Interview Preparation

Overview

If you have been contacted by an SAIC recruiter to schedule an interview — congratulations! The following are several tips and hints that should help you prepare, whether your interview is being conducted over the phone or in person at one of our locations.

• Interview Preparation

• Interview Questions and Tips

In learning more about our company and our people in advance of your interview, you will discover that joining SAIC means holding true to the values that guide everything we do. We encourage you to pay particular attention to our core values, as your interviewer will be using them as a key measure to assess your employment compatibility.

SAIC Core Values At-A-Glance

• Technical and Professional Excellence

  We want to perform superior scientific and technical work. We demonstrate thought leadership and innovation through world-class science, engineering, and technology.

• Customer Success

  We define our success by our customers' success.

• Ethics and Integrity

  Ethics is our foundation and constant commitment — unchanging and unwavering.

• Entrepreneurial Freedom with Responsibility

  Our employees are empowered to be entrepreneurs, and to take balanced risks.

• Importance of the Individual

  SAIC's people are our most important asset — we hire those with high capability and potential.

Lean more about our mission, values, and credo.

Preparation For All Interviews

• Understand Our Core Values and How They Apply to You

  For example, one of our core values is Customer Success. Every employee at SAIC has customers, whether they are internal or external. This area focuses on passion for our mission and mission success, and encourages employees to do the right thing for the customer. Your interviewer will be interested in your past experiences impacting customer success.

• Understand Our Company and Our Work

  In addition to understanding our core values, it is important to be familiar with our business prior to your interview. You can learn about our company by exploring our website and exploring all of the information available. Remember to read our news releases to learn about recent contract wins, awards, or the latest developments throughout our company. It will also help to research the Web for information about our industry, the competitive marketplace, and our competitors. If you know a current SAIC employee, contact them to learn even more.

• Practice Your Answers to Interview Questions

  Review the specific position description and make a list of questions you think the interviewer might ask. Spend time thinking about your responses. Be straightforward. Have specific responses prepared. Be sure to highlight experiences where you have demonstrated accomplishments related to the position for which you are interviewing.

  Click here for a downloadable list of sample interview questions and tips on answering them.

• Ask Questions

  Be prepared with a few questions for your interviewer or recruiter. Through your research about SAIC and your position of interest, you should be able to easily craft 2-3 questions. Asking focused questions shows that you are interested, ambitious, and that you are prepared.

• Be Energetic and Enthusiastic

  An excellent way to make yourself stand out is to be especially prepared and engaged during your interview. Candidates who demonstrate enthusiasm and knowledge of their desired position are more likely to be noticed and remembered by an interviewer who may speak with multiple candidates in one day.

For In-Person Interviews at an SAIC Location

• Dress Professionally

  Our businesses and customers vary greatly, so does the dress of our employees. It is not uncommon to see employees in the same SAIC location dressed in business suits and in business casual attire. For your interview, however, we recommend that you dress professionally. The most appropriate choice is a business suit or similar attire in a conservative color.

• Make Eye Contact

  Nothing makes a better first impression than a firm handshake and direct eye contact. Ensure you are making eye contact during introductions and while you are answering interview questions. This demonstrates that you are engaged in the conversation and making appropriate contact with your interviewer.