Why Should I Hire You? Interviewing for Success

Today’s Agenda:  Review of Key Words for “Why Should I Hire You?”  Pre-Quiz!  Quote of the Day  Anecdotes of the Day  Video - “Why Should I Hire You? Interviewing for Success”  The 34 Most Common Interview Questions  Role Play – Groups of three!

Key Words  1. Intangibles  2. Strong and Weak Assets  3. Attributes

Intangibles  Not tangile; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch.  Not definite or clear to the mind: intangible arguments.

Strong and Weak Assets Assets:  A useful and desirable or quality: Organizational ability is an asset.

Attributes  To relate to a particular cause or source; ascribe. Attributed their failure to a lack of preparation.  A quality or characteristic inherent in or acribed to someone or something.  An object associated with and serving to identify a character, personage, or office: Lightning bolts are an attribute of Zeus.

Pre-Quiz The following is good to know before an interview: (Circle all that apply) a. skills the employer is seeking b. skills you have c. what to wear d. all of the above e. none of the above

A candidate’s degrees and experience are the most important qualities employers want to hear in a job interview. TrueFalse

Before an interview, you should practice your skills with a friend. TrueFalse

Which of the following is an interview: (Circle all that apply) a. talking to an employer at a job fair b. a conversation with an employer at an information session c. a phone call to an employer d. a conversation with the receptionist before your formal interview e. a lunch meeting after formal interviews

In an interview, it is ____________ to communicate your interest in the position for which you are applying. a. not very important b. somewhat important c. extremely important

Quote “A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J.O.B.” - Fats Domino (American Musician)

Anecdotes of the Day “In all my years of interviewing students, being interviewed myself, and training people how to interview, I have learned that the “less significant” factors (like the color of your tie, or the firmness of your handshake) really mean a lot when they are all added together. If a student does not appear to have the basics mastered, it will be difficult for him/her to impress an employer even if all the questions are answered effectively. Think about it. What if you interviewed someone who knew how to answer your interview questions, but did not brush his hair and had toilet paper stuck to the sole of his shoe? It takes away from the presentation, doesn’t it? Could you be confident that this person would have his act together in front of your hard-earned customer base? Maybe not.” - Career Counselor

Anecdotes of the Day “When I interview candidates for positions at my school, I find it refreshing when candidates are relaxed and are themselves. Think about what the employer wants to know. Yes, employers want to know what type of skills you have, but they also want to know your personality. During the interview, I guarantee employers are wondering, "Can I get along with this potential employee? Does the employee have the personality that I am looking for?” I do not want to see rigidity from a candidate in an interview. I want to see glimpses of the candidate’s personality. I would also recommend that the candidate use some humor in their responses. Don't be a clown or offensive, but use humor in responses to ease the tension. When a candidate uses appropriate humor, it indicates to the employer that this person can act in difficult situations and still have a positive attitude.” have a positive attitude.” - High School Principal

Video Vignette: “Why Should I Hire You? Interviewing for Success”

The 34 Most Common Interview Questions  Tell me about yourself.  What are your qualifications?  Why should we hire you?  What interests you about our company?  What about this position appeals to you?  Why did you apply for this job?  Why do you want to work for us?  What qualifications do you possess that make you believe you would  be successful at this job?  What is your strongest asset?

 What is your major weakness?  Which job in our company would you like to eventually do?  What are your future job aspirations?  How long do you expect to work for us?  What future career plans do you have?  What do you feel are personal characteristics necessary for success  in this field?

 What do you know about our company?  What are you looking for in a job?  Is money your prime motivation?  What is the minimum salary you would accept?  How much money do you expect to be earning in five years? Ten  years?  What type of supervisor would you like to work with?

 What kind of company would you like to work for?  Would you be willing to work for a temporary job?  What kind of work interests you most?  Which previous jobs have interested you the most?  What have you learned from previous jobs you have held?  Why did you leave your last job?

 In what areas do you feel you need additional experience?  What was the worst job you ever had? Who was the worst boss you ever had?  What was your greatest accomplishment while working at your last job?  How would your co-workers describe you?  How would people working under you describe you?  How would your previous supervisor describe you?  Why did you go to work for your last company?

Interview Simulation Role Play Get into groups of three! Instructions:  This exercise requires a job description for each student.  Students will be required to interview each other in groups of three.  Students who act as the interviewer will select a series of questions from the “Interview Simulation Response Questionnaire”. Select 10 of the 34 questions on the worksheet.  Students acting as the interviewee will provide a sample job description to the mock interviewer.  The interviewer will select 10 questions from the worksheet based on the sample job description.  Interviewers will critique the interviewee’s verbal and non- verbal communication skills, and offer positive feedback in areas of success during the simulated interview.  Each student is responsible to turn in 2 copies of the Interview Simulation Response Questionnaire with his/her name and the name of the individuals they interviewed.  This exercise should take approximately 20 minutes in class.

Homework:  Study for test – on Friday! It will be on the career skills. Tomorrow’s Agenda:  Dressing for Success!