1. by Chef Land Interviewing Skills

2. Raise your hand if you have ever been to an interview… What did you think about it? Were you prepared for the interview?

3. What is an Interview Used For? Employers making hiring and promotion decisions. Colleges making admission decisions. Scholarship committees making financial aid decisions

4. Be a Salesperson… Who in here has ever had to sell something? –When you were trying to sell your product, what was your ultimate goal? To convince the customer that your product should be the one selected above all else. Good salespeople know their product. Self-knowledge and the ability to express it are the keys to successful interviewing.

5. The 5-Part Interview: Before the interview… The start of the interview… The middle of the interview… The end of the interview… The follow-up…

6. Why People Aren’t Hired: Inability to communicate clearly, poor voice, and poor grammar Lack of planning for a career…no purpose or goals Lack of enthusiasm and confidence in the interview Condemning past employers Late to interview Does not thank the interviewer for his/her time Asks no questions Lack of knowledge about the business/company or the position What else…?

7. Poor personal appearance

8. Failure to look the interviewer in the eye

9. Limp handshake

10. What are some possible questions for an employment interview or a college admissions interview?

11. Interview Q’s to Think About: Questions (commands) often asked by the employer… –Tell me about yourself –What are your short/long range career goals and how are you preparing to achieve them? –Greatest strengths/weaknesses? –How would a friend or professor describe you? –How do you evaluate success? –In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company? –If you were hiring for this position, what qualities would you look for? –What do you know about our company? –Why are you seeking a position with this company? –What type of salary are you looking for?

12. Interview Q’s to Think About: Questions often asked by the applicants… –What are the career opportunities for someone entering this position? –What type of training is provided to new employees? –How large is this company/college? –How large is this particular department/major? –How will I be evaluated? –To whom will I be reporting and what kind of communication channels are there? –What are the prospects for promotion in the future? –Is tuition reimbursement offered? –What are you expectations of the person in this position? –Is overtime the norm in this office? –Does this organization have a process for sharing creative ideas?

13. Thank You Letter… Why do you think it’s important to send a “Thank You Letter” after an interview? How soon should you send it? What does it tell the employer about you as a potential employee? Read sample “thank you letter”…

14. Compose a thank you letter for a hypothetical interview…

16. Mock Interviews Friday