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Polished Professional: Mastering Job Interviews in Today’s Market

Learn essential tips and strategies to ace job interviews in today’s competitive market. Discover the key techniques to present yourself as a polished professional and secure your dream job. From attitude to preparation, this workshop covers it all!

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Polished Professional: Mastering Job Interviews in Today’s Market

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  1. WorkSource Pierce Business Services Signature Workshop Series The Job Interview Presenting Yourself As A Polished Professional

  2. Interviewing in Today’s Job Market • Think like the employer/recruiter/HR • Forget about what a company can do for you… • Rather, determine what benefits you can provide to Company X, and be able to articulate those! • Attitude is EVERYTHING

  3. Interview Types • Informational • In Person: • One-on-one • Panel • Group • Multi-Stage • Telephone

  4. The Interview In A Nutshell “The interview is what makes or breaks the deal . . . it is impressive to sit there and hear somebody talk about why they’re good at something. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering . . . they just need to be able to clearly explain why someone should pay them a salary to show up every day.”

  5. Advance Research & Preparation Treat an interview like a test in school, and practice, practice, practice! Research the company well in advance so that you are certain you would want to work there - use Google/personal contacts/informational interview

  6. Question Types Traditional – “Why do you want this job?” Behavioral– “Tell me about a challenging situation you have faced. What was the situation and how did you deal with it?” • STAR Method – situation, task, action, result Demonstration – “Can you show me how you would set up a report in Excel?”

  7. Additional Preparation • Bring extra copies of your resume and other supporting documents with you. • Make sure you know where you are going for your interview. • Plan route ahead of time • Bring map or GPS

  8. Polishing Your Image • Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication • Grooming • Dress

  9. The Day Of . . .

  10. Tips on What To Do • Get plenty of sleep the night before • Eat something prior to the interview • Your interview starts when you walk in the door • When meeting the interviewer(s), shake hands, make eye contact and smile • Consider this a ‘sales’ opportunity • Ask questions!

  11. Tips on What Not To Do • Chew gum • Bring coffee or water in with you • Leave cell phone on • Arrive too early or late • Telling interviewer you really need the job or unnecessary personal information • Badmouth previous employers • Use acronyms or industry jargon

  12. What About Illegal Questions? Age? Religion? Disabled? Pregnant? Political Affiliation? Sexual Orientation? You can: • Answer the question • Refuse to answer because question is illegal • Answer in such a way as to highlight your ability to work

  13. Top 8 Interview Questions • “Tell us about yourself.” • “What makes you different?” • “What did you like most/least about the position you are leaving?” • “What are your long-range goals?” • “What motivates you at work?” • “Why are you leaving your current position?” • “What do you know about our company?” • “Do you have any questions for us?”

  14. ???s That Great Job Candidates Ask • What do you expect me to accomplish in the first 60 to 90 days? • What is a typical day like for this position? • What are the common attributes of your top performers? • What do employees do in their spare time? • What are the company’s goals over the next 5 years?

  15. PLEASE Do Not Ask (or Say) • “What does this job pay?” • “Can I work from home?” • “How much vacation will I get?” • “You’ll regret not hiring me . . . I’m the most qualified candidate.” • “I hate my current job.” • “I don’t have all the experience you need, but I’m a quick learner.” • “I’m not aware of any weaknesses I have.” • “It’s on my resume.” • “I don’t have any questions for you.”

  16. The Follow Up • Make sure to send a thank you • How long to wait until you contact? • Do NOT stalk . . . “the candidates that start becoming the squeaky wheels do not get the attention.”

  17. Sample Thank You Note Ms. Jennifer James Human Resources Department Acme Travel 1301 Tacoma Avenue South Tacoma, WA 98402 Dear Ms. James: I wanted to thank you for inviting me to interview for the position of European Travel Desk Agent. I learned even more about the company and believe that my skills and experience would be a perfect match. I appreciate the time you spent with me, and hope that I may soon have the privilege of becoming part of the Acme Travel team. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely: Jonah Ortiz

  18. WorkSource Resources

  19. Look Smart!!Have you registered yet? WorkSourceWA.com is Washington State’s official career and employment website. Visit the site and explore career resources, find occupational and wage information, search 30,000+ Washington job listings, visit our calendar of events and post up to five resumes.

  20. WEEKLY • Looking for Work or Your Next Career? • Sign up for WorkSource Weekly and receive updates with the latest information on . . . • Current Job Openings • Industry-Specific Employer Events • Job Search Workshops • Job Fairs • “Just Listed” Jobs Targeted to Your Particular Occupation If you wish to receive WorkSource Weekly updates, please complete the Workshop Evaluation form!

  21. Other Questions or Concerns?

  22. Tell Us How We’re Doing! Please take a minute to complete our Workshop Evaluation form. We appreciate your feedback! Thanks! Kim Myers, Outreach & Resource Coordinator WorkSource Pierce

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