Interviewing Skills

1. Interviewing Skills Flathead Job Service Workforce Center 427 1st Ave East, Kalispell, Montana 59901 406-758-6200

2. The Hiring Mind Set “The person who gets hired is not necessarily the one who can do that job best; but, the one who knows the most about how to get hired’ Richard Bolles

3. Agenda • Welcome! • Interview Preparation • During the Interview • After the Interview • Summary

4. Interview Preparation

5. Interview Preparation • Begins days before the actual interview. • Research the company, know the people. • Internet • Word of mouth • Become a customer before your interview.

6. Interview Preparation • Think about… • Your strengths and weaknesses. • Your leadership ability. • Your ability to learn new things. • Your contributions to the organization. • Your creativity in solving problems. • Review sample interview questions and practice answering them in front of a mirror. • Write out answers and PRACTICE!

7. Interview Preparation • Think about… • What do you look like? • What’s your mood? • What type of attitude do you have? • How do you sit? • Do you make eye contact? • Do you stare? • Are you personable?

8. Interview Preparation • Interpersonal skills. • Self-knowledge. • Direction. • Vocational skills. • Competitiveness. • Goal achievement. • Intelligence. • Energy Level. • Imagination. Self Confidence. Willingness to accept responsibility. Leadership. Flexibility. Ability to handle conflict. Initiative. Communication.

9. Interview Preparation • The Day before the Interview: • Make sure you know where the interview is and how long it will take to get there. • Lay out appropriate clothes. • Complete application and resume copies to take with you. • Get to bed early-no late night tv watching or partying.

10. Interview Preparation • The Day of the Interview: • Hygiene check! • Take directions, name and number of interviewer. • Take application, resume copies, and documentation.

11. Interview Preparation • The Day of the Interview: • Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. • SMILE as you enter the business and meet employees! • Leave friends and dog at home and turn your phone off. • Don’t chew gum!

12. During the Interview

13. During the Interview • The Interview • Bring paper and pen. • Ask for business card or first and last names. • Jot down notes for questions.

14. During the Interview Interviewing Tips • Don’t interrupt the interviewer. • Don’t smoke prior to interview. • Don’t be overly familiar. • Don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne. • Don’t ramble. Answer questions as truthfully as possible. • Avoid “yes” or “no” answers.

15. During the Interview What you say is important. How you say it is important. What you don’t’ say speaks volumes… 7% Words 55% Body Language 38% Tone

16. During the Interview • The Handshake: Firm, but not bone crushing. • Posture: Stand and sit straight. • Eye Contact: Look the interviewer in the eye, but don’t stare. • Your Hands: Use some hand gestures, but not to excess. • Don’t Fidget: It’s distracting.

17. During the Interview • Anticipate tough questions • Ask questions throughout the interview. • LISTEN. This is critical to a successful interview.

18. During the Interview Types of interviews • Phone Interview • Traditional Interview • Behavioral Interview • Panel Interview • Stress Interview

19. Phone Interview Used as “pre-screen”. • Questions revolve around • Your experience. • The company. • Your background.

20. Phone Interview • Have your resume out. • Take notes. • Get your interviewer’s name and number. • Smile! Your voice sounds better. • Don’t smoke, eat, or chew gum.

21. Traditional Interview • Tell me about yourself. • Why do you want to work for me? • Why should I hire you? • What is your greatest accomplishment? • What are your strengths? Weaknesses?

22. Behavior Based Interview “Enthusiasts believe that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior…that more recent behavior is a better predictor of future behavior than older behavior, and that long standing trends are better than isolated incidents.” …The Behavior Description Interview, The CPA Journal 12/1993

23. Tell me about a time where a team member was unwilling or unable to pull their weight. What did you do? What was the outcome? Behavior Based Interview

24. Situation • Task • Action • Result Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision in a hurry. What happened? Behavior Based Interview

25. Describes the scene and offers some background information. The Situation Answer: I was a janitor on the FVCC campus. While cleaning in the Math Department, I noticed that there was a fire next to a teacher’s desk and the teacher had fallen asleep next to the fire.

26. Elaborates on the work you did to solve or address the problem. The Task Answer: I knew I had to act fast. The teacher’s life was at risk, not to mention all the student papers that could be lost.

27. Describes what you did to fix the problem. The Action Answer: I pulled the teacher out of the room and called 911. I grabbed the nearest fire extinguisher and put out the fire, saving most of the papers.

28. Explains the outcome of the problem. The Result Answer: I saved the teacher’s life and prevented the building from burning down. Through my quick thinking, I also saved all the student papers.

29. Your Turn: Teamwork Question: Tell me about a time when you had a problem with a co-worker. How did you handle it?

30. Write out answers to questions and practice Practice .. Practice .. Practice!! Prepare 2-4 real stories/situations. Make it memorable. Stand out in the crowd! Make your stories relate to the skills the employer is seeking.

31. After the Interview

32. After the Interview • Thank the interviewer(s) for the opportunity to interview. • Make sure you have contact information, and that you have asked all the questions you need to clarify the position and responsibilities. • Follow up with a Thank-you card, note, or email to all the interviewers.

33. After the Interview • Review the questions you were asked and your responses. • Ask yourself, “How was my answer?” • Did I follow the STAR model? • Was I confident and I concise in my answers? • What did I do WELL? • What can I do better?

34. Summary

35. Reasons People Don’t Get Hired • Poor personal appearance; long, unkempt hair, excessive piercings, tattoos, sloppy or inappropriate clothing. • Overly aggressive. • Inability to express information clearly. • Lack of interest and enthusiasm. • Lack of tact and courtesy. • Lack of maturity. • Negative attitude about past employers.

36. Reasons People Don’t Get Hired • No eye contact with employer. • No genuine interest in company or job. • Application form is incomplete or sloppy. • Late for interview. • No sense of humor. • Failure to ask questions about the job. • Giving vague responses to questions.

37. The Hiring Mind Set “The person who gets hired is not necessarily the one who can do that job best; but, the one who knows the most about how to get hired’ Richard Bolles

38. Thank you… Questions or Comments: Contact: Flathead Job Service Workforce Center (406) 758-6200 427 1st Ave East, Kalispell, Montana 59901