Interview Skills Training 4/6/2017 Interview Skills Training

4/6/2017 Program Objectives Gain an understanding of the multiple styles of interviewing Understand how to best respond to questions asked during the interview Be prepared for a potential interview As a professional, it is essential for you to know your strengths, skills and abilities to be able to showcase them during an interview. The ultimate goal of the Interview Skills Training module is that you gain a comprehensive understanding of: how an interview selection process seeks specific knowledge regarding your workplace competencies and how to best prepare your answers to highlight your professional capabilities, skills and talents in those areas

The Hiring Manager’s Ultimate Interview Objectives 4/6/2017 The Hiring Manager’s Ultimate Interview Objectives To get information that answers the following questions about you: Can you do the job and how well? Will you do the job? How well will you get along with others? The interview is undoubtedly the most important part of your job search. Your resume may help you noticed, but you've got to ace the interview to get the position! Can you do the job and how well? Do you have the skills needed to be productive and make a positive contribution quickly? Have you done this job elsewhere and, if so, how successful were you? If you haven’t done this job, do you have the potential to be successful in the role? Will you do the job? Are you sufficiently motivated, have the self-confidence and possess the energy level to do the job? Will you stay long enough with the department to make significant contributions? How well will you get along with others? Will you fit in and be a team player? Will you be a positive influence on your fellow colleagues? Will you fit in and adopt the department’s culture with its vision and style?

Your Ultimate Interview Objective 4/6/2017 Your Ultimate Interview Objective To get a job offer! By … Shining over your competition through Preparation Practice Perform! An interview is an exchange of information. The interviewer provides information about the position and department. You share information about yourself and this is your opportunity to sell yourself and the value you bring to the department.

Reasons Why Interviews Derail 4/6/2017 Reasons Why Interviews Derail

Top Ten Reasons Why Interviews Derail 4/6/2017 Top Ten Reasons Why Interviews Derail Being unprepared Not knowing your resume Providing rambling answers Demonstrating poor listening skills Not coming across as interested or engaged Poor body language Coming across as unprofessional Being inappropriately dressed Being late to your interview Not turning off or (even worse) using your cell phone Ask: Out of these top 10 reasons which do you think is the biggest derailer?

4/6/2017 Interviews Styles

4/6/2017 What Is A Competency? Competencies include knowledge, skills, attributes and actions which are measurable and observable. Competencies can focus on either behavioral characteristics or technical skills that an individual must possess and appropriately use for optimum success in performing specified work. Source: Global Interview Framework Training Materials

Technical Competencies Behavioral Competencies 4/6/2017 Types of Competencies Technical Competencies Behavioral Competencies The functional knowledge and skills that are required to perform a particular type or level of work activity. Examples Brand & Product Knowledge Scientific Risk Analysis Technology Procurement The underlying traits, attributes and values which directly influence behavior. Examples Leadership Team Work Attention to Detail Multi-Tasking Technical competencies are the specialized primary and highly related knowledge and skills that employees must possess and use in appropriate ways to perform on a specific job. Technical competencies are behaviors directly related to the functional area of the position (i.e., the cluster of knowledge and skills required to perform in a specific occupation such as accounting, HR, clinical research, etc.) Behavioral competencies are often applicable across employment settings, occupations and industries. Source: Global Interview Framework Training Materials

Competency-based Interview 4/6/2017 Competency-based Interview What it is A structured interview process Designed to elicit information from candidates that will enable evaluation against selected criteria to determine their potential for success in a specific position Types of competency-based interviews Behavioral Situational/Case Competency-based interviews allow employers to make hiring decisions based on facts. They are structured, job-specific, and focused on relevant, concrete and tangible qualities.

Behavioral Interview What it is 4/6/2017 Behavioral Interview What it is An interviewing technique designed to evaluate candidates’ experiences and behaviors against selected competencies in order to determine their potential for success Aimed at uncovering patterns of behavior and making inferences about how a candidate will behave in the future based on what happened in the past Elements of a behavioral interview Open-ended questions that are designed to assess desired competencies by eliciting information on how a candidate behaved given a specific situation A rating system or guide is developed and used to evaluate candidates’ responses to each question The interviewer(s) is looking for a behavioral pattern. All questions are based on the past. The assumption is that a "leopard never changes its spots." The interviewer(s) may get an idea of what action the interviewee might take in the future based on what happened in the past. The interviewer identifies job-related experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities (i.e., competencies) that the company has decided are required for a particular position  The premise behind behavioral interviewing is that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations.

Behavioral Interview Questions 4/6/2017 Behavioral Interview Questions Main Interview Question Asks you to recall and describe a time when you were faced with a specific situation or had to perform a specific task. For Example: "Tell me about a time when...” "Describe a situation in which...” "Give me an example of...“ “Tell me about the toughest problem you have ever solved.”

Behavioral Interview Questions 4/6/2017 Behavioral Interview Questions Learning Probes/Follow-up Probes Help an interviewer delve deeper into your response to a main interview question. For example: “How did you approach solving the problem?” “Why did you select that approach?” “What was the impact of the solution?”

The STAR Response Format 4/6/2017 The STAR Response Format The most common and all-encompassing approach to responding to behavioral questions is to follow the STAR format Situation/Task Start your "story" by explaining the situation you were in or the task you were trying to achieve Action Then you should explain the action(s) that you took.  Result Finally, it's important that you explain the outcome or results that you achieved. Situation/Task: The Situation is basically setting the stage for your response with the relevant background information. This includes where and when you were working (company, role/position held), and maybe a bit of info on the problem you faced. The Task blends slightly with the Situation, and is just as simple. This is something along the lines of "I was assigned to do x." Plain and simple, it may be the most straight forward part of your response. Keep in mind that it also sets up the measuring stick for your results, so be sure that it is actually what you were assigned to do! Action: The Actions portion of your response should be where the meat of your answer is. You need to take this opportunity to say "I performed xyz analysis and used abc tools to do so." or "I led the group by doing abc." You also need to consider how technically savvy your interviewer is. If she/he is a functional expert, then you can feel free to go into a few (but not too many!) details about what you did. If you are interviewing with a non-functional expert, don't get into the details! Result: The Results should also be very easy, but is without question the most important part of your response. As interviewers are looking for candidates who have been extremely effective in their past jobs and experiences, this is where they look to determine if you are someone they want on their team. Use this opportunity to highlight your results, and their impact on the company: awards, cost savings, sales made, production improvement, etc. Don't short change yourself on this section, its critical that you highlight every positive impact that you made!

How Can I Best Prepare For My Interview? 4/6/2017 How Can I Best Prepare For My Interview?

Before The Interview Research the position and interviewer(s) 4/6/2017 Before The Interview Research the position and interviewer(s) Know yourself and your resume Prepare your “elevator speech” Prepare questions to ask during your interview Practice your interview skills Look the part Know where you are going Bring copies of your resume Arrive early Turn off your cell phone “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!" What you do BEFORE the interview will have a powerful impact on how well you perform DURING the interview. Do your homework – Hiring Manager’s when asked what they see as the number one problem with job candidates, they often mention lack of preparation. Most candidates are well-prepared to speak about themselves and their accomplishments, but they should have some knowledge about the job and the interviewer(s). Research Merck and the specific department beforehand so that you can showcase that knowledge during the interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her. Be very familiar with the information posted on Merck’s website; review any marketing and recruiting collateral or reports you may have access to, and/or talk to people you personally know who work for the company. Focus on the ‘New’ company’s mission, ethics and areas of recent growth. By carefully reviewing the job description, you can be prepared to mention key skills that the position requires during your interview. Knowing something about your interviewer(s), by talking to people you know within the organization, looking up the profile in LinkedIn or by googling the interviewer(s) name, will allow you to feel a bit more at ease and find possible commonalities.

Preparing for a Behavioral Interview 4/6/2017 Preparing for a Behavioral Interview Imagine what the ideal candidate for the position you are interviewing for would look like from the decision-maker’s perspective Thoroughly review the job description and the components of the position Research the department and its culture Develop a list of competencies you believe a successful candidate will need to have Review your resume and look back on your past experience to identify examples where you demonstrated those competencies Prepare your stories following the STAR format (whenever possible, quantify your results) Your examples should be mostly positive Prepare some examples of situations that started out negatively but ended positively or you positively affected the result How do you prepare for a behavioral interview? First, you'll want to put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager and imagine what the ideal candidate for the position you are considering would look like from the hiring manager's perspective. Then, take some time to thoroughly review the job posting or job description. Look for clues about which skills are necessary for the job and which are highly valued by the department. Then, based on your research, identify the skills the successful candidate would have and the behavioral-based questions that correlate to those skills that might be asked in an interview. Then look back on your past experiences and develop stories to answer those questions. Your stories should be detailed, yet succinct, and should always follow the STAR format. Use numbers whenever possible - numbers illustrate your level of authority and responsibility.

4/6/2017 Helpful Tips Try to vary your examples – do not take them all from just one area of life/experience Select examples that you can easily and quickly tailor to respond to a number of different behavioral questions Use fairly recent examples (preferably within the last 12-24 months) Keep your responses succinct (each story should take between 2 to 5 minutes to share with the interviewer)

How Can I Best Navigate The Interview Process? 4/6/2017 How Can I Best Navigate The Interview Process?

During The Interview Communicate with confidence and purpose 4/6/2017 During The Interview Communicate with confidence and purpose Mind your body language Ask questions Ask for the interviewer’s business card “Roll with the punches” Communicate with confidence - Your goal is to impart confidence, competence and credibility in what you are saying. Present organized answers with specific examples to support them. Speak clearly and try to put some emotion into your answers. Show how much you’re interested in the job by displaying enthusiasm. Do not mumble or speak in a voice too quiet to be heard. Be clear and concise in your answers and always concentrate on your qualifications.  Focus on the positive at all times – do not speak negatively about any former boss or any former organization - and avoid using slang or jargon.  Be sure to listen carefully, think before answering, and answer the question that is being asked.  Do not be afraid to pause and ask for time to better reflect on the question.  If you are not sure of what the interviewer is asking, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for clarification.  Your job as the candidate is to clearly communicate the unique combination of skills and experiences that qualify you to do the job. So, be honest and assertive - let the interviewer know you are the right person for the job!

Document and evaluate the interview Send a “Thank You” note 4/6/2017 After The Interview Document and evaluate the interview Send a “Thank You” note Document and evaluate the interview – Right after the interview, while it is fresh in your mind, jot down key points. Take a moment to think about how it went, jot down a few of the questions you want to remember later and highlights of what was discussed during your interview as well as any follow up questions you would like to have answered. Send a “Thank You” note to each interviewer - Write a thank-you letter as soon as you get home from the interview. You'll use it for several purposes: To thank the interviewer for his/her time and consideration, as well as restating your interest and commitment to the position To provide further explanation of something discussed at the interview or to mention any relevant facts you may have omitted in the interview . For example, if there was some discussion of your leadership skills but you forget to mention a great example from a previous job, put this in your letter. (3) To say thank you. Show that you appreciate the opportunity you were given to show in person what a wonderful asset to the department you will make! (4) To take another opportunity to make yourself shine in comparison to the other internal candidates. A short thank-you letter can be written in less than 20 minutes, but only a small percentage of job seekers actually bother doing this.

Expecting The Unexpected 4/6/2017 Expecting The Unexpected

Dealing With The Unexpected 4/6/2017 Dealing With The Unexpected What to do if the interview questions are not what you expected Remain calm Remain confident Take notes Use appropriate body language Think before you speak Remember that it may be a test Go into the interview expecting the unexpected The majority of questions that you will be asked can be anticipated most of the time. There are always, however, those exceptional ones tailored to throw you off guard. Remain Calm: Take a deep breath and a minute to compose yourself. Then simply answer the question in a calm manner. The candidate who gets the job goes with the flow, delivers personal opinions backed up with credible arguments and does not feel threatened by the approach Remain Confident: The more confident you are, the easier it is to think through the tough or unusual question. Take notes when a challenging question is asked: It will show that you are listening, help you remember important points of what was asked and buy you a few extra moments to think through your response to a probing question. Use appropriate body language: Relax, focus and breathe! Make good eye contact and sit tall. Let your voice be warm, energetic and similar to the interviewers in pace when responding to the unexpected.

4/6/2017 Final Reminder

Remembering your value Conveying your value 4/6/2017 Above All, Remember … A successful interview depends on you … Knowing your value Remembering your value Conveying your value Value, above all else, is the key to being confident, calm and centered.

4/6/2017 Q & A