Module 4: Career Planning Tools

MODULE 4: CAREER PLANNING TOOLS

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

OBJECTIVES

· Demonstrate strategies to implement when invited to interview

· Conduct company and job specific research for interview preparation

· Prepare a personal commercial to sell skills and tie them to a target job

· Identify pre-interview preparation activities including creating an interview portfolio and practice interview questions

· Demonstrate how to behave during technology-based interviews

· Explain key areas of employee rights and how to respond to discriminatory questions

· Describe specific statements and behaviors to exhibit at the close of an interview and job offer

· Discuss salary negotiation strategies

OUTLINE

1. THE INTERVIEW

a) More than dressing sharp

b) Advanced preparation

c) Confidence

d) Strategy for before, during and after

e) Goal is to communicate visually and verbally that you are the right person for this job

2. THE INVITATION TO INTERVIEW

a) Most invitations occur via phone or e-mail

b) Regularly check and respond to phone and e-mail messages

c) Maintain a professional voice mail message and e-mail address

d) Attempt to identify

i) With whom you will interview

ii) How much time is scheduled for the interview

iii) How many applicants are being called to interview

e) Be friendly, respectful, and professional

f) Try to arrange interview at time that puts you at advantage

i) First and last are most memorable

ii) Morning is best

3. COMPANY-SPECIFIC RESEARCH

a) Conduct research prior to interview

b) Research better prepares you for interview, increases confidence, and provides greater advantage over other candidates

c) Sources of information

i) Company web site, brochures, materials

ii) Internet search

iii) Industry journals

iv) Interviews with current employees and business leaders

d) Identify as much as you can about

i) The target company

ii) Its administrators

iii) Department of the target job

e) Identify if the company is the right fit for you and your career goals

f) Share specific research information during the interview

4. THE PERSONAL COMMERCIAL

a) A brief career biography that conveys your career choice, knowledge, skills, strengths, abilities, and experiences that make you uniquely qualified

b) Sells skills and ties these skills to the target job in a brief two-minute statement

c) Adapt statement to the requirements for each target job.

d) Include your interest in your chosen career and activities related to the career

e) Do not include personal information such as marital status, hobbies, or other private information

f) Include career objective information

g) Use personal commercial at beginning of interview

h) Restate at end of interview

5. THE INTERVIEW PORTFOLIO

a) A small folder containing relevant documents that are taken to an interview

b) Use business portfolio or paper folder with pockets

c) Include copies of resumé, cover letter, reference list, generic application, and personal commercial

d) Also include a calendar, note paper, a pen, and personal business cards

e) Keep on your lap

f) Place personal commercial on the top of your portfolio for easy access

i) Do not read, but glance for information if needed

6. PRACTICE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

a) Practice answering common interview questions in front of mirror or video camera

b) Analyze responses

i) Selling skills

ii) Projecting professional image

iii) Nervous gestures

c) Use real life examples

Note: Table 5-1 in text an on PowerPoint

TALK IT OUT: Identify the most difficult questions to answer and formulate appropriate responses that sell your skills.

7. PRE-INTERVIEW PRACTICE

a) Practice day

i) Arrive at interview location (company)

ii) Walk to specific interview office (do not go into office)

iii) Note nearest public restroom

b) Interview attire—clean and professional

c) Thank-you notes

d) Interview portfolio

i) Resumé

ii) Notepad and pen

iii) Reference list

iv) Generic application

v) Copies of pertinent documents

8. THE DAY OF THE INTERVIEW

a) Look in the mirror-check appearance

b) If you smoke, refrain from smoking prior to the interview

c) Arrive 15 minutes early

d) Go to the restroom and freshen up

e) Turn off phone, throw away gum

f) Enter meeting location 5 minutes early

g) Make every interaction positive

h) Introduce yourself to the receptionist

i) Be sincere

j) Take a seat and relax

k) Use positive self-talk

9. THE INTERVIEW

a) Communicate confidence

b) Stand, extend a smile and handshake

c) Clearly and slowly state your name

d) Listen carefully to the interviewer’s name

e) Sit only after being invited to sit

f) Do not answer your phone

g) Body language

i) Watch yours

ii) Watch individuals conducting interview

iii) Sit up straight, sit back in chair, and relax

iv) Be calm but alert

h) When asked a question

i) Listen carefully

ii) Take a few seconds to think and digest question

iii) Formulate an answer

iv) Answers should relate back to the job qualifications and/or job duties

v) The goal is to convey to interviewer how your skills will assist the company

vi) Keep answers brief, but complete

vii) Your job is to sell yourself

viii) When possible, inject company information

ix) “Talk about yourself” = personal commercial

x) When possible, share job samples

xi) When possible, share company research findings

xii) Do not provide personal information

xiii) Relate answers back to the target job

10. PHONE/TECHNOLOGY INTERVIEWS

a) First interview may take place over the phone

b) Some prearranged, others are scheduled

c) Consistently answer phone professionally, keeping interview portfolio accessible

d) Try to be as accommodating as possible

e) During a phone interview:

i) Be professional and prepared

ii) Be concise with communication

iii) Be polite

f) Video chat interviews

g) Designated time for connecting

h) Following the phone interview tips

i) Prepare and treat as if a face-to-face interview

i) Plan ahead-venue, equipment

ii) Dress professionally-it is visual

iii) Maintain a professional environment-quiet and appropriate location

iv) Speak to the camera-eye contact

11. INTERVIEW METHODS AND TYPES OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

a) One-on-one interviews: involve meeting between applicant and a company rep

b) Group interviews: involve several applicants interviewing with each other while being observed by company reps

c) Panel interviews: involve applicant meeting with several company employees at the same time

d) Structured interview questions: address job-related issues where each applicant is asked the same question(s)

e) Unstructured interview questions: a probing, open-ended question designed to identify if candidate can appropriate sell his/her skills

f) Behavioral interview questions: designed for candidates to share a past work experience to demonstrate qualifications

12. DISCRIMINATION AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

a) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

i) Created to protect the rights of employees

ii) Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

b) Other laws that prohibit pay inequity and discrimination

c) Individuals over 40 years of age

d) Individuals with disabilities

e) Individuals who are pregnant

f) Other areas

g) Employers have a legal obligation to provide every qualified candidate an equal opportunity to interview

h) Discriminatory questions are illegal

i) If asked illegal or discriminatory questions:

i) Do not directly answer question

ii) Address the issue

iii) Protect your rights

iv) It is inappropriate to disclose personal information

j) Avoid making comments referring to:

(1) Marital status

(2) Children

(3) Religion

(4) Age

(5) Any other area of protected rights

TALK IT OUT: RRole-play an interview. During the interview, ask one legal question and one illegal question. Practice answering the illegal question with confidence but in an inoffensive manner.

13. TOUGH QUESTIONS

a) Negative work-related experiences

b) Potentially devastating if not handled properly

i) Fired

ii) Poor performance evaluation

iii) Poor/no job reference

iv) Behaved in a negative manner prior to leaving old job

c) If not asked, don’t disclose

d) Only exception is if current/former boss has potential to provide a negative reference

i) Tell interviewer

ii) Request another manager or coworker be contacted

e) Be honest

f) State the facts

g) Tell interviewer that you have matured and realized that you did not handle the situation appropriately

h) Do not speak poorly of current/previous employer, boss, or coworker

i) Do not place blame on who was right or wrong

j) Every experience is a learning experience

14. CLOSING THE INTERVIEW

a) At close of interview, you may be asked if you have any questions

b) Have question prepared

i) Current event

ii) Portfolio information

iii) Do not ask selfish questions regarding salary, benefits, vacations, or general company questions

c) Restate personal commercial

d) Ask for the job

i) The purpose of the job interview is to sell yourself

ii) An interview isn’t successful if you don’t close the sale

e) Interviewer will signal that interview is over

f) Hand interviewer your personal business card

g) Secure a business card

h) Shake hands

i) Thank him or her for his or her time

j) Communicate confidence, friendliness, and professionalism

k) Immediately after leaving the interview, write the thank-you note

l) Make a positive last impression

15. AFTER THE INTERVIEW

a) After delivering thank-you note

b) Congratulate yourself

c) Prior to leaving company property, make notes

d) Evaluate impression of company

16. SALARY NEGOTIATION

a) Should hear back from company

i) Second interview or job offer

ii) Reference checks

b) Call individuals on reference list

c) Interviewer may ask about salary requirements

i) Sell skills

ii) Conduct and compare research to job posting

d) Start a few thousand dollars higher than your desired starting salary

e) Consider experience and/or lack of experience

f) If offered unacceptable salary, use silence

17. PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS, SCREENINGS AND MEDICAL EXAMS

a) Pre-employment tests determine

i) Knowledge

ii) Skills

iii) Abilities

iv) May be online, physical, measurable

v) Must be job related

b) Common types of screenings

i) Criminal checks

ii) Education verification

iii) Driver’s license history

iv) Security checks

v) Employment checks

vi) Credit checks

vii) Reference checks

viii) Number and type depend upon relevance to the job

c) Medical exams

i) Legally, employers can require medical exams only after a job offer is made

ii) Exam must be required for all applicants for same job

iii) Exam must be job related

iv) Common exams include: vision, strength testing, pre-employment drug tests

v) Cannot be conducted without your permission

18. WHEN YOU’RE NOT OFFERED A JOB

a) Job search is a full-time job

b) Do not be discouraged

c) Evaluate resumé and cover letter

i) Typographically or grammatical errors

ii) Listed important skills that reflect needs of job

iii) Have someone review cover letter and resumé

d) Make every experience a learning experience

e) Review each step in interview process

i) Grade yourself

ii) Pre-interview preparation

iii) Interview day appearance

iv) Interview answers

v) Ability to interject company research into answers

f) Maintain a good attitude