1. Managing Business and Professional Communication
Chapter Ten: Managing Interview Communication
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2. What interview experiences have you had?
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3. Employment Selection Interview
Goals and purpose
How interviewees can best communicate:
Prepare
Practice
Attitude
Stick to the point
Mission
Know your strengths and weaknesses
This type of of interview involves prospective employees and an organizational representative. It can be thought of as a screening process.
Goals and purpose:
The application process for the job
The organizational “fit” for the interviewee.
Salary and benefits
How to present a good image
Interviewees can best communicate by:
Prepare: Researching the company and knowing trends in the field are part of good preparation
Practice: Practice makes the real interview easier
Attitude: Use positive self-talk
Stick to the point: Answer directly and stay on topic. Use illustrations and personal examples where appropriate
Mission: Know why you want this job. Having a mission statement increases confidence and can set a candidate apart from others
Strengths and weaknesses: Be able to talk about competencies realistically and be able to address areas of improvement and growth. Tell the truth!
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4. Employment Selection Interview
How interviewers can best communicate:
Prepare
Put the candidate at ease
Explain the interview purpose and outcomes
Have a standard form and protocol
Organize and plan the questions
Have a good follow-up statement
Prepare: Know the file material on the candidate, company and legal guidelines, job title and position, job requirements and pay
Put the candidate at ease: Everyone performs better when they feel comfortable.
Explain purpose: Let the candidate know what you are going to need to know and what will be done with that information.
Standard form: Using a standard protocol will enable candidates to be compared against each other evenly.
Organizing the interview: Ask a variety of questions, ask for strengths and weaknesses, ask for situational analysis, organize the structure for the flow of questions
End with a strong closing statement that lets the candidate know what to expect.
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5. Information Gathering Interview
General rules for the interviewer:
Indicate the meeting’s purpose
Have a complete outcomes list
Organize questions into content, process, and relationship types
Stay with observable facts and behaviors
Avoid asking questions of character
Review legal issues in the appropriateness of questions
Goal of this meeting is to gather information about a situation, an event, or a person.
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6. Information Gathering Interview
General rules for the interviewee:
Clarify your understanding of the purpose and outcomes
Answer directly and simply what you know
Use measurable or observable data or descriptions
Avoid innuendo, rumor, gossip, or guessing about others’ motives
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Interviewing Skills
What skills do you have that will make you a successful interviewee?
What skills need improvement?
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8. Performance Appraisal Interview
Helpful suggestions:
Set the time and place
Clarify the purpose
Understand the criteria for evaluation in advance
Restate and give feedback about the criteria
Clarify the purpose: Point out that the process is normal
Non-task criteria: These topics can be irrelevant to job performance.
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9. Performance Appraisal Interview
Communicate other non-task criteria as a part of the organizational culture
Personal life does not belong
Ask for or offer data
Close with plans for the future
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10. Complaint/Grievance Interview
Think of it as a time to grow
The complaint must be specific as to time, place, date, who…
Once it has been addressed, everyone should let it go
These interviews do not necessarily mean a negative outcome!
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11. Disciplinary Interview
As the interviewer:
Carefully explain the situation
Outline what led up to it
Seek to understand
Seek common agreement
Make extensive notes
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12. Disciplinary Interview
Follow through with action or documents
Only talk about the offending behavior
Offer help
If it is potentially volatile, bring a partner
Maintain absolute confidentiality
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13. Additional Types of Interviews
Group
Exit
Phone
Videoconference
Media
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Media Interviews
Be cordial to media reps & staff
Give messages in small chunks
Develop a memorable phrase
You only have seconds
Dress well and be articulate
Messages to the media
Give the message in small chunks
Develop a memorable phrase
2. Questions from reporters
Breifly restate the question in your answer
Clarify questions and take them one at a time
3. Courtesy towards the media
Be cordial
Acknowledge the reporter and technical staff
4. Time usage – you only have seconds
5. Nonverbal communication
Look at the interviewer, not the camera
Dress appropriately
Annunciate clearly
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15. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Interview Phases
Introduction phase
Establishing relationship
Orienting for the interview
Question phase
Give honest answers
Maintain a positive attitude
Use narratives and examples
Establishing relationship: Set the climate and learn to connect
Orienting for the interview:
Explain the purpose
Overview of procedures
Clarify time limits
Provide the “big picture” of the company or job
Invite the respondent to continue to be accurate
Question phase: good interviewers are not judgmental and attempt to evoke noteworthy information
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16. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Interview Phases
Closing phase
Present a summary and outline of future procedures
Interviewee should ask questions
Follow-up phase
Write a thank you note
If you don’t hear back, call or write
Provide new information if necessary
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17. Types of Interview Questions
Closed
Yes – No
Fill in the blank
Multiple choice
Open
Hypothetical
Probing
Third party
Leading
Loaded
Illegal
Closed: Interviewees can select an answer from only specific choices. These questions limit the answers available
It is a good idea to amplify slightly.
Open-ended: These require the respondent to answer in a non-structured manner, which gives the person freedom.
Hypothetical: A scenario is set up and the respondent is required to give a description or solution.
Probing: A follow-up question to a previous response
Third party: Asks for a third party view instead of a person’s personal views
Leading: These ask for a predetermined response.
Loaded: These imply guilt no matter what answer the respondent offers
Illegal: Question that ask for information such as: age, marital and family, physical disabilities, race, children
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18. Interview Question Structures
The funnel sequence
Pattern moves from general to specific
Begins with more open-ended type questions and moves toward direct and specific
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19. Interview Question Structures
The inverted sequence
Questions begin with direct and move towards free response and open
Opposite of the funnel
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20. Interview Question Structures
The hourglass sequence
Questions begin funnel-like
Move to more direct
Open again in order to offer elaboration on previous points
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21. Interview Question Structures
The diamond sequence
Begins with the inverted funnel
As information needs clarification, questions move back toward direct and specific
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22. Additional Interview Facts
What can I do about being so nervous?
What if they ask something I don’t know?
What if they ask a potentially embarrassing or illegal question?
What are some “killer” questions?
Nervousness:
Understand interview structure
Research the organization
Practice orally
Don’t know?
Say – “I don’t know.” – NEVER make up an answer
Try to link the question to something related that you do know about.
Embarrassing or illegal?
“I prefer not to answer that question.” – while looking puzzled.
Diffuse the question by minimizing or by humor.
Killer questions:
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How would you…?
Tell me your most difficult case…
Why are you seeking this position?
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Presenting Resumes
Paper resume content
Personal identification
Keywords
Job/personal objective
Educational background
Previous work experience
Additional – special skills, hobbies…
Affiliations and awards
References
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24. Resume Style and Format
Be concise
Language makes a difference
Make experience specific
Attend to format
Target the employer
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25. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Resume Format
Other formats include:
Electronic resumes
attachments
Home web page resumes
Employer websites
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