INTERVIEWING

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INTERVIEWING

• Career Development Centre

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INTERVIEWS

• YOU GET THE CALL!
• Interview starts here!
• Write down everything!
• Ask for info
• Location?
• Who/how many? (get names job titles)
• How long?
• What style of questions?
• Tests?

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INTERVIEWS

• BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
• Research the company/organization
• Research position
• Review resume
• Think of experiences/situations

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INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS

• BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
• ID Core Competencies
• Specific skills, knowledge and abilities
• i.e. certified as a Microsoft Certified Software
  Engineer (MCSE) is a core competency in certain
  Microsoft systems and networks
• Practice questions / mock interview

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INTERVIEWS

• DAY BEFORE
• Locate place
• How much time to get there
• Pick out clothes dress for success!

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INTERVIEWS

• DAY OF INTERVIEW
• BE EARLY!
• Mirror check!
• Interview starts at first person
• Waiting kills!
• (use to review resume / info on org)
• Positive thoughts only!

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INTERVIEWS

• DURING
• Solid handshake
• Wait for their lead
• Think before answering!
• OK ask to repeat question
• Eye contact
• Be honestbe yourself!

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INTERVIEWS

• HOW IT WORKS!
• Tell you what will happen
• Start with easy question
• i.e. something on your resume
• More specific questions
• Show you have core competencies

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INTERVIEWS

• TYPES of QUESTIONS
• TRADITIONAL
• Tell me about yourself
• Strengths/weaknesses
• How would friends/former boss describe you?
• BEHAVIOURAL
• Tell me about a time when
• S.A.R.
• CASE-BASED/SITUATIONAL

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INTERVIEWS

• ILLEGAL QUESTIONS
• Race
• Religion
• National origin
• Non-employment related health
• Sexual orientation
• Marital status (family?)
• Age

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INTERVIEWS

• DONTS
• Dont be late, ever. Game over!
• Dont lie.
• Dont dominate.
• Dont have too long of answers.
• Dont talk .
• Dont crack jokes!
• Dont be negative.

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INTERVIEWS

• DONTS
• Dont uhm, ah or like
• Dont wear scents hygiene important!
• Dont wear too much jewelry/piercing
• Dont show tattoos
• Dont WORRY smile!

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INTERVIEWS

• END
• They will end the interview
• Ask questions??
• Handshake
• AFTER
• Send Thank you note.
• Review questions/answers

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MOCK INTERVIEWS

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MOCK INTERVIEW (A)

• Tell me something about yourself?
• Not looking for factual stuff on resume
• Want to get to know you!
• How would others describe you?
• Want to know more about your personality
• What parts of a job do you find most satisfying?
  Least satisfying?
• Try to match characteristics of job

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MOCK INTERVIEW (A)

• On this job you must be flexible. You have to
  look at problems and solutions. No one is going
  to tell you where to look. I dont like you
  students because they tell the professor what
  they want to hear. Prove to me youre not that
  student.
• Show you will work hard
• Analyze the situation
• Make appropriate recommendations

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MOCK INTERVIEW (A)

• Tell me about a time when you established a
  working (or school) relationship with someone who
  was quite dissimilar from you.
• Point specific dissimilarities
• Show values of differences in perspectives
  skills

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MOCK INTERVIEW (B)

• I see on your resume youre a member of SAGA.
  Can you tell me a little about this?
• Help break the ice!
• Gets you talking about something familiar
• Good time to insert your skills
• 2. What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
• Good time to display competencies that fit
  with job
• Turn weakness into a positive!

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MOCK INTERVIEW (B)

• 3. To this job you must be organized. To get
  this far in your degree program, you have kept
  yourself organized even when there is seemingly
  too much to do in the time available. Describe
  to me how you have been able to meet deadlines.
• Give what you would do
• i.e. prioritize, ask for extensions

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MOCK INTERVIEW (B)

• You have just been asked by your supervisor to do
  something that you have never done before and is
  not on your job description. What would you do?
• Tell them youve never done before and youll try
• Say sure Id be willing to help
• They want to know if you really are a team player

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MOCK INTERVIEW (B)

• Tell me about a time when you had to deal with
  conflict.
• They want to see how you react
• How did you resolve the conflict
• REMEMBER S.A.R.
• Do you have any questions?
• Not having any can show you werent prepared
• Ask if there s anything else theyd like to know
  about out you
• Opportunities
• Corporate culture
• Process/expect to hear

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Career Development Centre

• Student Centre Rm 302
• www.smu.ca/career
• Appointments can be made to have a mock
• Interview with Career Development Centre
• staff.