Lecture 3 The Interview

Transcription

1 Lecture 3 The Interview EQS 240

2 Practice Makes Perfect For many, the thought of interviewing can leave you with a stomach full of butterflies. You have to not only go and meet complete strangers but talk about yourself in a positive and coherent manner, all in the hopes of getting a job that you have been working so hard for. While many stress at this idea, the interview is not to be feared but thought of as an opportunity to truly present yourself, your accomplishments, and what you can bring to an organization. This is your chance to paint a portrait of the person you are, the kind of candidate a company would like, respect, and want to hire. Interviewing takes practice, and practice makes perfect. Do not wing it when it comes to interviewing, as it will be more noticeable than you think. You will need to prepare for every aspect of the interview process. We can break down the interview process into three main steps: Preparation Execution Follow Up Understanding and preparing for each of these three steps is key to a successful interview!

3 Table of Contents Click on the different sections of the table of contents to jump through this document Practice Makes Perfect... 2 Preparation... 4 The Product is You... 4 Personal Data Sheets... 4 Appearance... 5 Hands-On Position... 5 Hands-Off/Office Position... 5 Body Language... 6 Posture... 6 Hand Gestures... 6 Eye Contact... 7 Confidence... 7 Social Media Clean Up... 7 Do Your Research... 8 Be Organized... 8 Be On Time... 8 Question and Answer... 9 Do You Have Any Questions?... 9 Additional Preparation Tools Execution Online vs. In-Person The Introduction Question & Answer The Closing Follow Up Thanking the Interviewer or Handwritten? Short & Sweet Waiting Game FAQ... 15

4 Preparation The Product is You The first step in preparing for the interview is asking yourself Who are you? The success or failure of many interviews will hinge on your ability to answer this seemingly simple question. You might have noticed throughout these three lectures that there is a common theme selling yourself as a worthwhile candidate. You are the product and the salesperson. If you show up unprepared to talk about your unique features and benefits, you are not likely to motivate an interviewer to buy. Personal Data Sheets While you have already wrote out, organized, and linked together your work experiences, education, volunteer/internship history, skills, etc. in the resume and cover letter, it is now time to mold that into something you can verbally communicate into concise and convincing answers. One of the best ways to do this is by creating yourself data sheets for the following categories: Employment Volunteer/Internship Experience Education Activities/Clubs For each of these categories, write down: Specific duties and responsibilities Supervisory experience (if applicable) Specific skills required for the job Key accomplishments Any awards, honors, or special recognition you received If you have truly spent the time creating a proper resume and cover letter, this should be fairly easy. If you have not, these data sheets cannot only help for the interview but also add to your other supporting documents. The better you know yourself, the better you can sell yourself to a prospective employer. From your data sheets you can compile a list of your best features under the following headings: My Strongest Skills My Greatest Areas of Knowledge My Greatest Personality Strengths My Key Accomplishments

5 You can then transform your best features into benefits for your prospective employer. What in my personal inventory will convince this employer that I deserve the position? What are the strengths, achievements, skills, and area of knowledge that make the most qualified for this position? What in my background should separate me from the rest? Also spend some time answering tough questions about mistakes and less-than-positive feedback received; this will help you locate areas that may need improvement. Appearance Appearance is one of the most discussed interview preparation topics. A professional appearance is a must when you go in for an interview but the definition of professional appearance can vary. Since this course focuses on the equine industry, appropriate interview appearance will be broken down based on hands on and non-hands-on/office positions. Hands-On Position A hands-on position in the equine industry (groom, hotwalker, foreman, exercise rider, sales, etc.) is going to have slightly different appearance expectations than other industries. If you are going to be working daily with horses and in a barn it is unrealistic to think you will be doing that in a suit. Hands-Off/Office Position An office position, whether it is in the equine industry or not, will follow some more commonly accepted attire guidelines. Compared to the appearance of a hands-on position, an office position is going to require more of a dressy look. Click here to view a PDF chart comparing and contrasting attire

6 Body Language Appropriate body language before, during, and after the interview can have a tremendous impact on how a prospective employer views you. It involves much more than just standing up straight; everything from hand gestures to eye contact may be evaluated. Posture Your body posture during the interview should be in a neutral position. Leaning back can suggest boredom or a lack of interest while leaning forward can seem threatening. The old adage "sit up straight and tall" sends a message of confidence to the prospective employer. If you are sitting during the interview, make sure your legs are closed. For women, it is better if you cross your ankles rather than your legs. Avoid shuffling your feet, bobbing a foot up and down or vigorously moving your leg. These are all common signs of nervousness and are very obvious to another person. If you are in a chair that moves/swivels be very aware of your body movement! Hand Gestures When you meet your interviewer you should provide a firm handshake. Recent research suggests that having a good handshake influences the opinion of those interviewing you. If you have never shook a person's hand before start practicing now. Before and during the interview process be sure to avoid any chopping gestures; the interview is not a martial arts test. Do not point, as this is an aggressive motion and considered rude. Your hands should be in front of you and ready to gesture naturally. Do not toy with your hands, play with any jewelry or crack your knuckles, as these are all unsightly to the interviewer. Practice keeping your hands calm while talking to another person. Avoid putting your hands in your pockets, behind your back, or crossed in front of your chest as this can make you seem stiff and closed off.

7 Eye Contact Having the right amount of eye contact can be tricky to figure out. While you want to make eye contact to the interviewer you do not want to overdo it and come across creepy or aggressive. We often break eye contact when a connection kicks in. Next time that occurs, sustain eye contact for just a moment longer and then break away. Make sure you make eye contact when shaking hands and meeting someone for the first time. Do not avoid eye contact altogether or shift your eyes constantly. Do not stare at the clock or your phone or roll your eyes as this is incredibly rude. Confidence Personality, confidence, enthusiasm, and a positive outlook count heavily in the selection process. While you want to be confident don't be too confident to the point of being cocky. You can show your confidence with a firm handshake, appropriate eye contact, clear and succinct answers to questions, a warm smile, and appropriate attire and body language. Social Media Clean Up Research shows that 91% of employers search your social media for any red flags. While it might seem obvious to not put damaging photos or statuses on your social media sites, many forget this important rule. You must also be cautious about friends posting, sharing, or tagging inappropriate items to your social media sites. Increase your privacy settings to minimize the amount of information visible to the general public and give your social media accounts a thorough look for suspicious or questionable items.

8 Do Your Research A common theme among Lectures 1-3 is that you must be knowledgeable about the company or organization you wish to gain employment from. Refresh yourself on the company again. Here are some ways in which you should conduct research prior to the interview: Be Organized Visit the organization's website and read up on its mission, values, organizational structure and employee biographies, especially the interviewer Assess their products, services, and client-base Read recent press releases for insight, Google the organization's name and see if they have any new ventures, earned recent awards, etc. The day before the interview prepare all the materials you will need. You should bring with you: Writing instrument \ Extra copies of your resumes Do you know how many people are going to interviewing you? You probably don t make sure you have enough copies so no one is left out \ Sheet of references \ List of questions for the employer 2 Any information you might need to complete an application These materials should be neatly placed in a folder or a portfolio notepad. Be On Time For many interviewers, you showing up late is immediate cause for canceling the interview. It doesn't matter that traffic was backed up or you didn't hear your alarm this morning, being late is unacceptable. Being on time is also not racing down the hallway with moments to spare. You should arrive around ten minutes before your scheduled interview. Do not show up too early for an interview either. Arriving more than 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time will increase your anxiety and will lead to frustration on the interviewer's part because he/she might feel rushed. If you don t know where your interview location is it might be a good idea to do a practice run a few days before to see how long it takes to get there and that you know where you are going.

9 Question and Answer The next largest step that comes with preparation is practicing the question and answer portion of the interview. This is the main component of the interview process. The only way you are going to improve upon your verbal communication is to practice speaking in front of others! Utilize those around you, friends, family, co-workers, etc. to assist you in practicing this part of the interview process. There are many, many questions an interviewer could ask you. Completing the data sheets discussed earlier will set you up to answer many commonly asked interview questions. Please click here to open up a chart that reviews eight of the most commonly asked interview questions what to say and what not to say. Do You Have Any Questions? While you practice and prepare for any question an interviewer might throw at you this final one leaves many people blank. The last item you will want to prepare prior to the interview are questions you want to ask the interviewer. When the interviewer asks "do you have any questions" the last answer you want to give is "no". Part of knowing how to interview is being ready to ask questions that demonstrate an interest in what goes on in the company. Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to find out if this is the right place for you. The best questions come from listening to what you're asked during the interview and asking for additional information. What Not to Ask There are numerous questions you should not ask during an interview. These include: How much does this job pay? What are the benefits? What are the hours? A better way to ask this is what is a typical workday like? What happened to the last person that had this job? Can I work at another job part time? What is your policy on drug use/smoking/background checks/etc. How did I do/did I get the job?

10 Additional Preparation Tools While this lecture introduces the fundamentals of interview preparation, there are a vast number of online resources that will assist you further. With the interview assessment being a significant part of your grade you will need to take a proactive approach in preparing appropriately. To the right are several links to various career development websites and interview tips. You can also utilize video resources, such as YouTube, and searching for the appropriate terminology to find tips. I encourage you to explore these links and contact me with any questions you might have. BCTC offers career development in their counseling center. There is a full-time specialist available that will help you with writing your resume, cover letter, and interview skills. This link is also included on the right. BCTC Career Development & Training My Interview Simulator How to Ace the 50 Most Common Interview Questions Monster.com Interview Question Articles Job Interview Simulator (Click Test Drive for the Trial) Ultimate Interview Guide: 30 Prep Tips

11 Execution Online vs. In-Person With proper preparation in place it is time to move on to the next interview step - execution. Prior to the interview you will know if this is going to an in-person or online interview. Phone interviews are not very common, but could also be a possible choice depending on the prospective employer's availability. Preparation is going to be similar regardless if it is online or in-person. Proper eye contact, body language, attire, and timeliness all matter in an online interview just as they do in person. While you won't be able to shake the interviewer's hand during an online interview, be sure to acknowledge and properly greet the interviewer prior to beginning. You will also want to make sure that the webcam and software you are using to video chat is functional. Test these devices prior to the interview! Skype is a popular, free video chatting software that many employers use for interviewing. Make sure your username is appropriate and professional. Online Interviewing Tips Online interviewing comes with its own unique challenges. Check out the tips below to learn more about executing the perfect online interview: Prepare the environment you are going to be online interviewing at. If possible position your computer and webcam so there is a blank wall behind you. Turn off the television, radio, and other noises prior to beginning. Make sure there will be no interruptions by pets or other people! Dress for an online interview the same way you would for an in-person interview! Make sure you speak clearly you may want to check how your connection is by doing a mock interview with a friend prior to the real deal The Introduction Your interview begins the minute you step into the building. It is very common for receptionists to take notes about candidates while they are waiting and let the interviewer know how they were. Remember to smile and be courteous to everyone you come across. Once you are brought to the interview area make eye contact, greet, and shake the hands of everyone that is present. Introduce yourself during this and remember to smile and relax. Once you are seated, wait for the interviewer to begin. The most common question he/she will open with is "tell me about yourself".

12 Question & Answer During the question and answer phase be sure to keep a positive attitude, even if you think things are not going as you planned. Always be positive in your answers and never say anything negative about past experiences, employers, courses, or professors. Give thorough, but concise answers. Do not ramble on or give the interviewer more than he/she needs to know. Watch your ums, uhs, and other nonwords. Use appropriate, professional language during the interview. Do not use slang or inappropriate terminology. Do not make references to age, race, religion, politics, or sexual orientation. The tone of your voice is very important when you are answering questions. Think about what your tone of voice sounds like. Does it reflect confidence? Strength? Fear? Immaturity? Ask a friend for their thoughts on how you speak. The Closing When the interview comes to a close there are some crucial final steps you need to do. If you are genuinely interested in the position, be sure to communicate your enthusiasm before you leave the interview. Ask for the interviewer's business card so you can follow-up. If you have not asked earlier, you may want to ask what the next steps are in the hiring process. Closing the Interview Always leave the interviewer with the right picture of you. Think of at least five skills or traits you want remembered after the interview.

13 Follow Up Thanking the Interviewer Once you have completed the interview are you truly finished? Not at all. One of the most important parts of the interview process occurs once the interview is over. Following up appropriately is key to letting a prospective employer know you are motivated and interested in the job. Within 48 hours of an interview, regardless of how you felt the interview went, send a thank you note. Thanking the interviewer for his or her time is not only polite, but it also demonstrates a sincere interest in the position. One survey found that 75% of interviewers said receiving a thank you letter from a candidate affected their decision-making process. or Handwritten? There are two ways in which you can create and send a thank you note: Handwritten and mailed Typed and ed Which format is the best? Well it depends on who you ask. Some feel a handwritten note is the ideal format while others say is now an appropriate option. For a more traditional business you would want to opt for a handwritten note while for a modern business, or one that is very fast pace/involves traveling, an would be better. If your handwriting is less than desirable either type out the thank you note or get someone else to write it for you. If you choose to send an thank you note remember that your message is still business communication, which means it should be appropriately formal (including an appropriate salutation and closing) and error free. Make sure you send a separate to each person that interviewed you and not just combine them all in one .

14 Short & Sweet A thank you note should be short and to the point. You do need to write a 1-page essay on how you felt the interview went and why you should get the job. In the note you should: Thank the interviewer for his/her time Reiterate your interest in the position Recall something specific about your interview experience so it does not look like a generic message Carefully proofread and make sure it is error free If you are handwriting your note, make sure to purchase a neutral but professional thank you card. It should be simple, no images, large "thank you", etc. Be sure to send a thank you to each person that interviewed you. Waiting Game After sending a thank you note is there any more that can be done? You can still follow up but you must proceed with caution so you do not come across desperate or annoying. Don't jump to conclusions if it has been a week or more and you have not heard anything. Not only is it a lengthy process but there could have been more candidates to interview. If you were on your game and asked prior to leaving the interview "what are the next steps" you hopefully received a general guideline on when you might be contacted. If it is past that date you can inquire about the job process: "Hi Jane, I hope all is well. You mentioned that you would be finalizing your decision for the IT position this week. I'm eager to hear when you have an update. Please let me know if there's anything I can provide to assist you in the decision-making process" Do not do the following: Leave long messages on the interviewer s voic or call multiple times Do not send multiple, repeating s about the status of the job Do not show up at the place of business looking for an answer Sometimes you may never receive a follow-up after interviewing for a job. While it might seem rude, unfortunately some employers don t feel the need to inform each candidate about the outcome. Take it in stride and put a positive spin on it you got some valuable interviewing practice for the next time!

15 FAQ What if I left for my interview with plenty of time but something happened on the way? Is my chance over? While every situation/circumstance is going to be unique and if a true force of nature prevents you from getting to your interview on time it may not be the end of the world, but communication here is going to be key. Make sure you have contact information and the ability to call the interviewer to explain the situation. Depending on their schedule and what is going on, they may reschedule and you can breathe a sigh of relief. If you never call and don t show up, do not expect to get a call from the interviewer looking to reschedule. What are the most common things you see go wrong in the interview assessment? Not introducing yourself. I will meet you outside of the interview room to greet you and give you a last minute pep talk. I am going to basically be your practice for greeting, so make it count! When you enter into the room make sure you shake the hand and introduce yourself to each person present prior to sitting down. If you are doing an online interview you still must introduce yourself! I will always say panel this is candidate number and that is your moment to present yourself to the panel. Fidgeting! Constantly moving your hands, legs, body, swiveling in the chair, you name it. I know it is a very nerve-wracking process but take a deep breath, smile, and sit still! Lack of depth when answering. This shows me you did not practice for this assessment and it will hurt your overall interview score tremendously. Answer with supporting detail from your experiences (work, internships, education, etc.) and relate them to the job at hand. If you get a question about leadership don t just say Yes I am a good leader, I lead well, give examples! When I was student barn foreman for a week, I was challenged to lead a group of first-year students in the daily operational tasks. Use of ums, uhs, and other non-words. This is a very difficult habit to break, but you need to be consciously aware of your speech and these non-words as they inhibit your ability to speak clearly and concisely. Take a moment when answering questions to give yourself a second to think. Repeating the question as you answer can also buy you some time so you can develop a thoughtful response. Not asking a question at the end. You should assume this is going to happen, so be prepared with a question or two for the interviewer. Do not ask a question that I already answered in the job posting. That demonstrates to me you didn t prepare well for this assessment.