lesson 7

When the employer or hiring personnel like the overall picture presented by a cover letter and resume, they want a closer picture and invite the applicant for a ______

the candidate is interviewed by one person

The candidate is interviewed by a group or panel

The candidate is interviewed along with fellow candidates.

"Tell me about yourself," "What was your course and major in college, and why did you choose it?", "If you could do it over again, would you stay in the same field? Why?", "What are your greatest strengths?", "What are some things you enjoy doing in your spare time?", "What are your hobbies, sports or interests?"

"What specific qualifications do you have for this job?", "Can you talk about your previous work experience, whether part-time jobs or internships?", "What were your biggest achievements in college?", "Why should we hire you when there are other applicants with better credentials or more experience?"

"Where do you see yourself five years from now?", "If you were hired for this position, what would you do to ensure that you fit in?", "Do you plan to continue your education?"

"What are your greatest weaknesses?", "Is there anything you would like to change about your personality? What is this, and why?", "How did you prepare for this interview?", "Do you feel you achieved the best grade-point average of which you were capable in college?", "Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma? What did you do and how do you feel about it?", "If a superior gave you specific instructions to do something in a particular way, and you knew that way was wrong, what actions would you take?"

"What kind of salary do you expect?", "How much did you previously earn?", "How much are you presently earning?", "By age ___, how much money do you expect to earn?", "Can you take a pay cut from your current (or previous) job?"

Successful job interviews rely heavily on your ability to effectively present your success stories using the ____

Describe a specific situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish

What was the goal that you were working on?

Describe the actions that you took that led to the outcome.

Describe the outcome of your actions. Highlight your role in the outcome.

Characteristics: Warm, friendly, coaxing, encouraging, personal style. Approaches the interview with a degree of informality.

Focus: Interested in getting to know you as a 3D individual. Looking for stories with emotional/human consequences. Interested in how you do things as what you have achieved.

Your Responses: Warm & friendly back, using all your body language to build rapport. Pick some powerful examples of how you relate to others and have sensitively handled some tough emotional situations.

Avoid: Over-familiarity and too much personal emotional self-disclosure.

Characteristics: Cold, clinical, forensic interest in hard facts & examples. Approaches interview with a degree of formality.

Focus: Will ask very precise, pre-formulated (sometimes staccato) questions and will allow little time for small talk or pleasantries. Will look mainly for hard evidence of achievement.

Your Responses: Be brief and focused in giving detail on what you have actually done and achieved. Show your own capabilities at objectively sizing up and analyzing important situations. Be direct in your responses.

Avoid: Over-elaborating your responses with lots of emotional content. Don't gush or over-enthuse.

Characteristics: Controlling, edgy and often hostile or negative in their attitude and questioning.

Focus: Will seek to put you on the back foot, cause you to defend your own assumptions and test the reality of your achievements. May be deliberately bluntude to see how you react. Will not care much if they discomfort or upset you.

Your Responses: Calm, assertive (not aggressive) and bold responses showing that you are not the type to be pushed around or shy away from tough issues. Don't be afraid to push back if you feel you are under unreasonable fire.

Avoid: Showing discomfort or too much hesitation and nervousness under fire (this will just encourage more pressure).

Characteristics: Specialises in asking really tough questions designed to see how you respond under pressure. Will use lots of specific probing questions.

Focus: Forensically interested in getting to the "truth" about you. Will ask lots of "why", "how" and "tell me precisely" questions – and will be relentless until satisfied.

Your Responses: Listen carefully, respond precisely and confidently and give lots of specific examples about what and how. Don't be afraid to pause to gather your thoughts rather than responding with the first thing that comes into your head.

Avoid: Woolly answers to direct questions and appearing intimidated by a tough questioning style.

Characteristics: Observes and listens a lot, asks few questions, looks bored with/indifferent to the whole process.

Focus: Dis-interest may be designed to provoke – if interviewing with others it might be a deliberate plan to stand apart from the interview ebb and flow and watch your responses and reactions.

Your Responses: Seek to engage as best you can by eye contact, acknowledgements and inclusive style. Perhaps draw the individual out by asking them a question. Look for any reaction and adapt your approach to respond.

Avoid: Don't be disconcerted or distracted by indifference. Don't take it personally or react negatively.

Characteristics: Asks "off the wall" questions and makes strong statements designed to provoke a strong reaction from you.

Focus: May be a test about how you deal with the unexpected and the unconventional, and how you respond to controversial issues.

Your Responses: Do not be put-off or phased by an unusual approach. Show yourself to be able to think on your feet and accommodate different thinking. Be clear about your own opinions and point of view but in a way that demonstrates how you [handle opposing views].

Avoid: Avoid equivocation or sitting on the fence but also avoid getting into too heated or dogmatic debate on opposing [views].

Have the right mindset (primary goal of the interviewer is to learn if you have the skills, training, experience, and interest necessary; answer honestly).

Research (gather info about the company's leaders, mission/visionusiness philosophy, products, services, customers, competition, duties, hours, wages, and opportunities for advancement).

Know the typical questions asked.

Arrive early (even 5 minutes early) to compose yourself; introduce yourself to office staff; complete forms neatly and quietly.

Greet the interviewer confidently with a handshake, eye contact, and try to seem at ease.

Smile, make frequent eye contact, control body movements, sit erect (leaning forward slightly), keep feet on the floor, sound enthusiastic yet sincere.

Be clear and brief; restate questions if unsure; state strengths and how you use them.

Wait for the official signal that the interview has ended, ask what action will follow/when you will be contacted, and thank the interviewer.

Record some notes

Send a brief but thoughtful follow-up email

Reflect

Send a thank-you note

Ask for feedback (if you can0