What To Do When Called Back for a Job Interview

By Danielle Roessle, LCSW, GCDFI, CCSP

So you got a call for an upcoming job interview, congratulations! Now, here’s what to do next that most of us don’t think about — ask questions! Check out our YouTube Video here.

Standing out in an interview is about more than just what you know - it’s also the effort put into preparing. By asking questions before your interview, you give yourself the chance to prepare beforehand successfully, as well as showing the company the forethought that you would use if you were hired for the position. 

In addition, asking questions allows you the opportunity to learn more about the company itself and make sure it is a good fit. People often think that once they are invited for an interview, they are at the whim of the company that is hiring them. When interviewing is the opportunity to get to know the company as well. It goes both ways. So not only do you want to use the questions below to prepare for the interview, but it’s a way for you to get to know the company as well and to understand if they are invested in your success. 

Below are a few questions to ask the HR rep, so you can best prepare:

1. “What type of interview will this be?” 

There are a variety of interview types that job seekers run into. Below are a few common examples to look out for, and what they mean for you:

If it’s a phone screening, it means that you just need to prepare the basic questions such as "Tell me about yourself", and "Why are you looking to leave your current position?" The purpose is for you to make a strong impression and get invited to meet with the hiring manager. 

If it’s a technical interview, the company wants to test your technical skills to ensure you have the skills to fulfill the needs of the position. Ask the interviewer what types of questions you will need to answer if your interview is technical so that you can practice. 

If it’s a panel interview, the idea is to meet with members of a team all at once so they can get an impression of you first-hand. The idea is to be you and demonstrate what you are like in a group dynamic. 

And if it’s a behavioral interview, the company is going to ask concrete questions about your past work experiences to get a sense of how you might work through different scenarios if they were to hire you. You will want to prepare interview responses based on the job description for which you are interviewing. 

2. “What questions might be asked?”

Instead of trying to plan for a guessing game, why not get to the heart of the matter, so you can prepare for the questions they might ask of you

 3. “Who will be interviewing me?”

Try to find out if they know who will be interviewing you -  you can get information to research your interviewees further on LinkedIn or the staffing page of the company's website. Take some time to learn about their background, so you can tailor your interview responses based on what might be important to them.

For more tips and tools on how to prepare for your upcoming interview and to decide which interview stories to share to best demonstrate your expertise, come join me this Thursday from 10 AM- 12 PM EST for my free workshop with Worksource Montgomery, Master Storytelling for Job interviews. To register, click the button below.

You've got this!

Danielle