A step-by-step guide to the interview process

The interview process is intimidating for most people at first. What are they going to ask me? What should I be asking them? What should I do to properly prepare for the interview? These are just a few of the questions you might be asking yourself.

I’ve written numerous articles about the interview process, but I thought it might be easier for you if they were all in one place—a step-by-step guide for you to follow:

Before the Interview

Cover letter: Your cover letter is actually your first interview—the first opportunity to make a good impression. A cover letter should be personalized both to the position and the organization. For cover letter writing tips, I recommend reading:

• Tell me about yourself (part 1): Cover letters
• Recommended reading: Cover Letter Magic
• Cover letters and résumés (part 1): Ways to botch your cover letter
• Cover letters and résumés (part 2): Top cover letter writing tips

Résumé: Just like your cover letter, your résumé is part of that first interview process—the part where they decide whether or not you’re worthy of a phone screen. Although traditional résumés are changing and may be phased out fairly soon, you should still work hard on yours for the time being. For résumé writing tips, I recommend reading:

• As the objective statement finally dies, the profile is born
• Tell me about yourself (part 2): Résumés
• Recommended reading: Happy About My Resume
• Recommended reading: The Career Coward's Guide to Resumes
• Cover letters and résumés (part 3): Ways to botch your résumé
• Cover letters and résumés (part 4): Top résumé writing tips

Portfolios: Today’s employers want to see success and achievements before you’ve even been hired, which means you need a portfolio of your work. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Showcase your work with an online portfolio
• Ask Heather: Print vs. online portfolios, grad school and cover letters

References: At some point during the interview process, you likely will be asked to provide three references, so make sure you have them ready to go. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Do you know what your references will say?

During the Interview

Phone interviews: Also known as “phone screens” because these interviews are used by hiring managers to weed out candidates who looked good on paper but don’t present themselves well over the phone, phone interviews should not be taken lightly. Prepare for them as you would an in-person interview. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Acing the phone interview (part 1)
• Acing the phone interview (part 2)

Appearance: Congratulations, you’ve passed the phone screen and have been invited to an in-person interview! While your appearance may seem obvious, you’ve be surprised how some people come to interviews wearing jeans with holes at the knees. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Dress for success (part 1): Does your appearance reflect your job aspirations?
• Dress for success (part 2): Do's for women
• Dress for success (part 3): Do's for men
• Dress for success (part 4): Don'ts for women
• Dress for success (part 5): Don'ts for men

First in-person interviews: Preparing for your first in-person interview is probably the toughest stage of the entire process—you really have to know a lot about yourself, the organization, the position and the people with whom you are meeting. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Recommended reading: Tell Me About Yourself
• Perform a background check on your interviewer for that needed edge
• Creating great interview conversation
• Recommended reading: Ten Minutes to the Job Interview
• Recommended reading: You're Hired!
• Recommended reading: The Career Coward's Guide to Interviewing
• Toughest interview questions (and the best answers)
• Recommended reading: 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions
• Best questions to ask during an interview

Second in-person interviews: If you’re invited back for a second in-person interview, the organization has likely narrowed down the candidate pool to only a few people. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Nailing the second interview
• Are you prepared for second interview questions?

After the Interview

Thank you notes: It’s important to thank everyone with whom you’ve spoken, even at the phone interview stage. This can mean the difference between being cut out of the race and moving on to the next stage. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Elements of a successful thank you note

Following up: Following up also is crucial in today’s job market, but it’s important not to be a pest. For tips, I recommend reading:

• Ask Heather: Following up from application to hired