Interviewing for a Job

2. Interviewing for a Job

3. Interviewing For A Job The job interview is a face-to-face meeting between an applicant and an employer. It is generally the last and most important step in the job seeking process. Your task is to show the employer that you are the person for the job.

4. Interviewing For A Job The interview is the best chance you have of convincing potential employers to hire you. We will divide interviewing into three lessons… *before the interview *during the interview *after the interview

5. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Practice Your Interview Skills When you are about to have a job interview you will be nervous … …this is normal ! To reduce your anxiety and help build your confidence, you may want to practice going through an interview.

6. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Practice Your Interview Skills During your interview, you will be asked several questions… … these questions will fall into four categories. *general information questions *behavioral questions *character questions *stress questions

7. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Practice Your Interview Skills General Information Questions …are asked to obtain factual information about you. They usually cover your skills, education, work experience, etc. Behavioral Questions …are based on the premise that past performance is the best predictor of future behavior. So, these questions probe the applicants’ specific past performance and behaviors.

8. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Practice Your Interview Skills Character Questions …are asked to learn about your personal attributes, such as integrity, personality, attitudes, and motivation. Stress Questions …are asked to determine how you perform under pressure (controlled and composed or nervous and unsettled.) They are also used to find out whether you are good at making decisions, solving problems, and thinking under stress.

9. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Practice Your Interview Skills Here are some questions that you can expect form an interviewer … Why did you apply for a job with this company? What salary do you expect to make? If you are hired, how long would you stay with us? Why do you think you would like this kind of work? What would you want to be doing in five years? Do you have any questions?

10. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Practice Your Interview Skills Do not try to memorize answers, but do practice until you can respond easily. Also… …make special efforts to rid your speech of ‘uhs’ or ‘you know’ or ‘like’, and similar responses.

11. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Learn About the Company Find out as much as you can about the job and the company before your interview. Ask someone who works for the company… … look for company brochures, on the internet, or types of printed materials.

12. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Learn About the Company When you finish your research, write up a list of questions that you would like to ask the interviewer. It is best to avoid asking questions about salary or benefits.

13. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Assemble Needed Materials Have all the materials you plan to take to the interview, such as … *job lead card *personal data sheet *resume *pen and paper *copies/samples of work *driver’s license/social security card

14. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Image and Appearance Your image and appearance help determine the first impression you make and may count for as much as 25% of the employer’s positive or negative hiring decision. You will only get one chance to make a good first impression.

15. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Image and Appearance Here are some tips to help you make a good impression … *be freshly showered/use effective deodorant *brush your teeth / trim your nails *your hair should be clean, neat, & trimmed *don’t chew gum or smoke *clean or shine your shoes *avoid heavy use of jewelry *cover tattoos, lose the nose ring and baseball cap

16. Interviewing For A Job …before the interview Image and Appearance *guys…shave / gals…use makeup sparingly *dress conservatively *show up 5-10 minutes early And lastly … …look alert and SMILE !

18. Interviewing For A Job …during the interview Effective Communication First rule of effective communication for an interview is to be polite to everyone… …and have a firm handshake.

19. Interviewing For A Job …during the interview Effective Communication Communication skills are more important in your interview than normal. Be sure to listen carefully and speak clearly. Answer each question briefly…but do not give a one-word or one-line answer. Stay on topic…make sure the interviewer understands your answer.

20. Interviewing For A Job …during the interview Effective Communication Body language is very powerful…make it to your advantage. Keep your body language positive. Let’s look at some body language …

21. Interviewing For A Job …during the interview Concluding the Interview Try to get a feeling for when the interview is over. Seldom does an interviewer make a job offer or reject an applicant at the conclusion of an interview. Make sure the interviewer knows you want the job…tell them. On your way out, make sure you thank the interviewer. .. and the receptionist.

22. Interviewing For A Job …after the interview Steps To Take You can benefit from very interview, no matter what the outcome. Take time to review the interview to consider the good points and how to avoid any mistakes you may have made.

23. Interviewing For A Job …after the interview Steps To Take You may want to send a follow-up letter. This will accomplish the following… *build a courteous relationship *keeps your name in front of interviewer *tells interviewer of your continued interest *reinforce key points of interview *allows you to mention something you may have forgotten during the interview

24. Interviewing For A Job …after the interview Responding To Job Offers If you are offered a job, do not take it without some thought … … be sure you understand the conditions of employment.

25. Interviewing For A Job …after the interview Responding To Job Offers Conditions of employment include … *working hours *salary or wages *benefits *start date *other things you did not think about

26. Interviewing For A Job …after the interview Responding To Job Offers If you are offered a job you do not want, be polite when you turn them down and add a brief explanation of your reasons for not taking the job. Not all interviews will result in an job offer. Do not get discouraged…keep trying.

27. Interviewing For A Job How You Are Rated During an Interview 25% Image & Appearance 10% Job Qualifications *proof by example *dress *grooming *hygiene 25% Verbal & Nonverbal Communication 40% Attitude *enthusiasm *positive *energy *professional *likability *smile *body language *optimism *confidence