Resources for Students and Alumni : MBA Career Services : Leavey School of Business : Santa Clara University

Be punctual. Plan to arrive at the interview site at least 10 minutes early to ensure parking time etc.
Give a firm handshake to the interviewer which shows confidence. Limp handshakes are considered signs of weakness and lack of self-confidence.
Maintain eye contact with the interviewer which demonstrates poise and confidence.
Give a confident introduction, Example: Hi, I am Jane Doe, nice to meet you.
Maintain a good and upright posture - do not slouch.
Smile which helps portray a friendly personality.
Dress professionally. Follow the required dressing norms and expectations. Business / management position interviews require very formal business attire. If in doubt, dress conservatively (i.e. in a suit).

First impression expectation:
»When the interviewer approaches, greet them with a smile, firm handshake, and good posture while maintaining eye contact and giving a confident introduction.

Self Awarenes

Be aware of your skills, interests, goals, and values and ensure you have the ability to relate those based on the position you are applying for.

Be aware of your weaknesses. Interviewers can directly ask you about job related weaknesses. You should be able to discuss them in a positive manner. That is, you should try to turn those weaknesses into strengths or be able to show that you are working on improving those skills.

Be prepared to discuss your career goals. Interviewers may ask what your career goals are five years later, etc.

Be aware of opportunities in the field to which you are applying as well as threats.

Follow STAR Analysis to develop your self-awareness.

» Star Analysis
S - Situation
T - Task
A- Action
R-Result

Self Marketing and Direct Communication

Answer confidently and truthfully.

Share your accomplishments. This is not considered bragging.

Sell yourself while talking confidently of your skills. Interviewers expect self promotion. Being too modest gives the impression that you do not possess the right skills and experience.

Be prepared for questions directly asking you about your skills as well as weaknesses. Answer to the point and do not give round-about answers. Interviewers like direct communication.

» Self Marketing
- Selling yourself
- Sharing achievements and accomplishments
- Not bragging

» Direct Communication
- Expect questions directly related to skills
- Give direct and clear answers

Interview Closing

Asking questions to the interviewer is not considered ignorance. Interviewers expect questions; it shows initiative and interest in the position / company.

Re-iterate your skills and interest in the position openly.

It is perfectly acceptable to ask where you are in the interview process and when you can expect to hear back.

» Ending the Interview
- Ask questions
- Re-iterate your skills and interests
- Ask about follow up to the interview
- Thank the interviewer

Differences in Interviews

	U.S. Interview	International Interview
First Impressions	Very important, many interviewers almost make up their mind with the first impressions they get.	Important but may not hold the same level of importance as in the U.S.
Self Awareness	Extremely essential to succeed in an interview. It is important to know more than just skills and background information - you need to know yourself well, not just your strengths but also your weaknesses, what are you looking for in your career, your goals, interests, values, etc.	Important but many times information about skills, background and experience may be sufficient to succeed.
Self Marketing	Very important and is not considered bragging, in fact portrays self confidence and a strong sense of self. You should talk about achievements and accomplishments.	Many cultures value modesty and may look at self promotion as bragging and not very appropriate.
Direct Communication	Question and answers follow a pattern of direct communication. Interviewers can directly ask about your strengths / weakness / skills related to the specific position. Interviewers expect direct answers.	Politeness is important in many cultures and may result in round-about Q&A conversational style.
Flexibility	Interviewers look for flexibility, especially in today's ever-changing and dynamic work environments.	Tradition and stability is valued many times, not too the extent of being totally inflexible, but still stable.
Informal	Interviews can be informal to some extent, such as some appropriate joking, casual conversation etc.	Interviews can be very formal and status can play a role on how formal the interview will be. It can be inappropriate to have casual conversation.
Personal Information	Race, sex, age should not affect interview relationship. In fact, questions relating to these will not / should not be asked.	It is OK to put this information in your resume and hence can be discussed briefly in the interview.
Organization Preparation	Research and get as much information as possible about the company and discuss during the interview. Shows interest and desire to be a part of the company.	Research about organization may indicate excessive and undesirable initiative or independence

Interview Tips

Work on general communication skills - read magazines, newspapers, watch TV etc.
Work on business communication skills - take appropriate classes, read business magazines and newspapers to get familiar with American business related terminology.
Practice pronunciation of American words. Make friends with Americans.
Be familiar with commonly asked interview questions. Write brief answers to those questions and practice in front of a mirror and with friends.
Schedule a mock interview with AnaKarina.

General Tips

Be patient and persistent. Finding a job for an international student can be challenging but not impossible. Each year the United States grants large number of H1B visas.
Be flexible. You may need to expand your job search outside your desired career area.
Talk to as many people as possible to get an idea of potential career paths and how to get there.

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