University of PhoenixSouth Florida Campus

Understanding the Interview Process

I haven’t interviewed in years. The thought of an interview STRESSES me out!!

The Interview

Very few people enjoy being interviewed

It is very normal to be nervous

Most people do well… People get hired all the time

The key is to be prepared

Never go to a interview without being prepared

The Interview ProcessJob

Posting

Send Resume/ Telephone call

Review applications and résumés

Pre-Interview Telephone

Call/Screening

In-Person Interview w/ Human Resources

Job Testing

In-Person Interview w/ Hiring Manager

Job Offer

Interview Formats• Two main styles

of interviews– Traditional

• uses broad-based questions.

– Behavioral• used to find out what

past behaviors the candidate has exhibited that will be beneficial to our company

7 Types of InterviewsScreening or telephone interview

– over the phone, these interviews are more of a quick check to see if the candidate has the basic qualifications you are looking for

– It is recommended that you have in front of you your resume, the job description, a list of references, some prepared answers to challenging questions and perhaps something about the company.

– Be sure to ask what the next step is.

7 Types of InterviewsIndividual Interview

– Most common type and often called a “personal interview.”

– Typically a one-on-one exchange at the organizations offices

– In order to best prepare you will want to know the length of the interview which can usually range from 30 to 90 minutes.  • If the interview is 30 minutes you have to be concise and have a

high impact with your answers.  • If it is 60 or 90 minutes you will want to go into much more depth

and use specific examples to support your generalizations.

7 Types of InterviewsMultiple or Committee Interview

– This is where you will be meeting with several decision-makers at once or all in the same day.

– This is a series of interviews where the candidate gets to meet individually with several different representatives from the organization.

– It’s an efficient way to interview candidates and allows for different interpretations or perceptions of the same answer.• Be sure to make eye contact with everyone, no matter who asked

the question.  • It’s important to establish rapport with each member of the

interview team.

7 Types of InterviewsBehavioral-Based Interview

– The theory behind Critical Behavioral Interviewing (CBI) is that past performance in a similar situation is the best predictor of future performance

– You should prepare by thinking of specific examples that demonstrate your competence in core behaviors:

– Teamwork– Problem-solving– Communication– Creativity– Flexibility – Organizational skills.

7 Types of InterviewsTask Oriented or Testing Interview

– This is a problem-solving interview where you will be given some exercises to demonstrate your creative and analytical abilities. 

– A company may ask you to take a short test to evaluate your technical knowledge and skills.

– A presentation to a group is necessary to determine your communication skills.

7 Types of InterviewsStress

– Candidates given questions or are told remarks that are intended to upset them, in order to see how they react.

– The interviewer tries to bait you, to see how you will respond. 

– The objective is to find your weaknesses and test how you hold up to pressure. • Such tactics as: Weird Silences, Constant Interruptions,

and Challenging Interrogation with antagonistic questions are designed to push your boundaries.

7 Types of InterviewsSituational

– Candidates are given scenarios of situations they may face when they come to work for the company, and their responses are compared with standard responses that have previously been set.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Interview Question Types

Specific

Concept

Specific

Concept

Procedure

Behavior Based

Example Specific Question Structure

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act what determines if an employee receives overtime …?

Example of a Conceptual Question Structure

What does Division of Labor mean? Why do you think the cost of our product is a most important competitive advantage to our organization?Key question types are “What is..." "Why does... "

Example of a Procedural Question Structure

Which one of the following is the correct procedure for…How would you satisfy a customer if they wanted to return something after the return policy has expired?

Example of a Behavior-Based Question Structure

“Tell me about a time when you …(instead of “what would you do…”)

Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.

If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?

It Is Illegal To Ask About

Race Sexual preference Religion National origin

Birthplace Age Disability Marital/family status

Most illegal questions asked by untrained interviewer

Usually they are innocent

Remember

Answer the question by answering the intent of the question

Try to change the topic

Refuse to answer the question

How To Handle An Illegal Question

Preparing for the Interview

Practice your body language Posture Positioning Eye contact Facial expressions

Preparing for the Interview

Assess yourself How do I come across to other people? Do I act self assured? Am I confident? Do I give the impression that I want the

job?

Remember Be prepared to explain your past

successes, accomplishments

Restate your interest in the position at the close of the interview

Interview Do’s

Be on time - arrive 15 minutes early

Offer a firm handshake

Listen to the question before you answer

Interview Do’s

Turn off cell phone/beeper

Give interviewer your full attention

The Interview

It is OK to be nervousIt is OK for your heart to palpitateIt is OK for your mouth to go dry

But stay focused