Placement and Temp Services

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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
The Key to Your Future
John E. Babcock MNCM USN (Retired)
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Outline
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
The Key to Your Future
4. Keys to Success
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
The 1 Resume Myth
Wrong!!
If I have a perfect resume, that job is mine
The Key to Your Future
There is no such thing as the perfect resume.
When we write your resume, (for a pretty healthy
fee), you are guaranteed to get results
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
A resume has one, and only one, functionto get
you an interview.
The Key to Your Future
The interview gets you the job.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
4. Keys to Success
The Key to Your Future
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
What is an interview?

1. Job interview

The Key to Your Future
2. Professional interview
Whats the difference?
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
The difference is how you decide to approach the
opportunity.
A basic job interview simply requires that you
show up.
The Key to Your Future
A professional interview requires preparation.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
4. Keys to Success
The Key to Your Future
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation

1. Keep a note pad and calendar by the phone.

1. Have an appropriate message on your answering
   machine.

The Key to Your Future

1. If you arent going to be home during the day,
   check the answering machine by phone at least
   twice a day.

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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Notification that you have an interview.
The Key to Your Future
2. Get a complete address and phone number of
the office that you will be going to.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Notification that you have an interview.
3. Get the name of the caller and the name of
the person that will be conducting the interview.
The Key to Your Future
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Interview Location
1. How do you get there?
Traffic volume Parking Road construction
The Key to Your Future
Drive by the office the day before, one hour
before your scheduled interview time.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Company Information
1. What does the company do/make/sell etc
The Key to Your Future
2. Is the company planning any significant
changes?
3. Who are their major competitors?
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Company Information
1. Internet
2. Newspapers
The Key to Your Future
Local (most are available on the internet)
Wall Street Journal
3. Magazines
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Attire
Men
Suit Dark Gray or Blue (No Pinstripes)
The Key to Your Future
White or light blue, long sleeve shirt.
Conservative tie.
Black or dark brown shoes. Well polished.
Fresh haircut a couple of days before interview.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Attire
Women
Dress, Knee length or lower. Dark, solid color.
Pantsuit. Dark, solid color.
The Key to Your Future
Jewelry
Simple ear rings.
One ring per hand.
Makeup, no bright colors.
Hand bag, not a diaper bag!
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
Attire
Cover any tattoos.
The Key to Your Future
Remove visible body piercing jewelry. (except
earrings, and only one in each ear)
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Preparation
When you arrive
You dont know what anyone there looks like.
If possible, stop by the restroom and make sure
that your hair is combed, makeup is fresh, etc
The Key to Your Future
Smile and say good morning/afternoon to anyone
that you might meet.
Turn off your beeper and cell phone!
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
When you arrive
If you are asked to wait
Take a seat and look at a magazine if available.
Do not read a newspaper.
The Key to Your Future
If offered something to eat or drink, politely
decline.
Dont stare.
Be aware of your body language.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
4. Keys to Success
The Key to Your Future
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Interview success is based on three basic factors
Believability
The Key to Your Future
Likeability
Trust
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Those factors are based on how you are perceived.
Others get their perception of you from three
basic types of communication
The Key to Your Future
Visual (how you look)
Verbal (what you say)
Voice (how you speak)
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Visual
1. Clothes
The Key to Your Future
2. Body Language
Eye Contact Posture Nervous actions
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Visual
Your personal appearance, body language and voice
have the greatest influence on another persons
initial impression than any other factor. These
traits provide others with information that can
be processed instantly.
The Key to Your Future
Book Put your Best Foot Forward
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Verbal/Voice
One study found that only 7 of a listeners
impression of what another person is saying is
derived from the content while 38 came from
vocal characteristics such as tone, volume and
pace and the remaining 55 was from the
speakers facial expressions and body language.
The Key to Your Future
Be enthusiastic!
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Avoid using acronyms and slang.
Dont use a five dollar word when a fifty cent
word will do!
The Key to Your Future
Speak slowly.
Before the interview starts, take a drink of
water to clear a dry throat.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Keys to Success
Before you walk in that door, clear your mind.
There is nothing at that time more important than
that interview.
The Key to Your Future
Let them know, before you even say your first
word that you are the right choice.
Be enthusiastic!
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
4. Keys to Success
The Key to Your Future
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
An interview is
a formal consultation usually done to evaluate
an individuals qualifications
The qualifications that an employer is looking
for are
The Key to Your Future

1. Knowledge

2. Work Ethic
3. Compatibility
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Basic Interview Questions
RULES
1. LISTEN TO THE QUESTION!!!!
The Key to Your Future
2. THINK BEFORE YOU ANSWER.

1. ANSWER THE QUESTION ONLY!!!! (the death pause)

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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Basic Interview Questions
Tips
1. Know whats on your resume.
The Key to Your Future
2. Your answers should begin with I (I can
I have)
3. Humility and modesty may be best 99.9 of the
time but an interview is the other .01.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Basic Interview Questions
Question Types
Personality
Skills
The Key to Your Future
Reliability
Illegal
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Interview Questions
Personality
Tell me about yourself
Some consider this the most dangerous interview
question!
This is your first opportunity to close the
interview.

• WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO BEGIN?

The Key to Your Future

• Do not go longer than three minutes
• Do not get bogged down in details unless the
  interviewer asks you specific questions
• Be concise and move quickly through recent
  experiences

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Interview Questions
Personality
What do you know about our company?
Are you just interested in getting a job or are
you interested in working for MY company?
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Im not sure what your company does but I saw
your ad and I need a job
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Interview Questions
Personality
Describe a Weakness?
Do not say I dont have any
Form your answer into a strength that the company
can use.
The Key to Your Future
I tend to be a little obsessive about my job. I
really dont like it when I hear someone say
dont worry about that, we can take care of it
tomorrow.
Give an example from your past.
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Interview Questions
Personality
What made you leave your last job?
If you didnt have any problems talk about how
you want to make this new company better
I am looking for professional growth and my last
position did not offer the challenge that I am
looking for. Im not looking for just a 9 to 5
job, I want to help make a company grow.
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If you did have problems, be honest. No Negative
Attacks. Show that you learned from that job.
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Interview Questions
Personality
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Discuss what you will be doing to make the
company better.
Once I learn all the aspects of this position, I
will work to learn about the other divisions so
that I can move into a position of leadership. I
have seen others that only focused on their
particular area and didnt understand how the
other divisions worked to achieve the companys
mission statement. I see myself in a position
to make this company even more successful.
The Key to Your Future
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Interview Questions
Skills
What is your best skill?
No one is going to be in there telling the
interviewer just how great you are..
EXCEPT YOU
The skill should relate to the job that you are
interviewing for.
The Key to Your Future
Leadership
Technical
Sales
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Interview Questions
Reliability
Would you be willing to relocate?
Never say NO
They probably dont mean within the near future.
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Yes, I would be. For the right opportunity.
This lets them know that you are flexible if the
right opportunity presents itself.
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Interview Questions
Do you have any questions for me?
Have at least three questions prepared in advance
These questions need to be about the company or
the position that you are interviewing for
The Key to Your Future
Do not ask about money or benefits
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Interview Questions
Illegal
It is illegal for an interviewer to ask anything
of a personal nature that is not directly related
to the job that you are interviewing for.
Age Race or country of origin Sexual
Preference Health Marital status
The Key to Your Future
ALMOST anything of a personal nature is illegal.
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Interview Questions
Illegal
Do not get defensive
Im not sure I understand the question
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That will in no way affect my ability to do this
job very well
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
4. Keys to Success
The Key to Your Future
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
The Close
The close of an interview doesnt just mean the
interview is over.
The Key to Your Future
While the interviewers first impression of you
set the tone of the interview, their last
impression can cement you in their mind.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
The Close
Mrs. Thompson, I am very impressed with
everything that you have told me about Acme
Widgets. I know that I can make a substantial
contribution to your company. I look forward to
hearing from you.
The Key to Your Future
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
The Close
Before you leave
1. Make sure you ask for a business card.
The Key to Your Future
2. Make eye contact, smile, thank you.
3. Firm handshake.
4. Say goodbye to others as you leave.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
1. The Resume
2. What is an interview
3. Preparation
4. Keys to Success
The Key to Your Future
5. The interview
6. The Close
7. Post Interview
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Post Interview
Have a pad of paper available after the interview
to write down both good and bad things that
happened during the interview.
The Key to Your Future
Write down the questions that were asked.
Write down something that you both agreed upon to
use in your thank you letter.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Post Interview
Send a handwritten card thanking the interviewer
for their time and express your desire to become
a part of their team.
The Key to Your Future
If you havent heard from them within seven days,
call and ask if there is any additional
information that they need from you.
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
What is your responsibility in the hiring process?
1. Honesty a. In your resume b. Your past
(legal record, credit) c. Commitment
The Key to Your Future
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
What is their responsibility to you in the hiring
process?
1. Honesty a. What positions are available that
match your skills. b. Interview
preparation c. Feedback
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The Professional Approach to Interviewing
Questions?
The Key to Your Future