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Goals of the Interviewer
Ensure that the candidate has the technical skillsand experience required for the job.
Access whether the candidate has the requisitesocial skills to become a good member of the
team.
During the workweek, the new employee will spend
as much, if not more time, with her/his colleagues at
work then at home with her/his family.
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Your Goals
To provide information to demonstrate that youare well qualified for the job
To address the interviewers main interests
To find out as much additional information as
possible about the job
to determine if the job is a good fit for you andto better prepare yourself for any follow-up
interviews
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Caveats
There is no single interviewing process. It will varyby company and even within companies.
Some companies will use a structured processwhich interviewers will follow. Other companies
do not have a structured process.
In all cases, the interview should be treated not asan inquisition but, rather, as a dialog.
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The Interview Process
An initial screening interview, usually by phone, todetermine if you are a viable candidate.
A face to face interview to determine if you havethe requisite technical skills.
One or more follow-up interviews to select the
successful applicant from a small group ofqualified candidates.
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The Telephone Interview
Be prepared at all times for such an interview.
Have a script prepared, possibly several three-by-
five cards with key points and phrases.
Be natural; be yourself. You are valuable; let thatcome across.
Dont ramble. A telephone interview is not a chat
with a friend but a business call.
If the interviewer calls at a bad time, mention itand arrange a follow-up call. Make certain youre
free from distractions while on the phone.
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Two Questions You Should Ask
the Interviewer
1. What exactly are the companys expectations ofsomeone in this position?
The answer to this question will allow you to better
formulate your answers.
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Two Questions You Should Ask
the Interviewer
2. Please define your companys culture.
The answer to this question might save you a lot of
time. For example, if the company is looking for
someone wholl put the companys interests aboveall else, and this isnt your priority or if the company
wants someone to be a self starter and you feel
more comfortable in a structured environment you
might want to look elsewhere.
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Outline of Material
Preparation
Your goals
The actual interview
The follow-up
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Preparation
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The Company
Try and establish contact with one or moreemployees to gather information about the
company.
Read the Annual Report of public companiesespecially the Mission Statement, Corporate
Values and the Chairmans letter. For more detail
look at 10Ks.
Check on-line blogs and the Companys web-site.
Do a Google searchnewspaper and magazine
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The Jobs Objectives
Consult the job posting, the recruiter or
employment agency, if you use one, or the
companys HR person.
Identify how your skills and background will meet
those objectives.
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The Interviewer(s)
Determine who the interviewer(s) will be.
Titles and responsibilities
Your technical complexity in your answers to
questions should depend on the background of the
interviewer.
If there is more than one person conducting the
interview, determine the decision maker. Make a crib sheet showing the names of all
interviewers.
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The Interviewer(s)
If possible try and determine something about theinterests, hobbies etc of the interviewer(s).
Ultimately, the decision as to who to hire will be
based on your skills to fill the requirements of a
particular job. But in an environment where there
are many people technically qualified for a job,
any personal edge you can get may be the
difference maker.
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The Interview
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Physical Appearance
Personal groomingGive a freshly scrubbedlook. You are not going to a party or on a date,
tone down the use of perfumes, deodorants.
Wash your hands if youve been reading a
newspaper.
Avoid garlic and other foods which cause bad
breathuse a breath mint
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Physical Appearance
Clothing appropriate to the businesssenvironment; clean and pressed. Shoes shined.
Avoid ostentatious jewelry.
Avoid drinking too much beforehand, especially
diuretics.
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Physical Appearance
Practice a firm dry handshake.
Sit tall, but not at attention.
Face the person asking the question. If there are
multiple people in the room, slowly move your
focus from one to another.
Do not stare into space or look away when asked aquestion.
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Provide Information
Be prepared to discuss your background,
accomplishments, skills, abilities and personal
characteristics especially as they demonstrate
your suitability for the job.
Be prepared to flesh-out information you put on
your resume.
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Address the Interviewers Main
Interests
Remember that the interviewer has goals also.
Is this individual a strong candidate?
Will he be successful?
Is he a fit for the organization? Will I enjoy working with him?
Is he someone who can reflect favorably on the
organization and on me?
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Obtain Information
About the position, the organization and yourprospective boss to determine if the job is a good
fit for you.
You should have acquired a good amount of
information through your research prior to the
interview. During the interview you can validate
some of that information and seek additional
information.
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The Substance of the Interview
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The Substance of the Interview
Practice answering tough questions
Do not memorize answers.
Practice the interview with a family member orfriend asking the questions. Film it, if possible.
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Responding to Questions
Listen before you speak! Let the questioner finishasking the question. Do not talk-over the
question.
Before you start your answer, take time after each
and every question to gather your thoughts.
Repeat the interviewers words in your answers.
If you dont understand the question, restate it or
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Responding to Questions
Usually you need a focused answer, consisting ofa few short sentences about specific performance
behaviors, not vague generalizations.
Respond briskly and concisely. Emphasize your
main points; over elaboration in an interview is a
mistake.
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Responding to Questions
If a question solicits a yes or no answer, give it
followed by any explanation or clarification you
feel is pertinent.
In your responses, try and present your prior
accomplishments and how you might add value
to the company.
Be sensitive to company values; i.e. teamwork,
initiative etc. when framing your answers.
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Communication Skills
Observe (1)the way your interviewer behaves andlisten to what he has to say. Look for non-verbal
communications from the interviewer that may
suggest impatience or indifference. Try to modify
your approach depending upon the listenersreaction.
Check for understanding.No matter how clear
you may think you are, the interviewer may
misinterpret what you have said. Check with theinterviewer if you have a question about her
understanding.
(1) Obviously, this doesn't apply to a telephone
interview.31
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Sample Questions Leadership: Tell me about a time when you
envisioned a better outcome and energized others to
achieve the desired results.
Strategic Focus: Talk about a situation that required
you to make the best use of your time and energies.Tell me why you made the choices you made.
Innovation: Tell me about a time when you contributed
to a new and better way of doing something.
Mastery: Give an example when others used you as a
resource in your area of expertise.
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Sample Questions
Mutual interdependency = Collaboration:Describe a situation where you were able to
influence a group decision to your point of view.
Give an instance of when you had to make a
decision without all of the information?
What is the biggest mistake you ever made at
work and how did you turn it around?
Tell me about your most successful experienceworking in a team environment.
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Impossible to Answer Questions
Some interviewers will try and befuddle you byasking a question you obviously will not be able
to answer. They are not looking for an answer,
but rather, how you respond.
Do you panic?
Do you just shut-down?
Do you attempt to elicit more information so as to
try to develop an answer?
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Honesty
Above all, be honest in your answers.
This does not mean that you have to volunteernegative information, if not asked.
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Resources
SPCjobseekers.wordpress.com Hiring the Best: A Managers Guide to Effective
Interviewing Yate
Howdini.comsearch for interview videos
Bingsearch for interview videos
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Closing
Be prepared to ask any questions you might haveincluding what are the next steps in the selection process
and the time frames.
Ask how the interviewer feels about you as a candidate. Ifsome concerns are voiced, respond to them before they
become roadblocks .
Be prepared to offer any clarifications to previous answers.
Be prepared to open topics not addressed by the
interviewer that will help sell you.
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Closing
Have a concise closing statement as to why youshould be the preferred candidate by
emphasizing your accomplishments, relevant
skills, and winning attributes.
Be sure to express strong interest in the job!
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Afterward
Follow-up with a written thank-you-noteexpressing your interest in the job.
Continue to follow-up at the appropriate time by
email or phone.
Demonstrate initiative to keep your chances high.
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THE SECOND INTERVIEW
If youve asked the right questions in your firstround of interviews then you should have a pretty
good idea as to what you will need to do to be
successful.
Almost all of what applies to the first interview
applies to subsequent interviews, because you
are usually meeting more people from the same
organization for the first time. The greatest
difference is likely to be in the level of
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THE SECOND INTERVIEW
Expect some of the same questions you wereasked in the first interview, but some new ones as
well.
Second interview questions may delve more into
your personality, or they may be more targetedtoward specific technical skillsor both.
Plan to keep your responses fresh yet consistent
for each person you meet. Dont worry about
repeating yourself
try to find out something about each interviewer and
tailor your response specifically to that person. You
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THE SECOND INTERVIEW
Expect behavioral questions, which arecommonly asked in second interviews.
Listen for clues that get at the heart of what the
employer seeks in the person hired for this
position and key into the needs, concerns, issues,and problems that you would be expected to
handle.
Be prepared with lots of questions. You will likely
have more opportunity to ask questions and will
be expected to make more sophisticated inquiries
than you did in the first interview.
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THE SECOND INTERVIEW
Be prepared to identify what you can do for thecompany.
Tailor your answers to include such a focus.
Have a closing statement that summarizes what
you can do.
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Closing
If you want the job, ask for it, i.e.
This job is just what Ive been looking for. I like its
challenges, I like your organization and I know
that I would fit in and do a good job for you.
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