AECC-2 Department of English, Govt. College, Theog Interview Skills AECC-2 Department of English, Govt. College, Theog

Introduction/Greeting First impressions count Appearance is important Good eye contact Firm handshake Introduce yourself Slow, clear pronunciation of name Make small talk

Employer Questions Will most likely, address items on your resume ask about behavior/skills you have Will not be personal

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.

Ask yourself Review the question and answer provided What skill is the question addressing? Could the answer be better and how?

Effective response? Q: Give an example of when you had to persuade others to your point of view. A: I was part of the negotiating team for my department when we negotiated our last contract. Let me tell you the bargaining on this one was tough; no one wanted to give an inch. But in the end we got them to agree to most of our demands.

A better response I was part of the negotiating team for my department. The supplier wanted a large increase of 8% I listened carefully to the supplier’s needs I collected data to support my argument on why 8% was unreasonable I presented analytical data to support our position for a 4% vs. 8% increase I also worked with management to change some requirements, so it would be less costly for the supplier The final agreement was for only a 5% increase, saving us $500,000. I learned the importance of really listening to the supplier, collecting and analyzing relevant data and getting management support of my plan.

Effective 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 response? Didn’t describe the Situation/Task Actions are missing Results are vague Interviewer will likely ask follow up questions

Prepare yourself 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

Other Common Questions to Prepare For Tell me about yourself? or Walk me through your resume Why did you decide to go to the XYZ School of Business 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 the position How you can contribute to company Don’t include Personal/family information Politics Create a 60-second sound byte

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 one Identify what you are doing to improve or learned from this weakness Detail the results or time frame expected

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

How to prepare for an interview? Research the company Review your resume 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 succinct stories for each point on your resume? Anticipate questions

Closing Always thank them for the interview Clarify if they haven’t told you next steps End with saying that you are looking forward to hearing from them and really enjoyed talking to them.

Evaluation Questions A – Strongly Agree; B-Agree; C-Disagree; D-Strongly Disagree; E-Don’t Know This session increased my knowledge on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview. The presenter was well-prepared. This session should be repeated in future semesters.