Careers Education and Placement Centre

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Careers Education and Placement Centre

• Big Five Recruitment Exercise Preparation
• Interview Skills and Dressing for Interview
• Date 4 October, 2000 (Wed)
• Time 530 p.m. - 700 p.m.
• Venue P3, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Bldg.

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Competition is fierce in 98-99
Big five
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Competition is fierce in 99-00
Big five
Company Applications First Job
Received Shortlist Offer Ernst
Young 258 162 63 59 23 Deloitte 234 120 51 16 7 PW
C 314 154 49 46 15 KPMG 342 80 23 41 12 Arthur
Andersen 149 71 48 22 15
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Interview Dates

• Company Tentative Dates
• PWC 16-20 October
• Deloitte 17 October
• KPMG 25 October
• Arthur Andersen 23-31 October
• Ernst Young 6-10 November

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Interviewers look for answers to these questions
What do interviewers look for?

• Do you look like the right person?- Can you do
  the job?- Can you be counted on?

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How to show that you meet the employers
expectation?

• that you can do the job

Job-content skills e.g

• education and training,
• life experience,
• achievements,
• ability.

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How to show that you meet the employers
expectation? contd

• that you can be counted on

Adaptive skills and personality e.g

• alertness,
• analytical problem solving,
• written communication,
• commitment to task,
• interaction,
• perceptivity,
• organisation planning,
• creativity,
• versatility,
• reading the system,
• team work,
• leadership.

• can be trusted,
• get things done on time,
• get along well with others,
• are productive,
• coping skill,
• tolerance of ambiguity,
• decisiveness,
• spoken communication,
• assertiveness,
• energy,
• policy and procedures,

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Messages from Tell me, Mr Dunston

• be likeable,
• be natural,
• be interesting, and
• be specific

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Tell me, Mr Dunston (21 minutes)
Video
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Messages from Effective Answers to Interview
Questions
Answer questions in a 3-steps approach
1/ Understanding the true meaning2/ Answer
the surface question
3/ Answer the real concern by presenting your
skills
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3-steps to answering interview questions
Step 1. Understand the true meaningWhat is
really being asked?e.g. Arent you a bit too
young? The real concern is age or
experience? - Can we depend on you? - Are you
easy to get along with? - Are you a good
worker? - Do you have the experience and
training to do the job if we hire you?
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3-steps to answering interview questions contd
Step 2. Answer the surface question
- Acknowledge the facts - Present them as
advantages, not disadvantagesSample response
- Ignore the fact that you are young, claim
the eagerness and energy you have - If
you can, show the benefit of what the interviewer
might regard as a problem
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3-steps to answering interview questions contd
Step 3. Answer the real concern by presenting
your skills

• What gives you value over a more experienced
  applicant
• Present more of your qualification
• Particularly cover those that make you unique

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1. give relevant examples2. be specific3.
specify results4. link to desired jobA good
skills statement help employer visualize
something that he / she wants, i.e. 1.
Increased profit 2. Decreased
turnover 3. Improved worker
morale 4. Decreased
frustration 5. Solutions to
problems
The Prove It Principle
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Effective Answers to Interview Questions (35
minutes)
Video
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- be relaxed- when being asked why want to be a
Accountant - be forward looking - aspirations -
career goals in accountant / audit
profession- dont panic or show any sign of
anxiety / insecurity- dont focus on the
negative side of things- give a positive
answer- show that you have grown from the
setback
Hints on interviewing techniques
(Audit/Accountant Profession)
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- listen carefully to the questions,-
understand the real concern,- avoid answering
merely yes or no,- answer the question
briefly but to the point,- always match what
you have to offer with the needs of the job,-
answer the hidden question,- dont pretend to
know something that you are ignorant of, and-
ask the interviewer to repeat the question if
you do not understand.
Tips for Answering Questions
See each interview question as an opportunity to
talk about your special abilities for doing the
job.
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- get to the interview a few minutes early,-
smile and relax,- a firm but not crushing
handshake (unless the interviewer does not
offer to shake hands),- use the interviewers
last name Mr. Aor Ms. B,- have eye contacts,
but do not stare,- your voice should be neither
too soft nor too loud,- show enthusiasm,-
compliment where a compliment is due,- pay
attention to your body language.
Other Points to Note
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Dos

• - be yourself
• - concentrate on the questions
• - tell the truth
• - positive
• - read the clues (e.g. interviewers body
  signals)
• - be loyal
• - arrive on time
• - be well-mannered
• - do your homework
• - make eye contact
• - smile

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Donts

• - take someone else with you
• - disguise ignorance
• - over-drink
• - wear strange items of clothing
• - embarrass the interviewer
• - tell jokes
• - criticize the interviewer and company

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Job nature of Accountant, Public Practice

• work for a firm of accountants whose clients vary
  from large commercial organisations to people
  running their own small business
• audit accounts to ensure financial records are a
  true reflection of a companys activities and
  financial situation

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Job nature of Accountant, Public Practice contd

• performs audits
• provides other accountancy and financial services
  to a wide range of fee-paying clients from the
  private individual to the large commercial
  organisation and government bodies

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Accountant Trainee - Personal qualities skills
required

• highly numerate
• capable of interpreting complicated accounts
• have an enquiring mind
• a good eye for detail
• be accurate and methodical in their work
• ability to communicate effectively
• explain results clearly and concisely
• good report writing skills

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Accountant Trainee - Personal qualities skills
required contd

• capable of analysing and interpreting figures
• good computer skill and capable of using new
  technology
• good written and verbal communication skills

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Ask a real question. Do not ask questions for
the sake of asking. Do not ask about information
that you can get from recruitment talks,
recruitment literature, product brochures,
newspapers, magazines and other readily available
sources.Why are these questions inappropriate?
What do you really need to know from the
interviewer? Are there anything from the
recruitment talk, recruitment literature, product
brochure, annual reports, newspapers, magazines
etc. that you want to clarify or seek more
elaboration about?
What to say when you are invited to ask questions?
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After the interview
Evaluate your performance and see how you can
improve upon it. Review answers with a
counsellor - at the help desk or by e-mail. Send
a thank you letter to the interviewer to
re-iterate why you are suitable, but be succinct.
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Dress For work

• wear what the organization expects of you
• be part of the team
• dark suit for men
• fairly conservative for women
• project the best possible you
• retain personal style
• within the boundaries of business conventions
• physical comfort as well as style

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General

• no causal wear, wear business suit
• clothing must be clean and properly pressed
• no stain marks on collar and cuffs
• shirts should be properly tucked in
• shoes must be polished

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Grooming

• hair
• - is your hair clean and free of dandruff?
• face
• - is you face free of oil?
• nails
• - are your nails clean?
• personal hygiene
• - do you have body odour or bad breath?

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BODY LANGUAGE

• Eye Contact
• - direct eye contact
• - confident but friendly
• Voice
• - sound enthusiastic, neither too soft nor too
  loud
• Gestures
• - avoid nervous gesture e.g. fidgeting hands
  or jigging feet
• Postures
• - sit, stand and walk up-right

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KPMG
contd
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KPMG
contd
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KPMG
contd
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KPMG
contd
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KPMG
contd
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Samples from catalogues
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DRESSING FOR INTERVIEWS - WOMEN

• suit - navy, grey, plum, beige, taupe, dark
  green, claret and cooca are examples of good
  colour
• matching blouses -
• e.g. white, off-white, shell pink
• simple style leather shoes, solid colour
• e.g. black, brown
• thin skin-coloured stockings
• matching leather handbag, not too big
• elegant watch
• wear simple make-up
• do not use perfume

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DRESSING FOR INTERVIEWS - MEN

• dark business suit - charcoal and navy are the
  best colour
• white long-sleeved shirt
• classic patterned, solid coloured tie, avoid tie
  with bright colour or large pattern
• tie should reach belt buckle and very close to
  collar when tied
• black leather shoes
• black, dark grey or navy socks
• black leather belt, no suspenders

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Useful Reference Materials

• The Careers Library has a collection of videos
  and books on the subject, such as

Videos - Looking Sharp Dressing for
Success - Looking Sharp Grooming for
Success - Professional Presence - Projecting the
Right Image - Executive Grooming for Female
Students Books - The Image Factor - Dressing with
Colour - Body Language How to read others
thoughts by their gestures
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Lecture notes are available at the CePc
homepagelthttp//www.hku.hk/cepcgtClick the key
Lecture Notes
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How to get in touch with the CEPC

• E-mail
• CePc Mailing List
• Distillery

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Questions Answers
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Quiz

• Time allowed 20 minutes
• Answer with short phrases or bullet points
• Refer to your notes, if necessary

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Quiz Results

• Results will be ready by 5 October (Friday) at
  400 p.m. Pick up your answer sheet from the
  CePc.
• Students who have passed the quiz will be invited
  to attend Interview Role-Play workshop to be held
  on 9 October (Monday) at 630 p.m. - 730 p.m.,
  3/F, Careers Centre.