Week 9 preparing and surviving the interview
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This document provides guidance on preparing for and surviving a job interview. It discusses researching the company and position, practicing common interview questions and your own questions, proper interview attire and behavior, and following up after the interview. Key points covered include anticipating questions about your skills and experience, having questions prepared about the company and role, displaying enthusiasm and providing concrete examples to support your answers. The document also addresses online interviews and competency-based interviews which focus on assessing needed skills.
Week 9 preparing and surviving the interview
- 1. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Dr. Russelll Rodrigo LIB300 WEEK 9 PREPARING FOR AND SURVIVING THE INTERVIEW
- 2. INTERVIEWS • Interview = A meeting with an objective • Employer’s objective is to find the best person for the job • Employer: reviews candidate’s experience and abilities • Can you do the job? (skills, abilities, qualifications) • Will you do the job? (interest, attitude & motivation) • How will you fit into the organisation? (personality) • You: impress employer and assess position on offer • What does this position offer me? • How does it fit with my career plans? • Congratulations - you have passed the first hurdle • You must prove that you are the most suitable candidate for this position
- 3. PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS • Review own skills, experiences and qualities • Check CV • Anticipate questions and identify relevant examples • Prepare key selling points • Research organisation • Websites, reports, articles, company literature, etc • Contacts with knowledge of organisation or sector • Relevant articles in the press • Personal visit or telephone call • Research job and occupational area • Job description – or similar • Current issues • Prepare your questions • Practice
- 4. THREE GRAVE ERRORS ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. } Answering a question that was not asked. } Providing unnecessary information. } Not knowing anything about the company. Which of these three errors will you see in this video? (Video 3)
- 5. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE THE INTERVIEW ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • How much time should I expect to take for the interview? • Who will be interviewing me? • Who will I be interacting with in my job position if I am hired? • Is there an organizational chart I can look at?
- 6. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE THE INTERVIEW ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • How many other candidates are there? • Will there be any tests or forms I need to complete? • Are there any other job responsibilities or benefits I should know about?
- 7. THE INTERVIEW PROCESS ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1. Research the company. 2. Decide appropriate dress. 3. Practice answering probable questions. 4. Prepare questions you will ask and things you will not say. 5. Know where to go and what to take.
- 8. 1. RESEARCH THE COMPANY ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • Print and markup the “About Us” page of the company web site. • Lookup the location of the company headquarters and the official name of the company. • Search for general information about the leadership of the company, their job titles, and what they have done recently. • Locate and read publications from the company, such as magazines, advertisements, newsletters, reports, etc. • Determine the exact name of the job title you are applying for by looking for it online.
- 9. 2. APPEARANCE ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. } Dress like the interviewer. } Dress better than you would normally for the position you want. • How to dress for a job interview video.
- 10. APPEARANCE ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Needed a haircut Soiled shirt cuffs and collar Frayed cuffs and collar Needed a shave Tie badly knotted 100% 97% 88% 83% 79% Item Percentage of Executives That Noticed the Item Dress items making a bad first impression. Source: Leslie B. Lawrence and David D. Steinbrecher, “Round Up.” Reprinted by permission of publisher from Personnel, July/August 1979 copyright 1979. American Management Association, New York. All rights reserved.
- 11. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- 12. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- 13. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- 14. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- 15. 3. PRACTICE ANSWERING PROBABLE QUESTIONS ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • What are some questions you may be asked? • What are some questions that you may want to ask? • Video 4
- 16. PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK AND THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS • Questions you might want to ask: • What would be my job title? • Whom would I be reporting to? • What would be my duties and responsibilities on the job? • What new areas of responsibility will open up in this job? • How will I be evaluated or reviewed on the job? • Will any opportunities for advancement occur?
- 17. PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK AND THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • Questions you might want to avoid until the second interview: • How much salary should I expect? • What benefits are included in the labor contract? • Which day do employees usually get paid? • Tell me more about the company’s clients.
- 18. • Child Care • Marital Status • Previous Residences • Car Ownership • Age • Finance • Foreign Language • Arrest Record • Race • Religion PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK AND THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY Subjects that you should speaking about altogether: ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- 19. PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK AND THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • How do I know which questions I should answer? • If it’s not directly related to the job, don’t answer it! • How do I answer a question that is not a good question? • “Before I answer this question, could you tell me how it specifically relates to this job?”
- 20. TYPICAL QUESTIONS • About you • Tell me about yourself - Bring me up to date with your CV? • Why did you choose that particular degree programme? • What experience have you had that is relevant to this post? • What would you consider your major achievements to date? • About the job • What interests you about this job? • What do you know about this organisation? • What other options are you considering? • How do you see your career developing – 5 years? • If you were Head of Department, what would be your priorities? • General knowledge • What do you think of the Government’s policy on college fees? • What’s your opinion of the issue “______________” ?
- 21. OTHER TYPE OF QUESTIONS • “What if” Questions • No experience - how are you likely to respond to a situation • Probing Questions • How exactly did you deal with the situation? • How did you know it worked? • How did you feel about the outcome? • Could you have handled it differently?
- 22. YOUR QUESTIONS • Training programmes • Career development opportunities • Types of projects & responsibilities • Reporting structure • Performance appraisal • Profile of staff • Questions about topics raised in interview • What happens next?
- 23. FOR THE INTERVIEW: • Do your homework. • Make an appointment. • Prepare a list of pertinent questions • Arrive early and dress professionally • Show your appreciation upfront. • Ask follow-up questions. • Send a thank-you letter immediately. • Keep a record of your meeting.
- 24. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE INTERVIEW ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS • Greet your interviewer formally. • Shake hands firmly. • Wait to be invited to sit.
- 25. BEHAVIOR DURING THE INTERVIEW ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS • Display a positive attitude. • Use active, positive, and concrete language. • Support answers with specific examples. • Use humor when appropriate. • Describe job weakness in a positive manner. • Conclude with a statement showing interest.
- 26. ONLINE INTERVIEWS ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • Determine if the person can spell and communicate well in cyberspace. • Help companies avoid wasting time on a candidate who is not right for the organization. • Can open the door for a face-to-face interview.
- 27. MISTAKES MADE DURING ONLINE INTERVIEWS ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. • Bringing up money too soon. • Whispering. • Exhibiting disinterest by typing on a keyboard.
- 28. AFTER THE INTERVIEW Review own performance what went well what went badly what you wished you had said prepare for next stage Invitation to second / final round interviews assessment centre psychometric testing panel interview Rejection letter / email if you can request feedback - use it
- 29. COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEWS • Company identifies key skills required for job • Designs questions to elicit evidence of skills • Emphasis on past behaviour as predictor of success • Teamwork: Describe a team project you worked on. What problems arose? How did you deal with them? • Communication Skills: Describe situation when you had to persuade others to support your view. Give an example of any reports you’ve written which illustrate your writing skills • Interpersonal skills: What kinds of people do you find it difficult to work with? How do you handle those situations? • Taking Responsibility: Describe a time when you took responsibility to achieve a challenging goal • Problem-solving: Tell about a time when you had several tasks to manage at one time with conflicting deadlines.
- 30. PREPARING FOR COMPETENCY INTERVIEW • Identify the competencies required for job • Review job description or ask for information • Define each competency in behavioural terms • Identify past experience to illustrate how you demonstrated that behaviour • Prepare examples for each competency • Practice talking about your experience • Try to give a complete answer - STAR
- 31. RESPONDING TO COMPETENCY Q • Q Give me an example of a problem you encountered. How did you approach it. What was the outcome? • STAR response • S: Describe the situation • T: Explain the task/problem that arose • A: What action did you take? • R: What was the result or outcome? • What did you learn from this experience?
- 32. Employer needs Communication Team work Leadership Initiative Customer Care IT Commercial awareness Your evidence Presentation to class Example from Coop Class rep, Committee Fundraising for charity Working in Superquinn Designed website Business pages MATCHING SKILLS TO REQUIREMENTS
- 33. YOUR ANSWERS • Listen carefully, seek clarification • Illustrate answers with real examples and evidence • Be positive – constructive criticism • Keep answers specific and succinct • Take time to respond • Be alert to interviewer’s body language • Speak clearly, smile and show enthusiasm • Know what you want to say, and find the opportunity
- 34. QUALITIES EMPLOYERS SEEK • Good all-round intelligence • Enthusiasm, commitment and motivation • Good communication skills • Team work ability • Ability to solve problems • Capacity to work hard • Initiative and self-reliance • Balanced personality
- 35. COMPETENCIES REQUIRED BY X COMPANY • Adaptability • Integrity • Innovation • Teamwork • Initiative • Drive for Results • Know the Business • Open Exchange of Information • Makes Difficult Decisions
- 36. INTERVIEW MARKING SHEET Name Mark-max 100 Communication Skills Max 30 Problem Solving Max 20 Team Fit Max 20 Relevant Experience Max 20 Project Management Max 10 Total Marks
- 37. WHAT CREATES A BAD IMPRESSION • Poor personal appearance • Negative attitude – evasive, using excuses • Lack of interest and enthusiasm • Lack of preparation • Poor knowledge of role • Failure to give concrete examples of skills • Over emphasis on money/rewards • Lack of career plan
- 38. WEB RESOURCES FOR INTERVIEWS • UL Careers website: www.ul.ie/careers • Gradireland website: www.gradireland.com • Careers4graduates: www.careers4graduates.org • Doctor Job: www.doctorjob.com (Virtual Interview) • Prospects: www.prospects.ac.uk • Realworld: www.realworldmagazine.com • Virtual Career Coach: www.windmillsprogramme.com • BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/work