Interviewing Skill Workshop

Presented By:
Dr. Komal Khalid
Dr. Deepanjana Varshney
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Overview

Interviews
Preparing for interviews
The interview experience
General Tips
Skills/Qualities Sought by Employers
Questions to expect and to ask
Different types of interview
Do's and Don’t
Summary
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Interviews (1 of 3)
Opportunity to present yourself, skill set, and knowledge to one who can
hire you.
Interviews allow both the employer and the job seeker to determine if
there is a correct fit between them.

First impressions can make a lasting impact for both the interviewer and
the job seeker.
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Interviews - Purpose (2 of 3)
 Employers
• Is the candidate qualified?
• Are they a good fit for the company?
• Determine of you are invited back for a second interview and
ultimately whether you are offered a job.

 Job Seekers
• Opportunity to meet and connect with the prospective employer.
• Sell your skills and abilities.
• Help you determine if you are a good fit for the company.
5 Interview – Process (3 of 3)

Job Interview – 3 Step Process

• Preparation
• Presentation / The Interview
• Post-Interview Follow Up

Process begins when you start sending out resumes/filling out

applications and extends past the actual interview
 Preparation for Interviews
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7 Preparing for Interviews

Your interview starts before you walk into an employer’s

door..
So you have to follow certain steps to make your interview
into a successful one……
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Step One
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9 Understand Yourself
• Know your resume inside and out
• Be prepared to answer questions, give examples or tell
a story about every job you have held and every
achievement and education noted on the resume
• Provide skills and strengths that you possess that are
relevant to the job
• Know your personal and professional goals and how
they will fit with the company goals
• BE TRUTHFUL. Don’t exaggerate or give inaccurate,
misleading information
10 Understand Yourself

Take an inventory of your attributes

1. Education
2. Experience, both paid and unpaid
3. Accomplishments and achievements
4. Skills and competencies
5. Community service
6. Clubs and organizations
7. Extra-Curricular activities
8. Work ethics
9. Values
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Step Two
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Create Your Personal Profile

 Create a professional resume.

 Look for ways to put a positive spin on your

career history.

 Create a powerful, competent and experienced

image by using action words to describe
yourself and your accomplishments.
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Create Your Personal Profile

• Give yourself all the credit you deserve.

• Be totally honest, but don’t shortchange yourself

by underestimating or minimizing your
accomplishments.

• Have a professional critique of your resume.

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Step Three

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15 Know the Position

Make sure you and the position are a match.

• Duties of the position

• Compensation range
• Location
• Work schedules
• Benefits
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Step Four

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17 Know the Organization

• Organization’s name
• Private or public
• What products or services
• Relevant articles in the press
• Websites, reports, articles,
company literature, etc.
• Key management team
• Networking
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Step Five

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General Tips (1 of 2)

• Map your route to the interview site so you’re not late.

• Appropriate business attire is a must.
• Refer to your achievements often before your interview
date, so they’re fresh in your mind.
• Know your answers to probable questions
before you walk in the door.
20 General Tips (2 of 2)

 Practice, practice, practice your answers and your

delivery. Ask others to critique you.
 If you have access to a video recorder, tape a
mock interview so you can see your nonverbal
communication.
 The image you project and how you present
yourself will be either a deal-maker or
deal-breaker.
 Think about questions you need to ask and write
them down to jog your memory.
21 Dress to Impress- Women

 Navy, gray, and black suits

 Skirts length should be below the knee
 Keep accessories to a minimum
 Make-up should look natural
 Choose one; handbag or briefcase
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Body Language
23 Interview Behavior and Body Language

• Before Interview
• During Interview
• After Interview
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Before Interview (1 of 4)
Do your homework and research about the
company.
Study all the current issues of company
and job requirements.
Neatly arrange and carry your papers like
CV, job experience letters and work
samples in a nice briefcase or portfolio.
This makes you look organized and
professional.
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Before Interview (2 of 4)
Practice good hygiene, comb or brush your
hair, and cut your nails.
Dress appropriately and avoid bright and dark
colors.
Get a professional haircut or trim.
Use underarm deodorant to avoid body
odour when interviewing.
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Before Interview (3 of 4)
If you’re a female, wear a business suit /
Formal Shirt pant / skirt with polished,
low- to medium- heeled dress shoes or
sandal and minimum jewelry.
Style your hair properly.
Avoid wearing fancy jewelry, dark
colored lipstick and over make-up as they
are not acceptable for interviewing in
most corporate environments.
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Before Interview (4 of 4)
Arrive about ten minutes early for the
interview. This shows that you are eager
and punctual.
Don’t bring uninvited guests, like family,
friends or significant others.
Turn off your cell phone and other devices
that might interrupt your interview.
Don’t use strong perfume or deodorant as
your interviewer might not like your
choice and gets irritate by strong smell.
28 Entry in the Interview Room

open legs
clear position•
self assured•

one leg forward

open•
communicative•
curious•
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During Interview (1 of 4)

Smile gently a bit as it shows that you are

happy and interested to give interview.

Wish Good Morning / Afternoon / Evening

as per the time of interview.

You may offer a handshake and say

something like, “I’m pleased to meet you.”
30 During Interview (2 of 4)
Sit only when interviewer ask you to sit.
Say thank you.
Sit up straight, and lean slightly forward in your
chair as this shows your interest for the
interview.
Sit with good posture with hands folded in your
lap as this indicates good manners.
Avoid crossing your arms over your chest, as it
demonstrates a closed mind.
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During Interview (3 of 4)
 Maintain eye contact with the interviewer.

 Avoid staring as you might make the

interviewer uncomfortable.

 Maintaining low level of eye contact

indicates that you are lying and lacking
confidence.
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During Interview (4 of 4)
 Speak normally but with a bit higher energy to show your
communication skills.

 Speak with confidence and don’t lie.

 Avoid thinking while speaking as it shows lack of

confidence.

 Do preparation about the company and job profile before

interview as it helps you to speak confidently.
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After Interview (1of 2)
 Immediately say thank you to interviewer and offer a firm
handshake and say nice meeting with you.
 You can send formal and professional thank-you letter to
your interviewers. Sending thank-you letters is courteous,
and will help to make you stand out in the minds of the
interviewers.
 Be prepared to attend two or three interviews at the same
company. If you’re called back for another interview, it means
that they’re interested in you so keep up the good work.
.
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After Interview (2 of 2)
If you don’t hear back from your interviewers
in about a week or 24 hours or so after they
said you’d hear from them, it’s okay to call or
send letters of inquiry, asking about your
candidate status.
If you still don’t hear back from them then
you concentrate on the next job interview.
37 Typical and not so Typical Job Interview Questions

 Tell me about yourself. (Don’t ramble. Stay focused on those

things about yourself that make you best qualified for the job.)
 What are your strengths? (Make sure you know what they
are before you get to the interview. Make a list.)
 What are your weaknesses? (Careful of this one. What you
say can and will be held against you.)
38 Typical and not so Typical Job Interview Questions

 How would your current (or last) boss describe

you? (Be honest . . . They may be talking to him/her)

 Describe the attributes of the worst boss you ever

had. (Treat this like a minefield. A misstep could
blow up in your face. Try to put a positive spin on the
negative attributes.)
39 Typical and not so Typical Job Interview Questions

 Describe a conflict or disagreement you have had at

work and explain how you handled it.
 How do you react to criticism? (This is not the time
for ego)
 Give an example of a risk you took at work or
school and how it turned out. What did you learn
from the outcome?
40 Typical and not so Typical Job Interview Questions

 What accomplishment in your life are you most proud?

 Would you hire you for this job? Why?

 Why should we hire you over other finalists for this

position? (Of course, you won’t know their credentials,
so focus on your own.)

 How do you motivate others to achieve their personal

best? (Keep in mind that motivation is internal. You can
only “motivate” yourself.)
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42 Your Response Strategy: The STAR Technique

Situation
Task
Action
Result
43 Tell me about a time when you took initiative?

Situation • During my internship last summer, I was responsible for

managing various events.
Task • I noticed that attendance at these events had dropped by 30%
over the past 3 years and wanted to do something to improve
these numbers.
Action • I designed a new promotional packet to go out to the local
community businesses. I also included a rating sheet to collect
feedback on our events and organized internal round table
discussions to raise awareness of the issue with our employees
Result • I was able to incorporate many of the ideas from the community,
as well as make the internal systems more efficient and visible. I
am proud to report that attendance increased by 18%.
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What Creates a Bad Impression

Poor personal appearance

Negative attitude – evasive, using excuses
Lack of interest and enthusiasm
Lack of preparation
Poor knowledge of role
Failure to give concrete examples of skills
Over emphasis on money/rewards
Lack of career plan
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Types of Interviews
46 Telephone Interviews

 Prepare as thoroughly as for ‘real’ interview

 Select comfortable, private, quiet place
 Have copy of CV and company information
 Have pen and paper at hand
 Prepare for usual interview questions
 Practice on phone
 Record answers
 Try standing
 Smile and use gestures
 Avoid monotones
 Be yourself
47 Other Types of Interviews

Screening Interview – Use of screening tools to ensure

candidates meet the minimum qualifications.

May be conducted in the following formats.

• Telephone Interview
• Computer Interview
• Videoconference
48 Other Types of Interviews

 Rotating
 Like one-to-one with different interviewers
 Group
 6-8 candidates
 Group observed while discussing topic
 Be aware of group interaction
 Panel
 2-5 interviewers, or as many as 13!!
 Try to identify different roles
 Respond to interviewer, include others through eye contact
 May involve presentation
49 Other Types of Interviews

Audition Interview – Candidate is put through a brief exercise or simulation to

evaluate skills
Stress Interview – Intended to put the candidate under stress in order to assess
their reactions under pressure or difficult situations
Informational Interviews – Initiated by the job seeker. Informational interview
without a reference to a job
Follow Up Interviews. This is where companies bring candidates back for
additional interviews
50 Do and Don’t of Interviews
DO DON’T

• Convey enthusiasm, confidence, • Be negative

friendliness
• Use ums/likes
• Convey maturity and
professionalism • Exaggerate or lie
• Know your nervous body
language tendencies and avoid • Have your cell phone turned on
them
• Interrupt the interviewer
• Be articulate
• Take time to reflect, if necessary, • Engage in a debate
before answering
• Use acronyms
• Be aware of your eye contact
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Summary

You know yourself and what you have to offer.

 You know you and the position are a match.
 You know the organization’s history and the benefits you
would bring to it.
 You have prepared a professional resume.
 You’ve practiced, practiced, practiced your delivery.
 You’ve selected appropriate attire
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Summary

You know answers to probable questions, including

behavioral-based questions.
 You’ve practiced your smile, eye contact, and firm handshake.
 You’ve made it to the interview site on time.
 This organization couldn’t live without you.
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