interview is called interviewee. The person who
asks the questions of our interview is called an interviewer. It suggests a meeting between two persons
for the purpose of getting a view of each other or for knowing each other.
According to Gary Dessler, “An interview is a procedure designed to obtain information from a person’s
oral response to oral inquiries.”
According to Thill and Bovee, “An interview is any planed conversation with a specific purpose involving
two or more people”.
According to Dr. S. M. Amunuzzaman, “Interview is a very systematic method by which a person enters
deeply into the life of even a stranger and can bring out needed information and data for the research
purpose.”
While preparing for an interview, employees usually look at what the job posting or job description says
in order to get a better understanding of what is expected of them should they get hired. Exceptionally
good interviewees look at the wants and needs of a job posting and shows off how good they are at
those abilities during the interview to impress the interviewer and increase their chances of getting a
job.
Before an interview
Attaining a job can be strenuous and stressful and preparing for a job interview could just help
increase an interviewee’s confidence and control. Because receiving a job is not as simple as just
arriving to an interview; the interviewee must place effort in preparing for the interview. Three ways
to successfully be prepared for an interview are to: research the organization, prepare one’s
appearance, and to rehearse oneself.
Organizational research:
The first step to successfully be prepared for the interview is to obtain background knowledge on the
organization.
(i) Research the company:
A good place to initiate the research of a company can be from the websites and annual reports.
The company’s website provides much information on different features of the company’s daily
performance, such as services they provide and the diversified types of industries they do business
with. Furthermore, annual reports provide much useful information about the financial position of the
company’s present and past positions and could also aware the interviewee of the pay or benefits to
be received.
(ii) Research the career Field:
Applying for a job requires knowledge about the job characteristics and duties. Although some
companies provide the objectives and the qualifications of the job position, they do not fully
explicate the general characteristics and job duties of an accountant or human resources manager.
(iii) Research the interviewer:
Many of the bigger companies comprise publications, press, and contact information that provide
supplementary information about the interviewers. But preparing for personal appearance is also

2. important because it determines the employer’s first impression. Therefore, the interviewee must
learn how to establish that memorable first impression.
Personal appearance preparation:
The second step in the preparation for the interview is personal appearance.
(i) Attire:
The way an individual looks, can alter the whole mindset of another; therefore, four significant
components should be fulfilled: dark basic suit, well-shined shoes, dress shirt and a tie.
(ii) Accessories:
Accessories should be limited to a minimum to keep it simple and professional. And women should
limit their purses from being too big and should match their shoes.
(iii) Grooming:
The first impression is vastly important and yet employers say they don’t make their decision based
on first impression, it still influences their decisions. Looking professionally and being clean can
alter the outcome of the interview because it could augment the interviewee’s confidence level,
therefore, performing better.
Rehearsal:
The third step in preparation for the interview is rehearsal.
(i) Questions:
In reducing anxiety, part of the preparation involves creating a list of potential questions that
interviewers commonly ask. Some of these questions include: “Tell me about yourself? What are
your strengths and weaknesses? Why do you want this job? Why should we hire you?
(ii)Answers:
After creating a list of potential questions, practice answering them as if it was an actual interview.
When practicing, it would be helpful if someone else could be in the position of the interviewer to
experience the situation in reality.
Participation in the interview
Getting an interview is a good step to put one’s foot in the door, therefore, it is important to value this
opportunity and to leave a lasting experience. Because there are many applicants and being selected to
be an interviewee is not very easy, interviewees should grasp this opportunity to show who they really
are. The three ways to leave a lasting memory for the employer are to use: positive nonverbal
communication, proper social skills, and to avoid any inappropriate behavior.
Nonverbal communication:
It may not only be what you say in an interview that matters, but also how you say it (e.g., how fast you
speak)and how you behave during the interview (e.g., hand gestures, eye contact). In other words,
although applicant’s responses to interview questions influence interview ratings, their nonverbal
behaviors may also affect interviewer judgments. In responding to questions, answer in an organized
manner to not skip back and forth or to mention anything extra.
Proper social skills:
The step to be successful in the duration of the interview is to use proper social skills. Knowing how to
ask and answer questions properly allows the interviewee to not get caught by his/her own words, but
instead taking the right approach into answering various questions, including positive and negative

3. characteristics.
Positive Characteristics: As the interview takes charge and the interviewer begins with “Tell me about
your self” statement, the interviewee’s responsibility is to lay out positive characteristics, or strengths,
in an organized manner.
Negative Characteristics: When the “What are your weaknesses?” question comes up, it seems like
the hardest question of them all. Because all humans have strengths and weaknesses, the way to excel
this question is to acknowledge weaknesses that are least related to the job performance.
Avoiding inappropriate behavior:
There are numerous inappropriate behaviors that should be avoided, the three most common ones are:
excessively nervous, not honest or too forthcoming, and acting desperate.
Excessively Nervous: Having some anxiety is perfectly normal, but some interviewees take
nervousness to the extreme. Different examples of nervousness to be considered inappropriate are:
giggling, babbling, and even forgetting what position the applicant applied for.
Not honest or too forthcoming: Different problems arise when honesty is an issue. Whenever and
interviewer asks questions, it is important for the interviewee to be honest and not lie. For example, if
the minimum age requirement to be employed is 16 and the applicant is 15, the applicant must answer
truthfully if the question of age comes up. However, being too truthful or forthcoming is not a suggested
approach. For example, if the interviewer asks “Why do you want this job?” the interviewee’s answer
should not be “Because I want the 30% discount.” Being too honest or not honest enough applicants
have a higher degree of not receiving the job.
Acting Desperate: Although there are many incentives from a job, such as money, benefits, and
insurance, the interviewee should not express inappropriate behavior such as acting desperate. From
the hiring managers’ past experience, applicants took many desperate measures to get the job, which
included: gifts, money, shine the shoes of the hiring manager. These types of behaviors should be
avoided as they are unethical and diminish the self-value of the interviewee.
After an interview
After the interview is over, much of the anxiety is relieved, but there are still two last important steps
to perform: a thank you letter and a follow-up. By performing these last two steps, it is a way to
remind the interviewer about the interviewee’s qualifications and the interview experience, therefore
increasing the chances of receiving the job.
Thank you letter:
The first step to do right after an interview is to send a thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview.
In sending a thank you letter to the interviewer, the interviewee appreciates the time and opportunity of an
interview. Before writing a thank you letter, the interviewee should be informed three important
approaches about the letter which are: what to include, how to write it, and how to send it. A sample
thank you letter.
(i) What to include:
The three important things to include in a thank you letter are to: reiterate one’s expertise, address
unresolved points, and highlight one’s successes. If the interviewer mentioned issues, challenges, or
specific needs for the company, the interviewee should restate his/her expertise and demonstrate how
he/she can meet those needs. If there were unresolved points or just ran out of time, including finishing
thoughts would be a good place to include in the letter. Lastly, if the interviewer mentioned what consists

4. of the qualified candidate, the thank you letter is a great place to remind the interviewer how one meets or
exceeds those qualifications.
(i) How to write it:
When writing a thank you letter, the three ways to make the interviewer remember their interviewees is
to: personalize it, express enthusiasm, and write clearly and concisely. Because there are various
applicants and many who write thank you letters as well, the interviewee should personalize it in a unique
way by mentioning things that are most memorable to the interviewer.
In addition, when writing the thank you letter, express enthusiasm because it shows interest in the
company and the position. Lastly, writing in a clear and concise manner allows the reader to understand
the writer and is not perplexed by the flowery and longwinded letter.
How to send it:
Once the thank you letter is complete, there are three preferable options to send it: hard copy, hand
written or email. Sending the thank you letter in a hard copy is the most formal and always appropriate
for interviews. If the interviewee decides to hand write the letter, it shows a more personal approach
towards the message. Thank you letters sent by email are usually appropriate when the contact expressed
his/her preference for email.
By submitting a thank you letter to the interviewer, the interviewee shows gratitude, respect, and
continual interest in the job. Although it is imperative to send a thank you letter, it is also important to
follow-up to continue showing interest in the job offer and to debrief the outcome or decision of the
employer.
Follow up
The second step to perform after the interview is to follow-up with the employer. In order to perform a
successful follow-up phone call or email message, the interviewee should know at least three factors in
implementing it: when, how, and why.
When and How: When following up with the interview, it is appropriate to do so within two weeks of
the interview. When performing a follow-up, it is preferable to use email or telephone to contact the
employer because it shows the applicant’s continual interest in the job they applied for. Reaching the
employer too soon shows that the applicant is too desperate and bothersome, and reaching the
employer too late shows the lack of interest in the position. Therefore, it is important to contact the
employer at the right time and not too often because it is aggravating otherwise.
Why: It is important to follow-up with any job interview because it shows the employer that the
interviewee is putting effort into receiving the job and greatly cares about it. Because job positions
usually have many applicants, the follow-up email or phone call helps the employer remember who is
calling, the skills the person possesses, and how they could fit into the company.
In the closure of an interview, it is imperative for the interviewee to send a thank you letter within 24
hours as it does show appreciation and care. The final step to wrap up the whole interview process is to
follow-up with the interviewer within two weeks to show continual interest.