1. INTERVIEW OVERVIEW Purpose Structure Etiquette Preparation
Interviews
Purpose
Structure
Etiquette
Preparation
Types and Questions
Sample questions
Resources

2. SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE?

3. PURPOSE – SELECTOR’S PURPOSE
To find out:
“Why are you here?”
“What can you do for us?”
“What kind of person are you?”
“What distinguishes you from the nineteen other people who can do the job.”
“Can we afford you?”

4. PURPOSE – YOUR PURPOSE To find out: “What does the job involve?”
“What are the skills a top employee in this job would have to have?”
“Are these the kinds of people I would like to work with, or not?”
“If we like each other, can I persuade them there is something unique about me that makes me different to the nineteen other people who can do the job?”
“Can I persuade them to hire me at the salary I need or want?”

5. INTERVIEW STRUCTURE Start Introductions
Description of interview structure
Puts you at ease
Middle
About yourself
Academic/ educational record
Technical knowledge/ Skills
End
Opportunity to ask questions
Closure – information on further communication
Final handshake

6. INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE
“Interviews are most often lost, when they are lost, during the first two minutes.”
Remember:
Appearance & hygiene
Nervous mannerisms
Lack of self-confidence
Consideration you show to others
Your values

7. N.B. “Organisations love to be loved.”
KNOW THE COMPANY
N.B. “Organisations love to be loved.”
Research, research, research:
Ask if there is anything they can send you in writing about their organisation
Go to their website & read everything they have there “about us”
Go to the library & locate any newspaper articles or other information about the organisation
Check the Alumni database at the CAS
Ask your friends if they know anyone working there to whom you could talk
Become familiar with the organisation’s history, purpose, goals, values

8. BASIC TACTICS – REFLECT
Know Yourself
Abilities, Interests, Values, Personality
Qualifications, Grades, Academic Achievements
To carry this out review activities
Specific Achievements
Current Responsibilities
Course Work Projects
Work Experience - including Voluntary Work
Sports, Societies, Social Life
Then - What Skills have I gained?

9. “Self-Profile” College Time Personal time Work Experience
Managing Money
Take a Risk
Speaking in Societies
Being on a Committee
Organising an event
Helping Others
Catering for Others
Entertaining Others
Taking Initiative
Managing Time
Work Experience
Academic Time
Writing Reports
Analysing Data
Researching information
Retaining Facts
Working to Deadline
Establishing Good
Customer Relations
Showing Reliability
Working Well with others
Being Adaptable
Using Languages
Communication Skills
Financial Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Time Management Skills

10. TYPES OF INTERVIEW One-to-One interview Panel interview
Telephone interview
Second interview
Question Types
Motivational
Behavioural
Situational
Stress

11. ONE-TO-ONE INTERVIEW Easiest to arrange Relaxed
Opportunity to meet potential boss
Relies heavily on personality and ability of one person
Panel Interview
3-5 people
Each interviewer focuses on different topic:
Chairperson to coordinate questions
Specialist who knows job in detail
HR Manager
Difficult to establish rapport
Popular in public sector (e.g. education & local government)

12. TELEPHONE INTERVIEW To sell yourself and your skills
Take a surprise call in your stride
Beware of how you sound
Allow enough time
Beware of over-familiarity
Beware of yes/no answers
“Dress” for the occasion
Keep a copy of your application, CV, pen, paper, diary, list of questions with you

13. 2ND INTERVIEW
You are one of 5% of individuals selected from original applicants
Differ from 1st interviews:
Length of process
Variety & depth
Emphasis on group/teamwork
Wide variety of interview formats
Group discussion
Case studies/Business games/Outdoor exercises
Informal discussion with employees
Personality & aptitude tests
In-tray exercises/Written exercises
Presentation skills
In-depth interviews

14. BEHAVIOURAL QUESTIONS
“Employers don’t really care about your past; they only ask about it, in order to try to predict your future (behaviour)”
This type of interview is used by employers to evaluate your past experiences & behaviours to predict your future performance
Interviewer identifies desired skills & behaviours and
Structures very pointed questions to elicit detailed responses to determine if you possess the desired characteristics

15. BEHAVIOURAL QUESTIONS - HOW WILL I PREPARE?
Know the skills necessary for the job e.g.
Teamwork
Leadership
Technical Knowledge
Problem-solving
Planning & Organising
Communicating
In the interview your responses need to be specific & detailed
How?
Arm yourself with a small “arsenal” of example stories that can be adapted to any behavioural questions
Briefly describe the situation, what task was at hand, what action you took, and the positive result or outcome
Frame this as a 4-step process - S.T.A.R.

16. BEHAVIOURAL QUESTIONS AND S.T.A.R.
Sample S.T.A.R. story
Situation: Advertising revenue was falling off for my college newspaper, the Trinity Times, and long-term advertisers were not renewing contracts
Task: To address the crisis with an innovative solution, devise a plan, and ensure it was executed successfully
Action: I designed a new promotional packet and compared circulation of the Trinity Times with other ad media in the area. I also set up a special training session for account executives with a School of Business Professor who discussed competitive selling strategies
Result: We signed contracts with 15 former advertisers for daily ads and 5 for special supplements. We increased our new advertisers by 20% over the same period last year

17. SITUATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL QUESTIONS
You are asked to respond to a specific situation you might face on-the-job
Designed to draw out your analytical/problem-solving skills
To see how you handle problems with short notice & minimal preparation
Motivational
You are asked about the choices you made and why you made them
Helps a potential employer determine whether there's a good 'fit' between what a candidate likes and what the person will find in the position on offer.

18. STRESS QUESTIONS Usually to see how you react under pressure
Used for positions where you will be facing stress on the job
Interviewer might:
Ask you 4/5 questions in a row
Act rude or sarcastic
Disagree with or challenge you
Important to:
Remain calm
Keep sense of humour
Avoid getting defensive
Take back control of interview by “ignoring” the stress

19. SAMPLE QUESTIONS Employer’s question What is behind the question?
The point you try to get across
Possible phrases you could use
“Tell me about yourself”
Trying to assess what you are like as a person/fit with company
You are a good employee/proved in past/who you are/interests/hobbies (2 minutes max)
Use words like: “hard worker,” “came in early, left late,” “always did more than was expected of me” etc.
“Have you ever done this kind of work before?”
Trying to assess if you have the skills & experience necessary
You have skills that are transferable from whatever you have done
“I have the ability to pick things up very quickly.”
“Can you tell me why there are gaps in your work history?”
Trying to assess your staying power in a job
You enjoy working, whenever you have had a “gap” it has been a challenge to overcome
“During the gaps in my CV, I was studying/doing volunteer work/reflecting on my mission in life/finding redirection.”

20. SAMPLE QUESTIONS Employer’s question What is behind the question?
The point you try to get across
Possible phrases you could use
“What is your greatest weakness?”
To probe “character flaws” and hopes you will now confess it!
You have limitations like anyone else but work constantly to improve yourself & be a more effective worker
Mention a weakness then stress its positive aspect e.g., “I don’t like to be over-supervised because I have a great deal of initiative & like to anticipate problems before they arise.”
“Why have you applied to us?”
To discover how much you have found out about the company/your level of interest in them
Be specific in what the company offers in terms of training/opportunities/ career plans
“I would like to work for a company like XXX because of its unique offering in terms of…”
“What other jobs have you applied for?”
To discover whether you are sufficiently focused on the industry
That you are focusing exclusively in your job-hunt on this industry
“I am certain that a career in this area is what I want, I have therefore applied to…”

21. SAMPLE QUESTIONS Employer’s question What is behind the question?
The point you try to get across
Possible phrases you could use
“Describe a situation where others you were working with on a project disagreed with you. What did you do?”
To see how effectively you work with others, resolve problems, consider the impact your decisions have
That you are sensitive in such situations & have a good sense of judgment
“I recognised a difficult situation, took the individual aside, discussed matter privately, resolved situation.”
“Tell me about a situation where you had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control.”
To see if you can maintain effectiveness in varying environments, tasks, responsibilities, & with people
Your ability to be “adaptable” and adjust to unexpected change
“I was working on a project with a specific deadline which was brought forward & where resources from my team were pulled…”
“Tell me about the most difficult customer service experience that you have ever handled.”
How well can you listen to, understand, & anticipate customer needs & provide customer satisfaction
An experience where you were presented with such a challenge and how you acted
“Once when I was working on a summer job, I was confronted with…”

22. QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK…
Can you describe a typical day for someone in this position?
How will my responsibilities & performance be measured? By whom? How often?
Does the organisation support ongoing training & education for employees to stay up-to-date in their fields?
What is the greatest opportunity facing the organisation in the near future?
What are the traits and skills of people who are most successful within the organisation?
NO salary, benefits etc. Wait until you are offered the job!

24. DON’T ... Don’t talk too much (get to the point)
Don’t give a poor handshake
Don’t fidget
Don’t be soft-spoken
Don’t ever lie
Don’t ask about salary / benefits / vacation
Don’t wear loads of aftershave / perfume

25. DO ... Do arrive 10 minutes early
Do your research, know the job, know yourself
Do dress the part for the job, the company, the industry
Do wait until offered a chair before sitting
Do make eye contact with the interviewer
Do observe the twenty second to two minute rule
Do show off the research you have done on the company/industry
Do show what you can do for the company rather than what they can do for you
Do show enthusiasm for the position and the company
Do stress your achievements and don’t offer any negative information

26. TAKE ACTION! Start a Careers Portfolio Certificates of education
Proof of courses attended
List of achievements
Contact details for possible referees
Details of applications and interview feedback etc.
And…..

27. RESOURCES www.tcd.ie/careers/students/jobsearch www.gradireland.com
Attend a practice interview! or call (01)
Read “Careers Service Guide 2007”
Read “Student Guide to Career Planning & Job Seeking” - Aungier, C. & Walker, S. 2004
Read “Making Wizard Applications”, Phillips, C. 1999