INTERVIEWING Getting the job you want!

PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW SCREENING FOR FUTURE INTERVIEWS INFORMATION EXCHANGE FOR THE CANDIDATE AND EMPLOYER CONVINCE EMPLOYERS THAT YOU’RE THE RIGHT ONE FOR THE JOB POINT WHERE HIRING DECISIONS ARE MADE

PREPARATION KNOW YOURSELF KNOW THE EMPLOYER

SELF ASSESSMENT ACADEMIC BACKGROUND & PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE--RELATED & UNRELATED SPECIAL SKILLS--LANGUAGES, COMPUTERS ACTIVITIES PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS CAREER GOALS/OBJECTIVE

RESEARCHING EMPLOYERS ENABLES YOU TO ASK WELL- INFORMED QUESTIONS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS EFFECTIVELY. ALLOWS YOU TO SEE HOW YOU COULD FIT IN THE ORGANIZATION. IT IS EXPECTED BY INTERVIEWERS.

GENERAL INFORMATION Employer Literature Better Business Bureau Business Directories Chamber of Commerce Dept. of Labor Libraries Phone Directories Newspapers Worldwide Web (WWW) Homepages

PEOPLE SOURCES ALUMNI CAREER CENTER STAFF COLLEAGUES FACULTY FRIENDS

KNOW THE EMPLOYER size of the organization or industry organizational structure/career paths % annual sales growth in last 5 years current events, trends, & stock prices geographic locations/ home office their competition age of senior staff or top management number of facilities, plants/stores, etc. products or services

Pre-Interview Checklist Things to do BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

CHECKLIST 4IDENTIFY YOUR TRANSFERABLE JOB SKILLS 4BECOME AWARE OF YOUR STRENGTHS- MBTI, SDS 4DETERMINE WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN A JOB-GOALS 4USE WRITTEN SOURCES AND “PEOPLE” SOURCES TO RESEARCH THE ORGANIZATION

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS BUDGET MANAGEMENT COPING WITH DEADLINE PRESSURE CUSTOMER SERVICE ORGANIZING/MANAGING PUBLIC RELATIONS SPEAKING SUPERVISING TEACHING/INSTRUCTING WRITING

DRESS FOR SUCCESS ALWAYS WEAR A SUIT AND ERR ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE PAY ATTNETION TO DETAILS- SHOES, PRESSED SHIRT, CLEAN NAILS, PERFUME/COLOGNE, ETC.

THINGS TO AVOID LOUD COLORS STRONG PERFUME OR AFTERSHAVE SANDALS/OPEN-TOED SHOES SLIT SKIRTS LOW CUT BLOUSES WILD HAIR STYLES EXCESSIVE MAKE-UP CLANGING, EXCESSIVE JEWELRY

DEALING WITH ANXIETY PREPARE THOROUGHLY PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! TAKE DEEP BREATHS GET INVOLVED IN THE INTERVIEW KEEP PROPER PERSPECTIVE REALIZE INTERVIEWERS ARE HUMAN TOO BE AWARE OF YOUR PROBLEM AREAS THINK ABOUT WHAT HAS WORKED FOR YOU IN THE PAST

INTERVIEW BEHAVIOR

DO.... ARRIVE EARLY SHAKE HANDS FIRMLY MAKE DIRECT EYE CONTACT SIT UP STRAIGHT LISTEN CAREFULLY SPEAK CLEARLY & DISTINCTLY SMILE ADDRESS INTERVIEWER BY TITLE

DO NOT... CHEW GUM, CANDY BAD MOUTH PLAY “COOL” STARE DOWN THE INTERVIEWER INTERRUPT SLOUCH

STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL INTERVIEW GREETING SMALL TALK OPENING QUESTIONS PROBING SPECIFICS INTERVIEWEE’S QUESTIONS CLOSE

TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO EXPECT EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE CAREER GOALS PERSONAL QUALITIES BEHAVIORAL SENSITIVE QUESTIONS

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND Sample Questions Why did you choose your major? In what courses did you excel? What courses have you enjoyed the most? the least? Why? Do you have plans for continued study?

EXPERIENCE Sample Questions Of what achievement are you proudest? Describe your most rewarding experience. Describe an experience where you faced a frustrating situation & how you dealt with it. How has your experience prepared you for a position with our organization?

CAREER GOALS Sample Questions What do you really want to do in life? What are your short-term and long- term career goals? Why did you establish these goals & how do you plan to achieve them? Why did you choose the career you are seeking to enter?

PERSONAL QUALITIES Sample Questions What are your strengths and weaknesses? How would people who know you well describe you? What qualities do you have that will make you successful in this field? What motivates you to do your best work?

BEHAVIORAL Sample Questions ARE ASKED TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR HABITS CAN USE A NEGATIVE EXAMPLE- AS LONG AS YOU SHOW HOW YOU LEARNED FROM IT GIVE COMPLETE & RESULTES ORIENTED ANSWERS

RESULTS ORIENTED ANSWERS What was the situation? How did you handle it? What was the outcome?

SAMPLE QUESTION: Give an example of a situation where you demonstrated initiative and commitment to a project. Give an example of a situation where you demonstrated initiative and commitment to a project.

EXAMPLES OF SENSITIVE QUESTIONS How old are you? Are you married? What is your religious background? Do you have children? Do you have any physical disabilities? Have you ever been arrested?

YOUR QUESTIONS RESULT OF THOROUGH RESEARCH REFLECT SINCERE INTEREST & AWARENESS OF NEEDS WERE NOT ANSWERED BY OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

ADDRESS ORGANIZATION’S HIRING CRITERIA JOB DUTIES PERFORMANCE EVALUATION TRAINING PROGRAM CAREER PATHS

SAMPLE QUESTIONS What is a typical day like for someone in this position? What sort of training is provided? How is performance evaluated? When? What is your supervisory style? What is the typical career path for persons hiring into this position?

ABOUT THE POSITION Is this a new position? How does this position interact with other departments? What is a typical day like?

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION Have they hired Webber grads in the past? What is the typical career path for persons hiring into this position? What is the employer’s management philosophy?

ABOUT TRAINING/ EVALUATION How is training for new employees conducted? How is performance evaluated? How often is this done? What opportunities are there for staff development?

TOPICS TO AVOID SALARY BENEFITS VACATION/LEAVE TIME PERKS

AFTER THE INTERVIEW THANK-YOU LETTER- Time & opportunity, reaffirm interest and revise answer if needed EVALUATE

THANK-YOU LETTERS REAFFIRM INTEREST IMPROVE/UPDATE ANSWERS MENTION POINTS OVERLOOKED IN INTERVIEW

EVALUATE What where your impressions? What would you differently? Where can you improve? What should you expect next?

Other than the ability & willingness to do the job what is the one quality that impresses you most about a candidate during a job interview? verbal skills (38%) enthusiasm (24%) appearance (8%) honesty/integrity (7%) past experience (7%) poise/self-confidence (4%) directness/ eye contact (2%) etiquette/manners (2%) positive attitude (2%) preparedness (2%) professionalism (2%) sense of humor (2%)