Interviewing Workshoppreparing for a successful interview
Bill Curtis, MA MBA MS
© 2008 Bill Curtis
Interviewing workshop Overview
What is the university looking for? The three basic questions Role of resume, cover letter Your role in the interview Self-analysis Research
Interviewing workshop Overview
Interviewing basics The ten questions Internet resources Summary & conclusions
What is the university looking for?
Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes What are they looking for? What are they trying to find out?
Why?
The three basic questions
Can doCan you succeed here?
Will doDo you really want to be in this program?
FitWill you fit in well in our university?
Role of resume & cover letter
What is the primary purpose of the Resume PS Cover letter
Get an interview Once you get the interview the PS is a
roadmap for the interviewer Avoid the rejection pile
Your role in the interview
I can succeed I want to succeed in your program I am a good fit for this program The interview is a two-way street Ask questions
Research
Two areas for your research:1. Yourself2. The university program
Researching yourself
Abilities Skills Interests
Self-analysis
Self-awareness Westerners value the individual and
teamwork Westerners value self-confidence “Self” does not mean “selfish” This is not the time to say “My oral
English is very poor”
Abilities
Organizational ability Leadership ability Analytical ability Team work and team contribution Problem solving
Abilities & skills Entrepreneurship An entrepreneur is someone who
starts or organizes a business, especially one with a financial risk Bill Gates Michael Dell Phil Knight Li Ning
Technical skills, e.g., computer skills
Self-analysis
Tell me about yourself. What’s your future plan? Why do you want to come to this
university?
Interests
Watching TV Talking to my
friends Computer games Shopping Sleeping
Mountain climbing Reading nonfiction Jogging Listening to music Reading fiction
Rank the following interests as positive or negative from the interviewers viewpoint
Research the university
History (especially with Chinese students)
Successful graduates Strengths Growth & trends Program ranking Faculty & faculty interests
Research the program
Entrance requirements Course of study Opportunities for individualized study Real world experience Placement assistance Program strengths and weaknesses Success stories
Interviewing basics
Dress and appearance Practice! “Near memorize” Create key words Role play with a friend
Arriving for the interview
Introductions Shake hands firmly Look the individual in the eye Do not offer to shake a woman’s hand
unless she offers it first
Interviewing basics
Enthusiasm Motivates others Positive attitude Likely will work well with others
Remember the 3 questions the interviewer is trying to answer
The interview is a conversation It’s ok to take notes
Interviewing basics Be certain you understand the question
before you answer it Repeat the question to be sure
“You want to know if I have team leadership experience?”
If you need to have a question repeated: “Could you repeat that please?”
Asking for clarification “I’m not sure I understand the question. Could
you re-phrase it?”
Interviewing basics
Focus give precise answers think before you speak
Length Short answers are good Be concise
Always give examples Body language & eye contact
Interviewing basics
Thank the interviewer “Thanks for you time. I appreciate the
opportunity to have the interview.” Shake hands
Ask about next steps “Do you know when you will be making
your admissions decision?
The art of interviewing
The three general questions: Can do Will do Fit
The art of interviewing
Can this person work well with others?
Is the person a leader or a follower? How does the person relate well with
colleagues? Is the person a team player? How can this person contribute to the
university?
The art of interviewing
Is this person qualified for admission? Is this person realistic in terms of
abilities and goals? Is this person motivated to work hard
and do well? Does the person want to study at our
university? What kind of a person is this?
Qualification questions
Question #1 Tell me about yourself. Please describe yourself
Qualification questions Purpose
Fit Check your judgment: do you know
what’s important to mention about yourself
Strategy Key is to focus on the most important
information Present it in an organized, concise
manner. Choose information that shows you are a
good fit with the university
Qualification questions
Sample answer“Last June I graduated from (school name) (with a Bachelor’s degree in English). I am an energetic and motivated student. Once I complete my preparation at COACE, I’ll be ready to continue my academic career at (UIC) to earn my (MBA) degree.”
Qualification questions
Question #2 Why should we admit you to this
program? Why are you a good candidate for
admission into this program?
Qualification questions Purpose
Can you provide adequate information? Do you understand the requirements of
the program and are you a good match? Strategy
Target the specific details in the program objectives, the needs of the university, & how your qualifications match the program’s needs
How do you get university information?
Qualification questions
Sample answer“I think I’m ideally suited for this
program. I have a degree in accounting (and practical experience as an intern in a company), so I can fit in well and adjust to the program quickly. Also, my future plan is to use my MBA to (…) so I am highly motivated to succeed.”
Qualification questions
Question #3 What classes did you like best? Of the classes you took, which ones
would be most useful for you at UIC? What did you learn from your
previous job that would be useful to you if you studied at UIC?
Qualification questions Purpose
Tells if you are interested in learning skills important to success in the program
Strategy Let the interviewer know you are an
eager learner Try to match your answer with the
requirements of the program
Qualification questions
Sample answer“My oral English classes were my favorite. I enjoyed interacting with my teachers and other students using English. English is the international language of business. Studying for an MBA at UIC would be exciting because I would be able to use my oral English abilities to learn business skills.”
Qualification questions
Question #4 What are your greatest strengths and
weaknesses? What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness? What about yourself would you like to
improve most?
Qualification questions Purpose
To see if you are aware of yourself and match the requirements of the program
How will you tackle the course of study? Strategy
Choose two of your best strengths and show examples
Select a weakness that is not a possible problem for successfully completing the program.
Qualification questions
Sample answer“My greatest strength is my ability to think
critically. When I’m faced with a serious problem, I try my best to critically evaluate the alternatives to arrive at the best solution. For example, I decided on UIC because in comparison with other programs it not only has a solid ranking, it has significant experience in working successfully with Chinese students.
Qualification questions
Sample answer“My greatest weakness is my inability to
remember numbers. I overcome this problem by keeping a card with me at all times that have the important numbers I need to remember. For example, bus numbers, telephone numbers, classroom times, and room numbers.”
Qualification questions
Question #5 What are your strongest skills?
Purpose Focus is on skills rather than strengths Requirements of the program How well you know yourself
Strategy Research yourself Match the program requirements
Qualification questions
Qualification questions
Sample answer“My strongest skill is my ability to
communicate effectively with my teachers and classmates face to face and electronically. Email and chat, where body language cannot be seen, are particularly challenging, but I am comfortable using both.”
Mental state questions
Question #6 Why did you decide to apply to this
program?
Mental state questions Purpose
Are you sincere about this program? Do you have potential for greater
commitment and loyalty (e.g., as an alumni)?
Strategy Show sincere interest in the program Demonstrate that you’ve done your
research
Mental state questions
Sample response“The program seems well suited to my interests and future plan [be specific]. Your program has a good reputation and a great deal of experience working with Chinese students. I want to study in a program that can utilize my talents and abilities and provide a good opportunity for me to succeed in my future career.”
Mental state questions
Question #7 What do you know about our school?
Mental state questions Purpose
Did you do your research? Strategy
Show you understand the MBA academic environment and where UIC fits
Show you understand details of the program
Show that you have an idea of what the goals and objectives of the program are
Mental state questions
Sample answer“I have read your descriptive materials and reviewed your website. Your program is an AACSB-accredited MBA program ranked 4th in the city of Chicago. You provide real world experience to students. This is important to me. I also think my experiences and Chinese perspective will contribute to the business school community.”
Mental state questions
Question #8 Where do you see yourself in five
years? What are your long term goals?
Mental state questions Purpose
People who do not set goals are not motivated
Are your goals achievable by studying in this school?
Strategy Have a clear vision—it doesn’t have to be
detailed Make sure your vision is a good fit with
the program
Mental state questions
Sample answer“I would like to move into a management position in 5 years. The main thing right now is to learn as much as I can to be well prepared for this move. With my previous experience and my ability to learn quickly, I think I will be ready for a management position in 5 years.”
Character questions
Question #9 What is your most significant
accomplishment? What are you the proudest of?
Character questions Purpose
Discover what you value The school is looking for the kinds of
values that will result in quality work and reflect well on the program
Strategy Show you are proud of your
accomplishments Contributions to team endeavors are
important
Character questions
Sample answer“My greatest accomplishment was participating in a team effort to organize an English speech competition. It was a lot of work and I was pleased that many of my ideas were accepted by the team. The competition was successful. All of us on the team felt proud when it was finished.”
Character questions
Question #10 What motivates you?
Character questions Purpose
Similar to question #9 but more direct. Helps you explain the objects that
motivate you (specific motivators) Strategy
Most difficult question to answer Relate your answer as closely as possible
to your academic and working life
Character questions
Sample response“I’m motivated by successfully using my abilities. For example, when I had the opportunity to lead a team, such as (give example). I was able to use several different skills important to team success such as leadership and relationship building.”
Principles
Practice your answer to these questions until you are fluent and natural, but do not memorize them. Memorizing will make your answers inflexible, make you appear insincere, and cause you to speak like a robot.
Ask questions
The interviewer will ask you if you have any questions
Be prepared to ask several questions. Some may be answered during the interview.
Website research for resume writers http://www.schoolrack.com/BillCurtis/
www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html
www.jobweb.com/resumes_interviews/default.htm
www.10minuteresume.com/ jobstar.org/tools/resume/index.php www.umn.edu/ohr/ecep/resume/ owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/
Summary & Conclusions Put yourself in the interviewers shoes when
you prepare for your interview Research yourself & the program Be specific—always give examples Be confident & smile! Practice, practice, practice Don’t memorize Introduce yourself at the beginning and say
“Thank you” at the end Ask questions
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