Chapter 8 Interviewing for a Job and Writing a Resume

1. Chapter 8Interviewing for a Job and Writing a Resume

2. Preparing for an Interview • Preparing for an interview begins with networking. • #1B- When you network, you develop a variety of personal contacts you can tap for information and tips on job hunting. • #2B- A job search provides job opportunities; you’ve still got to get the job. • #3B- More than 80 percent of American companies use newspaper ads to recruit employees. • #1IC- School resources available to students who are looking for a job are counselors, teachers, career centers, and bulletin boards.

3. Preparing for an Interview • The interview process is a kind of sale. • #4B- In the interviewing process, you are both the product and the salesperson. • To interview effectively, you must know yourself, so you must build a dossier. • #5B- The dossier will help you organize important information promoting concise and convincing answers that will set you apart from the crowd by identifying your strengths and weaknesses. • #2IC- The three parts of the dossier are your personal work history, your education, and your self-assessment. • Once you’re finished your dossier, you are ready to write your resume.

4. Writing a Resume • A resume is a formal, business version of your personal inventory. • #16T/F- A resume is not a complete autobiography. • #3IC- The six parts of your resume are the identification, job goal, education/training, work history, personal data, and references. • #17T/F- On a resume, you put the most impressive credentials first in the “Education and Training” section. • #18T/F- A list of computer applications you know how to use belongs in the “Education and Training” section of your resume. • Be sure to list any foreign language or sign language that you know in this section as well. • #19T/F- Jobs you’ve held are listed in reverse chronological order (starting with your current job and ending with your first job ) in the “Work History” section of your resume.

5. Writing a Resume • #20T/F- The “Personal Data” section of your resume is the appropriate place to list clubs and organizations. • Also list any volunteer services, hobbies, sports teams, and outside interests. • On your “Reference” section of your resume, state that references will be provided upon request. • #21T/F- You should contact people whose names and phone numbers you list as references on your resume for permission to include that information. • #4IC- Some tips to remember about the tone of your resume are be brief, be positive, be clear, be goal-oriented, and get to the point. • Be selective and choose only the most important and interesting details about your work and education.

6. Practicing for and Interview • Before you go to an interview, your should find out what you can about the business or organization. • Going online is one way to do this. • Try to talk to people who have work there to find out about the job. • A mock interview or pretend interview with a friend or relative is a good way to practice for the actual event.

7. Answering Interview Questions • #6B- Good planning for a job interview means that you try to guess the questions you may be asked and think about how you will answer them. • Most interviews boil down to why you are applying, what kind of person you are, and what you can do. • #5IC- Interview questions usually fall into four categories which are general, educational, job-related, and personal. • General questions could be “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” or “Why do you want to work for us?” • Educational questions could be “What was your grade point average?” or “What were your favorite classes in school?” • Job-related questions could be “Why should I hire you?” or “How long can you commit to us?” • Personal questions could be “Tell me something about yourself.” or What accomplishment are you proudest of?”

8. Answering Interview Questions • Be careful that your responses don’t sound canned or too planned as if you were a robot. • #6IC- Some techniques to use in an interview to get positive points across are puff-balls, bridges, and pauses. • Puff ball questions like “Tell me about yourself” allow you to put your best foot forward. • Pauses allow you to jump in and talk about skills and abilities that you want to stress. • Bridges allow you to transition from one point to another. • #7B- When the opportunity for making a positive point presents itself, state a key point and then back it up with words. • #8B- Types of sparklers to use to make your interview come alive include analogies, personal stories or quotes.

9. Answering Interview Questions • Try to keep your answers like a television sound bite. • #9B- Sound bites, as a rule, last no longer than 30 seconds. • #10B- Be sure that any story you tell about yourself is true. • #22T/F- It’s not OK to include some job skill that you think you might have, but that you can’t back up with facts in an interview. • Be sure to practice for tough questions. • #7IC- If you need to “buy time” while you’re thinking of an answer, you can say the interviewer’s name, repeat the question, and give a general answer. • It won’t hurt to ask the interview for a moment to think. • Once in a while, it is okay to say “I don’t know.” • Be sure to be positive and not to condemn past employers.

10. Answering Illegal or Unethical Questions • Interviews are not allowed to ask certain questions. • Illegal questions include • What political party do you support? • What religion are you? Do you go to church regularly? • Are you married or have you ever been married? • What is your sexual orientation? • Do you drink alcohol? • Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend? • Do you have a physical disability? • What is your IQ? • How much do you weigh? • Were you dishonorably discharged from the military? • Are you Irish?

11. Answering Illegal or Unethical Questions • #8IC- If you are asked an illegal or unethical question, you should respond only briefly and go on, ignore it, or address the issue behind it. • #11B- A physical problem that is not job-related is none of the employer’s business, by law.

12. Making the Most of an Interview • At the end, it is a good idea to ask the interviewer questions. • You might ask about specific duties of the position or who your supervisor would be. • Don’t ever ask about days off, vacations, holidays, sick leave, personal days, money, and so on. • It will appear that you’re only interested in getting out of the office and are money-oriented.

13. Making the Most of an Interview • #23T/F- A prospective employer does not hope to trip you up or embarrass you during the interview. • #24T/F- When an employer calls you in for a personal interview, they mainly want to hear you talk and see how well you communicate. • #25T/F- The person who interviews you will probably be 20 years older and is looking for looking for information along with poise and maturity. • #9IC- You can effectively communicate your skills and experience in an interview by being alert, having eye contact, using gestures, and sitting on the edge of your chair. • Pay attention to the interviewer’s name and use it occasionally in the interview. This shows that you notice and care about people.

14. Making the Most of an Interview • Remember to be an active listener and show respect to the interviewer. • #26T/F- Extending your hand at the end of an interview demonstrates your level of confidence and business awareness. • Interviews are sometimes one-on-one with you and your employer, and sometimes you must go in front of a panel of a group of employees at the same time. • #27T/F- In a team or panel interview, you should treat every member of the team with the same respect.

15. Dressing for an Interview • In general, dress for the interview in the clothes you would probably wear on the job, or even one step above job attire. • #12B- Judith Waters advises that “People take what you wear as information.” • #10IC- Some guidelines for dressing for an interview include conservative clothes (not flashy or revealing), polished shoes, proper grooming (controlled hair and makeup with clean fingernails), andmatching and proper fitted clothing. • Cover tattoos. Don’t wear any loud jewelry. You don’t want anything to take away from your words or skills.

16. Before and After the Interview • #13B- Plan to arrive about 15 minutes early for your interview. • Be sure you plan the route you will take to the interview so that you won’t have any avoidable traffic problems. • #14B- Going to the interview by yourself shows confidence. • Once at the interview, remember to be positive even while you’re waiting. Don’t complain about the traffic or anything thing else. • When leaving an interview, thank the interviewer for his/her time and shake hands. • #15B- Always follow an interview with a thank you letter. • Begin the letter by thanking the interviewer again for meeting with you and restate your interest in the position.

17. Interview Checklist • 1. Do I have copies of my resume? • 2. Do I have a list of three references with addresses and phone #’s. • 3. Have I made sure I will be on time? • 4. Have I dressed neatly and appropriately? • 5. Even if I feel tired, can I remember to sit up and look alert? • 6. Can I remember not to criticize others, especially past employers? • 7. Can I make good eye contact with the interviewer? • 8. Can I remember the interviewer’s name and use it in the interview? • 9. Can I remember to thank the interview at the end? • 10. Have I turned off all electronic devices like beepers and cell phones?

18. Top Reasons Why People Aren’t Hired • 1. Poor personal appearance • 2. Overbearing, overaggressive know-it-all • 3. Inability to express yourself clearly with proper grammar & voice • 4. Lack of planning for career • 5. Lack of interest and enthusiasm • 6. Lack of confidence and poise—extremely nervous • 7. Failure to participate in activities • 8. Overemphasis on money • 9. Poor scholastic record • 10. Unwilling to start at the bottom • 11. Makes excuses for poor record • 12. Lack of tact • 13. Lack of maturity • 14. Lack of courtesy • 15. Condemnation of past employers • 16. Lack of social understanding • 17. Marked dislike for school work Survey was completed by 153 companies for Northwestern University.