1. APPLYING AND INTERVIEWING FOR EMPLOYMENT
After studying this chapter, you will be able to
-define the purpose of application letters and explain how to apply the AIDA model to them
-describe the typical sequence of job interviews
-describe briefly what employers look for during an employment interview and preemployment testing
-list six tasks you need to complete to prepare for a successful job interview
-explain the three stages of a successful employment interview
-identify the most common employment messages that follow an interview, and explain when you would use each one

2. Contents Interview Preparation Build Your Confidence
Employment Messages
Employment Interviews
Interview Preparation
Build Your Confidence
Following Up After the Interview

3. Résumé Support Documents
Employment Messages
Résumé Support Documents
Applications
Inquiries
Follow-Ups
Your résumé is the centerpiece of your job search package, but it needs support from several other employment messages, including application letters and forms, job-inquiry letters, and follow-up notes.

4. Application Letters Accompany the Résumé Completing
What You Are Sending
Why You Are Sending It
Benefits of Reading It
Writing
Planning
Whenever you submit your résumé, accompany it with an application letter to let readers know what you are sending, why you are sending it, and how they can benefit from reading it. Application letters are sometimes called cover letters and they can either be printed or ed.
Use the three-step process of planning, writing, and completing for writing an application letter. Start by researching the organization and then focus on your audience. During your research, try to find out the name, title, and department of the person to whom you are writing. If you cannot find a specific name, use something like “Dear Hiring Manager.”

5. Tips for Application Letters
Be Clear and Specific
Show Your Knowledge
Do Not Mention Salary
If you are sending a solicited application letter (in response to an announced job opening), you will know what qualifications the organization is seeking. If you are sending an unsolicited letter (sent to an organization that has not announced an opening), you will have to do some research to identify the requirements the position is likely to have.
When composing your application letter, respect your reader’s time. Avoid gimmicks and do not repeat information that already appears in your résumé. Keep your cover letter straightforward, fact-based, short, upbeat, and professional. Some quick tips for cover letters include the following:
Be as clear as possible about the kind of opportunity you seek.
Show that you understand the company and the position.
Never volunteer salary information unless an employer asks for it.

6. Tips for Application Letters
Keep It Short
Show Your Personality
Aim for High Quality
Keep it short—and keep cover letters even shorter. In just two or three paragraphs, convey how your strengths and character would fit the position.
Show some personality. Doing so will help balance the choppy, shorthand style of your résumé.
Meticulously check your spelling, mechanics, and grammar. Errors will send your message directly to the recycling bin. Furthermore, be aware that potential employers will treat your messages every bit as seriously as formal, printed letters.

7. Using the AIDA Model Interest Attention Desire Action
Your application letter is a form of advertising, so organize it like a sales letter by using the AIDA approach (i.e., attention, interest, desire, and action).
Getting attention. The opening paragraph of your application letter has two important tasks to accomplish: (1) clearly stating your reason for writing and (2) giving the recipient a reason to keep reading by demonstrating that you have some immediate potential for meeting the company’s needs.
Building interest and increasing desire. The middle section of your letter presents your strongest selling points in terms of their potential benefit to the organization, thereby building interest in you and creating a desire to interview you. As with the opening, the more specific you can be, the better.
When writing a solicited letter in response to an advertisement, be sure to discuss each requirement specified in the ad. If you are deficient in any of these requirements, stress other solid selling points to help strengthen your overall presentation. Also, highlight personal characteristics that apply to the targeted position, such as your ability to work hard or handle responsibility. Toward the end of this section, refer the reader to your résumé by citing a specific fact or general point covered there.
Motivating action. The final paragraph of your application letter has two important functions: (1) to ask the reader for a specific action and (2) to facilitate a reply. Offer to come to the employer’s office at a convenient time or, if the firm is some distance away, to meet with its nearest representative or arrange a telephone interview. Include your address and phone number, as well as the best time to reach you. Alternatively, you can take the initiative and say that you will follow up with a phone call.

8. Application Follow-Ups
Update the
Application
Demonstrate
Interest
Show
Persistence
Underscore
Commitment
If your application letter and résumé fail to bring a response within a month or so, follow up with a second letter or message to let the company know you are still interested. This follow-up message will also give you a chance to update your original application with any recent job-related information. Whatever the circumstances, a follow-up message can demonstrate that you are sincerely interested in working for the organization, persistent in pursuing your goals, and committed to upgrading your skills.

9. Employment Interviews
Organization’s
Main Objective
Applicant’s
Find Best Talent to
Fill Job Openings
Find Right Match for
Goals and Capabilities
An employment interview is a formal meeting during which both employer and applicant ask questions and exchange information. These meetings have a dual purpose: (1) the organization’s main objective is to find the best person available for the job by determining whether the applicant and the organization are a good match, and (2) the applicant’s main objective is to find the job best suited to his or her goals and capabilities.

10. Sequence of Interviews
Applicant
Objectives
Employer
The Typical Process
Screening Stage
Selection Stage
Final Stage
Most employers interview an applicant multiple times before making a job offer. Applicants often face a sequence of interviews. Depending on the company and the position, the process may stretch out over many weeks or it may be completed in a matter of days.
First is the screening stage, which helps employers screen out unqualified applicants. Screening can take place on campus, at company offices, or via telephone or computer. Interviews at the screening stage are fairly structured, so applicants are often asked roughly the same questions. Your best approach to an interview at this stage is to follow the interviewer’s lead.
The next stage of interviews helps the organization narrow the field a little further. Typically, if you are invited to visit a company, you will talk with several people: a member of the human resources department, one or two potential colleagues, and your potential supervisor. Your best approach during this selection stage of interviews is to show interest in the job, relate your skills and experience to the organization’s needs, listen attentively, ask insightful questions, and display enthusiasm.
If the interviewers agree that you are a good candidate, you may receive a job offer, either on the spot or a few days later by phone or mail.
In other cases, you may be invited back for a final evaluation by a higher-ranking executive who has the authority to make the hiring decision and to decide on your compensation. An underlying objective of the final stage is often to sell you on the advantages of joining the organization.

11. Types of Interviews Structured Open-Ended Panel Group Behavioral
Working
Behavioral
Group
Stress
Situational
Structured
Open-Ended
Types of Interviews
Interview methods can be distinguished by the way they are structured, the number of people involved, and the purpose of the interview.
A structured interview follows a set sequence of questions, allowing interviewers to screen unqualified candidates and compare answers from all candidates. In an open-ended interview, the interviewer adapts the line of questioning based on your responses and questions. Keep your answers focused and professional.
In a panel interview, you meet with several interviewers at once. Try to relate to each person on the panel, and tailor your responses accordingly.
In a group interview, one or more interviewers meet with several candidates simultaneously. A key purpose is to observe how the candidates interact.
In a behavioral interview, you are asked to describe how you handled situations from your past. Employers use these questions to assess such areas as your job-related technical skills and your ability to work under pressure, coordinate with others, and resolve conflict.
A situational interview focuses on how you would handle various hypothetical situations on the job. The more you know about the job, the better you will do during the interview.
A working interview is the most realistic, as you actually perform work-related tasks.
During a stress interview, you might be subjected to long periods of silence, criticisms of your appearance, deliberate interruptions, and abrupt or even hostile reactions by the interviewer. If you find yourself in a stress interview, recognize what is happening and collect your thoughts for a few seconds before you respond.

12. What Do Employers Seek? Job Qualifications Organization Fit Attitudes
Style
Background
Experience
Skills
Education
Interviews give employers the chance to go beyond the basic data of your résumé to get to know you and to answer two essential questions. The first is whether you can handle the responsibilities of the position. You will probably be asked to describe your education, previous job experiences, and skill set. You may also be asked how you would apply those skills in hypothetical situations.
The second question is whether you will be a good fit with the organization and the target position. This line of inquiry includes both a general aspect and a specific aspect. The general aspect concerns your overall personality and approach to work. Your qualifications could be stellar, but if an employer suspects that you might be a negative presence in the workplace, you probably will not get the job offer. The specific aspect involves the fit with a particular company and position. Just like people, companies have different “personalities.” Expectations also vary from job to job within a company and from industry to industry. Even though you might have the technical qualifications for a particular job, you might not have the right mix of personal attributes.

13. Preemployment Testing
Job Skills
Tests
Substance
Background
Checks
Integrity
Personality
Profiles
Many companies rely on preemployment testing to determine whether applicants are suited to the job and whether they will be worth the expense of hiring and training.
Integrity tests. You might not think that a test could identify job candidates who are more likely to steal from their employers or commit other ethical or legal infractions, but employers have had some success in using integrity tests.
Personality profiles. Some employers use personality tests to profile overall intellectual ability, attitudes toward work, interests, and managerial potential, as well as such characteristics as dependability, commitment, honesty, and motivation. The use of personality tests in hiring is controversial.
Job skills tests. These tests are the most common type, and are designed to assess competency or specific abilities needed to perform a job.
Substance tests. Drug and alcohol testing is one of the most controversial issues in business today. Some employers believe such testing is absolutely necessary to maintain workplace safety and protect companies from lawsuits, whereas others view it as an invasion of employee privacy and a sign of disrespect.
Background checks. In addition to testing, most companies conduct some sort of background check on job candidates, such as reviewing credit records, checking for criminal history, and verifying education. To help prevent a background check from tripping you up, make sure your college transcript and credit record are correct and up-to-date. If you have anything posted online that might be potentially embarrassing, take it down now.

14. Interview Preparation
Learn about the organization
Think ahead about questions
Bolster your confidence
Polish your interview style
Present a professional image
Be ready when you arrive
The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will be about the interviewing process. To prepare for a successful interview, learn about the organization, think ahead about questions, bolster your confidence, polish your interview style, present a professional image, and be ready when you arrive.

15. Study the Organization
Operations
Markets
Challenges
Today’s companies expect serious candidates to demonstrate an understanding of the company’s operations, its markets, and its strategic and tactical challenges. You have already done some initial research to identify companies of interest, but when you are invited to interview, it is time to dig a little deeper. Making this effort demonstrates your interest in the company, and it identifies you as a business professional who knows the importance of investigation and analysis.

16. Plan to Answer Questions
The hardest decision you ever made
Your greatest weaknesses
Goals over the next five years
What you didn’t like about prior jobs
Some information about yourself
Throughout the interview process, you can expect to get a mix of questions that are specific to you and the particular job opening, as well as questions that are of a more general nature. Many of these general questions are “stock” queries that you can expect to hear during your interviews. Get ready to face these five at the very least:
What is the hardest decision you have ever had to make? Be prepared with a good example, explaining why the decision was difficult and how you made the choice you made.
What are your greatest weaknesses? The standard ways to reply are to describe a weakness so that it sounds like a virtue (such as driving yourself too hard) or to describe a relatively minor shortcoming and explain how you are working to improve.
Where do you want to be five years from now? Your answer should reflect your desire to contribute to the employer’s long-term goals, not just your own. Whether this question yields useful information is a matter of debate, but be prepared to answer it.
What didn’t you like about previous jobs you have held? Describe something that you did not like in a way that puts you in a positive light, such as having limited opportunities to apply your skills or education. Avoid making negative comments about former employers or colleagues.
Tell me something about yourself. Ask if the interviewer would like to know about your specific skills or attributes. If this point is clarified, respond accordingly. If it is not, explain how your skills can contribute to the job and the organization.

17. Prepare Some Questions
Are these my kind of people?
Can I do the work and will I enjoy it?
Is this the job I want?
Does the job pay what I am worth?
Who would I be working for?
What sort of future can I expect?
Before the interview, prepare a list of about a dozen questions you need answered in order to evaluate the organization and the job. Do not limit your questions to those you think will impress the interviewer, or you will not get the information you will need to make a wise decision if and when you are offered the job. Plan to ask questions that will help you collect the following sorts of information:
Are these my kind of people? Observe the interviewers and try to talk to employees.
Can I do this work, and will I enjoy it? Compare your qualifications with the job responsibilities. Ask yourself whether the work will give you real feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction?
Is the job what I want? Will it make the best use of your talents? Does it offer a career path?
Does the job pay what I am worth? Do some research to learn the going rate for someone with your skills in your industry.
What kind of person would I be working for? If the interviewer is your prospective boss, watch him or her in action. If it will be someone else, ask about that person discretely.
What sort of future can I expect with this organization? Is the company healthy financially? What are its growth prospects?

18. Build Your Confidence Minimize Weaknesses Maximize Strengths
Manage Apprehension
Interviewing is stressful for everyone, so some nervousness is natural. However, you can take steps to feel more confident.
Start by reminding yourself that you have value to offer the employer, and the employer already thinks highly enough of you to invite you to an interview.
If some aspect of your appearance or background makes you uneasy, correct it or offset it by emphasizing positive traits such as warmth, wit, intelligence, or charm.
Instead of dwelling on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths. Instead of worrying about how you will perform in the interview, focus on how you can help the organization succeed.
Remember that all the other candidates for the job are just as nervous as you are. The interviewers may be nervous, too; after all, they are judged on how well they assess candidates, so help them see your positive qualities clearly.

19. Polish Your Interview Style
Good Manners
Good Judgment
Confidence
Competence
Mock
Interviews
Nonverbal
Skills
Voice
Training
Competence and confidence are the foundation of your interviewing style, and you can enhance these attributes by giving the interviewer an impression of good manners and good judgment.
You can improve your interviewing style by staging mock interviews with a friend. You can record these practice sessions and then evaluate them yourself. After each practice session, look for opportunities to improve.
As you stage your mock interviews, pay particular attention to your nonverbal behavior. In the U.S., you are more likely to have a successful interview if you maintain eye contact, smile frequently, sit in an attentive position, and use frequent hand gestures. These nonverbal signals convince the interviewer that you are alert, assertive, dependable, confident, responsible, and energetic.
The sound of your voice can also have a major impact on your success in a job interview. If you tend to speak too rapidly, practice speaking more slowly. If your voice sounds too loud or too soft, practice adjusting it. Work on eliminating speech mannerisms such as you know, like, and um, which might make you sound inarticulate.

20. A Professional Image Business Clothing Good Grooming
Appropriate Behavior
Physical appearance is important because clothing and grooming reveal something about a candidate’s personality, professionalism, and ability to sense the unspoken “rules” of a situation.
When it comes to clothing, the best policy is to dress conservatively. Wear the best-quality clothing you can, but remember that “clean and appropriate” clothes are far more important than “expensive and flashy” clothing.
Good grooming makes any style of clothing look better. Make sure your clothes are clean and unwrinkled, your shoes unscuffed and well shined, your hair neatly styled and combed, your fingernails clean, and your breath fresh.
Remember that an interview is not the place to express your individuality or to let your inner rebel run wild. Send a clear signal that you understand the business world and know how to adapt to it. You will not be taken seriously otherwise.

21. Be Ready When You Arrive
Preparing
Traveling
Waiting
Your Résumé
Support Papers
Your Portfolio
The Location
The Route
Travel Time
Review and Plan
Be Professional
Practice Courtesy
When you go to your interview, take a small notebook, a pen, a list of the questions you want to ask, several copies of your résumé (protected in a folder), an outline of what you have learned about the organization, and any past correspondence about the position. You may also want to take a small calendar, a transcript of your college grades, a list of references, and a portfolio containing samples of your work, performance reviews, and certificates of achievement. Carry all these items in a good-quality briefcase.
Be sure you know when and where the interview will be held. The worst way to start any interview is to be late, so plan to arrive early. Verify the route and time required to get there, even if that means traveling there ahead of time.
When you arrive, you may have to wait for a while. Use this time to review the key messages about yourself that you want to get across in the interview. Conduct yourself professionally while waiting. Show respect for everyone you encounter and avoid chewing gum, eating, or drinking. Anything you do or say at this stage may get back to the interviewer, so make sure your best qualities show from the moment you enter the premises.

22. Following Up After the Interview
Thank-You Messages
Inquiry Messages
Staying in contact with the prospective employer after the interview shows that you really want the job and are determined to get it. The two most common forms of follow-up are thank-you and inquiry messages. These messages are often handled by letter, but an or a phone call can be just as effective, particularly if the employer seems to favor a casual, personal style.
Write a thank-you letter or within two days of the interview, even if you feel you have little chance of being offered the job. Not only is it good etiquette, but it can also be an essential step in promoting yourself to the employer. Keep your message brief, demonstrate the “you” attitude, and sound positive without sounding overconfident.
If you are not advised of the interviewer’s decision by the promised date or within two weeks, you might make an inquiry. A letter of inquiry is particularly appropriate if you have received a job offer from a second firm and do not want to accept it before you have an answer from the first.

23. More Follow-Up Messages
Requesting
More Time
Accepting
Job Offers
Other types of follow-up messages are sent only in certain cases—requesting a time extension, accepting a job, declining a job offer, and resigning from a job.
If you receive a job offer while other interviews are still pending, you can ask the employer for a time extension. Open with a strong statement of your continued interest in the job, ask for more time to consider the offer, provide specific reasons for the request, and assure the reader that you will respond by a specific date.
When you receive a job offer that you want to accept, reply within five days. Begin by accepting the position and expressing thanks. In the next paragraph, cover any necessary details. Conclude by saying that you look forward to reporting for work.
Be aware that a job offer and a written acceptance of that offer can constitute a legally binding contract—for you and the employer. Before you write an acceptance letter, be sure you want the job.

24. More Follow-Up Messages
Declining
Job Offers
Resigning
From a Job
After all your interviews, you may find that you need to write a letter declining a job offer. Use the techniques for negative messages (see Chapter 9). Open warmly, state the reasons for refusing the offer, decline the offer explicitly, and close on a pleasant note, expressing gratitude. By taking the time to write a sincere, tactful message, you leave the door open for future contact.
If you get a job offer and are currently employed, you can maintain good relations with your current employer by writing a letter of resignation to your immediate supervisor. Follow the approach for negative messages, and make the letter sound as positive as possible, regardless of how you feel. Then, state your intention to leave and give the date of your last day on the job. If at all possible, give your current employer two weeks’ notice.