1. Job Interviews
Lecture 16

2. Before
Employment messages
Résumés
Cover Letters

3. Interviews What are interviewers looking for? How to prepare
How to act during
Verbal
Non Verbal
How to finish and follow up

4. Interviews
When applying for a job or scholarship, if you get an interview, it means you have a good chance

5. Interviews It is your chance to show your personality
It is their chance to see how well you will fit in at their school/job

6. Interviews Many schools and jobs are difficult.
The purpose of the interview is to see how well you can handle the job/scholarship

7. Interviews
In order to do well in the interview, we must prepare in the following ways:

8. Interviews
In order to do well in the interview, we must prepare in the following ways:

9. Preparation Know yourself!
Review résumé, cover letter, and anything else you have given to the interviewer

10. Preparation Know your goals
Think about long term (5-10 year) life objectives.
Think: “How will this job/scholarship help me reach these goals?”

11. Preparation Analyze your strengths and weaknesses
What are you good/bad at? What subjects would you like to spend more/less time talking about

12. Preparation
Research!
Find out everything you can about the job or school to learn about what kind of people they are looking for

13. Preparation
Research!
If possible, talk to someone you know at the company/school to get insider information

14. Preparation
Practice
Conduct a practice interview with a friend/family member
Have them evaluate what you did well and what you did badly

15. Before the interview
After you have prepared, do the following things right before your interview to make a good first impression and to make yourself feel comfortable

16. Before the interview Know the exact time and place of the interview
Give yourself plenty of time and show up at least 15 minutes early

17. Before the interview Dress for success Formal clothes Neat hairstyle
Trimmed fingernails
Shave!

18. Before the interview Go alone
If you get a ride from a parent or friend, have them leave you and pick you up once the interview is done

19. What to bring Pens, notebook Copy of your résumé/cover letter
Breath mint (for right before)

20. What not to bring Cell phone (turn off) iPod Gum Cigarettes Candy
Soda or coffee
Scuffed shoes, messy and/or not-so-clean clothes

21. How to act
The two most important qualities to show during an interview are:
Passion
A positive attitude

22. How to act
The two most important qualities to show during an interview are:
Passion
A positive attitude

23. How to act
The two most important qualities to show during an interview are:
Passion
A positive attitude

24. Interview Introduction
Interviews may last anywhere from 5 minutes to several hours, but most interviewers have made their decision after the first 5 minutes.
First impressions are critical! Use the following techniques to guarantee you make a good one.

25. Interview Introduction
Be polite
Address your interviewer as Mr. _______ or Mrs. until they ask you to do something different
Stand and wait to sit until you are asked to

26. Interview Introduction
Be polite
Shake your interviewer`s hand in a strong and confident way
A weak handshake is a big mistake!

27. How to Act
We will now discuss:
Non-verbal (unspoken)
Verbal (spoken)

28. Non-verbal strategies
Much of your communication is based not on what you say, but on how you stand, how you look, where you stand, etc.
We call these non-verbal strategies

29. Non-verbal Strategies
Eye Contact
Maintain strong eye contact when listening and when speaking
This shows you are both interested and confident

30. Non-verbal Strategies
Facial expressions
Smile!
Keep a neutral or positive facial expression.
Practice in the mirror or on a video tape to see how you can improve your natural expression

31. Non-verbal Strategies
Posture
Stand tall, walk tall, and sit tall.
Shows the interviewer are confident
You may lean forward at times to show you are interested

32. Non-verbal Strategies
Limit gestures/body language
Using too many gestures will make you seem like a cartoon character
Keep gestures to a minimum

33. Non-verbal Strategies
Personal space
Be aware of your own and others’ personal space.
Stand your ground, but don’t invade other people’s space

34. Verbal Strategies
The way you speak and what you say is equally important
These are called:
Verbal strategies

35. Verbal Strategies
The way you speak and what you say is equally important
These are called:
Verbal strategies

36. Verbal Strategies Take your time
If you do not understand the question, ask the interviewer to repeat it.
If you are not sure about the answer, take a moment to think about it

37. Verbal Strategies Be specific
One of the worst mistakes is being too general
Answer interviewers questions with specific stories and examples

38. Verbal Strategies A specific situation
When asked a question, include the following information in your answer:
A specific situation
The tasks that needed to be done
The action you took
The results i.e. what happened

39. Verbal Strategies Be confident
"To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If you`re not, pretend you are.“
Muhammad Ali

40. Verbal Strategies Be confident
There is no right or wrong answer to a question, only how the answer is received by the interviewer
Answer in a confident way and the interviewer will believe you

41. Closing the interview
At the end of the interview, you will want to do some things to ensure that you are prepared for the rest of the job/scholarship process

42. Closing the interview Repeat your interest in the position.
Ask about the next step in the process. It's important for you to know the next step so you can follow up.
Find out how to contact them. If you don't hear back, you will need to know who to contact.

43. Closing the interview Leave with a good handshake
Thank the interviewer for their time
Leave right away! Don’t hang around the office/school/etc.

44. Following up Send a short thank you note to everyone you spoke with
Call 2-3 days later to see how you are doing in the application process

45. Tomorrow The parts of the interview
Typical interview questions and answers
Good questions to ask the interviewer