Presented by: Co-op Programs Office Sarah Kitsemetry Senior Career Consultant Interviewing Strategies & Techniques

Objectives  To learn how to prepare for an interview  To understand the different types of interviews and interview questions  To understand the interview process – what to expect before, during, and after the interview

Types of Interviews Screening Interview  resume review - matching skills to the position  telephone/ Selection Interview  face-to-face  matching the candidate to the position and the organization  may involve more than one meeting

Truths & Myths In an interview, the intent is to intimidate the candidate to see how he/she handles pressure. FALSE. The intent of an interview is to get to know the candidate, and to assess his/her suitability for the role and organization. When answering interview questions, it is important to provide every detail of the story, taking as much time as needed. FALSE. When answering interview questions, provide details where appropriate, and be brief (no more than 2-3 minutes). It is important to bring a copy of my references to the interview. TRUE. You should always be prepared with your reference page when you attend an interview – this is when the employer will ask for it

Truths & Myths In an interview, the intent is to intimidate the candidate to see how he/she handles pressure. FALSE. The intent of an interview is to get to know the candidate, and to assess his/her suitability for the role and organization. When answering interview questions, it is important to provide every detail of the story, taking as much time as needed. FALSE. When answering interview questions, provide details where appropriate, and be brief (no more than 2-3 minutes). It is important to bring a copy of my references to the interview. TRUE. You should always be prepared with your reference page when you attend an interview – this is when the employer is likely to ask for it.

Prior to the Interview  Review the job description/posting  Review your resume and cover letter  Understand your skills and how they relate to the employer’s needs (know your top three skills)  Anticipate what the employer will ask  Be prepared with examples of how you have demonstrated your skills  Search the company on-line and make note of any recent press coverage; go to the company website and look for any updates  Dress professionally (see Resource Guides)  Arrive early (10 minutes)

Prior to the Interview Research, Research, Research!!  Don’t just use the website  Find industry information  Research competitor information  Who are their clients?  What are the current trends?  What’s happening in the news?  Talk to current employees

Types of Questions  Common Interview Questions: Structured & Unstructured  Behavioural Based  Situational  Technical Most employers use at least 2 types of interview questions

Common Interview Questions  Tell me about yourself?  What are your top 3 strengths?  What are your top 3 weaknesses?  Why do you want to work here?  Why do you want this position?  Tell me about a work related accomplishment.  Tell me about a work related failure.  Where will you be 5 years from now?  What did you like most and least about your last position?  Which course have your liked most / least from your program? * See handout for assistance

Situation Interview Questions Scenario-based; assessing how you might perform in a certain situation. Your supervisor has asked you to develop an information pamphlet to promote a new product line to customers. What steps would you take to complete this task? A customer approaches you and asks a question for which you do not know the answer. What do you do?

Behavioural Interview Questions Past behaviour = future behaviour, provide example that demonstrates skill required by question Provide an example of when you used effective time management and organizational skills to complete a task within a set deadline. Tell me about a time when you had to sell a product or service. Tell me about a time when you demonstrated strong leadership skills in either an academic, work, or extra-curricular setting.

The STAR Method  S – SITUATION (20%) (introduce your story, set the stage)  T – TASK (10%) (restate the skill that you were asked about)  A – ACTION (50%) (describe the specific steps you took, addressing how you used the skill effectively)  R – RESULT (20%) (describe the outcome/result – what happened?) * Use STAR method for Behavioural and Situational questions

Behavioural Based Interviewing 1.Determine the skill the question is designed to assess 2.Refer to the Competency Dictionary (“Steps”) 3.Build a story using STAR Method 4.Incorporate “Steps” into Action part of STAR 5.Use work related examples if possible *See Competency Dictionary handout for assistance

After the Interview  Know the next steps in the process  Thank the interviewers for their time  Follow-up with a thank-you letter, or card (send within 24 hours of interview )

Thank You Letter: Sample Dear Anne, Thank you for meeting with me on Tuesday to discuss my candidacy for the position of IT Helpdesk Associate. I was interested to learn more about the training opportunities and professional development initiatives that ABC Inc. is introducing this year, and I enjoyed our conversation about the recent changes that have occurred in the IT department. Best of luck with the remaining interviews, and I look forward to hearing from you at the end of the month. Kind Regards, Sam Fiction

Did You Know… You will be assessed on: What You Say (the words you use, vocabulary) (7%) How You Say It (tone, volume, speed, clarity) (38%) What You Do (appearance, body language) (55%)

What Do Employer Say? “We want to see that you have done your research” “Be enthusiastic about the role” “Be yourself – your best self” “Be confident about your skills and what you have to offer” “Be prepared with questions for us”

Top 10 Interview Blunders  Little to no research / not prepared  Talking too much  Not talking enough (not providing enough detail)  Bad mouthing past employers / co-workers / supervisors  Asking poor questions  Dressing inappropriately  Forgetting to follow up  Coming across as desperate (not demonstrating confidence)  Acting over confident (like the position is yours)  Lack of enthusiasm for position / organization