How to Do Your Homework

Interview questions about politics, sports, and news are rare. But they do come up, especially if there is something in your background to trigger them. If you are from New England, for example, you may have to talk about a recent Patriots game. You may have to discuss basketball if you are a Dukie. If you are from Southern California, your interviewer may ask about wildfires. Or he or she may inquire if your family is safe after a hurricane in Florida. If you were born overseas, you may have to discuss current political issues in your home country. The possibilities are endless.

The best way to prepare for such questions is by staying abreast of current events, determining what interesting parts of your background may trigger questions, and brushing up on sports. We recently consulted with a candidate named Kathleen on her upcoming interview in San Diego. We told her to read about a recent Chargers game; because the Chargers were having a great season, we knew that at least one of her interviewers would likely mention them. And mention them they did! The advice came in handy, as Kathleen knew virtually nothing about sports. She was able to learn enough information beforehand to carry on a meaningful conversation.