Interviewing Part 1: What employers want

1. Interviewing Part 1:What employers want Waukesha County Technical College Career Center

2. Topics Covered • Plan for the Interview • Types of Interviews • Challenging Questions • Asking Questions • Close the Interview • Action Plan

3. How to Secure the Interview Prepare an Effective Resume Network

4. How to Win the Interview • Market yourself with your resume and network • Highlight your key skills and accomplishments for the position. (Be prepared to give a specific example of when you used the skill.) • Show how your past responsibilities make you a good fit for the position. • Grab the employer’s attention. • Why should the employer hire you?

5. Planning for the Interview • Review the job description to identify the skills and experience needed to perform successfully on the job. • Research the company • Identify what you want to highlight about your background.

6. References • Who will be your reference? • Past supervisors are a preferred reference • Have a conversation with your references. • Discuss : • The new position and responsibilities • Your strengths that are an asset for the new job • Areas of improvement

7. Presenting Yourself • Be on time! • Speak clearly and be specific. • Take the time to think of a good structured answer. Practice! Practice! Practice! • Ask for clarification if you don’t understand the question. • Dress for the interview.

9. What NOT to Bring to the Interview • Coffee/soda/water bottle • Gum • Cell phone • iPod • Hat • Piercings (leave at home) • Tattoos (cover) • Cologne/perfume

10. What to Bring to the Interview • Folder • Job description • 3 copies of your resume • List of references • Paper and pen • Fresh breath

11. 3 Attributes Employers Value • Enthusiasm • Initiative • Contribution to Employer

12. Structure of the Interview • Tell me about yourself • Opportunity questions • Weakness questions • Questions to ask • Ask about the next step • Closing

13. Tell me about yourself • Basic introduction of who you are and what you are looking for. • Used at networking events, career fairs and interviews. • Also known as “Elevator Pitch”.

14. Elevator Pitch Outline • Who are you? • What is your job objective? • What are your major accomplishments/ passions/unique skills?

15. Types of Interviews/Questions Telephone Prescreening Trait Conversational Gut-Feel • Situational • Behavioral

16. Telephone Prescreening Interview • Phone interview tips

18. Trait Interview questions • What are your personal strengths ? • Questions are more about you rather than skills. Types of questions: • Are you an organized person? • List your strengths. • Are you adaptable?

19. Conversational Interview • The interviewer is relaxed and talkative – more like a conversation. • Hopes to make you comfortable to share or reveal information. • Not a structured interview. Recommendations: • Maintain your professional demeanor • Present your answers to highlight your strengths and skills • Give examples of past work experience.

20. Gut – Feel (Stress) Interview • Interviewer decides on a candidate based on 1st impressions. • Not a structured interview. • Emphasis on your personality-how do you handle stress? Do they like you? Recommendations • Maintain your composure • Look for opportunities to sell your skills or give examples of your past accomplishments.

21. Situational Interview questions • The interviewer may give you a work situation and ask you what you would do. • You will be asked to solve a problem that may occur at work. Recommendations: • Take notes and take your time to understand the situation. • Ask questions if you need more details to solve. • Formulate an answer and back it up with examples of past work situations that were similar.

22. Behavioral Interview questions • The interviewer is looking for examples of your past performance to assess how you will perform in similar circumstances on the new job. Types of questions: Tell me about a time when….. Give me an example of ..….

23. Answering Behavioral Questions Provide: • Trait/Strength • Work situation when you used this strength • Action taken • Result Sample Behavioral Answer

25. What do employers look for? The questions employers like to ask.

27. Challenging Questions • Weakness • Salary • Background

28. Weaknesses • Keep your answer brief. • Turn the answer to talk about how you compensated or improved. • Prepare an answer to demonstrate your ability to learn from your past experiences. (weaknesses)

29. Salary • Salary History • Salary Requirements • Research on Worknet

30. challenging Questions • What are your weaknesses? • Tell me how you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker. • Have you ever been convicted of a crime? • What are your salary requirements?

31. Asking Questions How do you go about…

32. Prepare Questions To Ask • What do you want to know about working for the company, the job or responsibilities? • What are the challenges of the position? • Is the company growing? • Ask your question to get a description by asking “How do you go about…..?”

33. Closing the Interview Selling your Qualifications

34. 3 Steps to “Close The Deal” • I am very interested in this position with XYZ company. • As we discussed, I have the qualifications. • How do you view me as an employee here?

35. Next Step • What is the next step in this interviewing process?

36. Send a Thank You Email andLetter • Send an email to thank the interviewer. • Follow with a “thank you” letter in the mail. • Remind the employer of the skills you offer.

37. Action Plan • Attend Interviewing Part II: Win the Interview • Review the job description. • Research the company. • Prepare answers. • Contact references.