Interviewing

Most first interviews in the Maricopa Community College District are group interviews. For detailed information about this process check the Hiring Process page.

• Interview Types:
  
  • Face-to-face:
    
    • Committee - Usually your first interview(s) for a posted position will be with the search committee and the committee chair. Depending on the pool of applicants and the decision process you may be called for more than one initial interview. The questions will be pre-determined and your answers will be scored.
    • President and/or dean - Final interview is with the college president and/or the dean of the department. The applicants may be quizzed on issues regarding campus mission, vision and core values, so be sure to research these areas.

  • Phone interview:
    
    • There may come a time when interviews are scheduled but you will not be able to attend due to an emergency; (e.g.: having a baby, death in the family, out of town, etc.) A phone interview may be possible. You will need to get the approval of the committee chair and/or the search committee and to set up a time. During the interview you will probably be on a speaker phone and will be interviewed much the same as if you were present in person.
    • President and/or dean - Final interview is with the college president and/or the dean of the department. The applicants may be quizzed on issues regarding campus mission, vision and core values, so be sure to research these areas.

  • Demonstration:
    Some posted positions require you to demonstrate your abilities. You will usually be advised of this requirement before your interview.
    • Facilitation - If you are applying for a faculty position or a position where you will be teaching/training others, you will be asked to prepare a "mini-teach" to demonstrate your teaching capabilities.
    • Skill testing - You will be given a task to complete and a time limit in which to complete it. Your ability to accomplish the task will be evaluated as part of your interview.

• Appearance:
  Good Grooming is essential. Keep in mind the following tips on grooming.
  • Dress according to the job you are applying for. The higher the job grade the more "professional" you should dress. The rule of thumb is to dress one step up from the way you would be required to dress on the job. If you are applying for a position that deals with the public, the dress on the job would be business casual (for men collared shirt and slacks or for women slacks/skirt/dress and dress blouse), so for the interview adding a jacket would take the dress up one step. You will be judged in some respects by what you wear. When in doubt, dress conservatively (no wild colors, jewelry, funky shoes, etc). Check these links for more information on suitable grooming.
    • For women:
      
    • For men:
      

  • Folders:
    Experts recommend preparing a folder to take with you to your interview. Link here to discover what you should include in your folder.

• Etiquette: The way you behave before, during, and after the interview is very important. Every thing from the way you prepare to the final thank you note are all part of the interviewing experience.

• Preparing for the Interview:
  
  • Interview questions will probably be developed from the information given on the job description posting. The best way to prepare for the questions would be to go back to the Job Description Analysis. Beside each of the listed task/skills, write out the experience and education that you possess that would relate to these areas. Next, based on the job description try to develop questions you think the interviewers might ask and write out your responses. Try to think as a committee chair would think as he/she tries to find the best fit for the job.
  • Listen carefully to the questions. Often there are several parts to one question. You must answer each part completely. If the question asks for examples, do not give a general answer. The interviewers are looking for an example of a real experience you have had and how you handled it.
  • Your answers should be short but complete, detailing the information you have about the specific topic. You should know how much time to devote to each question by dividing the number of questions the interviewers will ask into the amount of time your interview has been allotted. Though some answers will be shorter and others longer.
  • Common interview questions
    • "Tell me about yourself."
    • "Why do you want to work here?"
    • "What are your best skills?"
    • "Why do you feel you are the best candidate for this position?"
    • "How would you handle a difficult customer/student? Give an example".
    • View additional interview questions
  • At the end of the interview you will be asked if you have any questions. Always have prepared at least 5 strong questions for this portion of the interview. You will only ask 2 to 3 of the questions but by preparing 5 you will be sure the committee chair will not have already answered all of your questions.
  • Examples of questions you could ask at the end of the interview are:
    • What is the time table for decision? (Often this question will be answered by the committee chair during the interview).
    • How does this position interact with the rest of the campus?
    • Who would the position report to?
    • View additional sample questions

• Interviewing Skills:
  
  • What to do:
    • Have good appearance, fingernails clean and trimmed, clothing clean and pressed.
    • Be polite.
    • Be prepared to answer the questions by analyzing the job description posting.
    • Give detailed answers to questions - Do not use yes or no answers. Include personal examples.
    • Use opportunities to include additional information about your skills and abilities.
    • Don't be thrown off by the questions - ask for clarification.
    • Be honest - this includes no exaggerations you can't back up.
    • Know specific questions to ask at the conclusion of the interview.
    
    
  • What not to do:
    • Don't give single sentence answers to questions that are looking for in-depth experience.
    • Don't talk non-stop.
    • Don't mention things that could make the interviewer uncomfortable - your religion, politics, or personal issues.
    • Don't give the interviewer a reason not to hire you unless absolutely necessary - don't say your not good at accounting but rather focus on what you can do, but if the job is the midnight shift and you can't work that be honest.

• Thank you notes:
  
  • Thank you notes may not be necessary; many managers are too busy to even read them, however it is a customary practice in professional interviewing.

• Follow up:
  • It is not unusual for the process to take several weeks; if re-posting becomes necessary the process may take even longer.
  • You can check on status at District web site.

http://applycf.dist.maricopa.edu/apply/user/status/page1.cfm

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