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An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

100-014 Training Agreement Revised 1/2014

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Preparing for the Interview Career Services Workshop

Preparing for the Interview Workshop 1


Welcome!

Interviewing is more than a ritual that must be endured in order to get a job. Like other

aspects of job searching, interviewing has changed and you must be prepared in

order to master your next interview. This workshop will provide you with information

about the different types of interviews, how to be prepared for any interview question,

and how to present your best self. There will also be an opportunity to practice with

the confidence that you’ll WOW! ‘em at your next interview.

Workshop Objectives:

Upon completion of this workshop you should be able to:

Identify the purpose of an interview

Know to research the company, industry and occupation and prepare

questions you will ask the interviewer(s) related to their needs

Identify your skills and abilities that relate directly to the job description

Articulate your accomplishments during the interview, demonstrating the value

you bring to the table using the STAR format – Situation/Task, Action and Results

Define the different styles of interviews

Prepare for various types of interview questions

Project confidence and a positive attitude through practicing your eye contact,

handshake and “elevator pitch”

Follow-up after the interview – even if turned down



The Purpose of an Interview

The interview is a mutual exchange of information. The interviewer/company wants to

know about you and you want to know about them.

Does the COMPANY want to hire you?

____________ you do the job? YOUR:

Skills and knowledge

Experience and accomplishments

Learning potential

Ability to handle physical aspects of the job

____________ you do the job?

Interest in the position, company

Work ethic and energy level

Outside influences that may affect your

willingness or availability

Do you __________ in? Company values

Communication, likability and chemistry

Style (work and management)

Dress and appearance

Do YOU want to accept the position?

Does it meet your ___________? Financial

Geographical

Career goals

Is it in line with your

_____________?

The things that are most important to you

Genuine interests

Does it feel like a good _______? Work environment

Culture



Before the Interview: Know the Company

Conducting thorough company research is vital to an effective interview. Employers

view researching the company as a critical factor in applicant evaluation because it

demonstrates your interest and enthusiasm for their company.

Research the _____________________

Did you visit the company website?

What do you know about the history of the company?

What is the company’s Mission Statement what are its Corporate Values?

What products and services or lines of business does the company deal in?

Identify _________ _____________________ in the Organization

Who are the key leaders of the organization?

What is the organizational structure?

Who will you be interviewing with?

Search for current ____________ and __________________

Are there any recent news articles about the company?

Did they launch a new product line or expand operations?

Were the key leaders featured in any recent news articles?

What is the current stock price? Any trends?

Be familiar with the ________________________

What is the general industry?

Are there any industry trends and/or facts you need to be aware of?

Who is their competition?—How do they stack up against their competition?

Know the _________ _________________________________

What skills and requirements are listed in the job description?

Do you know the job “inside and out” and how you are a match?

Know the _______________ ________________________

Where is corporate headquarters located?

Are there other locations?

What is the exact address of the location for the interview?



Before the Interview: Know Yourself

Knowing yourself thoroughly is also vital to a successful interview. You need to know

and be able to communicate with confidence your past accomplishments, strengths,

what you can do for an employer and your preferred work environment. Use the

worksheets on the next few pages to assist you in getting to know yourself.

__________________ your resume

Identify your _________ __________________ and ________________________

Relate your skills with the employer’s job description by listing each side-by-side:

List the job requirements, tasks and duties

found in the job description/posting:

List the qualities, skills and abilities you

posses that fit these requirements:

Example:

Greet customers as they enter the store.

Example:

Worked for 2 years at the GAP greeting

and assisting customers with their

purchases.




Prepare your _________________________________________ _______________

Over the course of your work experience, you have had some amazing

accomplishments. A key element in job search today is being able to concisely

explain your accomplishments. Your past performance will show the employer the

value you will bring in your future performance.

You can make your accomplishments stand out by using the STAR Format.

Situation

or

Task

Briefly give an overview of what needed to be done.

What you were being asked to do?

What did you take the initiative to do?

What challenges made this task difficult?

Actions Briefly describe (using good action words) the steps YOU

took to complete the assignment.

Results What happened because of what you did? Can you

quantify, or measure, the results?

When developing and selecting stories for an interview, one way to ensure you have

appropriate examples is to go through the job description and identify a story for each

job responsibility.

What is one of the main responsibilities

listed in the job description?

What is your STAR story that demonstrates

your value in performing this

responsibility?




Know your __________________

Values are the things that matter most to you, the things that make a career

appealing to you or not. Remember, a job interview also allows you to determine if the

job is a good fit and in line with your values.

Knowing what is most important to you will help you determine how well you will fit with

the company. Below are some of the most common factors to consider when making

this kind of decision.

Review the list and write your “Ideal” description for each of the factors. Then, rate

each factor according to your personal importance scale by placing an X in the

corresponding column.

Factors – COMPANY My Ideal Most Important Important Least Important

Size of Company

Number of Employees

Public/Private

Profit/Non-Profit

Financial Condition

Stability

Reputation

Company Growth/History

Products/Services

Future Growth

Factors - JOB

Duties/Responsibilities

Level of Authority

Challenge

Independence

Job Visibility

Travel

Status (Title)

Base Salary

Incentives/Bonuses

Benefits

Factors - PERSONAL

Corporate Culture

Management Style

Promotion Potential

Work Hours

Commute



Before the Interview: Memorize Your “Elevator Pitch”

“Elevator Pitch” Template - A

Your Name ______________________________________________________________________

Your most recent position ________________________________________________________

What were your major responsibilities? ____________________________________________

State an accomplishment that you are proud of from your last job.

__________________________________________________________________________________

What do you want to do next?

__________________________________________________________________________________

“Elevator Pitch” Template - B

“I am a __________________________________________________________________with the

(occupation i.e. “sales manager”)

bulk of my career involved in ____________________________________________________.

(industry/type of work i.e. “medical equipment sales”

Most recently, I worked at ______________________ as a _____________________________

(Company name) (Job title/role)

where I _________________________________________________________________________.

(briefly describe duties and responsibilities)

I find that wherever I have worked, I bring three key strengths to the table:

_________________________, __________________________, and _______________________.

(name and define three strengths used in your work experience)

At this time, my future plans are to _______________________________________________.”

(state your future career objective)



Before the Interview: Types of Interviews

Phone

Phone interviews are not the same as in-person interviews. So much human

communication is non-verbal that you may need to acquire a few new skills to pull off

a great job interview over the phone. To get you started, check out these phone

interview tips:

Smile while you speak. It may feel silly, but smiling shows up in your voice

Stand up, relax and take a few deep breaths to calm nerves

No eating, drinking, smoking or gum chewing while talking - make sure there is

no background noise (like a TV playing, dog barking or baby crying)

Speak with appropriate enthusiasm and energy

If a receptionist or assistant connects you to the interviewer, be nice to that

person – word gets around

Close the interview by trying to set up an in-person meeting

Traditional

The most common format is the traditional or one-on-one interview where it is just you

and one interviewer. Arrive well prepared, on time, and with confidence and you’ll

do just fine.

Group

In a candidate group interview, you will most likely be placed in a room with other job

applicants. In many cases, these applicants will be applying for the same position for

which you are applying. You will most likely be asked to listen to information about the

company and the position, and you may be asked to answer questions or participate

in group exercises. Use these tips to stand out as a mature, confident and competent

candidate:

Introduce yourself politely to the other candidates

Be an active participant by contributing your ideas as well as listening to the

other candidates

Appear confident but avoid coming across as aggressive or arrogant

Don’t dominate the conversation or interrupt the other candidates

Stay cool under stress



Before the Interview: Types of Interviews (continued)

Panel

In a panel interview, you will most likely be interviewed individually by a panel of two

or more people. This interview style is almost always a question-and-answers session

and is often used when you are being interviewed by peers – your future co-workers.

Your goals in this type of interview are to:

Greet all of your interviewers individually by making eye contact, saying hello

and shaking hands

When responding to questions, look at the person who asked the question first,

then make eye contact with the other interviewers

Demonstrate your ability to handle stress and pressure

Thank everyone who interviewed you and remember names and titles so that

you can send a written thank you note to each interviewer afterwards

Behavioral

Interviews with mainly behavioral questions focus on specific examples of your past

performance as indicators of your future performance. The interviewer may take

many notes. The STAR format is perfect for these kinds of questions. To succeed in a

behavioral interview, you must be able to link your accomplishment STAR stories to the

position and employer.

Stress

Stress interviews are less common and are designed to “see how you react under

stress and think on your feet.” Interviewers may act sarcastic, angry, confrontational

and challenging. Your job is to:

Stay calm, breathe deeply and slowly and maintain eye contact

Recognize the artificially-created scenario for what it is – don’t take it personally

Stay on the positive side of issues presented without getting angry or hostile

Video/Web Conference

With advances in technology many companies are using video or web conferencing

for interviews. Make sure you and your equipment is ready by:

Testing your microphone and camera functions about 15-30 minutes before the

interview time to ensure the computer is working properly

Remove from the camera view anything you don’t want seen by the interviewer

Dress as if you are going to an in-person interview



Before the Interview: Interview Questions

By anticipating the questions you can expect in an interview, you can think through

and practice your responses beforehand and walk into the interview with confidence.

This section describes the various types of interview questions and provides examples

of each.

Getting to know you

When an interviewer asks questions about you, they are trying to determine how good

a fit you are for the company. The best way to answer interview questions is to be

honest. You are who you are – don’t try to be someone you’re not. Doing so won’t

pay off in the long run. Below are some frequently asked interview questions:

Tell me about yourself…

What is your greatest strength?

What is your greatest weakness?

How would you describe yourself?

How do you handle stress on the job?

What motivates you?

What are you passionate about?

What are your pet peeves?

Why should I hire you?

How would the people who know you answer: “Why should we hire you?”

Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

What type of work environment do you prefer?

What interests you about this job?

Why are you the best candidate for this position?

What do you expect from a supervisor?

What are you looking for in your next job?

What are your goals for the next three-to-five years?

Why are you leaving your present job? – Or – Why did you leave your last job?

What can you contribute to this company?

What challenges are you looking for in your next job?

Why do you want to work here?



Before the Interview: Interview Questions (continued)

Qualifications

One of the most important parts of successful interviewing is to relate your

qualifications to the job for which you are interviewing. It is critical to show the hiring

manager that you have the qualifications the company needs in a candidate.

Typical questions about your qualifications:

What applicable skills or experience do you have?

How will your greatest strength help you be successful/perform in this job?

Briefly summarize your work history and education for me.

What special aspects of your work experience have prepared you for this job?

What motivates you?

How do you evaluate success?

Can you describe for me one or two of your most important accomplishments?

What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?

How much supervision have you typically received in previous jobs?

Describe for me one or two of the biggest disappointments in your work history.

What special aspects of your education or training have prepared you for this

job?

Can you pinpoint any specific things in your past experience that affected your

present career goals?

Did you have any long- or short-term goals for your team/department/position?

How did you achieve them?

What were some of the things about your last job that you found most difficult?

What are some things you particularly liked about your last job?

If I were to ask your most recent employer about your abilities, what would

he/she say?

What was your most difficult decision in the last six months?

How would you describe your leadership/management style?

Have you made presentations or done any public speaking?

Would you rather write a report or give a verbal report? Why?

How do you make sure that deadlines that you were responsible for meeting are

met for work?

What can you contribute to this company?




Behavioral

Behavioral interview questions will be more focused than traditional interview questions

and you’ll need to respond with specific examples of how you handled situations in

the workplace. This is where your STAR stories play the biggest role in your success at

the interview. Behavior-based questions usually begin with:

“Give me an example of a time when you…”

“Tell me about a time when circumstances required you to…”

“Describe the most significant challenge…”

“Recall the most rewarding…”

Here are some examples:

Give an example of a time when you had to use problem solving to handle a

tough situation.

Tell me about a goal you achieved and how you achieved it.

Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.

Tell me about a time when you didn’t have enough work to do?

Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled

implementing it.

Tell me about a time when you had to work on multiple projects at the same

time. How did you prioritize your work?

Describe an experience you had in which you were too persistent. What

happened?

Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a tough customer service

situation. What was the situation? What did you do? What was the result?

Describe a situation where you wish you had acted differently with someone at

work. What did you do? What happened as a result?

Give me an example of a time when your ideas were strongly opposed in a

discussion with superiors. How did you react? What were the results?

What are some of the most difficult one-to-one meetings you have had with

subordinates? Why were they difficult?

Tell me about the largest sale you made and how you did it.

Give me an example of a time when you had responsibility for the successful

outcome of a very large project.

Describe a time when you were working under pressure and had to go the extra

mile.




Salary

At any part of the job search and interviewing process, expect to be asked your salary

history, your most recent salary, or your salary expectations. While you should try to

avoid discussing salary until an offer is made, there will be times when you will need to

respond. Below are some tips for how to handle these types of questions:

When asked: What was your salary/pay history?

Usually asked on job applications or in ads.

You need to be honest, because your salary can be verified by a prospective

employer.

When asked: State your salary/pay requirements.

This is also usually asked on job applications or in ads or by the Human Resources

representative. It gives the employer a way to phase you out or in and provides

a starting point on which to base their offer.

Leave it blank if you can, or fill in required fields with “Flexible”.

What to say during the interview:

“Could we come back to discuss that after I am able to provide a better

picture of what I have to offer?”

“I’m most interested in learning about the opportunity first. When I more fully

understand the scope of responsibility, I’ll be able to give you an idea of the

compensation I would expect.”

“Your company has a reputation for fair compensation. I don’t think salary will

be a problem. I would like to ask you some additional questions about what

would be expected in this position.”

“I’m sure [Company Name] has a fair compensation scale, and if we decided

that this match is a good one, I’m confident that we will be able to agree on a

salary.”

“The issue isn’t as much about what I want, as what you have budgeted for this

position. Most companies work within salary ranges. If I knew what the range for

this position was, I’d be able to tell you if that fits within what I would expect.

What is the salary range for this position?”

“The responsibilities are different from my previous position, so the salaries are

really not comparable. I would prefer to fit into your salary structure.”

“As I have researched information about salaries for this level position, the

market value of the total compensation package is between (give a range).”




Illegal

In a perfect world, interview questions should be solely related to the position and your

ability to do the job. Occasionally, however, an interviewer asks questions that could

potentially be used in a discriminatory way. Practicing how you would handle these

kinds of questions will help you respond professionally.

Remember:

Many interviewers are not trained in interviewing – they may not know which

questions to avoid or which questions are illegal

Inappropriate questions are often unintentional

Often questions are based more on perceived relevance rather than legality –

with no harm intended

What to do if asked potentially discriminatory questions:

Use your common sense and react objectively – not defensively

Maintain eye contact and remain calm and professional

Be aware of your body language and remain as neutral as possible

Ask for clarification on how the question relates to the responsibilities of the job

Stick to only discussions about business – getting personal may open up the

conversation to sensitive topics

Questions you should ask the interviewer

As the interview comes to a close, one of the final questions you may be asked is

“What questions can I answer for you?” Not only will having questions prepared make

you look prepared and interested in the position, it will help you assess if the company

and/or job will be a good FIT for you! The following are some questions for you to ask:

How would you describe the responsibilities of the position?

What does a typical day/week look like in this job?

Is this a new position? If not, what did the previous employee go on to do?

What skills and qualities does the ideal candidate for this position possess?

What projects must be completed in the next two to three months?

What are some of the long-term goals of this position?

How many people work in the office/department?

How much travel is expected?

How would you describe your (the department manager’s) management style?

What are the next steps in the process?



Before the Interview: Dress for Success

The primary goal in dressing for an interview is to

feel good about the way you look while projecting

an image that matches the requirements of the

position and company.

The basic rule is very simple – ensure your outfit is:

Clean – Pressed – Polished – Professional

Guidelines for Women

A good quality suit, pantsuit or dress should be stylish but conservative and the

style should compliment your figure

Skirt length should be at least to the bottom of the knee

Stick to neutral solid colors such as taupe, navy, gray or black

Blouses can be almost any color that is flattering to your skin tone –avoid blouses

with low-cut necklines or that are too frilly

Shoes should be polished, and in a professional style and color that matches

your outfit

Minimize the amount of accessories and jewelry to simple, high quality pieces

Guidelines for Men

A good quality suit in dark blue, gray or black

A nice quality white button-down shirt – be sure it is ironed

Ties are a MUST and should be in a color that compliments your suit

Shoes should be polished dress shoes in brown, cordovan or black

Guidelines for Both Women and Men

Hair should be neat, clean and not an over-the-top style

Avoid excessive perfume or cologne

Manicure nails and clean hands

Need an outfit for your next interview?

Visit the CareerSource Suncoast Opportunity Closet



During the Interview: Confidence and Lasting Impressions

Have you heard the phrase: You never get a second chance to make a first

impression?

Interviewers often make up their mind about an applicant within the first five minutes.

Your non-verbal cues make up 80% of their decision! This means your appearance,

poise, hygiene, confidence, posture, attitude, interest level, handshake, eye contact,

attentiveness, punctuality and nervousness all need to be in check!

Follow these guidelines to exhibit confidence and leave a positive lasting impression:

_______________ at everyone you meet

Make _________ _____________________

It is important in our culture to maintain eye contact with the person to whom

you are talking. It is generally interpreted as a gesture of trust and confidence.

Extend a confident __________________________

Always initiate the handshake, as it will make you appear more in control.

Handshakes are often an indicator of a person’s frame of mind, so practice your

own handshake and be conscious of the return handshake you receive.

Check your body language

Proper body language is critical in business situations. Before your interview,

practice your body language with someone you know and determine if there is

anything you might need to keep in check.

________________________ is everything!

Remember that your positive attitude is the key! Positive non-verbal behavior

naturally results from a positive attitude. Your verbal and non-verbal

communication will be in line and your enthusiasm will shine.



During the Interview: Responding to Questions

You’ve researched the company, analyzed how your skills match the job description,

prepared your STAR stories, memorized your elevator pitch, practiced your responses

to the most common interview questions and delivered a confident first impression.

Now, it’s show time!

Responding to questions and demonstrating the value you bring to the employer is the

next step in the game. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for responding to questions:

Do’s

__________________ carefully

Ask for _______________________

Speak with ___________________

Be thorough and _____________

Use your ____________ stories

Remain ______________________

Show interest – Ask ___________

Don’ts

Don’t speak too quickly

Don’t argue or defend

Don’t appear desperate

Don’t talk too much

Don’t exaggerate

Don’t be negative

Don’t show up unprepared

During the Interview: Closing with Confidence

When they have asked all their questions and you have asked all of yours, you want to

restate your interest in the job as the interview wraps up, closing with confidence.

Ask the next step in the process

Repeat your “Elevator Pitch”

Ask for the interviewer’s business card

Smile

Offer a confident handshake

Say “Thank You” and use their name



After the Interview: Follow-up

Immediately ________________ the interview

As soon as possible following the interview, maybe even in your car before you

drive off, write down what you think and feel about how you feel the interview

went. Review key points such as:

o What did you learn about the person(s) with whom you interviewed?

o Did you learn anything that confirmed your interest in the

company/position?

o Which key skills, abilities and accomplishments were you able discuss?

o What are the next steps?

Send a _______________-___________ letter within 24 hours

In your Thank You, remind the interviewer of your qualities and key points

discussed during the interview.

Call to _______________ the status of the process

Know the interviewer’s timeline regarding the selection and decision process. If

you haven’t heard from him or her by the date that was indicated, you may call

to check on the status of the process.

_____________________ your job search campaign

Don’t stop looking just because you had a great feeling about your interview.

You will want to continue searching and landing that next interview. Besides, if

you don’t receive a job offer from this one, it was great practice for the next!

_____________________ when not offered the job

Always send a gracious response to your turndown if you are not offered the

job. You never know if the person offered the job will leave after a few weeks,

or if another position will open up. Keep the door open.



My Action Plan

One thing I will do immediately to be prepared for my next interview is…

Additional next steps I am going to take for my career search campaign are…

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.

100-014 Training Agreement Revised 1/2014


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Documents

Preparing for the Interview - suncoastworkforce.comsuncoastworkforce.com/assets/online-workshops/Preparing for the... · Preparing for the Interview Workshop 1 careersourcesuncoast.com