Making the Most of an Interview!

Preparation of interview Agenda Types of interview Preparation of interview Mock interview Start by talking for a few minutes about your career and how you got there. If education was an important part of that, explain that too. If you have any funny personal stories about your career path, you may want to share them. Pretty soon you will be asking the students to open up, and this can help to set the classroom climate Talk about how goal were important in deciding your career path Discuss how barriers are real, barriers to entry in the labour force are one aspect and Job Asaan has trainings to help you deal with them. But these are barriers that exist once you are in the market and trying to progress

Panel vs. Individual Type of Interviews Individual interviews refer to interviews conducted by a single interviewer whereas panel interviews involve more than one interviewer.  empirical research indicates that individual interviews are more valid than panel interviews (McDaniel, 1994). Not conclusive as contradictory research also exists The impact of first impressions and personality biases are minimized. It changes the focus from yes/no voting to a deliberative evidence-based assessment. 

Competency/ Behavioral Interviews Type of Interviews Competency/ Behavioral Interviews Company identifies key skills required for job Designs questions to elicit evidence of skills Emphasis on past behaviour as predictor of success The most common type of interview used today Past behavior is an indicator of future behavior Will cover in detail under preparation!  

Assessment Centers Type of Interviews The assessment center is one of the more complex methods of evaluating employee behavior. It is used in selective processes, identifying leadership skills, developmental and training needs and human resources planning. An Assessment Center consists of a standardized evaluation of behavior based on multiple evaluations including: job-related simulations, interviews, and/or psychological tests. Job Simulations are used to evaluate candidates on behaviors relevant to the most critical aspects (or competencies) of the job. Several trained observers and techniques are used. Judgments about behavior are made and recorded. These judgments are pooled in a meeting among the assessors or by an averaging process. In discussion among assessors, comprehensive accounts of behavior, often including ratings, are pooled. The discussion results in evaluations of the performance of the assesses on the dimensions or other variables. Leaderless group discussions The leaderless group discussion is a type of assessment center exercise where groups of applicants meet as a group to discuss an actual job-related problem. As the meeting proceeds, the behavior of the candidates is observed to see how they interact and what leadership and communications skills each person displays Role plays Role playing is a type of assessment center exercise where the candidate assumes the role of the incumbent of the position and must deal with another person in a job- related situation. A trained role player is used and responds "in character" to the actions of the candidate. Performance is assessed by observing raters. Group exercises Typical key skills assessed in a group exercise include: ability to work as part of a team social skills and confidence leadership qualities and potential listening and communication skills ability to problem solve and work under pressure how compatible a candidate’s skills and behavior are for the role how well they respond to failure and critical thinking ability Presentations Case studies  

Practice – Assessment Centers Make groups of four participants Read the case study handed to you in groups Analyze the case, identify the problem and present a solution As a group present your findings Three to four cases each looking for a specific competency Allow groups to present their findings Ask participants what skills/ competencies were used by participants Share actual competencies you were looking to assess The following competencies are assessed in this exercise are: • Leadership • Initiative • Team working • Decisiveness • Problem solving • Organisational ability

Practice – Assessment Centers What competencies were used? Leadership Initiative Team working Decisiveness Problem solving Organizational ability Three to four cases each looking for a specific competency Allow groups to present their findings Ask participants what skills/ competencies were used by participants Share actual competencies you were looking to assess The following competencies are assessed in this exercise are: • Leadership • Initiative • Team working • Decisiveness • Problem solving • Organizational ability

Psychometric Tests Types of Interviews Psychometric tests typically consist of numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and diagrammatic reasoning tests. Situational judgment tests are increasing in popularity and are used as an initial screening method for the biggest graduate scheme employers.  Numerical Reasoning tests demonstrate a candidates ability to deal with numbers quickly and accurately. Verbal Reasoning tests require you to read short passages of writing and then answer questions assessing their comprehension of the text.  Situational Judgment Tests (SJT s) assess how you approach situations encountered in the workplace. Diagrammatic reasoning questions are designed to assess your logical reasoning ability. 

Preparation of interview Agenda Types of interviews Preparation of interview Mock interview Start by talking for a few minutes about your career and how you got there. If education was an important part of that, explain that too. If you have any funny personal stories about your career path, you may want to share them. Pretty soon you will be asking the students to open up, and this can help to set the classroom climate Talk about how goal were important in deciding your career path Discuss how barriers are real, barriers to entry in the labor force are one aspect and Job Asaan has trainings to help you deal with them. But these are barriers that exist once you are in the market and trying to progress

Preparation of Interview Self-assessment Know the position Know the organization Prepare your questions Foresee employer questions Practice Individual interviews refer to interviews conducted by a single interviewer whereas panel interviews involve more than one interviewer.  empirical research indicates that individual interviews are more valid than panel interviews (McDaniel, 1994). Not conclusive as contradictory research also exists The impact of first impressions and personality biases are minimized. It changes the focus from yes/no voting to a deliberative evidence-based assessment. 

Self Assessment Career goals Academic performance Skills and competencies Selling points/ Strengths Work experience

Practice - Know the Position Review the job descriptions shared with you Identify competencies the job is looking for Prepare behavioral examples for each competency

Define each competency in behavioral terms Your behavioural evidence: Presentation to class Class rep, society president Information on current affairs, newspapers you read, understanding of stock markets etc. Employer Needs Communication Leadership Business Awareness Explain to students that our interests are reflected in the types of activities that we enjoy doing and the topics that we like to learn about and discuss. We look at interests when we choose our careers because: n People do better at what interests them. n People are attracted to careers that suit their interests. n People usually are successful in careers that suit their interests. Direct students to imagine they are going to a job fair to apply for careers that interest them. Tell students that jobs and job descriptions representing different career themes are posted around the classroom. Their task is to read the job categories and to determine which types of careers they would most enjoy doing. Tell them that they do not have to like each specific job; they should be responding to the type of career. Explain that they may like more than one type of career, but should pick the type that most interests them. To see what they like best, reading the descriptions is as important as reading the job titles. Direct students to stand by a career theme that is the most appealing to them. Be prepared to describe a job if students don’t know what it is—although it is best to let other students try to describe the job first. To help students understand how their interests are reflected in their occupational choices, ask them to consider: n What appeals to you about this type of career? (Focus on the qualities in the descriptions.) n Do any of these jobs share multiple interests or qualities? Examples n Journalists like writing and may have a strong sense of social responsibility. n Human resources professionals may be highly organized and enjoy working closely with people. n What other types of careers offer the opportunity for using these same interests? Examples n Purchasing agents use communication to persuade people. n Electrical engineering technicians solve problems. 5. Explain to students that having their interests reflected in the work they do will help them select a target career that is satisfying to them. Tell students that all of their interests don’t need to be reflected in a career for them to enjoy it Time: 20 minutes

STAR Give me an example of a problem you encountered. How did you approach it. What was the outcome S: Describe the situation T: Explain the task/ problem that arose A: What action did you take? R: What was the results You were preparing for an upcoming launch event You were asked at the last minute to arrange a podium You put a status up on Fb and asked all contacts if anyone could arrange one You got a response on Fb and were able to arrange a podium for the event

Know the Position Review and dissect the job description Identify the competencies the job is looking for Define each competency in behavioral terms Prepare examples for each competency Follow the STAR model

Know the Organization Websites, reports, articles, company literature, etc. Contacts with knowledge of organisation or sector Relevant articles in the press Identify your expected salary range

Foresee Employer Questions Typical Interview questions: Tell me about yourself Why are interested in this position/ organization? What attracted you to this field? Tell me about your work experience What qualifies you for this position? What are you strengths? What are your areas of improvement? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years?

How can you identify a competency based question? Competency Based Interviews How can you identify a competency based question? Ask participants what they think a competency based question is. Take their responses and note them down on a flip chart Discuss questions they ask building on their questions make the following statements: – It asks for a specific example of something that has already happened to you – Often starts with, “Tell me about a time when…” or “give me an example of…”

Practice – Dissecting behavioral/competency based questions The next few slides have competency based questions written on them Look at each question and identify what skill/ competency is the employer looking for List down the competency on the paper in front of you Show participants the questions and ask them to note down competencies Participants note down answers in groups – discuss questions amongst each other Take responses from participants at random and note them down on flip charts Discuss each question in detail as you go

Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead. Question - I Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.

Question - II Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.

Question - III Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion.

Question - IV Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.

Prepare your questions Training programmes Career development opportunities Types of projects & responsibilities Reporting structure Performance appraisal Profile of staff Questions about topics raised in interview What happens next? Discuss the importance of having your own questions prepared for an interview when you flash the heading Ask participants what questions they might want to ask participant Note down responses on a flip chart As feedback display the list of questions Illicit from participants the importance of asking these questions

Agenda Types of interviews Preparation of interview Mock interview

Mock Interview-Option I Practice Select a partner for yourself Based on the interview questions given to you, interview your partner Document your feedback on how your partner did Benefits of this approach Everyone will get practice No observation

Mock Interview-Option II Practice 3 volunteer pairs Each pair will get interview questions and ten minutes to prepare Conduct three mock interviews Observers – take notes (good points and areas for improvement) Benefits of this approach Everyone will be involved A lot if observation and discussion Easier to manage for the trainer But not everyone will get experience Participants might get edgy waiting while everyone prepares

Mock Interview-Option II Body Language First impressions Allow time to relax Research the location in advance Dress appropriately Entrance, introductions & handshake Smile and make eye contact Be aware of own movements Watch body language of interviewer Mock Interview-Option II The interviewer makes the decision very early