Presented byPresented by

Air DistrictAir District

““Spare the Air” Spare the Air” Work to protect the Work to protect the

environmentenvironmentPrepare future workersPrepare future workers

“Committed to achieving clean air to protect

the public's health and the environment”

www.baaqmd.gov

Interviewing SkillsInterviewing Skills

Why is it important?Why is it important?

Interviewing SkillsInterviewing Skills

Improve your interviewing Improve your interviewing skillsskills

Understanding work place Understanding work place expectations and guidelinesexpectations and guidelines

Interviewing SkillsInterviewing Skills

Research the company Research the company

Practice answering sample Practice answering sample interview questions interview questions (p.19)(p.19)

- Identify your strengths & - Identify your strengths & weaknesses weaknesses

- Prepare several success stories- Prepare several success stories

Come up with 5 questions to ask Come up with 5 questions to ask themthem

Preparing for an Preparing for an interviewinterview

InterviewingInterviewingTop 10 tipsTop 10 tips

Arrive on timeArrive on time Conduct company Conduct company

researchresearch Pay attention to Pay attention to

attire and attire and groominggrooming

Bring extra Bring extra resume copiesresume copies

Bring referencesBring references

Prepare to Prepare to summarize career summarize career objectivesobjectives

Direct eye contactDirect eye contact Express interest in Express interest in

opportunityopportunity Listen then answerListen then answer Be yourselfBe yourself

InterviewingInterviewing““Tell me about yourself.”Tell me about yourself.”

Prepare a 2 minute response to this Prepare a 2 minute response to this popular question.popular question.

Explain your passion, give examples Explain your passion, give examples of your abilities, tell why you are of your abilities, tell why you are interested in the position, etc.interested in the position, etc.

90% of what you say should relate 90% of what you say should relate back to the job and why you would back to the job and why you would do well at it!!do well at it!!

Interviewing Interviewing

Success stories should include:Success stories should include: Demonstrating leadership Demonstrating leadership Working as part of a team Working as part of a team Meeting deadlinesMeeting deadlines Solving problems Solving problems Making effective decisionsMaking effective decisions Handling change/criticismHandling change/criticism Triumphs and challengesTriumphs and challenges

Behavioral: Behavioral: Ask about a situation you experienced Ask about a situation you experienced in the past, such as a problem, and how you solved itin the past, such as a problem, and how you solved it

Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker… Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker…

How did you go about resolving the issue…How did you go about resolving the issue…

Situational: Situational: Ask how you’d respond to a particular Ask how you’d respond to a particular hypothetical situationhypothetical situation

Let’s say you caught a coworker stealing out of the cash Let’s say you caught a coworker stealing out of the cash register…register…

What would you do…What would you do…

InterviewingTypes of interview questionsTypes of interview questions

Motivational: Motivational: Employers try to gauge your responsibility Employers try to gauge your responsibility and willingness to engage in certain activitiesand willingness to engage in certain activities

How willing are you to work nights and weekends…How willing are you to work nights and weekends…

What motivates you in a job…What motivates you in a job…

Informal:Informal: Questions about the company and the Questions about the company and the applicantapplicant

What attracts you to our company…What attracts you to our company…

What are your strengths and weaknesses…What are your strengths and weaknesses…

Tell me about yourself…Tell me about yourself…

IllegalIllegal

InterviewingTypes of interview questionsTypes of interview questions

InterviewingInterviewing

Employers are Employers are NOTNOT allowed to ask allowed to ask questions that relate to your personal questions that relate to your personal life. Such as:life. Such as: ReligionReligion Marital status and number of childrenMarital status and number of children BirthplaceBirthplace Race or EthnicityRace or Ethnicity AgeAge National origin and ancestryNational origin and ancestry Sexual orientation (only in CA)Sexual orientation (only in CA)

*Do not volunteer this info!*Do not volunteer this info!

IllegalIllegal questions questions**

InterviewingInterviewing

Top 10 things to avoid

Negative body Negative body languagelanguage

RudenessRudeness Give false Give false

impressionsimpressions Distractions Distractions

during interviewduring interview Falsify info on Falsify info on

applicationapplication

Ignore interview Ignore interview etiquetteetiquette

Forget prior Forget prior employer/school infoemployer/school info

Forget reference listForget reference list Forget to send thank Forget to send thank

you noteyou note Ignore follow up Ignore follow up

call/emailcall/email

Once you get the job, how Once you get the job, how much is the job worth?much is the job worth?

How much are you worth?How much are you worth?

Not apologeticNot apologetic

ConversationalConversational

When are you willing to walk When are you willing to walk away?away?

BenefitsBenefitsWhat are benefits?What are benefits?

BenefitsBenefits

Benefits are almost never freeBenefits are almost never free

Deducted directly from paycheckDeducted directly from paycheck

Considered part of compensationConsidered part of compensation

What to Expect From EmployersWhat to Expect From Employers

Types of BenefitsTypes of Benefits MedicalMedical DentalDental VisionVision Life InsuranceLife Insurance Retirement PlansRetirement Plans Cafeteria PlansCafeteria Plans Employee Employee

Assistance PlansAssistance Plans

Education Education ReimbursementReimbursement

Training programsTraining programs Dependent careDependent care Day care plansDay care plans Disability Disability

insuranceinsurance Family benefitsFamily benefits

BenefitsBenefits

Important Workplace BehaviorsImportant Workplace Behaviors

Positive AttitudePositive Attitude Respect for Others Respect for Others Make Practical Make Practical

JudgmentsJudgments Cooperative & Cooperative &

Polite Polite Have IntegrityHave Integrity

Concern for Concern for CustomersCustomers

Attention to DetailAttention to Detail DependabilityDependability Team MemberTeam Member Conflict ResolutionConflict Resolution

Workplace ExpectationsWorkplace Expectations

Unacceptable Workplace BehaviorsUnacceptable Workplace Behaviors

Ineptitude Ineptitude (can’t do the job)(can’t do the job) Tardiness Tardiness (being late)(being late) Sluggishness Sluggishness Dressing inappropriatelyDressing inappropriately Goofing off Goofing off (e.g. playing on the internet)(e.g. playing on the internet) Sexual harassmentSexual harassment ““Horseplay” Horseplay” (e.g. staple fight)(e.g. staple fight)

Workplace ExpectationsWorkplace Expectations

Workplace ExpectationsWorkplace Expectations

Guidelines that define operations in Guidelines that define operations in terms of decision making & plan terms of decision making & plan implementationimplementation

Serve as a guide for dealing with Serve as a guide for dealing with specific situationsspecific situations

The process in order to accomplish The process in order to accomplish a taska task

Often in writing Often in writing – e.g. company handbooke.g. company handbook

Policies and ProceduresPolicies and Procedures

Workplace ExpectationsWorkplace Expectations

Overtime policiesOvertime policies Email policiesEmail policies Break policiesBreak policies Complaint policiesComplaint policies Vacation policiesVacation policies Equal opp. policiesEqual opp. policies Safe workplace Safe workplace

policiespolicies

Example PoliciesExample Policies

Leave policiesLeave policies–Annual leaveAnnual leave–Sick leaveSick leave–Family LeaveFamily Leave–Military LeaveMilitary Leave–Sabbatical Sabbatical LeaveLeave–Disability LeaveDisability Leave–Parental LeaveParental Leave–Court LeaveCourt Leave

Workplace ExpectationsWorkplace Expectations

Performance evaluation proceduresPerformance evaluation procedures Discrimination complaint proceduresDiscrimination complaint procedures Safety proceduresSafety procedures Grievance proceduresGrievance procedures Compensation proceduresCompensation procedures Disciplinary proceduresDisciplinary procedures Promotional proceduresPromotional procedures

Example ProceduresExample Procedures

Protect YourselfProtect Yourself

Right to safe and clean environmentRight to safe and clean environment

Right to be respectedRight to be respected

Right to speak upRight to speak up