Interview Skills

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Know what to expect in interviews for internships, campus jobs, entry-level roles, and graduate programs. Use these tools to prepare with confidence.
 
See how to prepare for interviews and present yourself professionally. Watch: Tips for Researching a Company

See how first impressions shape your interview experience. Watch: First Impressions

Depending on your industry, you may dress in business casual or business professional attire. Use these guidelines to choose what’s appropriate for your interview setting.

Business Casual – A polished look between casual and formal. Includes dress pants or khakis, knee-length skirts, button-down shirts or blouses, closed-toe shoes, such as loafers or low heels, and simple accessories.

Business Professional – A more formal style for conservative fields like finance, government, and law. Includes dark-colored suits and ties, tailored dresses, neat button-down shirts or blouses, and closed-toe business shoes, such as Oxfords or low heels.

Business Attire Guide – Learn more about the levels of business attire.
What to Wear to an Interview – Explore examples of appropriate interview clothing.

General interview questions help employers understand your knowledge, qualities, and motivations. These include prompts like “Tell me about yourself” and “Why should we hire you?” Use these tools to learn common questions and practice answering them with the M.S.R. method.
 

Behavioral interview questions ask you to share past experiences that demonstrate your skills, character, and abilities. These often start with prompts like “Tell me about a time when….” Use these tools to learn common behavioral questions and practice answering them with the S.T.A.R. method.
 

Situational interview questions assess how you would handle specific challenges in the workplace. These often begin with prompts like “What would you do if…?” Use these tools to learn common situational questions and practice answering them with the A.R.C. method.
 

Even when the interviewer has finished their questions, the evaluation continues. Use these tools to prepare strong questions to ask at the end of the interview and learn how to follow up professionally afterward.
 
See how to follow up professionally. Watch: Interview Follow-Up

Interview Practice System

Improve your skills with Big Interview, an online practice platform that simulates real interview scenarios and provides AI-powered feedback. Take the free basic or master course to build confidence and refine your responses. 

You can submit practice interviews for AI review or email them to a career advisor or faculty mentor for additional feedback.

Log In: Interview Practice System

Student Support

Career advisors, students and campus mascot Eddie smile while at a booth outside the Career Center

Our team is available by individual appointment. Schedule an interview practice appointment using Navigate LA (Student Life & Wellness).

Career events are offered all year to help you develop your interview skills. Sign up for career events on Handshake.

We provide new and gently used interview and career-appropriate clothing. Schedule a career clothing closet appointment using Navigate LA (Student Life & Wellness).