Interview Skills

1
Interview Skills

• Tips for Successful Results

2
Get Ready for the Interview

• Opportunity to meet employer, exchange
  information and make a positive impression

3
Purpose of an Interview

• Provide information about yourself that is not in
  the resume
• Employer can evaluate your skills and personality
• Gain information about position and company
• Is there a mutual interest?

4
Interview is a two-way process

• Evaluate employer
• Employer evaluates you
• attitude
• appearance
• personality
• confidence
• knowledge about yourself
• ability to do the job

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Before the Interview...

• Research the Employer
• Read promotional literature
• Access information on the Web
• Read trade journals and Newspapers
• Search electronic databases for articles about
  the company

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Before the Interview...

• Research and know yourself
• long-standing and new interests and hobbies
• talents and abilities you can bring to a job
• skills you would like to develop and improve
• activities and tasks you would like to avoid
• lifestyle, salary, location
• kinds of people and environment you prefer
• current career and educational goals
• experiences you would like to highlight

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Before the Interview...

• Prepare yourself
• Know whom you will meet for the interview
• Arrive early 10 minutes ahead of schedule
• Bring additional resumes, references
• Dress appropriately

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Well-Groomed Professional Appearance

• Decide what youll wear before the day of the
  interview
• Conservative suit in a conservative color
• You want to feel comfortable and confident
• No wild ties, flashy jewelry, strong perfumes, gum

9
Nervous?

• It Is Natural!
• Get a good nights sleep
• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Allow plenty of travel time

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During the interview...

• First Impressions
• Firm handshake
• Sustained eye contact
• Warm smile
• Good posture
• Proper introduction
• Well-groomed professional appearance

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Interview ContentEstablish rapport through...

• Verbal Communications
• courtesy
• initiative
• confidence
• energy

• Non-verbal communications
• posture
• eye contact
• gestures

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Interview Content

• Obtain data from applicant
• Discuss the position and organization
• Establish career objectives
• Ask interviewer questions
• Close the interview

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Interview Basics

• Be yourself / Show your best self
• Present the highs and not the lows
• Show enthusiasm, not doubt
• Display confidence, not hesitation

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Interview Basics

• Show personal characteristics
• Discuss skills you have learned
• Relate experiences you have had

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Interview Basics

• Demonstrate
• flexibility
• adaptability
• leadership
• creativity
• initiative
• responsibility

• Show
• progress
• growth
• achievement

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Interview Basics

• Take time to think before you answer
• Clarify a question if youre not sure
• Acceptable to say, I dont know.
• Avoid simple yes and no answers
• Avoid long rambling responses
• Communicating info is your responsibility

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After the Interview...

• Be clear about the follow-up
• Take notes about what happened
• what you learned
• impressions about people
• what you need to find out
• your responsibility about follow-up calls
• when you can hear from them
• Write a prompt Thank-you note

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Thank-You Note

• Brief / not to exceed one page
• Express your appreciation
• Reconfirm your interest in the job
• Remind the employer why you are an ideal
  candidate for the job