What do you do if your GIS interview requires attention to detail and accuracy?

1 Review your GIS portfolio

Before the interview, you should review your GIS portfolio and refresh your memory on the projects and tasks that you have completed or participated in. You may be asked to explain how you handled specific challenges, such as data sources, formats, projections, analysis methods, or visualization techniques. You should be able to describe the steps and tools that you used, and the outcomes and impacts that you achieved. You should also be prepared to show examples of your work, such as maps, reports, or web applications, and highlight the details and accuracy that you incorporated.

2 Practice common GIS questions

Another way to prepare for the interview is to practice some common GIS questions that may require attention to detail and accuracy. For example, you may be asked to define some GIS terms, such as spatial resolution, attribute table, georeferencing, or geoprocessing. You may also be asked to perform some calculations, such as area, distance, or buffer, using GIS software or formulas. You may also be asked to identify some errors or inconsistencies in a map or a dataset, and suggest ways to correct them. You should practice answering these questions with clarity and confidence, and show your reasoning and logic.

3 Use the STAR method

During the interview, you should use the STAR method to answer questions that require attention to detail and accuracy. The STAR method stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result and is used to structure your answer by providing specific and relevant examples of your skills and achievements. For example, when asked how you ensured the accuracy of a GIS project, you can explain the context and goal of the project, such as the data source, analysis objective, or target audience. Then, discuss your role in the project, such as data collection, processing, analysis or presentation. You should also describe the steps and tools taken to ensure detail and accuracy of the project, such as data validation, quality control, projection or visualization. Finally, highlight the outcome and impact of your actions, such as the reliability, validity or usefulness of data and results.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?