Interviewing and Skill Building Workshop

Dorothy Valentine, Formerly of Harley-Davidson

Felecia Valentine, Mary Kay Consultant

Agenda

Resume/Application Process

Pre-Interview Preparation

Interviewing Information

After the Interview

Pre-Interview Preparation

Appearance Choice of clothing will depend on the culture However, always avoid..

Short skirts Shorts Tight clothing Excessive jewelry

Practice Interview Get Plenty of Rest Jot down questions for the interviewer Research the Company

Resume Writing

Why is this so important? First impression an employer get of you.

Set yourself apart on paper.

Have someone proofread your resume before you submit it.

What are the major parts of a good resume? Name and contact information

• Phone (have a professional sounding voice mail)• Email (have a professional looking email)

Objective statement – what is your goal

Work Experiences

List your most recent experience first• Title• Where you worked• Dates you worked there• Three to four bullet points of what you did

Other experiences• Education• Special skills and training• Memberships and activities• Awards and honors

Application Process

What is the difference between a resume and an application? What should you expect to see on an application form? Be sure to print clearly. Bring a pen. You might need driver’s license and social security

number. Bring notes with this information. Typical to do online, but be prepared to complete it by

hand. Personal Information Education Employment Information Your signature stating this information is true

Socialization/Networking

Your chance to find out from people you know about a business or career that’s of interest to you. You get to ask questions about the business and job in a

less formal setting. Is this the type of work that will interest you? Is this the environment that will benefit you?

By investigating a company, it sets you apart from others.

There’s no better job search or career exploration strategy than networking.

Behavioral Based Interviews

Why Would an Employer Use This Technique

Focuses on your communication style and your past accomplishments.

Asks you to give a real-life example, detailing how you

handled the situation.

Then the interviewer could ask some probing questions to verify that what you are saying actually happened.

Behavioral Based Interviews

Requires specific examples from your past experiences.

Helps you demonstrate what you have done in the past.

Opens the door to share info about team projects.

Provides an opportunity to brag on yourself.

Bring examples of individual projects and tasks you’ve completed.

Behavioral Based Interviews

On a behavioral interview, you can expect questions like "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give me an example of when..."

Also, you will hear questions like, “when you had a conflict situation, tell me what was the problem and how you handled resolving the issue?

Panel Interviews A panel interview is primarily to see how well you handle

stress when facing a “group of people. Study the job description to determine what they're looking

for. Memorize your resume, so you can quickly answer

questions about it. Respond initially to the panel interviewer who asked the

question, but keep eye contact with the whole panel.

Typical Interview Questions

Why did you leave your last job? Have you ever been fired or forced to resign? Why have you had so many jobs in such a short period of time? Can you explain this gap in your employment history? What

have you been doing since you were last employed? Exactly why do you want to work here? Why should we hire YOU? What can you do for us that someone

else cannot do? Have you ever had problems with a supervisor or a coworker?

Describe the situation for me. How did you resolve the conflict? Give me an example of a problem you faced on the job, and tell

me how you solved it.

After the Interview

Follow up Thank you notes

Hand Written or use e-mailImmediately after the interviewReiterate how you have the skills of the

perfect candidate

Be prepared for declinesSolicit feedback if possibleDon’t burn your bridges