What to expect

Though the interview has this aura of seeming like a contest, it is really an opportunity for you to communicate your abilities and to evaluate the job that you are seeking. Likewise, the interview is an opportunity for the employer to communicate a description of the position and to evaluate your abilities in light of it.
Usually a series of interviews occur before a job offer is made. The first, called a screening interview, lasts about 30 minutes to an hour. For larger organizations (businesses, schools, etc.), this interview is conducted by a personnel or college relations officer who spends time before the interview reviewing the job description and evaluating the skills necessary for the job. Once the job description is reviewed, a list of skills would be outlined.
Sample Job Description
Once the list of skills is determined, a recruiter will develop open-ended questions that should shed light on your potential for performing the job. Often the questions are designed to query about your past performances and skills. The rationale is that your successes in a past situation, whether directly related to the job or not, will probably be a good indicator of how you will respond to a situation in the future. A few examples of common questions include:
Personal Development: Describe something from your academic experience that you are proud of, how did you get involved with this and what was the outcome?
Analytical Abilities: Can you relay a time when you had difficulty getting any part of a project accomplished? How did you approach this difficulty?
Classroom Management: Describe one difficult incident with a student, and how you handled it.
The employer will also want assurance that you understand the position for which you are applying, and that you have a genuine interest in it. Expect possible questions like these:
Where do you think your interest in (e.g. teaching) comes from?
What interests or concerns you about this position or our company?
Lastly, a recruiter may want to determine your potential two and three years from now. Entry-level positions are short term, and many recruiters want to hire someone who can grow with the company. Often they will look for experiences where you showed leadership or management skills.
Leadership: Describe a project, from start to finish, where you demonstrated leadership skills.
Not everyone interviewing you will be a professional recruiter. Smaller organizations may leave the hiring of new employees to each department manager. Larger companies, if you make it through the screening interview, will invite you back to meet with several people for a second interview. Both instances could result in meeting with an interviewer who is uncomfortable with the process. Your preparation will become very important -- you may have to take the lead and show how your abilities would help meet their needs. Focus on the principles listed in "Getting Ready" for an interview; they are key to a successful interview whether you are being interviewed by a professional recruiter or not.