By Julia Jungwirth
Got called in for an interview—great news! But not sure how to prepare or where to begin? This article will walk you through the essentials.
My name is Julia, I’ve been working at BOCA for over a year now. I started as an engineering co-op intern and then stayed on a term contract position after I graduated. I will be leaving BOCA as I move away from Vicotria at the end of this year, and I’d love to share some insights from my time at BOCA to help engineering graduates prepare for their next JOB interview. Whether it’s at BOCA or elsewhere, these 5 tips will help you ace it.
At the end of my interview at BOCA I was a little surprised when Chris asked me “how do you think the interview went?” and “do you want the job?” I had never been asked these questions at an interview before, but I caught-on and saw it as an opportunity to reaffirm my interest in the position. If you have a positive attitude going into an interview, and treat everything as an opportunity you are already off to a good start showing that you are a worthy candidate for the position.
BOCA’s president, Chris Bowness has 30 years of industry experience. In his impressive engineering career he has been on both sides of the table, as the interviewee earlier in his career and (most of the time) as interviewer. Between in-person and/or on the phone, Chris has conducted over 300 interviews and has pre-screened around 2500 applicants, so he has a lot of wisdom to share on the employer’s side of job interviews.
5 tips to Ace an interview
1. Research the company and the position.
Read their website, view their linkedin or other news platforms and make note of what you see- and also what you don’t understand to ask questions on in the interview. The interviewer could ask you anything from “what does the company do?” to “what made you want to apply here?” – so have an answer prepared!
2. Have your elevator pitch ready.
Explain who you are in 1 min (professionally): education, where from, what brought you to be here today? This is often a question you’ll get asked at the beginning of an interview, so you want to have a confident and memorable pitch prepared to get you started on the right track! (Hint: Google search articles on how to prepare your elevator pitch, and practice it in front of the mirror)
3. Attitude: show you are genuinely interested in the position.
- Take notes
- Make connections with your interests or experiences to the what the company does and what you believe to be important to the company. This shows you understand the company and will blend well within their culture.
Chris shared this story of a memorable interview he held back in 2004, one of his first when he had just become a supervisor and began hiring engineers. This story is about Kal Kooner, who is now a Director of Building and Construction Canada at Intertek.
“Kal came into the interview looking sharp, still his interviewing skills were even sharper- even though he was visibly nervous going in. A highlight of the interview is a story he shared about designing, budgeting, managing and even helping hands-on with a basement suite addition for his parents, recognizing how those practical experiences connected well to the construction industry engineering position he was applying for, and at the same time making it personal, demonstrating passion. A week after the interview, Kal followed up with a phone call and re-expressed his interest for the job. His professionalism and technical skills were impressive, and even more-so his enthusiasm and eagerness made him the ideal candidate and he was selected over more than 30 candidates. We’ve remained friends and professional colleagues for over 20 years. Kal’s career story is testament to that first impression that he made.”
Some common turn-offs Chris has observed are a lack of personal presentation: punctuality, dressing professionally, common courtesy – he is surprised how some people miss the basics of making that first 5-seconds impression a good one. (Hint: Don’t bring a slurpy cup or wear flip-flops to the interview!) On the flip side, some applicants can come in as too formal and impersonal which is a misread of what a work place is about and what makes it run… 50% of it is non-technical and relies on good people skills and teamwork, even though it’s an engineering job.
4. Questions: Plan responses to common one, Ask good ones
Have answers prepared for questions you think you’ll get asked. Running out of ideas? Google has lots of suggestions!
One of Chris’ favourite questions to ask candidates is:
Who has had a personal/meaningful role in your life and how have they helped shape your character towards work ethic?
Ask questions: Don’t be shy! Asking good relevant question demonstrates thoughtfulness and critical thinking, and will help you understand if the job will be a good fit for you.
A question Chris likes being asked is:
How was the company was started?
He also said, anything that is a demonstration that the applicant’s mind is on serving the client and community. What does this look like? For instance, a common question by applicants can be posed with different tones. Take this example:
- What type of work does the company do? (outcome-focused)
- How does the company conduct work that satisfies the needs of the client? (service-focussed)
- Know your strengths and how to display them in an interview.
What sets you apart? Your work ethic, optimism, team work, etc.
Chris looks for three things in every applicant:
- Prepared
- Enthusiastic
- Committed to serve:
- Customer
- Organization
- Your own success in terms of the company’s and client’s mutual success
Bonus tip from Chris: Bring something in your hands, such as a notebook or a portfolio. Something to refer to during the interview can give the applicant a comfort/confidence boost, and shows that they have prepared for and are taking on the interview like a professional.