INTERVIEWS

Their are two primary interview types that you will encounter during your government job search—the informational interview and the employment interview. The informational interview —initiated by the job seeker— is a valuable networking tool used to explore job opportunities. Employment interviews are initiated by prospective employers to assess your ability and weigh your strengths and weaknesses with other applicants. The person with acceptable qualifications and the ability to impress the interview panel gets the job.

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS

The first step is to call agencies in your area and ask to talk with a supervisor who works in your specialty, i.e.; administration, technical, computer operations, etc. If an immediate supervisor isn't willing to talk with you in person, ask to talk with someone in the Human Resource department. Briefly explain to this individual that you are investigating government careers and ask if he/she would be willing to spend ten minutes talking with you in person about viable federal career paths with their agency.

If you're uncertain whether or not your job skills are needed by an agency, contact the personnel or Human Resources Department. Secretaries can often answer this question. If an informational interview is granted take along a signed copy of your employment application or federal resume and a cover letter describing your desires and qualifications. The informational interview will help you investigate available employment opportunities in many diverse agencies. You will need to identify candidates to interview through the methods mentioned above. You don't have to limit your informational interviews strictly to supervisors. Any individual currently employed in a position you find attractive can provide the necessary information. The outcome of these interviews will help you make an objective career decision for specific positions. There is one key element you must stress when requesting an informational interview:

This should be brought to their attention immediately after requesting an interview. Many supervisors and employees are willing to talk about their job even when no vacancies exist. These interviews often provide insight into secondary careers and upcoming openings that can be more attractive than what you were originally pursuing.

Place a time limit on the interview. When contacting supervisors, request the interview by following the above guidelines but add that you will only take 15 minutes of their time. Time is a critical resource that most of us must use sparingly. When going for the interview you should be prepared to ask specific questions that will get the information you need. The following questions will help you prepare:

A complete set of informational interview questions are included in The Book of U.S. Government Jobs - 6th by Dennis V. Damp covering the following areas:

Experience and Background
Credentials
General Questions
Referrals

EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWING

There are several different types of interviews which you may encounter. You probably won't know in advance which type you will be facing. Below are some descriptions of the different types of interviews and what you can expect in each of them.
Types of Interviews

Screening Interview. A preliminary interview either in person or by phone, in which an agency or company representative determines whether you have the basic qualifications to warrant a subsequent interview.

Structured Interview. In a structured interview, the interviewer explores certain predetermined areas using questions which have been written in advance. The interviewer has a written description of the experience, skills and personality traits of an "ideal" candidate. Your experience and skills are compared to specific job tasks. This type of interview is very common and most traditional interviews are based on this format.

Unstructured Interview. Although the interviewer is given a written description of the "ideal" candidate, in the unstructured interview the interviewer is not given instructions on what specific areas to cover.

Multiple Interviews. Multiple interviews are commonly used with professional jobs. This approach involves a series of interviews in which you meet individually with various representatives of the organization. In the initial interview, the representative usually attempts to get basic information on your skills and abilities. In subsequent interviews, the focus is on how you would perform the job in relation to the company's goals and objectives.

After the interviews are completed, the interviewers meet and pool their information about your qualifications for the job. A variation on this approach involves a series of interviews in which unsuitable candidates are screened out at each succeeding level.

Stress Interview. The interviewer intentionally attempts to upset you to see how you react under pressure. You may be asked questions that make you uncomfortable or you may be interrupted when you are speaking. Although it is uncommon for an entire interview to be con-ducted under stress conditions, it is common for the interviewer to incorporate stress questions as a part of a traditional interview. Examples of common stress questions are given later in this chapter.

Targeted Interview. Although similar to the structured interview, the areas covered are much more limited. Key qualifications for success on the job are identified and relevant questions are prepared in advance.

Situational Interview. Situations are set up which simulate common problems you may encounter on the job. Your responses to these situations are measured against pre-determined standards. This approach is often used as one part of a traditional interview rather than as an entire interview format.

Group Interview. You may be interviewed by two or more agency or company representatives simultaneously. Sometimes, one of the interviewers is designated to ask "stress" questions to see how you respond under pressure. A variation on this format is for two or more company representatives to interview a group of candidates at the same time.

NOTE: Many agencies have initiated quality of worklife and employee involvement groups to build viable labor/management teams and partnerships. In this environment agencies may require the top applicants to be interviewed by three groups. There are generally three interviews in this process, one by the selection panel, and the other two by peer and subordinate groups. All three interview groups compare notes and provide input to the selection committee.

A complete interview preparatory guide is included in The Book of U.S. Government Jobs - 7th edition by Dennis V. Damp covering the following areas:

1. Before the Interview (Preparation)
2. During the Interview (Strategies)
3. Illegal Questions (Discussion)
4. After the Interview (Procedures/Follow-up)
5. Sample Thank Your Letter