Interviewing Resources

Looking for a quiet place to take or prepare for an interview? The University Career Center (UCC) has select private interview room suites available for students to book.

Students with reservations or employer-hosted interviews also have access to our Interview Ready Room (refreshments, interviewing tips, last-minute needs, printer, etc.) thanks to our generous employer sponsors. Available to book through Handshake!

Use the 3 Rs to prepare for interviews 

Research:

The #1 tip from employers: research the organization prior to the interview to demonstrate your commitment to the field and your interest in the organization.

So what do you need to know? 

• The Industry: trends, culture, values, competitors, recent news    
• The Organization: size, culture, vision/mission, values, key people, structure
• The Job: skills necessary to do the work, daily tasks, training, career path(s)

How to research:

• Check out the organization's website and review mission statements, common themes, and goals    
• Check your LinkedIn and UCAN connections for any contacts within the organization
• Find company review sites such as Glassdoor.com and see what current and past employees have to say about their experiences
• Subscribe to industry journals or websites. 
• Follow the company (and, when appropriate, company leaders) on LinkedIn.

Reflect:

The interview is a chance to tell your story. Take some time to reflect on your experiences, skills, and interests, and connect them to the organization. 

What you need to know: 

• Skills: How do your skills fit with the position requirements?     
• Interests: How do your interests or passion for the work fit with the position and organization? 

How to get started in your reflections:

• Think about your academic preparation: what projects/papers did you do; what skills did you use/gain?     
• What student groups, volunteer organizations, and internships are you involved with? What do you bring to those groups? 
• Review the job description and underline the keywords: these are the skills the position requires. How can you demonstrate these skills during an interview?
• Review your resume for accuracy and be ready to speak about your experiences with enthusiasm. 

Rehearse: 

Practice is key! Employers value preparation over spontaneity. 

What you need to know 

• The most common interview questions.    
• How to respond to behavior-based questions. 
• Specific stories you can use to demonstrate your competencies.

How to rehearse:

• Practice: Practice with friends, family, and/or in front of a mirror. Practice recording yourself in a video call. Write your thoughts to a question down on paper in bullet points. Paraphrase the ideas in your head; try not to memorize!    
• UCC Resources: Schedule a mock interview with the University Career Center staff on Handshake. 
• UM-GPT: Try using U-M GPT to generate practice questions based on a job description, identify opportunities to strengthen your STAR responses, or provide feedback on your interview preparation notes.

• Screening Interview: A conversation used to assess your basic qualifications, interest in the role, and overall fit for the position. Screening interviews may take place by phone, through a video platform (such as Zoom or Teams), or virtually with cameras on or off.

  • 22 Phone Interview Tips

• One-Way Interview/Asynchronous Video Interview: A recorded interview format where you respond to preset text-based or video prompts, usually within a time limit. Your responses may be reviewed by recruiters, hiring managers, and/or AI-supported tools that help assess content, keywords, communication skills, or other criteria.

  • Example Platforms: HireVue, Spark Hire, Willo
  • Indeed’s Tips for One-Way Interviews 
• Conversational AI Interview: An automated interview where you interact with an AI interviewer, chatbot, or voice/video agent. Unlike a traditional one-way interview, the system may ask follow-up questions, adapt based on your answers, or simulate a back-and-forth conversation. These may be used for screening, scheduling, skills assessment, or early-round evaluation.
  • Example Platforms: Paradox, Humanly, HeyMio
• Video Interview: Live virtual meetings (Zoom, Teams) that mirror in-person interactions and require extra tech preparation.
  • Indeed’s Tips for Preparing for a Video Interview
• In-Person Interview: Historically common for final rounds. Focus on body language and professional attire.  

• Behavioral: Assesses past performance via storytelling. Questions often start with "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give me an example of..." UCC offers behavioral-style mock interviews. 
• Case: Common in consulting; requires solving a business problem in real time. See our Consulting Track. Mock case interviews offered by UCC in the Fall and Winter semesters.        
• Medical/Health Professional: Selective formats like Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) are commonly used. MMI preparation is offered through workshops in the Fall and Winter. 
• Technical: Common in STEM/software; assesses your field-specific knowledge and problem-solving process. 

Preparation Resources

• Mock Interviews: A "dress rehearsal" with immediate feedback. Schedule online.
• Career Coaching: Personalized help from UCC staff on how to prepare and what to expect.. Schedule online.
• Free Tools: Yoodli, Google Interview Warm Up, Indeed CareerScout (you’ll need to download the Indeed app!)

The STAR Technique

The STAR technique is a structured manner of responding to behavioral interview questions by discussing the specific Situation, Task, Action, and Result of the situation you are describing.

• S: Situation - Describe the situation. You must describe a specific event or situation, not a general description of what you have done in the past.
• T: Task -  What was the task you needed to accomplish? 
• A: Action - Describe the action you took and be sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are discussing a group project or effort, describe what you did — not the efforts of the team. 
• R: Result/Reflection - What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? Relate your response back to the position or key responsibilities.

Example behavioral questions (to use the STAR model with)

• Tell me about a time you faced a challenge. How did you handle it?
• Give me an example of a time you worked on a team. What role did you play?
• Tell me about a time when you failed or made a mistake.
• Give me an example of a time you had a conflict in a team.
• Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it. 
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond to get a job done.
• Tell me about a time you had to handle multiple priorities at once.

Use the slides below to learn more about some of the most commonly asked interview questions. Click on the three vertical dots to view full screen for a larger font. 

Preparing thoughtful questions shows genuine interest and helps you evaluate whether the role is a good fit. You should always plan to ask questions in an interview. For most interviews, come prepared with 3–5 questions and be mindful of time so you can prioritize the ones that matter most. If you have multiple interviews with the same organization in one day, tailor different questions to each interviewer and their role. Also consider where you are in the process because some questions are better suited for early-stage conversations, while others are more appropriate later on. Use the examples below to spark ideas, but focus on questions you’re genuinely curious about.

Click on the three vertical dots to view in full screen with a larger font.

The interview doesn’t end when you log off or leave the room. What you do afterward can reinforce your interest and help you stand out.

• Send a Thank-You Message: Always send a thank-you email within 24 hours of your interview. Include something specific you appreciated or learned from the conversation and restate your interest in the role. 
• Reflect: Step back and reflect on how it went. This is a chance to consider if the position and organization feel like a good fit for you. It’s also a chance to reflect on your interview performance so you can learn for next time.
• Follow Up (when needed): If the employer gave a timeline and you haven’t heard back, it’s appropriate to follow up. If they didn’t provide a timeline, following up after 2 weeks is appropriate.