© 2011 Melanie Arthur GregNewtonAssociates.com [email protected] 617.834.6696 1 Sample Training Materials: Interviewing Tips Recruitment & Hiring Has Changed!

© 2011 Melanie Arthur GregNewtonAssociates.com [email protected] 617.834.6696

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Sample Training Materials: Interviewing TipsSample Training Materials: Interviewing Tips

Recruitment & Recruitment & Hiring Hiring Has Changed!Has Changed!

Have You?Have You?


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Interview Content & MethodsInterview Content & Methods Structured, interview protocols Scenario-based questions Computerized interviews Telephone interviews Multiple interviews Team interviews

Provide job-seekers tips for:Provide job-seekers tips for:

Telephone interviews Multiple interviews Team interviews Company or industry-specific methods,

questions, tactics

Interview TipsInterview Tips

Prepare for questions Take time to think Tell a story, stress job-

related strengths Confirm responsiveness;

end with a question



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* As defined by Bloom.

KnowledgeKnowledge Remembering, memorizing, recognizing, recalling identification, recalling information: who, what, when, where, how?

ComprehensionComprehension Interpreting, translating from one medium to another, describing in one's own words, organization, and selection of facts and ideas

ApplicationApplication Problem solving, applying information to produce some result, use of facts, rules and principles: how is ... an example of ...? how is ... related to ...? why is ... significant?

AnalysesAnalyses Finding the underlying structure of a communication, identifying motives, separation of a whole into component parts: what are the features of ...? how does ... compare with ...? what evidence can you list for ...?

SynthesisSynthesis Creating a unique, original product that may be in verbal form, combination of ideas to form a new whole: what would you predict from ...? what ideas can you add to ...? what solutions would you suggest for ...?

EvaluationEvaluation Making value decisions about issues, resolving controversies or differences of opinion, development of opinions, judgments or decisions: do you agree that ...? what do you think about ...? what is the most important ...? place the following in order of priority ... how would you decide about ...? what criteria would you use to assess ...?

Six CategoriesSix Categories** of Questions of Questions


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Interview Content Interview Content cont.cont.

Top Ten Questions:Top Ten Questions:

Tell me about yourself… What are your strengths and weaknesses?

What do you know about this company?

What are your expectations if hired?

Why do you want to work for this company?

Give me an example of when you had to work in a team…

Are you applying elsewhere? What can you offer that other applicants

can’t? Where do you see yourself five years from

now? Do you have any questions for me/us?

Work Habits (attendance, punctuality, etc.)

Safety

Teamwork and Interpersonal Communication

Quality Orientation

Working with Supervision

Self Managed Work Teams

Sample Structured Interview: Manufacturing



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Scenario and behavioral questionsScenario and behavioral questions::

Used to evaluate how candidate

handle’s situations

Determines actions s/he has

taken -- or would

Evaluating personality, not just

work experience

Weighing individual’s “fit” with the

company culture

1.1. How do you handle How do you handle conflict?conflict?

2.2. How did you How did you convince team convince team members to members to perform a job that perform a job that was not to your was not to your liking?liking?

3.3. How do you handle How do you handle changes in changes in deadlines or deadlines or delays for an delays for an important project?important project?



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Scenario and behavioral questionsScenario and behavioral questionsTips and TacticsTips and Tactics

Prepare and review a list of situations from previous work experience that illustrate:

- Leadership and/or influence

- Problem-solving

- Interpersonal skills

Study job description to help predict possible situations -- and therefore types of scenarios or behavioral questions that may be posed

Practice “mock” interviewing

SScenariocenario

TType of jobype of job

AActionction

RResultsesults

STAR method:STAR method:



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AppearanceAppearance

Body LanguageBody Language

Tone of VoiceTone of Voice

QuestionsQuestions

SilenceSilence

Positive SignalsPositive Signals• Neat, orderly, professional appearance and spaceNeat, orderly, professional appearance and space

• Leaning forward = interest; smiling = friendly; Leaning forward = interest; smiling = friendly; nodding = attentive, alert; eye contact = curious and nodding = attentive, alert; eye contact = curious and focusesfocuses

• Curious, encouragingCurious, encouraging

• Appropriate questions to the topicAppropriate questions to the topic

• Active listening, encouraging interjectionsActive listening, encouraging interjections

• No interruptions, noise, distractionsNo interruptions, noise, distractions

Negative SignalsNegative Signals

• Crossed arms = defensive; fidgeting hands or Crossed arms = defensive; fidgeting hands or tapping feet: nervous or bored; lack of eye contact = tapping feet: nervous or bored; lack of eye contact = untrustworthy, unfocused; leaning back - untrustworthy, unfocused; leaning back - discomfortdiscomfort

• Disorderly, noisy, distractions, closed questions, Disorderly, noisy, distractions, closed questions, eyes on paper or computer forms, interruptions.eyes on paper or computer forms, interruptions.

The Elements of Interview StyleThe Elements of Interview Style



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Passive Listening:Passive Listening:

Understand perceptions, listen to word and listen body language

Offer non-verbal cues: hand and body gestures, eye contact, smiles and frowns.

Active Listening:Active Listening:

Encourage, ask questions, paraphrase

Offer verbal cues: relevant questions, para-phrasing statements, reflections, affirmations

Value to Meaning

Body Language55%

Voice38%

Words7%

Body Language Voice Words



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Listening to Body LanguageListening to Body Language Facial Expressions -- indication of emotions

Eye contact - interest, confidence, attention (Lack of eye contact - disinterest, discomfort, shame/guilt)

Hands and Legs Movement

Body Language

All the signals given by a person either by voluntary or involuntary body movement. It includes all gestures, postures and expressions through which an individual displays his physical and mental state in order to communicate non verbally with others.

• Open palms reflect sincerity.• Biting nails reflects nervousness.• Rubbing of hands reflects anticipation.• Walking to and fro reflects urgency or impatience.• Keeping your hands and legs folded reflects

disagreement or lack of attention.

Posture -- Posture -- Shrugged shoulders and slouching indicates fear or boredom, whereas broad shoulders and upright position indicates confidence. Hands on hips reflect authoritarian stance, while hands behind the head gives a hint of relaxation. Leaning forward when you are taking to someone in person stresses your interest towards the person (or what the person is talking about).



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11

22

33

44

55

66

77

88

99



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Listening TipsListening Tips

Stop talking! Do not interrupt!Stop talking! Do not interrupt! Acknowledge the speakerAcknowledge the speaker Make regular eye contactMake regular eye contact Relaxed attentionRelaxed attention Be, and look interestedBe, and look interested Take notes Take notes Keep an open mindKeep an open mind Look for body languageLook for body language Eliminate distractions, no interruptionsEliminate distractions, no interruptions Schedule time and set environment for Schedule time and set environment for

listeninglistening Do not get lost in own thoughtsDo not get lost in own thoughts Don’t jump to conclusions or solutionsDon’t jump to conclusions or solutions

Do not judge while listening; silence Do not judge while listening; silence personal views and beliefspersonal views and beliefs

Be mindful or age, race and gender Be mindful or age, race and gender biasbias

Build trustBuild trust Wait for pauses to ask questionsWait for pauses to ask questions Ask relevant questions onlyAsk relevant questions only Feel the speakers feelings, show Feel the speakers feelings, show

empathyempathy Give feedbackGive feedback Repeat what has been said, make Repeat what has been said, make

sure you have understoodsure you have understood Think about what is not saidThink about what is not said



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Ask Questions!Ask Questions!


According to employers, one of the common interview “failures” comes at the end, when the employer asks: “Do you have any questions for me?” Far too many candidates say “no.” This is a missed opportunity to show thoughtfulness, impress with research-based questions, and get more information about the company and job.

Sample question topics…ask about:Sample question topics…ask about:

The specifics of the jobThe specifics of the job

The company’s organizational structureThe company’s organizational structure

Other workers, teams (in general)Other workers, teams (in general)

The future of the companyThe future of the company

Recent news about the company that you have Recent news about the company that you have researchedresearched

Training, in general and for the specific jobTraining, in general and for the specific job

And always end with a show of interest and action:And always end with a show of interest and action:

I am prepared to commit to this company and job. I am prepared to commit to this company and job.

What are the next steps to get hired?What are the next steps to get hired?


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Take Notes!Take Notes!

How much How much

do we do we

remember?remember?

Memory retentionMemory retention

Time elapsedTime elapsed

100%100%

50%50%

10

-min

ute

pre

se

nta

tio

n1

0-m

inu

te p

res

en

tati

on

Imm

ed

iate

lyIm

me

dia

tely

2-d

ay

s l

ate

r2

-da

ys

la

ter

The Forgetting CurveThe Forgetting CurveIncrease your recall, Increase your recall, and look “prepared” and look “prepared” and “interested” with and “interested” with note-taking.note-taking.

Source: Hermann Ebbinghaus


Documents

© 2011 Melanie Arthur GregNewtonAssociates.com [email protected] 617.834.6696 1 Sample Training Materials: Interviewing Tips Recruitment & Hiring Has Changed!