Interviewing Worksheet
Did you find this worksheet helpful? Check out the Career Guide for more info: [Link]/careerguide
or the Canvas Career Collection located on your WCU Canvas Dashboard
Types of Interviews:
• Screening or Introductory: Short interviews (roughly 5 to 10 minutes long) conducted via phone or video
call usually by an HR Representative to verify your eligibility and interest in the position.
• One-On-One: Most common in entry-level positions, one-on-one interviews consists of meeting with a
single representative from the company and usually lasts between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on
the position.
• Panel: Typically includes 3 to 7 company representatives, panel interviews are conducted so multiple
people from various departments can meet you and ask questions. Expect these types of interviews to
last a few hours and possibly more than 1 day, depending on the position and number of panels.
• Second/Third: Typically for intermediate positions, these interviews go more in-depth with industry-
related skills that you have.
• Video: These interviews should be treated the same as an in-person interview. Pay particular attention to
your background and lighting. Check out more tips for video interviews in the Career Guide.
• Lunch/Dinner: These should be treated as one-on-one or panel interview and are usually paid by the
interviewer, so be cognizant of what you order (i.e. avoid expensive or messy items).
• AI: Companies may ask you to record your answers and upload the video file to a system. This uses
artificial intelligence technology to search for key words or phrases, like an automatic tracking system
(ATS). Take your time in answering questions and re-record until you feel confident in your answers.
30-Second Commercials:
30-second commercials, sometimes called elevator pitches, give a concise overview of your experience, strengths,
skills, achievements, and goals. Use the template below to craft your own!
Guidelines:
• Use concise and clear language and speak with confidence
• Sell professional abilities and experiences
• Emphasize your strengths and link them to the needs of the employer
• Use descriptive statements or specific examples of your acquired skills/ abilities
• State the kind of position you are seeking
• Link your knowledge, skills, and experience to the position and/or the employer
Greeting: Hello, my name is _____________________________.
Experience: I am a _______________ studying ______________ at Western Carolina University.
Interest/Passion: I am mainly interested in _____________________________.
Strengths: My strengths include _______________, _______________, and _______________.
Brief Example: I worked at ____________________ and was able to ____________________.
Goal: I am looking to gain further experience in _____________________________.
Interview Questions:
Prepare for interviews by responding to these common interview questions below.
1. Tell me about yourself. (Use your 30-second commercial to describe yourself).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why should we hire you? (Talk about how your experience aligns with the job description and
company values). __________________________________
STAR Method
__________________________________________________
3. Why do you want to work for our company? (Research Situation: Talk about the event or
the company and explain what you like about it). challenge you navigated. Provide
__________________________________________________ context and background information.
__________________________________________________ Task: Explain the task at hand that you
4. What do you consider to be one of your greatest had to complete.
achievements? (Talk about something that was Action: Describe the specific actions
challenging and why the accomplishment was you took to complete the task and with
important). _______________________________________ whom you collaborated
__________________________________________________ Result: Describe the results of your
5. Describe a difficult work or project and how you effort and describe your impact.
overcame it. (Use the STAR Method).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What are your strengths/ weaknesses? (When you discuss your strengths, discuss the ones that align
with the job. When asked about your greatest weakness, show how you are working to overcome it).
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Questions to Ask the Interviewer:
Always bring 2 to 3 questions to ask at the end of the interview to show that you are interested in the position
and the company.
• What are some of the reasons you like working at this company?
• How would you describe the work environment here?
• What are the growth opportunities for this role?
• What are some challenges you expect someone to face in this role?
• What is the first thing you will want someone to address coming into this role?
• What would a typical day look like in this role?
• Where do you see the company heading in the next five years?
• Are there any questions or concerns you have about my candidacy for this role?
• What would a 30, 60, 90-day plan look like for someone in this role?
• What does on-boarding a new employee typically look like at your organization?
What to AVOID During an Interview:
• Do not arrive late. • Avoid asking questions that you should have
• Do not let your phone or watch ping. Googled.
• Avoid closed body language. • Do not complain or talk poorly about your
• Do not show lack of interest. last job/boss.
• Do not think too far ahead about what you • Avoid asking about things unrelated to the
are going to say. job description initially.
[Link] | careerservices@[Link] | 828.227.7133