The University Career Center assists students and alumni with the development of interview skills through:
- Interviewing Workshop: The University Career Center offers an Introduction to Interviewing workshop on a regular basis.
- Appointments with Counselors: Schedule an appointment with a counselor to ask questions or discuss concerns about interviewing.
- Videotaped Mock Interviews: Mock interviews provide an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. Please contact us at careers@pdx.edu for current information about conducting mock interviews.
Tips for Video Interviewing: Getting ready for a video interview or even recording yourself for a graduate school program can be daunting. Use this quick guide to get ready!
- Informational Interviewing: Learn what it is and how Informational Interviewing can impact your career decision making process.
Check out these seven tips for researching companies!
Writing Interview Thank You Letters
Each time you interview, you should send a thank you letter. A thank you letter indicates your professionalism and is an opportunity for you to express appreciation for the interviewer's time. The thank you letter gives you another opportunity to express your strengths or skills, point out the highlights of the interview, and/or cover anything you forgot to mention during the interview. Your thank you letter should be brief, not more than one page. The letter should be typed using standard business format. It should be mailed promptly after your interview. Address the letter to the individual who interviewed you.
In the case of panel or group interviews, you may address the letter to the person who was primarily responsible. It is not necessary to send a letter to each person on the panel unless they individually spent time with you.
In the opening paragraph, express your appreciation, indicate the date of your interview, and the position for which you interviewed. State your interest in the position. In the middle paragraph/s, highlight any skills you want to bring to the employer's attention. Reiterate relevant information shared in the interview or provide additional information. In the closing paragraph, restate your interest in the position and make a statement of action.
Sample Interview Thank You Letter
Do not copy this sample letter.
It is crucial that you write your own letter.
1234 N.E. 35th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97212
October 5, 20XX
Diego Ornelas, Manager
Grant Thornton
1234 S.W. Smith
Portland, Oregon 97201
Dear Mr. Ornelas:
Thank you for the opportunity to interview with you on October 3, 200X at the PSU Career Center. I appreciated learning about the challenging staff accountant positions with Grant Thornton.
I am very interested in working for Grant Thornton because of your company's team-oriented approach to providing customer service. I believe that my extensive customer service experience gained while working as a payroll specialist for Hollywood Entertainment and as a teller for US Bank would help me succeed at Grant Thornton. I was also very impressed with the training and mentoring that new professionals receive with your firm.
Again, thank you for the interview; I appreciate the time you spent with me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[Your signature]
Gina Cook