Graduate Career Hub Book

Interviewing

“Tell Me About Yourself…”

Purpose of this question:
• Assess your communication skills
• Understand how you perceive your relevance to the position
• Lay a foundation for follow-up questions

Overview and Outline (from JosephLiu.com)
2. Introduction
a. Overview of how you will structure your response
b. 10-second personal overview
c. Preview of “chapters” of your career

Examples of Career Chapters:

High School Undergraduate Graduate Professional
Position

Teaching Nonprofit Higher Education
Management Administrator

3. For each Chapter:
a. Overview of role/organization
b. Goal
c. Key Result
d. Key Learning

4. Transition (don’t spend too much time here!)
a. Motivation for change

(Repeat steps 2 and 3 as necessary)
5. What’s next

a. Key skills summary
b. Vision and desire for next role

Tell Me About Yourself…”

From JosephLiu.com

1. INTRO
Personal
Highlights
Positioning
Statement

2. CHAPTER 1
Goal

Role

Results

3. Transition 1
I wanted to…

So I…

4. CHAPTER 2
Goal

Role

Results

5. Transition 2
I wanted to…

So I…

6. CHAPTER 3
Goal

Role

Results

7. What’s Next
Key Skills Recap

Ambition for
Next Role

O’Neill Career Hub 102

Interviewing

Closing Strong with Types of Questions to Ask

You “win” the interview when you can demonstrate not only that you have the skill
set, but that you have done your research and have thoughtfully considered the role
you would take in the organization. There is no better way to show your passion for
the mission and the work that you would be doing than when you ask questions that
illustrate the depth of your research and the time you spent thinking about how would
help the organization make an impact.
When a candidate is asked if they have any questions and the response is “no” they
are showing a lack of interest in the position. If you ask very general questions (what
would an average day look like?), you are showing a lack of professional maturity and
failure to do research and prepare for the interview.
You should ask questions throughout the interview – it is, after all, a conversation
between you and the interviewers. Develop strong questions for every person you will
interview with. Ask them when appropriate during the interview, and any that you
didn’t get to ask use at the end.
Prepare your questions in advance, and place them in your padfolio. They will be
easily available to you as you take notes during the conversation, and your
interviewers will note your level of preparedness.
Andrew Sobel outlined the following types of questions in his book Power Questions:
Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others. Use these as a
framework to help you prepare for your next interview. Write your questions in the
space provided.

I. Types of Questions to AVOID
1. Informational Questions

You should already have done enough research to find answers to basic
questions. If you ask about something you could find the answer to yourself,
you’re showing your lack of preparation.
2. Closed-ended Questions

A simple “yes” or “no” won’t lead to a conversation.
3. “Me” Questions

Use this opportunity to show the depth of your research and how you are
thinking about how you can contribute to the organization. Don’t ask
questions that demonstrate you are only thinking about what the
organization will offer you. Save questions about benefits and vacation time
for after an offer is extended.

II. Types of Questions to ASK
1. Credibility-building questions:
“As I think back to my experience in managing large sales forces, I’ve found
there are typically three barriers to breakthrough sales performance:
coordination of the sales function with marketing and manufacturing,
customer selection, and product quality. In your case, do you think any of these
factors are holding back your sales growth? What do you believe are your own
greatest opportunities for increasing sales effectiveness?”

2. “Why?” questions:
“Why did you close down your parts business rather than try to find a buyer for
it?” or “Why did you decide to move from a functional to a product-based
organization structure?”

3. Personal understanding questions:
“I understand you joined the organization five years ago. With all the growth
you’ve had, how do you find the experience of working here now compared to
when you started?”

O’Neill Career Hub 104

Interviewing

4. Value-added advice questions:
“Have you considered creating an online platform for your top account
executives, so that they can share success stories and collaborate better
around key client opportunities? We implemented such a concept a year ago,
and it’s been very successful.”

5. Future-oriented questions:
“You’ve achieved large increases in productivity over the last three years.
Where do you believe future operational improvements will come from?”

6. Aspiration questions:
“As you look ahead to the next couple of years, what are the potential growth
areas that people are most excited about in the company?”

7. Organizational culture questions:
“What are the most common reasons why new hires don’t work out here?” or
“What kinds of people really thrive in your organization?”

8. Decision-making questions:
“If you were to arrive at two final candidates with equal experience and skills,
how would you choose one over the other?”

9. Company strengths-and-weaknesses questions:
“Why do people come to work for you rather than a competitor? And why do
you think they stay?”

10. Other questions you have not covered by the categories above:

O’Neill Career Hub 106

Interviewing

Create a 30-60-90 Day Plan for Interviews

Preparing a plan to send the hiring manager after you interview will demonstrate
how you will learn the position and prepare to contribute to the organization
immediately. This level of dedication will set you apart from other candidates and
make you more competitive.
Your goals with the plan are to show that:

• You understand what the position involves
• You will learn and begin to perform quickly
• You are extremely motivated
• You are strategic about reaching learning and performance goals

How to Create Your Plan
Formatting

• Make it easy to skim and read; no more than 1 – 2 pages
• Use headers and bullets in SMART goal format
• Create 3 sections: Days 1 – 30; Days 30 – 60; Days 60 – 90
• Include “Learning Goals” and “Performance Goals”; you will have more

learning goals in the first section, fewer in the second, and the third section
will be mostly performance goals with only a couple of learning goals
• Use your resume header at the top of the page

Days 1 – 30
• Focus on learning; the goal is to show you have thought about how you will
learn the position and the culture of the organization quickly
• Include the training program the organization has in place (make sure you ask
about this in the interview)
• Include what you will do in addition to that training program (coming in early
to review procedures, having lunch with colleagues, etc.)
• Be sure you cover how you plan to learn about the
services/products/mission, the industry as a whole, and particular
systems/programs/procedures of the organization

Days 30 – 60
• Focus shifts to showing how you will learn by doing
• Show you will start performing some job duties on your own
• Productive interaction with team members, customers, internal partners,
vendors

• Proactive about getting feedback from your supervisor – how will you receive
and organize the feedback to improve?

Days 60 – 90
• Focus on contributing, applying what you learned, and adding value
• Demonstrate how you will implement all you learned
• Improve a process or fix a problem
• Include how you plan to get continued feedback to stay focused on continual
progress

From Careersidekick.com

O’Neill Career Hub 108

Offers and Negotiations

After the Interview Negotiation

You Received an Offer!
1. Express enthusiasm and thanks.

2. Ask for more details IN A WRITTEN OFFER.

3. Tell the employer you will review the offer and be in touch within their
established timeline.

4. Evaluate the entire offer. You should do this with a trusted family member or
mentor. Any member of the Career Hub team is available to review your offer
with you.

5. Follow up with the employer for more information or to negotiate.

6. Accept or reject the offer.

Review; Negotiate, Accept, or Decline
If you want to negotiate any terms of the offer, you must do so before you accept.
You should have a conversation either over the phone or in person when you
negotiate – don’t try to do it via email.
To prepare for the conversation, do the following:

□ STEP 1: Identify what is negotiable, including monetary and non-monetary
items.

Research the salary range and the cost of living for the city you would be
working in. Your contact inside the organization is a great resource for this.
You can also use resources such as Glassdoor.com and the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.

Develop a budget to understand what your minimum must-have salary is.

Note that not all components of an offer can be negotiated. Some terms are
set by organization policy and cannot be modified. These things might include
health benefits, time off, tuition reimbursement, etc. This will vary by
organization so good research is critical.

Consider the following items as you review your offer:
Monetary Items: Salary, Signing Bonus, Moving Allowance, Tuition
Reimbursement, Profit-Sharing and 401(k) Programs, Retirement Plan,
Health Insurance, Dental and Eye Coverage, Scholarships for
Dependents, Sick Time, Vacation Time, Stock Option
Non-Monetary Items: Start Date, Review Date, Title, Responsibilities
and Opportunities, Professional Development Opportunities,
Performance-Based Bonuses and Commissions, Work Schedule/Flex
Time, Local Travel (subway or bus pass), Housing

□ STEP 2: Define your priorities for this stage of your professional and
personal life. Reflect on your values and the kind of work you want to do. Rank
the following to help you determine what is most important to you:

Location, Reputation of Organization, Sector, Workplace Affinity Groups,
Salary, Benefits, Time Off, Partner Benefits, Tuition Reimbursement,
Organization’s Commitment to Sustainability, Relationships with
Supervisor and Colleagues, Work Environment, Commute Time
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

□ STEP 3: Understand your market value before you begin conversations to
negotiate any aspect of the offer.

Do research to determine what a fair market salary would be based on your
education, the years of professional experience you already have, geography,
and type of work you will be doing.
You should use information you gain from the following resources:

Your Network: Talk to your contacts from previous jobs, school, and
internships. Though it may not be an exact number, you can get a good
idea of the salary range for the type of position you are considering.
Informational Interviews: Don’t hesitate to reach out contacts you
met through your informational interviews to continue the
conversation with a focus on salary and benefits.
Online Resources: There are many tools available online to help you
calculate cost of living and average salaries. Some to consider include:

O’Neill Career Hub 110

Offers and Negotiations

Salary.com
Guidestar.org
Payscale.com
SimplyHired.com
Legistorm.com
OPM.gov
BestPlaces.net

If after your research you decide you would like to negotiate, keep the following in
mind:

• Know exactly what you want, and what your deal breakers are. If you know
that you absolutely need $50,000/year to make your budget work, do not
settle for $45,000.

• Stay positive and begin the conversation by telling them how excited you are
about the opportunity.

• Focus on your value-add for the organization. If you are asking for anything
above what they have already offered, you must demonstrate how you will
benefit the organization – this should be skill-based and supported with
demonstrated results from your previous experience. Do not ask for more
than 5 – 10% above their salary offer.

• Practice what you will say so you can demonstrate your professionalism as
you manage the conversation in a confident and friendly manner.

□ STEP 4: Prepare for multiple outcomes to your conversation. The employer
could counter by offering other types of compensation, they could turn down
your attempt at negotiation, or they could accept. Be ready for every response.
Some conversation starters are provided below.

You: I’m very excited about this position and the contributions I would make
to the organization in this role. However, the salary is lower than what I had
in mind considering the responsibilities. In view of the work I’ve done in my
two internships and the capstone project for my degree, I believe a salary in
the lower $50s would be more in line with my skills than $48,000. Does
your budget allow for that adjustment?
Option A: Employer tells you they will need to check internally. Two days
later, they call you back and counter with $50,000.

Offers and Negotiations

You: Thank you very much, I would be happy to consider that offer.
Could you please send the updated offer in writing?
Option B: Employer tells you they cannot offer any more money.
You: I am really excited about this position and would like to come to
an agreement that works for everyone. Can we review the
compensation package and consider [fill in with your alternative: title,
vacation time, start time, professional development, etc.].
Option C: Employer tells you they cannot change anything about the
original offer. The salary and benefits will stay the same.
You: I understand, thank you for considering my requests. Can you
provide additional time for me to consider the offer?
□ STEP 5: You either accept or decline the offer.

Option A: You accept the offer.
o Call the person who extended the offer to let them know you accept. Be

sure to express your appreciation and excitement to join the organization
during the conversation.
o Find out what else you need to do to formalize your acceptance of the
offer.
o Follow-up in writing with the person you spoke with and completing any
other steps they indicated.
o Withdraw from any other recruitment activities you are participating
in as a candidate.
o Update and thank your references and anyone who helped you in the
process.

Option B: You decline the offer.
o Call the person who extended the offer and tell them how much you

appreciate the offer. Tell them very clearly that you are declining the offer.
o They may have questions for you about why you are declining and where

you will be working instead. Be ready to answer those questions.
Remember, this process is not a game. You are still demonstrating your
professionalism and answer the questions in an appropriate way.
o Send a formal message declining the offer after your phone conversation.
Express your gratitude and appreciation for the process and the offer.
o Update and thank your references and anyone who helped you in the
process.

O’Neill Career Hub 112