Interview Preparation and Salary Negotiation

Interviews

A job interview is a conversation between an applicant and employer. Many employers ask behavioral-based interview questions that focus on experience, knowledge, and skills. They are job-related and based on the belief that past behaviors predict future performance.

The SAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview question by discussing the specific situation, action, and results. It is important to provide a brief overview of the story, with relevant examples. Be as specific as possible, without rambling or including too much information.

• Situation: Describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of past experiences. Give enough detail to provide the interviewer with clear insight. This situation can be from a previous job, volunteer experience, or any relevant event.
• Action: Describe the actions completed to address the situation. Use the word “I,” not “we” when describing actions.
• Result: Describe the outcome of actions related to the situation.

Identify your skills, strengths, and experience in relation to an employer's needs. Use examples from education, work, or activities to support your skills.

Sample Interview Questions

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why are you interested in this position and why do you want to work for this organization?
• What are your major strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• Why should I hire you?

It is important to come prepared with questions for the interviewer. This will aid in your evaluation of the organization and their opportunities. The questions should convey interest and enthusiasm. If you fail to ask the interviewer questions, they might assume you are not interested in the job or the organization.

Sample Questions to Ask the Employer

• Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this position?
• How does the organization train new employees?
• How does this position contribute to the organization’s goals, productivity, or profits?
• In your opinion, what is the most important contribution that this organization expects from its employees?

Career Services and Big Interview have teamed together to provide an innovative learning tool to UW - Eau Claire students for FREE. This unique platform provides students with the opportunity to participate in mock interviews, outside of our regular business hours. Big Interview can further enhance interview skills, through a library of questions, scenarios, tips, and response examples. Students can access this platform with a smartphone or laptop.

Salary Negotiation

The ideal time to negotiate a salary is after a job offer has been presented by the employer. If you are asked about salary prior to securing the job, politely deflect until you have a job offer. Tell the employer that you would like to know more about the responsibilities and the challenges of the job prior to discussing salary. Explain that you are open, based upon the position and the overall compensation package. If you are still pressed for a number, present a wage range based on research of market salary for the area using websites like salary.com and payscale.com.

Research Salary Information 

Know your worth in the workforce and be prepared to justify it during salary negotiation. Research the salary range for the specific job title in the location of the position and adjust for your experience and skill level. Be prepared with specific examples of skills to demonstrate experience level. Online resources like salary.com and glassdoor.com include information on average salaries for specific areas and/or companies. 

Calculate Budget and Financial Expenses 

Calculate the income needed to live in a location including fixed and variable expenses. Consider cost of living. Visit www.bestplaces.net/col/ or salary.com to compare cost of living expenses for locations. Estimate your post-graduate expenses including student loan payments.

Salary Negotiation Tips

• Start with your budget, how much do you need to meet your needs? Consider both standard and variable costs, new expenses (such as health insurance or student loans), and geographic location.
• Conduct market research. What is the typical pay for this type of work? Take into account geographic location and years of experience.
• Determine your salary range based on your budget and market research.
• Take time to review and consider the offer. It can be tempting to accept right away, but asking for time to step back and review helps you to secure the best offer you can!
• Be professional and persuasive. Make suggestions with confidence. Before you begin, take the time to write 3-5 value statements. What skills and experiences are you bringing that will add value to the organization?
• Do not burn bridges. If you want to decline an offer, act in a polite and professional manner.
• Never lie about past salary and/or wages.
• Consider the value of benefits and perks in your salary expectations, such as bonuses, tuition reimbursement, health insurance, paid time off, telecommuting options, and promotion potential.
• Be ready for questions. If an employer asks “What are your salary requirements?” consider replying with “I did some research for today’s interview, and I believe that $_____ to $_____ would be a fair range.” or “I would need to see the whole compensation package before I could answer that. Can we talk more about the other benefits being offered?”
  • If an employer says “We are prepared to offer you a salary of $______ a year. Is that satisfactory?" consider replying with “I appreciate the offer. I would like time to review the salary and benefits for the position.” or “I would like to discuss the salary offer. I researched salaries for [job title] in [industry]. Based on the research and my experience level, I am requesting [salary range].”