Interviewing 101. Brought to you by the MHS PTSA January 30, 2017

Transcription

1 Interviewing 101 Brought to you by the MHS PTSA January 30, 2017

2 Click to play video

3 Interview Stress is Common Over 90% of People Experience it! Many Fears can be overcome with interview preparation! Source: Essaytigers.com

4 Tonight s Agenda Interviewing 101 Interactive Lecture Panel Discussion What are interviewers looking for? Small group activities Wrap-up Coming Attractions: Monday, 2/6: Mock Interviews

5 Interviewing 101

6 Rule #1: First and Last Impressions Matter! How to nail the first impression be SPECIAL*: S: Shake Hands (firm, appropriate grip) P: Posture (stand up straight, convey confidence) E: Eye Contact (look other person in the eye whole time) C: Charm (win them over with warm smile, raised eyebrow, head nod, or laugh) I: Introduce yourself ( Hi, I m ) gets the ball rolling A: Ask a question ( How are you today? or Don t you hate this snow? begins a conversation & shows interest) L: Lean in and Listen (while respecting personal space, getting a bit closer shows you re engaged in the conversation.) Practice! *Adam Dovico, Wake Forest University. Kappanmagazine.org. Nov, 2016.

7 Pop Quiz! Who is the first person you will make an impression upon in an interview? The Office Manager! They are often asked to provide feedback on you. Make it count!

8 Rule #2: Take Advantage of the Icebreaker Question Prepare for the Tell me About Yourself Question with a 1 minute pitch Provide a brief overview of some personal details Emphasize your most relevant skills that match the position Show enthusiasm for the position you are interviewing for

9 When asked, Tell me a bit about yourself Instead of Try Uhh. What do you want to know? I ve lived in Montgomery for 17 years with my parents & brother. I love school and am a hard worker. I m heavily involved in Model UN and the Varsity Softball team. I really enjoy working with others, and have had the opportunity to lead a few fundraisers at our school. I really look forward to learning more about your (college, scholarship, job opening).

10 Rule #3: Know your Audience (Do your Research!) It is CRITICAL to thoroughly research the (college, scholarship, company) before your interview Demonstrates initiative Will help you answer question, Why do you want to work here? Where possible, show linkages with your experience and the organization s programs / values I write a column for the local newspaper, and would be excited to join the staff of the Daily Gazette at your college!

11 Pause for Questions & Panel Discussion Rule #1- First & Last Impressions Matter! Rule #2- Take advantage of the Icebreaker Question Rule #3- Know Your Audience (Do your Research!)

12 Rule #4: Prepare for Commonly Asked Questions Click to play video

13 Rule #4: Prepare for Commonly Asked Questions Why do you want this (job, scholarship, college)? What s your greatest strength? What s your greatest weakness? Explain specifically what you like about the organization (Mission? Culture? Approach?) Show how your skills are a strong match Do research on the organization to determine what they value Explain what your greatest strength is (ideally, aligned with their values!) Provide a specific example of when you exhibited this strength Key: Show self awareness & that you re working on it Avoid clichés: I work too hard I m a perfectionist Avoid stating a skill that is critical to the position! Frame as, I d like to improve. Here s how I m working on it.

14 Rule #4: Prepare for Commonly Asked Questions Tell me about a conflict you faced and how you dealt with it? Show that you are fair & level-headed In your example, show how you used rational judgement Tell me about a time where you demonstrated leadership? It s ok if you are not a club officer or haven t supervised anyone at work, etc. Speak about a time when you were in charge of something (group project? Tutoring someone?) Explain how you handled the situation Tell me about a mistake you ve made? Choose a mistake that s not too big and did not affect an outcome too dramatically! Explain how you realized the mistake, and what steps you have taken so that it won t happen again

15 Rule #4: Prepare for Commonly Asked Questions What are you passionate about? Opportunity to say what s important to you! Let your enthusiasm shine through Doesn t need to be work or school related (fine to say a hobby, family, friendships, etc.) What questions do you have for me? Opportunity to showcase what you ve learned about the organization in your research Opportunity to clarify any key questions you have

16 Interviewers often have a rubric to rate your interviews; they are looking for behavior-based examples you provide. Make it easy for them by structuring your answers in the STAR format Provide context & background Customers of the ice cream shop where I work complained that we were out of their favorite flavors. Describe the problem & challenges This turned into a bigger issue--a few customers posted negative online reviews, which hurt sales. SITUATION TASK State benefits, savings, improvements Customer satisfaction and positive reviews increased 20%. RESULT ACTION Explain WHAT you did and HOW I developed a new flavor of the week program where we featured that flavor. I advertised the program on FB, and we offered a 10% discount to customers who mentioned seeing it there.

17 Panel Interviews No need to panic! You may be questioned by several interviewers at once Be sure to shake hands and introduce yourself to each interviewer When answering, focus your attention on who asked the question, BUT be sure to periodically make eye contact with the other interviewers There may be one person interviewing several candidates at once Stick to your plan! Find the right balance - get YOUR points across, but don t be a conversation hog!

18 Rule #5: Interview Yourself Click to play video

19 Rule #5: Interview Yourself Walk in with 3-5 key things you want them to know about you. If they don t ask specifically about these, find a way to work them in! Work well in teams Leadership Work ethic, etc. Show what s in it for THEM by accepting you; NOT what s in it for YOU What s in It for THEM: - Your creativity - Your work ethic What s in It for YOU: - Experience - Foot in the door

20 Rule #6: Don t Sweat the Oddball Question Click to play video

21 Rule #6: Don t Sweat the Oddball Question There is no right answer they want to see your thought process! Can approach it logically (or) think big picture! How many tennis balls would it take to fill a mini van? How much would you pay to have all the windows in Seattle washed? Logical Estimation $0.00 It rains everyday in Seattle!

22 Pause for Questions & Panel Discussion Rule #4- Prepare for Commonly Asked Questions Rule #5- Interview Yourself Rule #6- Don t Sweat the Oddball Question

23 Rule #7- Say What you Mean to Say Non-Verbal Cues Leave the Biggest Impression Learn to Master Them! Sources of the Messages we Send in an Interview: Infographic

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25 Rule #8: Have a Strong Closing Argument When wrapping up, you may be asked Do you have anything else to add? Take advantage of this opportunity to sell yourself one last time! Tell them why you want the (job, scholarship, college) Reiterate your qualifications and enthusiasm for the position They want to pick people who want to be there make it easy for them to pick YOU!

26 When asked, Do you have anything else to add? Instead of Try Nope! I d just like to reiterate how excited I am about potentially attending your college! The program is an exact match for my interests, and I believe my courses, and extracurricular, work, and volunteer activities have prepared me well to succeed there and contribute to campus life. I d really love to be a Wildcat!

27 Rule #9: Seal the Deal with a Thank You Always, always, always send a follow-up thank you note! Handwritten is best, but is fine, too Thank them for their time, and re-emphasize your enthusiasm for the position You may think, That s weird. NOBODY does that! Isn t That the Point?

28 Rule #10: Remember the Do s and Don ts Do s: Arrive early- If you can t be on time, be early! Attire- neat, appropriate, socks matter! Voice- volume, expressiveness Listen attentively- answer what s asked Eye contact- maintain eye contact 2/3 of time; focus on triangle region of their eyes/nose Shake off mistakes- keep on going! Last impression- thank you, handshake Don ts: Cross arms- appears negative & defensive Touch hair/face looks insecure Verbal distractions- um, like, ya know Bad mouth- anyone, ever!

29 Pause for Questions & Panel Discussion Rule #7- Be Aware of your Non-Verbal Cues Rule #8- Have a Strong Closing Argument Rule #9- Seal the Deal with a Thank You Rule #10- Remember the Do s & Don ts

30 Additional Resources Looking for a way to calm your nerves before your interview? Strike a power pose for 2 minutes! Check out this highly informative Ted Talk by Harvard Business School Professor, Amy Cuddy! It shows proven methods to reduce your stress and nerves before an interview, speech, etc. Click to play video