Chapter 8The Employment Interview

Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

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Chapter Summary• Analyzing Yourself• Doing Your Homework• Conducting the Search• Preparing Credentials• Creating a Favorable First Impression• Answering Questions• Asking Questions• The Closing• Evaluation and Follow-Up• Handling Rejection• Summary

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Analyzing Yourself

•Questions to Guide Your Self-Analysis▫What are your personality strengths and

weaknesses?▫What are your intellectual strengths and

weaknesses?▫What are your communicative strengths

and weaknesses?▫What have been your accomplishments and

failures?Continued...

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Analyzing Yourself

•Questions to Guide Your Self-Analysis▫What are your professional strengths and

weaknesses?▫What do you want in a position and

organization?▫What are your most valued needs?▫What are your professional interests?▫What is your tolerance of risk?

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Doing Your Homework

•Research your field•Research organizations•Research the recruiter•Research the position•Research current events•Research the interview process

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Doing Your Homework

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Conducting the Search

•Networking•Knocking on Doors•Newspapers and Newsletters•The Placement Agency or Service•The Internet•The Career/Job Fair

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Preparing Credentials

•Resumes▫No single resume is suitable for all

positions.▫Content of Resumes

Impressive career objectives; phrase them with great care.

Your educational record is most important for your first position.

Relevant experiences can set you apart from the crowd.

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Preparing Credentials

•Resumes▫ Types of Resumes

Chronological resume; use action verbs to show that you are a doer.

Functional resume; place your experiences under headings that highlight your qualifications.

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Preparing Credentials

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Preparing Credentials

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Preparing Credentials

•Resumes▫Mechanics of Resumes

Make your resume easy to review. Proofread your resume with great care. Terms and labels are critical in scannable

resumes. There is no simple formula for creating

resumes.

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Preparing Credentials

•The Portfolio▫Your portfolio shows you in action

• The Cover Letter▫Design and target letters to specific

positions and organization

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Preparing Credentials

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Preparing Credentials

•Personal Web Sites, Pages, and Blogs▫Can be useful in professional impression

formation▫Can provide negative information to

interviewers▫Studies show recruiters are influenced by

cyber-information about applicants

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Creating a Favorable First Impression•Relationship of the Interviewing Parties

▫Know how and when to share control of the interview.

▫Understand and adapt to the relationship with the recruiter.

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Creating a Favorable First Impression•Dress and Appearance

▫Dress for a formal business occasion.▫Neatness costs nothing and pays dividends.

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Creating a Favorable First Impression•Dress and Appearance: Advice for Men

▫Be on the conservative side in dress and appearance.

▫Coordinate colors carefully.▫When in doubt, ask for help.

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Creating a Favorable First Impression•Dress and Appearance: Advice for Women

▫Appearance should not call attention to itself.

▫Provocative clothing can end your candidacy.

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Creating a Favorable First Impression•Nonverbal Communication

▫Nonverbal communication is critical in first impressions.

▫Be alive and dynamic.▫Good communication skills are important in

all positions.

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Creating a Favorable First Impression•Arrival and Opening

▫Be on time and ready to interact.▫How you handle yourself during the first

few minutes with a stranger tells them a great deal about your interpersonal communication and people skills.

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Answering Questions

•Preparing to Respond▫Be ready to handle traditional questions.▫Welcome on-the-job questions to show what

you can do.

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Answering Questions

•Responding: Successful Applicants▫Listen, think, and then answer.▫Effective answers are long on substance

and short on puffery.▫Do not play act; act yourself.▫Good recruiters detect phoniness.▫Be informed before replying.

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Answering Questions

•Responding: Unsuccessful Applicants▫Unsuccessful applicants are passive and

cautious.▫Know what not to do during interviews, and

then do not do it.

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Answering Questions

•Unlawful Questions▫Do not be surprised by unlawful questions.▫Identifying Unlawful Questions

The pressure is on the applicant. Review EEO laws and your rights. Beware of recruiter tricks to get unlawful

information.

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Asking Questions

•Guidelines for asking questions•Question pitfalls•Sample applicant questions

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The Closing

•Be aware of everything you say and do.•Take and active part in the closing.•It’s not over ‘til it’s over. •The employer is likely to note everything

you do and say.

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Evaluation and Follow-Up

•Remember: the interview is more art than science.

•Be thorough in your debriefing.•Quality applicants write thank you notes.

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Handling Rejection• Don’t be a victim• Use each interview as a learning process

▫Ask what you might do differently in the next interview.

▫How did you handle behavioral-based and critical incident questions?

▫What was the nature of the questions you asked?

▫How might you have prepared more thoroughly?▫What did you do that might have turned off the

recruiter? ▫Was this a position for which you were highly

qualified, or was it a stretch?

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Summary• We are undergoing a second industrial

revolution that’s moving from a manufacturing to a service and information-oriented society.

• The best positions in the future will go to those who understand and are prepared for the selection process.

• You must know yourself, the position, and the organization to be selected for a job.

• The job search must be extensive.• Interviewing skills are increasingly important.