Download - Job Interview Skills

Job Interview Skills

The Interview

. The resume tells an employer what you've done; the interview enables you to tell the employer what you have learned from what you've done.

The Interview

• An interview is a two-way street.

• It is a chance for you to get to know each other and to assess if this position and firm is a good fit.

The Interview

• The interview allows you to gain insight into the job and the organization.

• It enables the employer to determine if you have the skills and abilities needed to be an effective member of his/her organization.

How to Ace that Interview

• Prepare for the Interview– Know Yourself – Know the Employer and the Field – Practice for the Interview

• The Interview

• After the Interview

Prepare for the Interview

• Know Yourself– Think about your skills, interests, and values. – Consider your strengths and weaknesses. – Be able to discuss decisions you have made

and the thought behind them.


• Know Yourself– Identify accomplishments you are proud of

and things you might have done differently. – Provide examples to demonstrate how you

have developed your skills. – Be able to articulate why you are interested in

this field. Define your long-term goals.

• Know the Employer and the Field – Research the employer, the position, and the

industry or field. – Know what salary range is usual for this type

of position. – Read current periodicals and trade journals to

learn about current trends in the field.


• Know the Employer and the Field – Review mission statements, annual reports,

and company literature. – Think about the firm's competitors, its clients

or customers. – Be familiar with the employer's organizational

structure.


• Practice for the Interview – Find a mentor who can discuss your interview

strategy.– Participate in a videotaped mock interview. – Review interview questions with a friend

and/or use a tape recorder to critique your answers.


THE INTERVIEW

• Nonverbal Communication Skills

• Verbal Communication Skills

• Interview Etiquette

• Nonverbal Communication Skills– Greet the employer with a firm handshake. – Maintain steady eye contact with the

interviewer. – Use positive vocal qualities and facial

expressions.

THE INTERVIEW


– Sit attentively to demonstrate your interest

and enthusiasm.

– Dress in a suitable manner to convey a

polished, professional image.

THE INTERVIEW


– Mirror the Interviewer’s Body Language

– Sit properly. Use the athletic and low-

cross positions. (The low cross position is

more appropriate sitting position for

females.)

THE INTERVIEW

• The less a person moves their hands

and arms, the more powerful they

are.

• Try to keep your hands lower than

your elbows, rest them on the arms

of the chair or your thighs.

THE INTERVIEW

• Verbal Communication Skills– Listen carefully to what is being asked and

answer the question. – Ask for clarification if you don't understand the

question. – Use clear, concise answers.

THE INTERVIEW

• Verbal Communication Skills– Use proper grammar. – Don't exaggerate and don't be negative. – Be specific; refer to concrete experiences.– Keep to the point. Don't bring up extraneous

matters.

THE INTERVIEW

• Verbal Communication Skills– Be as specific as possible. – Don't try to dominate the interview. Let the

interviewer guide the questions. – Ask appropriate and well thought out

questions.

THE INTERVIEW


– Your voice is an important tool in an interview.

Make sure that it projects

– Enunciate carefully, but don't fake an accent.

– Your tone should be enthusiastic and

confident.

THE INTERVIEW


– Avoid fillers like "um," "you know" and "things like

that."

– Silence is perfectly acceptable. Take time to

organize your answers.

– Avoid slang and informal language.

– Answer questions in the language in which they

are asked.

THE INTERVIEW

Questions Asked byInterviewers

• Initiative and motivation

• Career ambitions and goals

• Creativity and problem-solving skills

• Organizational skills

• Analytical skills

• Attention to detail

• Ability to learn

• Flexibility

• Interpersonal Skills

• Ability to resolve conflicts

• Time and Stress management

Questions Asked byInterviewers

How an Interview Goes

• They Socialize.

• They Question.

• They Inform.

• You Question.

• They Define Their Next Move.

• Good Appearance

• Friendliness, Poise, and Stability

• Experience

• How your personality fits the position

• Organization

Match Factor Traits

• Motivation and Attitude

• Expressiveness

• Learning Ability

• Achievements

• Leadership

Match Factor Traits

• Skills

• Education

• Company Knowledge

• Symbiotic Goals

• Decision Making

Match Factor Traits

• Company Loyalty

• Promotability

Match Factor Traits

Favorite Questions asked by Interviewers1. What do you see yourself doing five

years from now? Relate your answer to the position you’re

applying for.

2. How do you make yourself indispensable to a company?

Interviewers are looking for both technical and interpersonal competence.

Favorite Questions asked by Interviewers

3. What’s your greatest strength? Don’t just talk about your strength, relate it

to the position

4. What’s your greatest weakness? Say something along the lines of, “I have

difficulty with this thing, and these are the strategies I use to get around it.”


5. Tell me about a time when your course load was heavy. How did you complete all your work?

Interviewers are looking for a plan-ahead kind of individual.

6. Tell me about a time when you had to accomplish a task with someone who was particularly difficult to get along with. √ Interviewers want to see if the candidate has

the ability to be sensitive to the needs of others but can still influence them.

Don’t say “I just avoided them” or “They made me cry.”



7. How do you accept direction and, at the same time, maintain a critical stance regarding your ideas and values?

Interviewers would like to see if the candidate has good interpersonal skills.


8. What are some examples of activities and surroundings that motivate you?

Since most disciplines today require getting along with and motivating other people, interviewers would like to see if the candidate has these requirements.


9. Tell me how you handled an ethical dilemma.

Students who can’t offer a situation that they handled correctly the first time can explain how they learned from the mistakes they made in the past.


10. Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a problem with no rules or guidelines in place.

Interviewers are looking for a sense of urgency in initiating action. The question probes a student?s ability to overcome obstacles.

Answering Questions with Poise

• Listen carefully. If you feel the question is unclear, ask politely for clarification.

• Pause before answering to consider all facts that may substantiate your response.

• Always offer positive information; avoid negativity at all times.


• Get directly to the point. Ask if listener would like you to go into great detail before you do.

• Discuss only the facts needed to respond to the question.

• Focus and re-focus attention on your successes. Remember, the goal is not to have the right answers so much as it is to convince the interviewer that you are the right person.


• Be truthful, but try not to offer unsolicited information.

• Try not to open yourself to areas of questioning that could pose difficulties for you.

Kinds of Questions

• Traditional Questions

• Behavioral Questions

• Mixed Questions

Behavioral Questions

• Open-ended questions that will cause you to describe real circumstances and your responses to them.

• You must describe in detail a particular event, project, or experience and you dealt with the situation, and what the outcome was.

Behavioral Questions

• The premise behind behavioral interviewing is that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations.

Answering Behavioral Questions

• Don't try to portray yourself as a person that never makes mistakes. Be honest about your mistakes since the experienced interviewer will be looking for "progress" and "growth", not perfection.


• Give an example of how you learned from your mistake and how that experience has benefited you in the long run.

• Be succinct and concise.


In all behavioral answers, the interviewer wants to hear:

• A brief description of the problem, challenge or situation.

• What your action was & how you decided that action.

• A brief description of the result of your action and your assessment of its result.

Interview Etiquette

• Arrive on time.

• Introduce yourself.

• Get the correct spelling of the person's name and his/her exact title. Ask for a business card.

Interview Etiquette

• Don't call the interviewer by his/her first name, unless invited to do so.

• Don't ask about salary and benefits until the employer brings up the subject.

• Send a thank you note promptly.

Interview Tips

• Arrive a little early.

• Do your homework.

• Bring a Spare Copy of Your Resume in a Briefcase or Folder.

• Expect to Spend Some Time Developing Rapport.

Interview Tips

• Watch Your Non-Verbal Communication.

• Don't Be Embarrassed by Nervousness.

• Body language is powerful!

• Don't Play Comedian or Try to Entertain the Interviewer.

Interview Tips

• Don't Exaggerate or Lie.

• Follow the Interviewer's Lead.

• Be Prepared For Personal Questions, Even Some Inappropriate Ones

• Emphasize the Positive.

• Wait for an Offer to Bring Up Salary.

Interview Tips

• Don't be Afraid to Think Before You Speak.

• Emphasize What You Can Do For The Organization.

• Don't give "Prepared Answers".

• NEVER Speak Badly about a Former Employer.

Interview Tips

• Watch Your Grammar and Your Manners.

• Be Prepared to Ask Questions.

• Don't Expect an Immediate Job Offer.

• Be Careful With the Closing.

• Be Yourself!

Interview Ordeals

1. I’m late! I'm late! For a very important date.

2. Sufferin’ succotash!

3. Duhhh??!!

4. I can’t believe you asked that!

5. Not me!

Interview Ordeals

6. I can?t believe I said that!

7. Just call me klutz.

8. When nature calls.

9. May I introduce. . .ummm

Download - Job Interview Skills

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