INTERVIEW OVERVIEW
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The University of Dublin, Trinity College Careers Advisory Service www.tcd.ie/Careers INTERVIEW OVERVIEW Interviews – Purpose – Structure – Etiquette – Preparation – Types and Questions – Sample questions Resources
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INTERVIEW OVERVIEW. Interviews Purpose Structure Etiquette Preparation Types and Questions Sample questions Resources. SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE. ? ? ? ?. PURPOSE – SELECTOR’S PURPOSE. To find out: “Why are you here?” “What can you do for us?” - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of INTERVIEW OVERVIEW
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
INTERVIEW OVERVIEW
Interviews– Purpose– Structure– Etiquette– Preparation– Types and
Questions– Sample questions
Resources
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE
– ?– ?– ?– ?
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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?”
PURPOSE – SELECTOR’S PURPOSE
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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?”
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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?
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
College Time
Work Experience
Personal time• Managing Money• Take a Risk• Speaking in Societies• Being on a Committee• Organising an event
Academic Time
• Establishing Good • Customer Relations• Showing Reliability• Working Well with
others• Being Adaptable• Using Languages
• Helping Others• Catering for Others• Entertaining Others• Taking Initiative• Managing Time
• Writing Reports• Analysing Data• Researching information• Retaining Facts• Working to Deadline
“Self-Profile”
• Communication Skills• Financial Skills• Interpersonal Skills• Time Management Skills
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
TYPES OF INTERVIEW
– One-to-One interview – Panel interview– Telephone interview– Second interview
Question Types– Motivational– Behavioural– Situational– Stress – Situational
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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)
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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.
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
SITUATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL QUESTIONS
Situational– 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.
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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.”
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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…”
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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…”
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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!
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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
DO ...
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
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…..
The University of Dublin, Trinity CollegeCareers Advisory Service
www.tcd.ie/Careers
RESOURCES
– www.tcd.ie/careers/students/jobsearch– www.gradireland.com– www.prospects.co.uk– www.jobhuntersbible.com– www.quintessentialcareers.com– www.damngood.com/jobseekers/tips.html– www.doctorjob.com– Attend a practice interview! Email [email protected] or call (01)
8961721– 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
