CAPL 198C Interviewing Skills is a one-credit University of Maryland Global Campus course on the skills and strategies behind successful interviews.
UMGC describes it as a comprehensive exploration of interview skills, aimed at articulating your personal skills, education and experience as they relate to a target position.
Topics include body language, nonverbal cues and candidacy for various positions. Discussions explore previous interview experiences, strategies for success and determining whether a position may be a good fit.
Students often find the hardest part is talking about themselves concisely. The course rewards specific examples linked to a real target role.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Course code | CAPL 198C |
| Credits | 1 |
| Credit note | Credit is allowed for only one of CAPL 198C or MGST 198L |
| Main outcome | Clear, evidence-based answers for a target position |
| Typical work | Discussions, reflections and interview preparation tasks |
What CAPL 198C Covers
| Topic | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Articulating your skills | Linking your education and experience to a target role |
| Body language | Posture, eye contact, gestures and how they come across |
| Nonverbal cues | Reading and sending signals, including tone and pace |
| Candidacy | Showing why you fit different kinds of positions |
| Past interview experiences | Reflecting on what worked and what did not |
| Judging fit | Deciding whether the role and organization suit you |
Key Techniques Explained
The STAR Method
Behavioral questions ("Tell me about a time when...") are best answered with STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. It keeps answers focused and ends on evidence.
Example question: "Tell me about a time you handled a difficult customer."
Situation: At a busy pharmacy counter, a customer was angry that a prescription was not ready. Task: I needed to calm the situation and solve the problem. Action: I listened without interrupting, apologized for the wait, checked the system and found the doctor's authorization was missing, then called the surgery while the customer waited. Result: The prescription was ready in 20 minutes and the customer thanked me. I now check authorizations a day ahead for repeat orders.
Body Language and Nonverbal Cues
Interviewers form impressions from more than words. Sit upright, keep natural eye contact, use open gestures and match your pace to the interviewer. Notice their cues too: shorter replies or glances at the clock may signal it is time to wrap up an answer.
Video Interviews
Many first interviews are online. Position the camera at eye level, look at the lens when speaking, use a quiet, well-lit space and test the platform beforehand. Nonverbal cues are harder to read on screen, so pause briefly to check the interviewer has finished.
Judging Whether a Role Fits You
The course treats an interview as a two-way conversation. Prepare questions that reveal what the job is really like:
- "What does success look like in the first six months?"
- "How does the team usually work together?"
- "What are the biggest challenges for this role right now?"
Afterwards, compare what you heard with your own priorities, such as schedule, growth and values. A reflection on fit is often part of the course work.
Articulating Your Value for a Target Role
Before any interview, map the posting's main requirements against your evidence. For each requirement, note one example and the result it achieved. This becomes your answer bank.
Prepare a short answer to "Tell me about yourself": present role or study, two strengths relevant to this job, and why you want this position. Keep it under a minute, and finish by connecting back to the employer's needs rather than your life story.
Typical Work and How to Approach It
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Target-role analysis | Matching skills to a job | Use a real posting and map your evidence |
| Prepared answers | Articulating experience | Write STAR examples, then shorten them |
| Reflection on past interviews | Self-awareness | Name one strength and one change |
| Discussions | Applying concepts | Share specific, real examples |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Rambling answers. Aim for about one to two minutes per behavioral answer.
- Vague results. End with what changed, ideally something observable.
- Weak research. Know the organization's work and the role's main duties.
- No questions to ask. Always prepare two or three.
Tips for CAPL 198C
- Prepare five STAR stories that can flex across many questions.
- Record a practice answer on video and review your body language.
- Use UMGC's career services for mock interviews if available to you.
- Write a short thank-you message after each real interview.
How We Help with CAPL 198C
Send the assignment instructions, rubric, a target job posting and your draft answers or reflection. A careers tutor gives feedback, edits for clarity and structure, and explains how to strengthen your examples. Your stories must be true and your own; we never invent experiences.
GradeEssays is independent of University of Maryland Global Campus. Our help supports learning: submit your own work under UMGC's academic integrity policy. Revisions within the scope of your original request are free.
Walk into Interviews Prepared
Share the prompt and your draft answers. A careers writer gives feedback so your examples are concise and well structured.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A one-credit UMGC course on interview skills: articulating your experience for a target role, body language, nonverbal cues and judging fit.
No. UMGC allows credit for only one of the two courses.
A way to answer behavioral questions: describe the Situation, the Task, the Action you took and the Result.
Usually one to two minutes for a behavioral question; long enough for evidence, short enough to keep attention.
Interviewers form impressions from posture, eye contact and tone as well as words, so nonverbal signals affect how your answers land.
We give feedback and editing on answers you draft from your real experience; we do not invent stories.