Interviewing to Win!!! Presented by Office of Career Services 124 Sand Spring Hall Frostburg State University

Skills Employers Look For…  Interpersonal  Teamwork  Analytical  Oral Communication  Flexibility  Computer  Written Communication  Leadership  Work Experience  Internship Experience “National Association of Colleges & Employers”

How Employers Find New Hires  Referral from current employees  Job/Career Fairs  On-Campus Recruiting  Internships  Newspaper Ads  Web Sites  Electronic or Faxed Resumes

Your Job Search Focus  Job Interest  Ideal Work Environment  Geographical Location  Salary/Financial Security  Job duties required  Career Goals  Strengths/ Weaknesses  Values  Time  Career Resources: -WWW -Network -Computer

6 Steps in a Proactive Job Search 1) Identify Your Job Targets 2) Identify & Target Potential Employers 3) Develop Effective Marketing Tools 4) Cast a Wide Net of Job Search Methods 5) Interview 6) Follow-Up

Before the interview  Know Yourself: goals, skills, and abilities.  Know Your Career Field: job titles, job duties, and industry trends.  Know The Employer: products, services, locations, growth areas for the company.

Do You Measure Up? Applicants rated on…  Appropriate dress  Poise  Posture, voice, eye contact  Knowledge of company/ job duties  Clearly stated career goals  Communication-positive/assertive  Closure-timing, handshake, follow-up

During the interview  Arrive 15 minutes early.  Bring extra copies of resume.  Greet interviewer by name, shake hands. Smile.  Allow interviewer to lead.  Typical Interview -small talk -discussion of your background -ask your questions to the employer -conclusion

Types of Interviews  Behavioral Interviews  Situational Interviews  Case Interviews  Technical Interviews  Group/Panel Interviews

Behavioral vs. Traditional Interviews  Best way to predict future behavior is past behavior  How you’d behave vs. how you would behave  Question/probe vs. one structured question  Details vs. generalizing about events  More concentrated vs. ability to tell stories

How to prepare for a behavioral interview…  Recall examples that show success in coursework, work, leadership, or teamwork.  Prepare short descriptions.  Show a positive outcome or result that reflects positively on you.  Be honest.  Be specific.

Questions asked by employers…  Tell me about yourself.  Why did you choose your major?  What are your career goals?  Tell me about a time you worked in a team and how you handled conflict.  Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.  Why should we hire you?

Questions to ask the employer…  What do you consider the most important duties for this job?  What are the major projects that I will work on?  What personality traits do you consider critical to success on the job?  What are the training opportunities with your company?  What is the timetable for hiring a candidate?

What to do after the interview…  Take notes after interview  Thank-you letter (ASAP)  Follow-up by phone.  Accepting Offers  Salary range  Benefits  Location