Interviewing Skills

By:

Pakinam Ahmed

Mostafa Hussien

Interview Myths

• Employers Know What They Want

• Employers Are Experts at Interviewing

• Employers Like to See You Squirm

Interview Reality

They Don’t Really Care About You

Agenda

• Before the interview

• During the interview

• After the interview

Types of interviews

• Group interviews

• Lunch/Dinner Interviews

• Telephone Interviews

• Informational Interviews

• Online interviews

Ask not what the interviewer can do for you, but what you can do for the

interviewer.

Before the interview

• Preparation

• Rehearsals

• The 10-15 minutes .

Before the interview

• Introduction and Greetings

– Howdy

– Walk Tall

– Smile

– Look them in the eyes

Before the interview

• Men’s attire

– Suit yourself.

– Fit to be tied

– Shoes and Socks

– All Accessories Included

Before the interview

• Women’s attire

• The suit du jour

• Heels and Hosiery

• All Accessories Included

During the interview

• General Tips

– Don’t just perform, interact

– Try to be an active listener

– Remember your body language.

– Develop rapport.

During the interview

• General Tips

– First impressions count.

– Don’t hesitate.

– Why should they hire you?

– Expect the unexpected

During the interview

• General Tips

– Clarify anything you are unsure of.

– Avoid long verbose answers.

– Remain calm, relaxed and be yourself.

Magic Words?!

“We,” “Us,” and “Our”

During the interview

• Body language signs – Do’s

• Smile.

• Eye contact.

• Sit up straight, and lean slightly forward in your chair.

• Establish an amount of comfort personal space between you and the interviewer.

• Nod.

During the interview

• Body Language signs

– Don’ts

• Cross your arms.

• Rub or touch your nose.

• Cross your legs or idly shake one over the other.

• Lean back.

• Fidget your hands or tap your feet.

Don’t ask questions to which you already have the answer, Ask questions that always allow you

to demonstrate your value to the prospective employer

During the interview Tricky Questions

• Cash flow is critical with us, but we’re really plagued by slow-paying customers. What has your experience been with this problem?

• What can you tell me about yourself?

• What have been your three most significant accomplishments in your current position?

• why-did-you-leave?

• What are you looking for?

• If you were sitting in my seat, and I were in yours, what would you ask me?

• Tell me about the time you had to fire a good friend.

During the interview Tricky Questions

During the interview

Avoid

one word answer

negative answers

transparently glib answers

wrong answers

answers that criticize your previous employer.

Skills are the intellectual and creative tools

you carry with you and offer an employer.

Questions During the interview

– Open ended and close ended questions

During the interview • Interview questions

– Questions about you. – Work history. – Questions about the new job and the company. – Questions about your experience – Questions about your previous jobs – Questions about the future. – Salary questions

The End

- Beware of the non verbal signs including Phrases beginning with “Well, it’s been …” “I want to thank you …” “Is there anything else you’d like me to know about …”

- The interviewer rising from his chair

- The interviewer eyeing the door

- The interviewer looking at his watch

After the interview

• Follow Up

– Thank the interviewer.

– Request a business card.

– Send a thank you note

– Ask for feedback

Any Questions?

Thank you Pakinam Ahmed Mostafa Hussien