1. Interviewing Success Claiming your power in the interview Presented by the Humphrey School Career Services Office: Lynne Schuman, Director Martha Krohn, Assistant Director

2. Interviewing Success - Agenda 1. Measuring success 2. Preparing, conducting, and following-up 3. Using the power of story 4. Common interview questions 5. Questions that you ask 6. Handling illegal questions

3. Measuring Success Success for employer? Success for candidate?

4. Interviewing in three steps: 1. Prepare 2. Conduct 3. Follow-up

5. Prepare: The Employer’s Viewpoint Why is this position important to the organization? What are their needs? How can I demonstrate that I meet those needs? How can I address any concerns they might have?

6. Prepare: Content “An interviewer controls the flow of the interview, but the interviewee controls the content. “ H. Anthony Medley Examples - that demonstrate your accomplishments using skills and abilities important to the employer Answers - to common interview questions The question you hope they don’t ask Questions for the organization

7. Preparing for Difficult Subjects: Craft Good Answers Welcome the question or acknowledge the employer’s concern Minimize concerns by briefly explaining your solution Tell employers what they gain by hiring you - be specific Be proactive if you can minimize a problem by bringing it up

8. Prepare: Interview Formats One-on-one interviews Panel or group interviews Phone interviews Video interviews

9. Conduct: During the Interview Strong beginning, strong ending Listen Slow down. Pause Be professional in ALL interactions Be wary of using humor

10. Interview Follow-Up

11. Two Types of Behavioral Questions Behavioral - focused on past behavior Situational – focused on future possible behaviors

12. Using the Power of Story – to demonstrate past behavior Structure => S-A-R ◦ S ituation – a specific situation in which you played a significant role ◦ A ction – or actions that YOU took ◦ R esult – the good outcome that was a result of your actions

13. Preparing S-A-R stories Using position description, pick out important skills, knowledge and duties Prepare a S-A-R story for each relevant quality you can claim Practice telling these stories concisely

14. Teamwork Story S : I was on a 4 person team in my Economic Development class. One team member kept missing meetings and not keeping up her part of the work. A : I volunteered to talk to her. We met outside school & discussed how things were going. She felt completely overwhelmed and unable to keep up. We worked out a schedule for the project that felt more realistic for her. In return, she promised to make the rest of the meetings. R : The team project came together in good time, and we presented it to the class. The instructor gave us an A for the project and complemented us on our smooth functioning as a team.

15. Other Common Interview Questions Tell me about yourself. Key: Can the candidate sort and prioritize information that is relevant to this job and this organization? Strategy: Often the first question – prepare a strong response. Give brief experience/education history, emphasizing how it led you to your interest in this career area/organization.

16. Questions Why are you interested in this position? Key: ◦ Do your interests mesh with the job? ◦ Will you stay engaged and interested? ◦ What do you have to give and what do you have to gain? Strategy: Prepare a brief explanation as to why your background (experience, training, interests) makes this position a logical one for you. This is where you could address “overqualified” concerns.

17. Questions Where do you see yourself five years from now? Key: ◦ Is your future vision compatible with the direction this job and this organization will take you? ◦ Are you worth investing in or will you leave quickly?

18. Questions What is your greatest strength? Your greatest weakness? Key: ◦ Are you self-aware and analytic? ◦ Can you discuss strengths in a way that relates them to the job to be done? (Can use a S-A-R story to illustrate) ◦ Do you take responsibility for weaknesses, problem solve and correct/mitigate them?

19. Selecting Your Weakness Authentic Generic, not personal Not essential for this job A problem that you are solving – emphasize the solution in your answer

20. Asking YOUR questions Fill in gaps in information Learn organizational culture Explore challenges and trends Express interest in and knowledge of their work Clarify the hiring process and timelines 2/3rds of questions should be about the work & organization

21. Handling illegal questions Personal information not related to job requirements

22. Areas to be aware of National origin/citizenship Age Marital/family status Affiliations Religious beliefs Height/weight Disability Medical history (physical or mental) Arrest record Military discharge

23. Responding : Your Choices 1. Answer the question, or 2. Refuse to answer the question, or 3. Answer the concern.

24. Interviewing Well “In my career I have interviewed a lot of job candidates, and I can tell you the ones who stand out – and get the jobs – are those who project a clear sense of themselves...” James A. Johnson 2006 HHH Commencement Keynote Address

25. Other Resources on Interviewing The Six Reasons You’ll Get The Job: MacDougall and Sanders-Park, 2010. Looking at a position through the employer’s viewpoint. Discusses the 6 areas that employers look for in a candidate, whether they know it or not, and ways to demonstrate how you have them. Sweaty Palms: H. Anthony Medley, 2005. Going Global: Access through GoldPass.umn.edu – Online resource on career opportunities around the world and how to secure them. Ted Talk: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are by Amy Cuddy : http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_ar e.html http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_ar e.html Quiet: Susan Cain, 2013. Subtitled “The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking” HHH Career Appointments: Meet with Lynne or Martha for interviewing coaching or a mock interview: Go to hhh.umn.edu/career & click on “Make An Appointment”