Preparing for an Interview

 Personal Work History (For Each Employer)  Name, address, and telephone number  Names of supervisors how to reach them  Exact dates (months and years)  Specific duties  Specific skills that were required  Promotions, awards, or recognitions received

 Education  Schools you have attended and years attended  GPA  Academic Honors/Awards Received  Activities (clubs, groups, as well as offices held)  Athletic teams

 Self Assessment  What accomplishments are you proudest of?  What mistakes have you made? What have you learned from them?  How well do you interact with authority figures? (bosses, teachers, etc…)

 Identification  Name, address, and phone number at the top of the page, usually centered. (Avoid Nicknames)

 Objective or Goal  Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this resume?  Know the type of job you are applying for.  Ex: Seek a hostess position at a fine dining establishment  Change it if it does not fit the specific job you are applying for

 Education and Training  Near the top for now to list your most impressive credentials first  As you gain work experience, this will move lower  Be sure to list any special job-related skills you have (foreign language, computer applications, etc…)

 Work History  Include name and location, as well as dates you were employed there.  List in reverse chronological order.  List mini-descriptions to call attention to job responsibilities. These descriptions should begin with action verbs!

 Personal Data  List clubs, organizations, leadership positions, hobbies, etc…  This is also a great place to list volunteer services  This shows employers that you are well rounded

 References  At the end of the resume  List their contact information  Use two professional references (employers, teachers, counselors, etc…  Use one personal reference  Ask them before using them on an official resume

 Be Brief  Be positive  Stick to the facts  Keep your language clear  Keep your eye on the goal

 Research the employer  You want to be informed about what type of company it is.  Look for newspaper articles, internet articles, etc..  You want to be able to talk intelligently during the interview

 Practice  Anticipate the questions  Have someone practice with you  Wear what you are going to wear in the interview

Answering Interview Questions

 Different types of questions:  General: Why do you want to work for us?  Educational: What is your grade point average?  Job-Related: Why should I hire you?  Personal: Tell me something about yourself.

 Prepare a list of positive points to make about yourself during the interview (Your Offensive Game Plan)  Be alert for opportunities to make a positive point:  Puff Ball Questions: Tell me about yourself?  Pauses: “downtime” interviewer looks at notes, takes a sip of water, etc…  Bridges: Transitions from one answer to another

 When you encounter a tough, unexpected question:  Pause (Shows Poise) Buy yourself some time  Restate the question in your own words, or speak generally while pondering the specifics.  You can also ask for a moment to think about the question

 Inappropriate Questions  Questions that may give an employer a reason to unfairly discriminate  OK: Are you in good health? Or, Do you have any physical problems that may limit your ability to perform this job?  Not OK: Is that an Irish name? Or, what religion are you?

 You can:  Answer briefly and move on  Or, Ignore the question and address what they may be really getting at.

 Be prepared to ask the interviewer some questions. This shows interest.  Avoid talks of salary, benefits, sick days, etc…  Ask about duties/responsibilities of the job.

 Previous Work History  Education (School Name and Dates)  Clubs, Organizations, Graduation Date, etc…  Accomplishments, Achievements, Awards  3-5 Strengths and 3-5 Weaknesses  Skills  Interests/Hobbies

 Tell me about yourself.  What are your greatest strengths?  What is your biggest weakness?  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

 Tell me about a personal achievement that makes you proud.  Tell me about a mistake you made and what you learned from it?  Who is the biggest influence in your life and why?  Why would you be an excellent choice for this job?