The Interview

1
The Interview

• What to wear
• What to bring
• What to expect
• What to do

2
Prepare, prepare, prepare

• Research the company
• Website
• Company literature
• Job description/ad
• Company staff

3
Prepare, prepare, prepare

• Research you
• Create career stories
• Anticipate questions
• Reflect on what you want
• Know thyself

4
Prepare, prepare, prepare

• Attend to the details
• How do you get there? Plan your route (bus/car)
  Where do you park?
• Be on time
• Present yourself professionally groom yourself
  physically and mentally
• Bring portfolio, resume, references,
• other marketing material

5
What to Expect

• Screening interviews
• Telephone/in-person
• Group/individual interview
• Serial interview
• Situational interview

6
What to Expect

• Greeting
• Firm handshake, eye contact
• Introductions/polite conversation
• Length
• Employer usually indicates
• You should do 80 of the talking
• Interview beginning with open-ended question
• Portfolio
• Invitation for you to ask questions
• Close
• Remember to thank the interviewer(s)

7
Common Interview Questions

• Open-ended Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• Describe your ideal supervisor/job
• Why do you want this job?
• Where do you want to be in five years?
• Why did you leave your previous employer?
• Salary expectations

8
Uncommon Questions

• Tell me a joke
• Teach me something
• If you could go anywhere for a dream weekend,
  where would it be?
• Whats your favourite movie?
• If you could be any type of vegetable, what would
  you be?

9
Behavioural-based Questions

• Past behaviour predicts future behaviour
• STARS (p.96)
• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Results
• Skills

10
Illegal/Awkward Questions
11
Illegal/Awkward Questions

• Anything that goes against the Charter of Human
  Rights and Freedoms
• Discriminatory questions re
• Age
• Sexual orientation
• Religion
• National origin/ethnicity
• Disability

12
Illegal/Awkward Questions

• Tips on answering
• Identify the question as inappropriate (could be
  a good or bad thing)
• Turn the question around and confront the real
  issue (preferred) Avoid, Address, Accentuate
• Ex. How many children do you have?
• Ex. Arent you a little young/old for the job?
• Turn everything around to your advantage...
• Know your human rights

13
Extra Tips

• Dont get too personal

14
Extra Tips

• Treat everyone you meet as an interviewer
• Never speak badly about a former employer
• Dont just answer yes or no add details and
  career stories
• Always portray yourself in a positive manner
• Prove anything you assert with examples/career
  stories/experiences/accomplishments
• Bring paper to jot down notes/names
• Collect business cards from interviewers
• Be employer-/company-focused
• What can you do for them
• How you can make the company profit/better

15
Any Questions?

• An opportunity to show interest, keenness
  research
• Dont ask about pay/benefits/vacation (unless
  they bring it up) its about them, not you
• Do ask about the company, what challenges they
  face, what training opportunities exist, how
  various departments function together
• Questions about the position, challenges, people,
  resources, strategy, systems timelines
• Collaborate on how to do the job
• Ask for a tour
• Use your intuition/common sense re appropriate
  questions

16
Follow Up

• Thank you letter/e-mail/phone call(p.84)
• Assess yourself

17
Top Reasons for Rejecting Job Applicants

• Poor personal appearance/hygiene
• Aggressive/conceited, know it all
• Poor voice, diction, inability to express oneself
• No purpose/goals
• Lack of interest/enthusiasm i.e. passive
• Lack of confidence and poise
• Put down last employer

18
Top Reasons for Rejecting Job Applicants

• Lack personal responsibility/
• Inability to take criticism
• Failure to ask questions about the job
• Fail to look interviewer in the eye
• No interest/knowledge of the company/industry
• No sense of humour

19
Top Reasons for Rejecting Job Applicants

• Lack of appreciation of the value of experience
• Late to interview for no good reason
• Show high degree of indecision
• Limp/lifeless handshake
• Too much interest in money

20
Useful Internet Resources

• http//www.alis.gov.ab.ca/
• http//www.alis.gov.ab.ca/tips/main.asp
• www.macewan.ca/jobs
• http//interview.monster.ca/
• Workopolis interview tips

21
May your dreams come true

• Rita J Kolpak, Student Advisor
• Student Employment Services
• Student Resource Centre
• Grant MacEwan College
• 497-4531
• kolpakr_at_macewan.ca

22
Works Cited

• Clarke, Sara and Merinda Epstein. Merinda Epstein
  A Consumer Guide to Mental Health in Australia.
  7 March 2007 lthttp//www.takver.com/epstein/index.
  htmgt
• Enelow, Wendy S. and Louise M. Kursmark. Cover
  Letter Magic Trade Secrets of Professional
  Resume Writers. 2nd Edition. Indianapolis, IN
  JIST Publishing, Inc., 2004.
• Government of Alberta ,Alberta Employment,
  Immigration and Industry. Advanced Techniques for
  Work Search. Edmonton Government of Alberta,
  2002, 2007.
• Government of Canada. Focus on Interviews A
  Guide to Marketing Yourself. Hull Government of
  Canada, 2004.
• Kaplan, Stephen J. Dont Wait til You Graduate.
  Toronto Canadian Association of Career
  Educatiors and Employers, 1995.
• Whitcomb, Susan Britton. Interview Magic Job
  Interview Secrets from Americas Career and Life
  Coach. Indianapolis, IN JIST Publishing, Inc.,
  2005.
• ---. Job Search Magic Insider Secrets from
  Americas Career and Life Coach. Indianapolis,
  IN JIST Publishing, Inc. 2006.
• ---. Resume Magic Trade Secrets of a
  Professional Resume Writer. 2nd Edition.
  Indianapolis, IN JIST Publishing, Inc., 2007.