Tips for Interview Success

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Tips for Interview Success
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Highlights

• Purpose of the interview
• How to Prepare
• Types of interviews
• The Interview Process
• QA

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Purpose

• To determine if This position Your skills are a
  GOOD MATCH

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Types of Interviews

• Traditional
• Behavioral
• Pre-screening
• Case (scenarios)
• Technical (math, computer)
• Stress (dead space)
• Phone
• Presentation to audience
• Committee or group
• Dining Interview

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Why Should I Hire You?
Quality of Resume Quality of Cover Letter
Interview Performance Professionalism References
Years of Relevant Work Experience Fit with
Company Culture Relevant Skills Internal
Candidate Candidates Familiarity with the
Organization
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Before the Interview
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PREP

• Prepare 3-5 questions for the interviewer
• Review 3-6 key skills about yourself that fit the
  position
• Establish 10 examples to showcase yourself
• Practice, Practice, Practice!!!

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Self-Awareness

• Know yourself
• Be very familiar with your resume
• Be able to articulate your goals and strengths
• Have your presentation ready to go. Include
• Your current position
• Relevant experience
• Your fit for this position
• Include recent and relevant accomplishments
• Why you have applied for the position

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Position Awareness

• Know the company and specific position
  description
• employees, culture, philosophy, news,
  challenges/opportunities
• primary secondary functions of opportunity

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Role Play

• Role playing or Rehearsing the interview is key.
• Work on possible questions your new employer may
  ask, and develop clear and concise answers.

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Below are Questions you May be asked in the
Interview

• Tell me about yourself?( Try and hold response to
  two minutes)
• What do you know about our company?
• Why should I hire you?
• What can you do for us that someone else cant?
• What do you look for in a job?
• What skills and qualifications are essential for
  success in the position of ?
• If you took the job what would you accomplish in
  the first year?
• Can you work well under deadlines or Pressure?
• How Does this assignment fit into your overall
  career plan?

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Questions Continued

• How long would it take for you to make a
  meaningful contribution?
• Describe your management style?
• What do you believe is the most difficult part of
  being a supervisor of people?
• What are you looking for in a new career?
• How would your colleagues describe you?
• How would your boss describe you?
• How would you describe yourself?
• What do you think of your present or past boss?
• What were the five most significant
  accomplishments in your last assignments?
• What were the five most significant
  accomplishments in your career so far?
• How much do you expect if we offer you this
  position?

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Questions Continued

• Why do you want to work for us?
• What other positions are you considering?
• Have you kept up in your field with additional
  training?
• What are your career goals?
• What are your strong points?
• What are your weak points?
• How did you do in school?
• What position do you expect to have in 2 to 5
  years?
• What was wrong with your current or last
  position?
• What kind of hours are you used to working or
  would you like to work?
• Do you have your reference list with you?
  (Remember dont give it out unless it is asked
  for).
• Can you explain your salary history?
• What questions didnt I ask that you expected?
• Do you have any questions for me? (See Questions
  for the interviewer on the following slides).

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Questions You may want to ask the Interviewer

• Why is this position open?
• How often has it been filled in the past five
  years? What were the main reasons?
• What would you like done differently by the next
  person who fills this position?
• What are some of the objectives you would like to
  see accomplished in this job?
• What is most pressing? What would you like to
  have done in the next 3 months?
• What are some of the more difficult problems one
  would have to face in this position?
• How do you think these could best be handled?
• What type of support does this position receive
  in terms of people, finances etc?

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Questions you May Want to ask Continued

• What freedom would I have in determining my own
  work objectives, deadlines, and methods of
  measurement?
• What advancement opportunities are available for
  the person who is successful in this position,
  and within what time frame?
• In what ways has this organization been most
  successful in terms of products and services over
  the years?
• What significant changes do you foresee in the
  near future?
• How is one evaluated in this position?
• What accounts for success within the company?

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• These Questions are presented only as
  interviewing guidelines. They are meant to help
  you prepare for the interview. Some questions may
  or may not be appropriate for your interviewing
  situation.
• By practicing your responses to some of these
  questions, hopefully you will not be taken off
  guard if asked one of them. Most importantly,
  relax, go with the flow, and before you know it,
  youll be in your next opportunity!

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The Phone Interview
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Telephone Interview Preparation

• Place a Do not Disturb note on your door
• Turn off your stereo, TV, and any other potential
  Distraction
• Warm up your voice while waiting for the call
• Have a glass of water handy, since you will not
  have a chance to take a break during the call
• Speaking of breaks, if your phone interview is at
  a set time, make sure you answer natures call
  first
• Turn off call waiting on the phone

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The Open and Available Technique

• A major advantage one has during the phone
  interview is not being seen. We must use this to
  our advantage.
• Have all materials on ourselves and employers in
  front of us on the desk while speaking on the
  phone
• Not just our resume, but a cheat sheet about
  compelling stories, accomplishments, and topics
  one would like to bring up.
• Also a Cheat sheet on the employer that
  includes specifics and critical points described
  by the employer and their products
• This portrays a well-informed, well-prepared
  interviewee. Keep in mind that this preparation
  is not cheating at all. It is preparation, pure
  and simple.
• So have Materials open and available when
  preparing for a phone interview. They are there
  to support and enhance your value to the employer
  who will greatly respect your ability to answer
  questions with focus and meaningful content

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The Stand and Deliver Technique

• A simple technique to increase the enthusiasm and
  positive image that you project over the
  telephone is to simply stand up
• Whenever you are talking with a potential
  employer on the phone stand up, it gets the blood
  flowing, improves posture, and improves your
  response time
• An interesting note that many telemarketing
  companies realized that standing up actually
  improves sales. So often these companies provide
  there employees with hands-free headsets that
  allow them to stand and pace back and forth. It
  gives an action perspective to an otherwise
  passive activity

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The Vanity Technique

• In preparing for a telephone interview, make sure
  that there is a mirror within view. Why? Because
  looking in the mirror consistently throughout the
  conversation will improve your telephone presence
  110. Just smiling will make one come off much
  friendlier, more interested, and more alert.
• The mirror gives us instant feedback necessary to
  make instant modification toward a more positive
  presence.
• Remember were standing, so a wall mirror usually
  works best!

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Preparing for the Face to Face Interview
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What to Wear Men

• Necktie should be silk with a conservative
  pattern
• Dark Shoes ( Black lace-ups are best)
• Dark Socks
• Get haircut Short hair always fares best in
  interviews
• If facial hair, make sure it is proper and well
  groomed
• No rings other then wedding or college
• No Earrings

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What to Wear Women

• Always wear a suit with a jacket no dresses
• Shoes with conservative heels
• Conservative hosiery at or near skin color (and
  no runs!)
• No purses, small or large carry a briefcase
  instead
• If you wear nail polish (not required), use clear
  or a conservative color
• Minimal use of makeup
• No more than one ring one each hand
• One set of earrings only

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Opening the Interview
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Last Minute Details

• Know where to go and where to park
• Have gas in your car
• Take a pen, notepad, and several resume copies
• Be 10 minutes early
• Look yourself over once before entering the
  office

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Positive Body Language

• Positive Entrance
• Enthusiasm
• Relaxed Smile
• Direct Eye Contact
• Straight Posture
• Firm Handshake
• Leaning Slightly Forward
• Use of Hand Movement
• Feet Flat on Floor

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Negative Body Language

• Lack of Enthusiasm or Curiosity
• Frowning
• Weak Handshake
• Lack of Eye Contact
• Staring
• Nervous Movements
• Arms Crossed
• Hands Clenched
• Looking at Watch

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The Interview
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In Any Interview

• Be ready for Tell me about yourself
• Be honest, show your personality
• Help the interviewer to know
• You are dependable!
• You are a good worker!
• You will you fit in here!
• Take support documents or portfolio if
  appropriate
• Give reasons to hire you over the 100 other
  applicants

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All Interviews

• Be prepared to be offered drink or food
• Be prepared to meet others in the office
• Be prepared for a tour of the building
• Be prepared to meet other interviewees
• Take a notebook to write notes or questions
• Its OK to pause before answering a question
• Remember This is about the position fitting with
  you, too

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Adapt

• Listen and adapt
• Be sensitive to the style of the interviewer
• Pay attention to those details of dress, office
  furniture, and general décor which will afford
  helpful clues to assist you in tailoring your
  presentation

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Relate and Encourage

• Try to relate your answers to the interviewer and
  his or her company. Focus on achievements
  relevant to the position.
• Encourage the interviewer to share information
  about his or her company.. Demonstrate your
  interest!

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Closing the Interview
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Closing the Interview

• Summarize key strengths and match for the
  position
• Always ask questions
• Thank the interviewer by name
• Ask about the next step
• Express an interest in hearing from them

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After the interview

• Contact your recruiter immediately
• Follow up with a Thank you note

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Questions?
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Contact us

• The James Allen Companies Inc.
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• info_at_jallenco.com
• www.jallenco.com