1. Successful Interviewing

2. Objective Students will be able to anticipate and articulate key job skills and be prepared for a real job interview.

3. Tips Before the Interview Research the company you are applying for. Don’t make anything up but show that you are interested in the organization! Bring the necessary documents to an interview. Driver’s License/Birth Certificate + Picture ID Social Security Card List of References (include the phone number) Letters of Recommendation (this may save some phone calls to people you wouldn’t rather answer questions about you!)

4. Be Prepared to Talk about Yourself An interviewer may sit back and ask you to “tell a little something about yourself.” This is your chance to impress and set yourself apart from other candidates. Have your “story” ready and rehearsed. You should cover: Key moments in your life that apply to where you are today. People and things that influence you. Your goals and where you see yourself in the future. Something about your individuality and passions.

5. “Tell me about yourself…” How might you reply?

6. HERE ARE SOME COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS IN ENTRY-LEVEL JOB INTERVIEWS. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE AN ANSWER THAT MAKES YOU LOOK GOOD! Anticipate Likely Questions

7. Name 3 of Your Best Qualities Make sure these relate to the job or you as an employee. Not “I’m a really good friend” or “I can read backwards.” Think of the words you selected in your FOCUS assignments and explain those. Have the self-confidence to really sell these points. This is where you include things that make you a more desirable candidate or set you apart. Classes, extra-curricular activities, and passions should be included in you explanation.

8. Why Do You Want This Job? Everyone knows that people want money. What are other reasons for getting jobs?  Be able to explain your answer. Experience Enjoy the company Responsibility Self-worth

9. When Are You Available to Work? This is a difficult question for some high school students. It’s okay. They already know that you are in school. Explain when you can work and how you will get there. Leave out crazy schedules of things to come, you might have to give them up if you have a job. Not every student has a driver’s license and a car, so you will need assure them you can get to work on time, every time. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis/MWPosting.Option al_9_25_06_single_page_173925_7.pdf http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis/MWPosting.Option al_9_25_06_single_page_173925_7.pdf

10. What Salary Were You Expecting? Many start out in minimum wage jobs. The minimum wage in Michigan is $7.40/hour. If you are getting tips, you can make as little as $2.65/hour as long as you make enough tips to average minimum wage during the time you are working. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis/MWPosting.Option al_9_25_06_single_page_173925_7.pdf http://www.michigan.gov/documents/cis/MWPosting.Option al_9_25_06_single_page_173925_7.pdf

11. Why Should We Hire You? This is another opportunity for you to sell yourself. If you weren’t asked about your 3 best qualities, list them now. Make sure that you don’t impress upon them that you will be “out of here” soon. Explain how this might be a wonderful summer job during school, or you could transfer within the organization when you go to post-secondary school, etc.

12. YOU NEED TO TAKE THESE POTENTIALLY NEGATIVE QUESTIONS AND TURN THEM INTO IMPRESSIVE ANSWERS THAT WILL WIN YOU THE JOB! The Hard Questions That NEED Practice

13. What is Your Worst Quality and Why? Employers sometimes want to catch you off guard by asking questions that can shed a negative light on you. Use this as an opportunity to impress a wonderful trait that would be your “best” quality. Make sure to explain how you can overcome this quality and fix it. Usually through hard work and more experience (showing that you are willing to learn).

14. Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it? Employers want people that are going to try and problem solve, not whine about every little thing to their manager. If you haven’t, don’t say so! Imagine what someone else would do.  Talking and addressing the problem head on is a good policy.

15. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it? Think about this question with the end in mind. What would be an important lesson for you to learn? Did you do something that could somehow be considered a failure? Try to stay away from devastating failures or very personal experiences. Keep it light and simple.

16. Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them. This is where you show that you can ask for help and solve problems!  Be upfront and address the problem in time.  Always offer your employer a solution, not a complaint.

17. LAST IMPRESSIONS CAN OVERCOME FIRST IMPRESSIONS. HANG IN THERE UNTIL YOU ARE IN YOUR CAR! Finishing the Interview

18. Any Questions? YES! Employers are impressed when you have questions to ask them. Use this as an opportunity to show off you research on the company or show your interest in working there in the future. DO NOT let this opportunity go by! Even if you don’t really have a question! Your interest in the company will make it seem like you are ready to come in to work tomorrow!

19. Leaving They will usually end with “We will be in touch.” This is you queue to stand up. Shake hands, use their name if possible, and thank them for the opportunity to interview or for their time. Thank anyone else in the room or the secretary, if necessary. You are not safe until you are gone! Remember, they are watching you THE WHOLE TIME! Write a thank you note as soon as possible, restating key points of the interview.

20. Assignment Think of creative answers on your own and add them to the worksheet.