Transcript Kick Start Your Career - The Workforce Development Center

INTERVIEWING PART 1:
WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT
WAUKESHA COUNT Y TECHNICAL COLLEGE
CAREER CENTER
TOPICS COVERED
Plan for the Interview
Types of Interviews
Challenging Questions
Asking Questions
Close the Interview
Action Plan
HOW TO SECURE THE INTERVIEW
PREPARE AN EFFECT I VE RESUME
NETWORK
HOW TO WIN THE INTERVIEW
Market yourself with your resume and network
Highlight your key skills and accomplishments for the position.
(Be prepared to give a specific example of when you used
the skill.)
Show how your past responsibilities make you a good fit for
the position.
Grab the employer’s attention.
Why should the employer hire you?
•
Review the job description to
identify the skills and
experience needed to perform
successfully on the job.
•
Research the company
•
Identify what you want to
highlight about your
background.
REFERENCES
Who will be your reference?
 Past supervisors are a preferred reference
Have a conversation with your references.
 Discuss :
 The new position and responsibilities
 Your strengths that are an asset for the new job
 Areas of improvement
PRESENTING YOURSELF
 Be on time!
 Speak clearly and be specific.
 Take the time to think of a good structured answer.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
 Ask for clarification if you don’t understand the
question.
 Dress for the interview.
WHAT NOT TO BRING TO THE INTERVIEW
Coffee/soda/water bottle
Gum
Cell phone
iPod
Hat
Piercings (leave at home)
Tattoos (cover)
Cologne/perfume
WHAT TO BRING TO THE INTERVIEW
Folder
Job description
3 copies of your resume
List of references
Paper and pen
Fresh breath
3 ATTRIBUTES EMPLOYERS VALUE
1. Enthusiasm
2. Initiative
3. Contribution to Employer
STRUCTURE OF THE INTERVIEW
Tell me about yourself
Opportunity questions
Weakness questions
Questions to ask
Ask about the next step
Closing
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
Basic introduction of who you are and what you are looking for.
Used at networking events, career fairs and interviews.
Also known as “Elevator Pitch”.
ELEVATOR PITCH OUTLINE
• Who are you?
• What is your job objective?
• What are your major accomplishments/
passions/unique skills?
Telephone Prescreening
Trait
Conversational
Gut-Feel
Situational
Behavioral
TELEPHONE PRESCREENING INTERVIEW
Phone interview tips
TRAIT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
What are your personal strengths ?
Questions are more about you rather than skills.
Types of questions:
 Are you an organized person?
 List your strengths.
 Are you adaptable?
CONVERSATIONAL INTERVIEW
 The interviewer is relaxed and talkative – more like a
conversation.
 Hopes to make you comfortable to share or reveal
information.
 Not a structured interview.
Recommendations:
 Maintain your professional demeanor
 Present your answers to highlight your strengths and skills
 Give examples of past work experience.
GUT – FEEL (STRESS) INTERVIEW
 Interviewer decides on a candidate based on 1 st
impressions.
 Not a structured interview.
 Emphasis on your personality-how do you handle stress?
Do they like you?
Recommendations
 Maintain your composure
 Look for opportunities to sell your skills or give examples of your past
accomplishments.
SITUATIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
 The interviewer may give you a work situation and ask
you what you would do.
 You will be asked to solve a problem that may occur at
work.
Recommendations:
 Take notes and take your time to understand the situation.
 Ask questions if you need more details to solve.
 Formulate an answer and back it up with examples of past work
situations that were similar.
BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The interviewer is looking for examples of your past
performance to assess how you will perform in similar
circumstances on the new job.
Types of questions:
Tell me about a time when…..
Give me an example of ..….
ANSWERING BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS
Provide:
Trait/Strength
Work situation when you used this strength
Action taken
Result
Sample Behavioral Answer
Weakness
Salary
Background
WEAKNESSES
Keep your answer brief.
Turn the answer to talk about how you compensated or
improved.
Prepare an answer to demonstrate your ability to learn
from your past experiences. (weaknesses)
SALARY
Salary History
Salary Requirements
Research on Worknet
CHALLENGING QUESTIONS
What are your weaknesses?
Tell me how you handled a difficult situation with
a co-worker.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
What are your salary requirements?
PREPARE QUESTIONS TO ASK
What do you want to know about working for the
company, the job or responsibilities?
What are the challenges of the position?
Is the company growing?
Ask your question to get a description by asking “How do
you go about…..?”
3 STEPS TO “CLOSE THE DEAL”
1. I am very interested in this position with XYZ
company.
2. As we discussed, I have the qualifications.
3. How do you view me as an employee here?
NEXT STEP
What is the next step in this interviewing process?
SEND A THANK YOU EMAIL
AND
LETTER
Send an email to thank the interviewer.
Follow with a “thank you” letter in the mail.
Remind the employer of the skills you offer.
ACTION PLAN
1. Attend Interviewing Part II: Win the Interview
2. Review the job description.
3. Research the company.
4. Prepare answers.
5. Contact references.