Marnie Wright Director, Human Resources

 Understanding “the” job  Types of Interview Questions  Understand how to prepare  Building a Development Plan

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 Understand the complex or difficult aspects of the job  Main technical requirements  Skills / abilities / competencies

 Index Card  Write 3 most important / complex skills required to do “your desired job”

 Questions designed to get to know the candidate  Get insights into their motivation for applying for the job  Let the candidate settle-in

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 Why did you apply for this position?  What do you know about our organization and why do you want to work for us? 5 minutes

Typical Response  It’s all about me… Employers look for:  Genuine interest in doing the work  Genuine interest in the organization  Past successes

 Ask for a specific example of a time when you performed a task / skill The single best predictor of future behaviour is a person’s recent past behaviour.

 Tell me about a time when you had to correct a student’s behaviour in class. Describe the situation and how you handled it.  Describe a time when you had to direct the work of others during an emergency situation.

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 Describe a time when you assisted a student or customer, and went above and beyond normal expectations.  5 minutes

 Most difficult interview questions are behavioural questions  Strength of the answer hinges on the examples  Know the job competencies and know your best examples

Job SkillExample OneExample Two Dealing with Conflict Delegating work Training other employees

 Refine your best examples  Practice, practice, practice  Get feedback on the level of your examples  Bring examples or samples

 Confirm that you understand the job  Make a list of the skills you need  Organize your best examples  Strength of the interview hinges on strength of examples

 We need to deal with all kinds of situations  Employers look for people who can handle negative and positive situations

 Can be stressful for the candidate  What to reveal?  Many avoid answering directly  Don’t try the old…my weaknesses are strengths…routine 

 Describe a time when you needed to resolve a conflict with a co-worker. What was the issue and how did you handle it?  6 min

 You have a million examples: pick one  “I can’t think of anything” is not answering the question  Avoid situations that are too complex  Be honest

 Does the candidate take responsibility for negative things when they happen  Does the candidate tend to blame others for things that go wrong? Tip: Spend time talking about how you solved the problem, what you did to make a positive outcome.

Job SkillExample OneExample Two Dealing with Conflict Delegating work Training other employees Negative Examples

 Often relate to the specific job  Common occurrence within that job – how would you handle it  Assess your judgement or knowledge

 Within this position you will be asked to coordinate events during a hectic and busy time. How would you respond to the following:  The phone is ringing, an angry parent is waiting to speak with the Principal and you are photocopying an exam that is needed in 15 minutes. How would you respond?

 Questions that relate specifically to the job you are applying for  Test your specific knowledge and experience  Is a right or wrong answer – often a marked part of the interview

Job SkillExample OneExample Two Dealing with Conflict Delegating work Training other employees Negative Examples Scenario / Technical

 Understand the job and the main skills required:  Ask an employee that is successfully doing the job: what is the most difficult aspect of the work  Ask the hiring manager: What do you look for when hiring someone

 Seek opportunities to build in areas where you answers are not what you would like.  Gain experience within the workplace and through volunteering and training  Take advantage of learning opportunities to build your skills

 Learn more about your strengths  Try taking a strength finder self-assessment  Build you career based on natural strengths  Be open minded  M M

 Body Language: hands down, shoulders back  Confidence  Be on time  Smile / Use appropriate humour  Dress slightly more formal than the job requires