Interviewing Techniques

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Interviewing Techniques
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Purpose of Interviews

• Provides the opportunity for two-way
  communication and interaction to determine fit
  between candidate and employer

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Types Formats

• Types
• Informational
• Screening
• Selection

• Formats
• Telephone/Video
• Individual
• Group/Committee
• Serial
• Behavioral/Performance
• Stress

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Initial Impressions

• 4 seconds 1 impression is made
• 10 seconds 11 impressions are made
• Impressions are based on personal appearance,
  grooming, eye contact, articulation, personality,
  handshake
• You never have a second chance to make a good
  first impression!

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HR Professionals Say

• Qualifications get you the interview
• Initial impressions get you the job

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Preparing for the Interview

• Identify your strengths
• Conduct research on position and employer
• Tailor and review your resume
• Conduct a practice interview at the CSEL
• Attend to your grooming and carefully select your
  wardrobe

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Practice Interviews

• 95 of graduates stumble through their first 2-3
  interviews
• Why are practice interviews so valuable?
• Receive constructive feedback
• See yourself (body language, expression, nervous
  habits)
• Listen to yourself (catch phrases, speech
  patterns, effective communication of message)

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Conduct Research

• Organization (size, products, services,
  locations, growth prospects, mission, customer
  base)
• Position description
• Industry and salary norms
• Interview schedule
• Interviewers or committee members
• Interview process and format

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Dress for Success
Women Suit with knee-length skirt and tailored
blouse Pantsuits are more acceptable now, but
save them for after you obtain the job Keep
accessories and makeup simple
Men Two-piece suit (solid colors vs. prints or
patterns) Wear polished shoes with knee-length
socks that avoid exposing skin Tie pattern
should be simple
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Leave at Home

• Cell phones
• Excessive cologne or jewelry
• Bad manners or negativity
• Friends and family
• Inappropriate language
• Controversial views or offensive topics

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Interview Process

• Greeting and introduction
• Ice breaker/small talk
• Questions (theirs and yours)
• Summary statement
• Closing
• Thank you and follow-up

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Types of Interview Questions

• Open-ended Tell me about yourself
• Qualifications Summary of academic and
  experiential background relevant to the position
• Proven successes GPA, leadership, initiatives
  taken, projects completed
• Hypothetical What would you do if

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Types of Interview Questions

• Opinion What are your strengths?
• Subjective analysis on your response to scenarios
• Offbeat If you were an animal, what kind would
  you be and why?
• Get past pre-programmed responses
• Behavioral Can you give me an example of when
  you successfully dealt with a difficult client?
• Anticipate future responses based on past behavior

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Behavioral Interviewing

• Describe a situation in which you were able
• to use persuasion to successfully convince
• someone to see things your way.
• Give me an example of a time when you set
• a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
• What is your typical way of dealing with
• conflict? Give me an example.

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Prep for Behavior-based Interviews

• Identify 5 examples from your past experience
  where you demonstrated top behaviors and skills
  that employers typically seek.
• Examples could be totally positive
  (accomplishments or meeting goals) or situations
  that started out negatively, but either ended
  positively or you made the best of the outcome.

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STAR Interviewing Technique

• Situation or Task
• Describe the situation that you were in or the
  task that you needed to accomplish. You must
  describe a specific event or situation, giving
  enough detail for the interviewer to understand.
• Action you took
• Describe the action you took and be sure to keep
  the focus on you.
• Results you achieved
• What happened? How did the event end? What did
  you accomplish? What did you learn?

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STAR in Practice

• Situation (S/T) Advertising revenue was falling
  off for my college newspaper and large numbers of
  long-term advertisers were not renewing
  contracts.
• Action (A) I designed a new promotional packet
  to go with the rate sheet and compared the
  benefits of Reporter circulation with other ad
  media in the area. I also set-up a special
  training session for the account executives with
  a School of Business Administration professor who
  discussed competitive selling strategies.
• Result (R) We signed contracts with 15 former
  advertisers for daily ads and five for special
  supplements. We increased our new advertisers by
  20 percent quantities are always good over the
  same period last year.

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Illegal Questions

• Age/date of birth
• Marital status
• Parental status
• National origin
• Religion
• Mental health issues

• Race/ethnicity
• Arrest history
• Impairments or disabilities irrelevant to the
  position

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Illegal QuestionsWhat is the Proper Response?

• Answer
• Refuse to answer
• Examine the interviewers intent
• Ignorance/Innocence answer in brief or ignore
  the question altogether and redirect the
  discussion to a new topic
• Blatant discrimination you have every right to
  terminate the interview

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Questions to Ask

• What are the three most important attributes for
  success in this position?
• What are the opportunities for growth and
  advancement for this position?
• How is your company responding to competition in
  the _____ area?
• What is the anticipated company growth rate over
  the next three years?
• What do you like most about working for this
  company?
• When can I expect to hear from you regarding
  your hiring decision?

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Closing the Interview

• Closing
• Reiterate why you are the best candidate
• Re-assert interest
• Recovery
• Thank each interviewer by name
• Request business cards or contact information of
  all interviewers

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Interview Follow-up

• Thank you correspondence within 24 hours
• Card
• Formal letter
• E-mail
• Follow-up contact to check on status of hiring
  decision (based on employer timeline discussed
  during interview)

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Considering the Offer

• Personal/environmental fit?
• Financial compensation?
• Job responsibilities?
• Time considerations?
• Organizational culture?
• Location and amenities?
• Additional considerations?

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Negotiating

• Research (i.e., your worth, the industry, the
  market, opportunity for increase)
• Calculate the worth of the entire package
  (benefits perks)
• Calculate cost-of-living factors (i.e.,
  commute, housing)
• Be realistic about expectations!

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If You Dont Get the Offer

• Analyze your interview performance
• Ask for feedback from interviewer
• Continue to enhance your interviewing skills
• Do not burn bridges (express appreciation and
  continued interest in future positions)
• Stay positive!

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Career Services and Experiential Learning
Workshops

• Business Etiquette
• Choosing or Changing Majors
• Choosing the Best Career
• Cover Letters Business Correspondence
• Curriculum Vitae
• Federal Employment
• Graduate School Planning

• How to Succeed at a Career Fair
• Internships and Cooperative Education
• Interview Techniques
• Job Search Strategies
• Introduction to On-line Job Postings and
  On-Campus Interviewing
• Portfolios (How to Prepare)
• Resumes

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Career Services and Experiential Learning Programs

• Career Planning Workshops
• Career Information
• Career Information Library
• Free Career Related Related Publications
• Alumni Mentors
• Career Counseling
• Major/Career Options
• Career Assessments
• Job Search Assistance
• Resume/Cover Letter Critique
• Practice Interviews
• Experiential Education
• Internships /Externships
• Lockheed Martin Work Experience Program

• Graduate/Professional School
• Directories and resources
• Annual Graduate, Law and Professional School Day
• CSEL Events
• 8 Annual Career Fairs
• Majors Fair
• Annual Senior Day
• Career Panels
• On-Campus Recruitment
• GOLD Connection
• Job Listings
• Resume Referral
• On-Campus Interviewing
• Company Presentations

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Career Services and Experiential Learning
Calendar of Events 2004-05

• Statewide Job Fair
• May 13, 2004
• Fall Career Expo
• October 5, 2004
• Graduate, Law Professional Day
• October 20, 2004
• Senior Day
• October 27, 2004
• Public Administration Job Fair
• November 9, 2004
• Experiential Education Career Panel
• November 16, 2004
• Spring Internship Fair
• January 25, 2005

• Spring Career Expo
• January 26, 2005
• Arts Science Career Panel Series
• February 8, 2005
• College of Engineering Panel
• February 22, 2005
• Arts Science Career Panel Series
• March 8, 2005
• Majors Fair
• March 9, 2005
• Statewide Job Fair
• May 12, 2005

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Career Services Experiential Learning

• Locations/Hours
• Career Services Student Resource Center 7G
• Normal Hours of Operation Mon. Fri. (800 am -
  500 pm)
• Walk-in Service Mon. Fri. (1000 am - 400 pm)
• Experiential Learning Howard Phillips Hall,
  Ste. 208
• Normal Hours of Operation Mon. Fri. (800 am -
  500 pm)
• Walk-in Service Mon-Fri. (800 am-1200pm)
  (200pm -500pm)
• Satellite Locations
• College of Business BA2, Room 222
• Lockheed Martin Sand Lake Road
• Rosen College of Hospitality Management 9907
  Universal Blvd., Ste. 201

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The UCF Creed
Integrity, scholarship, community, creativity,
and excellence are the core values that guide our
conduct, performance, and decisions. Integrity I
will practice and defend academic and personal
honesty. Scholarship I will cherish and honor
learning as a fundamental purpose of my
membership in the UCF community. Community I
will promote an open and supportive campus
environment by respecting the rights and
contributions of every individual. Creativity I
will use my talents to enrich the human
experience. Excellence I will strive toward the
highest standards of performance in any endeavor
I undertake.
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA