Developing your interview skills

1. Developing your interview skills Career Services

2. Overview • How do graduate recruiters interview • Doing your homework • Making a positive impact • Example questions Career Services

3. A typical process • 1st round interview/telephone screening • 2nd round interview (sometimes with other tasks, cases, tests) • Final interview (sometimes) Career Services

4. Who and howmanypeoplewill be there? A mixturebetweengraduaterecruiters (HR) and linemanagers Mostcommonly, graduateapplicantswill face one or twointerviewers Career Services

5. So what are theylooking for?(apart from the obvious) Competencies + Motivation = Your potential Career Services

6. What are competencies? ”Underlying personal characteristics that influenceindividualperfomances” Competencies are made up of: Skills– what you knowhow to do Knowledge- what you know Self image – how you seeyourself Values– what you think is important Career Services

7. What is motivation ” Motivation is a desire to achieve a goal, combined with the energy to work towards that goal “ Some examples: • Personal fulfillment • Money • Challenges & change • Greater good, missions, values Career Services

8. TypicalQuestions On Competency (conflict solution) ”Can you think of a time when you experiencedconflict in a group? Howdid you handle that?” On Motivation ”You studiedchemistry for your Bachelors Degree, yet you want to be a Marketing Manager. Why?” (Moreexamplequestions later on……..) Career Services

9. Doing your homework • Yourself • The job • The organisation • The industry • The interview Career Services

10. First impression counts • Punctuality • What you wear • Posture • Eye Contact • Handshake and smile • Voice Career Services

11. Taking a positive approach • LISTEN • GIVE FOCUSED ANSWERS • ASK GOOD QUESTIONS • CLOSE THE INTERVIEW WELL • FOLLOW UP (if appropriate) Career Services

12. Golden rules for Answering Questions • If you don’t understand the question, ask for clarification • Talk openly and with enthusiasmabout your achievements, butdon’toverstatethem • Keep your answers relevant to the question • GIVE EXAMPLES • Don’tpretend to knowsomething that you don’t • Speakclearly and not to fast Career Services

13. Competency, motivation…whatelse ? • Case studies and guesstimates (howmanynappieswere sold last year in Sweden?) • Stress questions (whenwas the last time you werereallyangry?) • Weirdquestions (what animal do you identifyyourself the most with?) Career Services

14. Moreexamplequestions • Giveme an example of whenyou’vegoneagainstsomeone’sadvice • When have you beenentrepreneurial? • Whydo you want to work for us? • You worked in ICA over the summer. What are the key commercialchallengesfacing supermarkets at the moment? • Who elsehave you applied to? • Whatwill you doif you don’t get this job? Career Services

15. Closing the interview – your questions • Avoid the meaningless or obvious • Leave salary till later on (unless you have to decidebetweenseveral offers) • Try to ask something you reallywant to knowabout • Ask something that demonstrates your real interest and enthusiasm in the position • Thankthem! Career Services

16. Someexamples of what you mightwant to know • When do I hear if I’m successful? • What’s the training programme like? • Are there opportunities overseas? • Will I get feedback on today’s interview Career Services

17. Further information • Career Services website with links & downloads, accessable through the Student Web/Student Services/Career Services • Vault Career Library • WetFeetCareerResourceSite • cecilia.frietsch@hhs.se Career Services

18. Good luck and thank you for listening Career Services