Mar 17 (ch 13): Interviewing for a Job

Develop an Interview Strategy

1. What about yourself do you want the interviewer to know?
2. What disadvantages or weaknesses do you need to minimize?
3. What do you need to know about the job and the organization to decide on a job offer?

Preparation: Final Research

• Read
  - Web pages
  - Newsletters
  - Annual reports
  - Trade journals
• Ask people you know about the organization
• Find out who will interview you and research them, if possible

Preparation: Travel Planning

• Find building and closest parking
• Plan how much time you’ll need
• Leave time for unexpected events (e.g., traffic jams, broken elevators)
• Plan transportation, if flying

Preparation: Attire

• Meet interviewer’s dress expectations
• Make conservative dress choices
• Dress a step above organization culture
• Wear comfortable, shined shoes
• Style hair conservatively
• Wear understated jewelry and makeup
• Avoid perfume and cologne
• Present flawless personal hygiene

Preparation: Professional Materials

• Extra copies of your résumé
• Notepad, pen, and list of questions
• Copies of your work or a portfolio
• Reference information

Interview Channels

• Campus interviews
• Phone interviews
• Video interviews

Interviews Practice

• Put on the clothes you’ll wear
• Practice everything
  - Entering a room
  - Shaking hands
  - Sitting down
  - Answering questions
• Use video equipment if available

Interview Customs: Behavior

• Practice active listening
• Do not monopolize with monologues
• Never say anything bad about employers
• Be enthusiastic
• Be yourself—your best self
• Review your accomplishments
• Look for signs of organizational culture

Interview Customs: Note-Taking

• Record the following briefly during or right after the interview
  - Interviewer’s name (or names)
  - Advice given to you
  - What they liked about you
  - Negative points discussed
  - Answers to your questions
  - When you’ll hear from them

Interview Customs: Sections

• Opening (2 to 5 minutes)
  Hold conversation to set you at ease
• Body (10 to 25 minutes)
  Answer questions to show your strengths
  Deflect questions that probe weaknesses
  Ask questions
• Close (2 to 5 minutes)
  Summarize your key accomplishments
  Listen to find out what happens next

Kinds of Interviews

• Behavioral
• Situational
• Stress
• Group

Final Steps in a Job Search: Follow-up Phone Calls and Written Messages

• Phone Calls
  - Show enthusiasm for the job
  - Reinforce positives and overcome negatives from the interview
• Written Messages
  - Thank the interviewer for useful information
  - Remind them what they liked about you
  - Use company jargon; refer to interview
  - Refer to the next move

Final Steps for a Job Search: Negotiating for Salary and Benefits

• Wait for job offer to talk about salary
• Find out going rate for work you’d do
• Avoid naming a specific salary
• Negotiate package, not just starting salary

Final Steps for a Job Search: Accepting a Job Offer

• Know what’s important to you
• Plan what to say at time of job offer
• Ask for 2 weeks to accept or reject offer
• Make acceptance contingent upon written job offer
• Let other interviewers know when you accept a job

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Content attributed to Locker, Kitty O. and Donna Kienzler. Business and Administrative Communication, 9/e. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 2010.