BUSINESS ENGLISHLECTURE 26

Synopsis

Job Interviews continues Preparing to Interview Guide to interview

Job Interview Workshop Listening activity Job Interview -2

SKILLSYOU POSSESS OR LEARN

Listening Acativty

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Everyone has hundreds of skills, yet most people can only identify a few.

Duties are the basic functions of the activity, skills are the tools used to accomplish the activity.

Skills can be broken into three categories:

–Occupational Skills (typing, customer service)–Performance Based Skills that you use every day to get along with others and to survive (patience, flexibility, tactfulness

–Transferable Skills This category includes the first two categories.

Skills Identification

Attention to Detail AssertivenessCreativityCommunication Commitment to taskCopingDecision MakingDedicationDependability

Flexibility

Understanding Policy and Procedures

Positive Attitude

Problem Solving

Record of Success

Team Building

Written Communication

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What Are Transferable Skills?

Identifying Skills6

Identifying skills is not an easy task. Most of us feel we have “no skills”. Usually we say “I was just a ____________”

for example

I was just a waitress.

Start by reviewing job duties and identifying what skills were used. Asking questions about what they did will help “jog” their memory.

SOMETIMES WE ONLY TELL

Gathering Information7

1. Did you ever have to deal with an angry customer?

2. Did you ever have repeat customers and why?

3. What happen when you ran out of a special menu item?

4. Did you have to balance the till? Make out bank deposits? What happened when you were short and how did you explain it?

Problem solving

Customer service

problem solving, customer service

Money handling, communication, problem solving

Some sample questions for this occupation may be…

THE INTERVIEWWORK SHOP

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The InterviewThe Interview9

They are looking to see if your technical skills match the job requirements

They ask specific questions to see if you will be a good match for a particular team

They look for “specific qualities or behaviors” to ensure that you will be successful on the job

What does the Interviewer look for?

Sample Interview Questions10

What can you tell me about yourself?

Why are you interested in this job?

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

What skills do you bring to the job and to this company?

Don’t forget ‘STAR’?11

Situation

Task

Action

Result

It is a way to answer behavioral questions that allows for the best response, while proving that the experience is true.

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions12

Can you give me an example of a time you worked on a team to finish a project? What was your contribution?

Describe one of the most demanding assignments you’ve had. What problems did you encounter and how did you solve them?

Tell me about a presentation you had to give or a project you had to do. How did you prepare for it?

Don’t forget STAR!

Answering Behavioral Interview QuestionsAnswering Behavioral Interview Questions

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How do I answer using STAR?

Situation - briefly describe where you were working

Task - the job you were assigned

Action - discuss in detail the actions you took

Result - the result of those actions

SITUATIONSITUATION14

Describe the employer, location, or area where you were working to give the interviewer the “big picture.” You don’t need to be too detailed.

I worked at ABC Company as a Supervisor in the Shipping and Receiving Department.

TASKTASK15

Describe the job or task you were assigned.

Part of my job was to train newly hired employees in using our highly technical equipment as well as in company policies and procedures.

ACTIONACTION16

Describe the action you took. (Use “I”)

I showed Fred, our new employee, how to safely set-up and operate the computerized weighing equipment. I also taught Fred how to inspect the packages to ensure the weight and labels matched. I continued to ask him questions to make sure that he understood all the instructions I had given him.

RESULTRESULT

Tell the results of the action you took, be sure to use numbers where applicable.

I checked in with Fred on a regular basis during his initial training and as a result he became a well trained team member, not only in the equipment he was to use, but also in understanding how the procedures we used affected our department and the company.

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PRACTICING QUESTIONS

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What kind of people bug you?What kind of people bug you?

Do not name anyone! Talk about a specific personality and what you do to assist your team member to be successful.

On a team, I find it hard to work with people who don’t seem to care and avoid the hard tasks. What I have found, is that many times they aren’t aware of the teams expectations or how to accomplish specific tasks. I take the time to check in with team members and have offered my assistance with their tasks. This results in the whole team reaching the desired goal.

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Tell Me About a Problem You Solved?Tell Me About a Problem You Solved?

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When I was at DDS Company we purchased a telephone system for our office. It was computer- ized. My co-worker was assigned as the administrator. She had a car accident and was going to be gone from work for several weeks.

My supervisor asked me to take over some of her duties. I was not trained on the telephone system, but found a video teaching tape and her book in a file cabinet.

As it turned out, I needed to make some administrative changes to the system.

Tell Me About a Problem You Solved?Tell Me About a Problem You Solved?

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I watched the video and read the book. I followed the instructions and was able to make most of the changes. There was a specific function I could not program so I contacted the company who sold us the system. Through their help line, I was able to complete the changes.

I learned to set up mail boxes, groups, change and forward messages, and set up a time manager. These new skills made me a more valuable employee.

Problem Solving ModelProblem Solving Model24

Define the problem

Set goal - decide on the desired outcome

Brainstorm - List alternatives

Consider the consequences.. risk vs.. alternatives

Decide and act

Re-evaluate - did it work and what did I learn?

PREPARING TO INTERVIEW

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First Impression26

Positive first impression

Dress appropriately and neatlyBe on time or a little early Research the company

Be prepared with paperBring copies of the resume and referencesBring a pencil and a pad of paper for notes.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Make A Good Impression27

Speak up, don’t be afraid to talk about yourself!

Listen closely to the interviewer. Show a real interest in the company and the job. Sell yourself! Tell the employer about your abilities and good qualities. Know what value you bring to the company. Answer all questions carefully and honestly. Be as positive as you can.

Make A Good Impression28

Be Professional

Greet your interviewer with eye contact and a SMILEShake hands firmly Sit up straight, look attentive, do not cross your arms (crossing your arms tells the employer you’re not interested)

Make A Good Impression29

Before the interview, take a few deep breaths, inhale through your nose and blow out through your mouth. This will help you relax your muscles and help you relax mentally too.

Do some self-talk about how you are the perfect match for the job!

Why Ask Questions?30

The questions the interviewer asks helps them decide if you are the right person for the job.

The questions you ask the interviewer helps you decide if this is the right place for you to be.

Ask The Interviewer31

Write down at least three questions that you feel are important to you and take these to the interview.

Don’t ask questions that say “What’s in it for me?” Such as; “when is my first day off?”.

Ask questions such as:

Why did you choose to work for this company?

How will my performance be evaluated?

What is the most difficult task I will be doing?

What is the process you use when training for this position?

Make A Good Impression32

Interview Don’tsDon’t

Take a friend or a relative with you (unless you need an interpreter )

Act either too shy or too aggressive (balance)

Say anything negative about other people

Be late. Call the employer as soon as possible and explain why. Ask if you can arrange a new interview time.

Closing the Interview

Thank the interviewer for their time.Ask what the next steps will be (such as a second interview)Ask when they plan to make a decisionTell them you are interested in the job (only if you are!)Ask for a business card(s) of the interviewer(s)Send a thank you note

33Designed and Developed by SE Works 2003©

INTERVIEW SKILLS- REVIEW

A Job Interview Is…

An opportunity to meet face to face

To discuss your qualifications

To assess your ability and skills

To demonstrate your skills and personality

To sell yourself

www.mun.ca/cdel

The Keys to a Successful Interview

Convey a positive attitude Show enthusiasm

Beware of non-verbal communication Keep eye contact with interviewer

Pay attention to physical appearance Be knowledgeable of the company Don’t talk yourself out of a job Don’t keep the interviewer waiting

www.mun.ca/cdel

The Keys to a Successful Interview

Be Prepared: Have extra resumes on hand. Have references on hand if not attached to resume. Conduct background research on organization.

Remain calm when faced with periods of silence Silence is not always bad but don’t wait to long.

Know your resume Reread it before going into an interview.

www.mun.ca/cdel

The Keys to a Successful Interview

Arrive early

10-15 minutes early.

Remain calm and collected

Listen attentively

Show confidence

www.mun.ca/cdel

Pre-Interview Stage

Assess your career path

Research company and position you are seeking

Find out what type of interview it is

Develop list of potential questions and responses

Confirm date, time and location

www.mun.ca/cdel

Interview Stage

Appropriate dress

Create a good first impression

Ensure that you understand the question

Be yourself

Maintain eye contact with the interviewer(s)

Appear confident

Listen carefully to the questions

www.mun.ca/cdel

Interview Stage

Bring extra copies of resume and references

If you have a career portfolio, bring it Ask questions

What is the organization's plan for the next five years? What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year? How much assistance is made available in developing career

goals? What are the opportunities for advancement?

Thank them and shake hands Ask for business card

www.mun.ca/cdel

Post-Interview Stage

Recap interview

Request feedback from interviewer

Send thank-you letter or email Follow-up within 24 hours Express gratitude for the employer’s time Highlight qualifications Restate your interest in the company/career area Communicate enthusiasm to have met with them

www.mun.ca/cdel

4 Types of Interviews

Case Interview

Behavior Based Interview

Telephone Interview

Videoconference Interview

www.mun.ca/cdel

Case Interview

Used to assess logical thinking and problem solving skills

Geared around solving problems on the spot

Classic business cases are used to test analytic ability, logical thought process, creativity, and comfort with quantitative analysis

Example of a Project Case: You are consulting for a major Canadian airline. Every year, they make more sales and every year, they lose more money. What could be causing this?www.mun.ca/cdel

Behavior Based Interview

Designed to determine if a candidate possesses certain key competencies.

Use specific examples from work history, education and extracurricular activities to demonstrate the skill the interviewer is assessing

Example:Describe the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects. How do you track your progress so that you can meet deadlines? How do you stay focused? (commitment to task)

www.mun.ca/cdel

Situational Interview

Designed to assess your critical thinking, problem solving, and planning abilities

What would you if… Often in the form of a scenario Example: You are approached by a member of

the media to give your opinion about an issue just discussed at a press conference hosted by your department? What do you do?

Behavioral/Situational

Behavioral (Past Experience)

Situation Describe a situation you

encountered Task

Describe task(s) you completed

Action Describe the action you

took Result

What was the result?

Situational (What would you do if)

Situation Describe a potential

situation Task

Describe tasks you would complete

Action Describe the action you

would take Result

What would be the potential result?

Telephone Interview

Sound friendly, confident and calm

Thank the interviewer for the call

Collect your thoughts

Smile

Get company information

Tip: Dress up as if you’re meeting face-to-

face www.mun.ca/cdel

Videoconference Interview

Dress professionally – they can see you Speak slowly Prepare for silence due to a 5 sec audio

delay Be aware of extra movements and noises Be patient – sounds may be distorted Speak up and project your voice Relax and smile

www.mun.ca/cdel

Common Interview Mistakes(Based on feedback from recruiters)

Lack of preparation

Inappropriate appearance

Failure to ask questions

Poor attitude

Exaggerating or being deceitful

Poor non-verbal communication

Over or under answering questions

www.mun.ca/cdel

Websites

http://www.quintcareers.com/

sample_behavioral.html

http://www.mun.ca/cdel (>Students>Career

Tips)

http://interview.monster.ca/

http://www.jobpostings.ca/resource.cfm?

id=16

www.mun.ca/cdel

GUIDE TO INTERVIEWING

Three steps in successful interviewing

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Preparation: produce an interview schedule and interview guides.

Execution: conduct the interviews Review: write up the interview notes

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Interviewschedule

InterviewInterviewguides

Interviewnotes format

Who you are going to interview, why, when and where?

What questions are you going to ask?

What results were obtained?• Information found• Decisions• Actions

• Structure• Rapport• Listen• Probe• Clarify

An interview guide should be created prior to all interviews to ensure the interviews are focused and efficient and enable comparison and summarisation.

Steps in the interview process

Preparation Execution Review

Listen and question

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When you speak

To reassure the interviewee you are listening and to gain information:• use non-verbal cues such as head nods to show you are listening.• wait until the current question is answered before preparing the next one• listen for emotions and attitudes as well as facts• interrupt only if you sense avoidance of answering the question or if the

interviewee has drifted too far from the topic• request clarification and ask follow on questions

Open questioning

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Advantages Disadvantages

• Puts interviewee at ease

• Interesting for interviewee

• Provides depth of detail

• Reveals other areas of enquiry

• You may lose control

• May use up too much time

• Interviewer may appear unprepared

• Harder to analyse later

• Lower reliability of data

Examples:

“So what do you enjoy about the role?”

“Are there any other issues I should be aware of?”

Closed questioning

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Advantages Disadvantages

• Efficient use of time

• Easy to compare interviews

• Higher reliability of data

• Less interviewing skill needed

• Focuses interviewee

• Can be boring for interviewees

• Doesn’t provide the opportunity to qualify answers

• You may miss other areas

Examples:

“Is the new form better or worse than the old form?”

“Is it Mary or Jane who enter the application details?”

“Do you stamp the form before or after the details are recorded?

Probe questioning

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Advantages Disadvantages

• Provides data on new aspects

• Supplies detail in context

• Shows interest in conversation

• Can appear threatening

Examples:

“How does that happen?”

“How did that change impact your department?”

“What specifically do they do as a result of that?”

Probe questioning is honing in on a particular area of interest and drilling down to obtain more detail. It includes asking for more information to clarify a vague phrase or statement made by the interviewee such as ‘quite high’ or ‘often late’. Probe questioning needs to be balanced with open and closed questioning to avoid the interview seeming like an interrogation.

Paraphrasing

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Paraphrasing is a technique used to confirm or clarify something the interviewee has said or implied. There are three levels of paraphrasing:

1. The first level confirms or clarifies expressed thoughts and feelings, for example: “so there are three factors that determine the present situation”

2. The second confirms implied thoughts or feelings, for example: “so you would really like to change this situation”

3. The third surfaces core thoughts or feelings, for example: “you are afraid that it might make things worse for you” or “so you think the strategy is wrong” (Note that with paraphrasing of feelings you can trigger a strong emotional response particularly with this third option )

Interview notes are valuable when sharing information with other team members.60

• Write interview notesas soon as possible after the interview

• Outline key findings,note emerging hypotheses

• Consider how findings fit with earlier evidence

• Identify gaps to befilled in subsequentinterviews

• Write interview notesas soon as possible after the interview

• Outline key findings,note emerging hypotheses

• Consider how findings fit with earlier evidence

• Identify gaps to befilled in subsequentinterviews

Key Steps

Interview Notes

Interviewees:Interviewers:Location:Date:

KEY FINDINGS

BACKGROUND AND SITUATION

DISCUSSION NOTES

NEXT STEPS

Interview Notes

Interviewees:Interviewers:Location:Date:

KEY FINDINGS

BACKGROUND AND SITUATION

DISCUSSION NOTES

NEXT STEPS

Format

Interview reviewA standard interview note format is useful in orienting interviews to results:

Web Resources for Interviews

UL Careers website: www.ul.ie/careers Gradireland website: www.gradireland.com Careers4graduates: www.careers4graduates.org Doctor Job: www.doctorjob.com (Virtual Interview) Prospects: www.prospects.ac.uk Realworld: www.realworldmagazine.com Virtual Career Coach: www.windmillsprogramme.com BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/work

LISTENING AND LANGUAGE EXPANSION

Tact's & tricks

Mention of projects Mention of Internship Gap year opportunity Skills/ know-how / job specific experience

Tact's & tricks

Experience : academic project/s Curricular – extra curricular :

participation Developing relation of the mention with

the requirement Providing evidence of your professional

skills through your experience

Interview Part-200:42 -01:45

Interviewing : Sales meeting Tricky part – no experience Ways to highlight experience

Answer the questions01:45 – 04:48

1. Name one thing Owen did for his school’s robotics team.2. Why did Owen decide to intern at Lu Tech?3. What did Owen do during his gap year?

Analysis 01:45 – 04:48

Mention of projects Mention of Internship Gap year opportunity Skills/ know-how / job specific experience

04:48 – 11:40

Experience : academic project/s Curricular – extra curricular :

participation Developing relation of the mention with

the requirement Providing evidence of your professional

skills through your experience

11:40 – 18:00

Beyond academics : gap time opportunity

Review

Job Interviews continues Preparing to Interview Guide to interview

Job Interview Workshop Listening activity Job Interview -2