Originally Posted by
PowerShift
Just be yourself. If they sense the conversation is “canned” then they did not get to know you. The result is the “Thanks but no thanks letter”. This is pretty simple stuff. Sit down and put your resume’ together and visit about your career, yourself, and why Southwest Airlines. Your interviewing for a million dollar carreer with a company. Know why you want to work at SWA. Not just the boiler plate answers, but what is it about SWA that makes you want to be there over all the other options.
I don't agree. Although the SWA style interview is becoming more mainstream, the "tell me about a time" questions can not be answered without some specific preparation. If you have been in the business long enough to meet the minimum requirements, you most likely have a myriad of experiences which will fit the bill, however, recalling those experiences on cue are very difficult for the average applicant without some specific preparation. I'm not advocating "canned" answers, but reviewing your experiences and practicing how to portray personal experiences into possible questions is essential to answering questions in a favorable way.
There are many ways to recall your personal experiences without hesitation when asked but many applicants will benefit from undergoing mock interviews and contemplating potential questions before sitting in the hot seat. That doesn't mean an interview prep is absolutely essential to everyone, but most will benefit greatly from a focused and insightful preparation process.
I did an interview prep prior to my interview in the early 2000's and I found it to be most helpful. A quality service will never tell you what to say but more how to say it.