Program Support Specialist Interview Skills Put together by: Eboni Williams Sankoe Program Support Specialist 614.336.7378 Eboni.M.Williams4.ctr@mail.mil

Workshop Objectives Preparation Introductions and Greetings Typical Interview Structure Behavioral Interviews Interview Preparation & Practice

Prepare Yourself Appearance Firm Handshake/Eye Contact Smile appropriately and nod Be confident

Introduction/Greeting First impressions count Appearance is important Good eye contact Firm handshake Introduce yourself Slow, clear pronunciation of name Have resume in hand

Interview Preparation & Practices

Behavior Based Interviewing Previous behavior predicts future behavior Recruiters ask for examples that demonstrate your level of skill with a behavior that is important to the firm.

Other Common Questions to Prepare For Tell me about yourself? or Walk me through your resume Tell me about a time when you had an opportunity to lead others. What did you learn from it? What are your strengths/weaknesses? What achievement are you the most proud of? Why do you want to work for ______ company?

Tell me about yourself? (Walk me through your resume) Include Tie your story to their business needs Demonstrate 2 or 3 strengths related to position or why you chose (company) How you can contribute to company Don’t include Personal/family information Politics Create a 60-second sound byte

Tell me about yourself? (Walk me through your resume)

How to ace behavioral interviews? Work on your STARs S ituation T ask A ctions R esults STAR provides an outline for answers

Effective STAR response? Q: Tell me about a time when you had an opportunity to lead others. What did you learn from it? A: During a training exercise, our team leader was not present to delegate. Everyone was looking around for someone to step up to the plate. I volunteered to stand in his place. I was able to assess the strengths from each of my team mates and delegate the proper responsibilities. We were able to ensure the success of our task. I learned that I am trusted to step up and do the job no matter how large or small the task is.

Ineffective STAR response? Q: Give me an example of your ability to use analytical skills? A: I’m good at Excel and have created several spreadsheets to improve processes.

What is missing from this STAR? Didn’t describe the Situation/Task Actions are missing Results are vague Interviewer will likely ask follow up questions

Prepare your STARs Understand what skills the company considers critical to success there Some common areas covered in behavioral interviews: Leadership Teamwork Initiative Analytical Ability Creativity/Innovation Problem Solving Skills Customer/Client Relations

What are your strengths? Relate them to the job Give examples of where you have demonstrated them How were they developed

What are your weaknesses? Admit you have a weakness Make it into a positive. Rarely take breaks. Identify what you are doing to improve or learned from this weakness Sometimes I have to take a quick break to recharge my batteries.

Need more time? Good question, let me think about that a minute. So, you are asking if….. No one’s ever asked me that one before…

How to prepare for an interview? Research the company Review your resume Prepare STAR responses Prepare questions for interviewer Prepare yourself

Research the Company Know the industry Know the company Know the job duties

Review your Resume How do your career goals align with position? Do you have successful stories for each point on your resume? Anticipate questions

Salary Questions

Prepare Questions for Interviewer Consider multiple areas Corporate values Employment trends Work environment Quality of work Personality factors Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and company Are there any questions I have not answered for you?

Prepare Questions for Interviewer

Closing Always thank them for the interview Clarify if they haven’t told you next steps End with you are looking forward to hearing from them and really enjoyed talking to them. When you leave, be sure to ask for a business card. Perhaps mail them a personal thank you letter.

Questions Any questions?

Program Support Specialist Contact Information Thomas Korth Program Support Specialist Thomas.j.korth.ctr@mail.mil 217.761.3971