The Job Interview.doc

The Job Interview:What kind of attire should you wear in the workplace?1. Business2. Casual3. Business CasualInterview PreparationThe key to a successful job interview is preparation. Remember that success occurs when preparation meets opportunity. If you get the opportunity to interview for a job, dont blow it by not being prepared. Instead, follow these guidelines to interview preparation:Research the company. Employers want someone who is excited about the position and is informed about the company and its industry. Find out a little bit about the companys history. What is its mission statement? Who is the companys competition? The interviewer may ask you questions about the company. By knowing this information, you will show the interviewer that you have taken the initiative to research the company and that you are a real go-getter. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. These questions should be relevant to the job, employer, and organization. Asking questions will help you make an informed decision about taking the job as well as display your interest in the position. Practice interviewing. Ask a friend to be the interviewer or see if the career center at your college has a mock interview service. Browse the Internet for frequently asked questions during an interview. Be prepared for open-ended questions such as, “What are your career goals?” and “What motivates you?” Prepare information from your past experiences that would relate to and benefit the position.Employers want to know what you can offer the company. Give examples of your past performance because it is the best indicator of your future performance. Make sure to speak positively of all past employers and experiences. Emphasize your strengths. Let the employer know that you are reliable and/or that you have great communication skills. The interview process is about selling yourself and what better way than to market what you do best. Be honest. Never exaggerate or lie about your past experiences. If your grade point average is not as high as you would like or you dont have any extra-curricular activities, admit that these are weaknesses that you are trying to improve. Lying about your past would only cause distress in the future. Most of the time, employers will verify your background. Ask questions. Remember that you already know what questions to ask because you are prepared. Ask the questions that you have practiced and any questions that you have thought of while being interviewed. Remain calm. Avoid nervous habits such as tapping your foot, playing with your hair, or biting your nails. Remaining confident will prove to the interviewer that you are secure in your abilities to do the job. Close the job interview positively. Make sure to thank the interviewer for his or her time and shake the interviewers hand. Dont forget to let him or her know that you look forward to hearing from the company soon. Express your interest in the position.Follow-ups:This does not have to be done over the phone these days and can be done over email. First you may want to thank the potential employer with a thank you letter for several reasons.1. It can help you get the attention of potential employers. Taking the time to send a thank you letter not only shows that youre interested in the position, but also indicates your attention to detail and your willingness to go the extra mile. 2. It keeps you fresh in the interviewers minds after the interview. Sure, they have your resume, letter of application, and perhaps writing samples you left behind for them to review. But, a prompt thank you letter can help ensure your name stays in their minds and that your materials are reviewed-and not lost in a pile of applications. 3. It offers yet another sample of your writing and editing skills. A well-written and polished letter demonstrates your skills and can prompt interviewers to go back to your resume, letter, and samples-and put them on top of their pile of applications. 4. It gives you an opportunity to provide details that werent covered in the interview. Perhaps you ran out of time in the interview. Or perhaps you thought of something right after you left the interview. Whatever the reason, you likely still have a few relevant details to mention, and the thank you letter gives you an effective, timely, and appropriate means of communicating them. 5. It gives you an opportunity to remind interviewers of your qualifications and experience. Although you likely discussed these aspects with the interviewers, you can reiterate relevant points or key details in the letter. 6. It gives you an opportunity to invite additional questions. Just as you may have thought of additional details to tell the interviewers, they might have thought of additional questions to ask. By inviting them to ask additional questions, you help keep the communication going. 7. It gives you an opportunity to express your interest in the position. Just because you interviewed for a position and the job seems like a good match doesnt indicate to interviewers that you want the job. You need to explicitly tell them. So, sending a follow up thank you letter doesnt just say thank you; it can be a tool for providing additional information, expressing your interest in the job, and keeping the lines of communication open. And, taking the time to send a well-written, polished letter may be just be the key that sets you apart from other applicants. But, what kind of letter should you send-a business letter, an email message, or hand-written card? How do you approach the letter? And, what should the letter include? Lets take a look. Dear _, Thank you very much for the interview today. In reviewing the opportunity with name of company, I am most eager to start. In closing, let me say that no matter how many people you interview, what their education or experience is, you won find anyone who wants to work for you more than I do. Very truly yours, your name The Job Interview is something that all of us need to go through as people. The job interview is about selling yourself.Common Questions that you will run into:1. Why did you apply for this job?They probably want to hear something that will ensure that you a. are suitable for the job, b.hopefully love it c. will stick around for a while to come.Job is for Teaching at an elementary school.Enjoy being with children, I feel young around them.I have extensive experience teaching elementary school. Eg. I may even talk about how I accidentally fell into teaching by first being a student there, sending out fliers for my tennis coaching position, volunteering there, and finally being their teacher.I will not mention the fact however, that Im sick of teaching children and want to be challenged in a larger student environment like New Oriental2. Why should we hire you for this position?What they are really asking is what makes you stand out from other candidates.Im a kid magnet. Talented, why dont I teach you a demo class.I grew up in the United States and bilingual.Graduated from such and such a university.Professional actor.Work ethic (everyone can state)My attitude to Teaching: The joy I get from knowledge is priceless. I learn for learning sake. I can give this love to others, Ive given them meaning in life.What are your Strengths and Weaknesses?Some words to use for StrengthsA lot of adjectives fall in this area. a. honest b. hardworking c. intelligent d. loyal e. team player f. Good leadership skillsHandle pressure well (Cool under fire)Weaknesses: You can add. 1. Sometimes, I can be.2. My weakness is also my strength.eg. Im honest but sometimes, too honest so that people may find me blunt.3. You may even turn a weakness into a strength by saying, “Im overly conscientious.”At times I can be.5. Im good with but eg. Im good at analysing problems, but not so good at presentations. Im more the behind the scenes type person.6. Some would say Im t . but . Some may say Im shy but Im hardworking.Common weaknesses: Too detail orientedCan see the big picture but not a details person.Blunt.ShyNEVER TELL THEM YOU ARE DISHONEST AND UNTRUSTWORTHY4. Tell me how you handled a crisis situation?Here exployers want to see that you are able to solve problem situations and are what we would call cool under fire. You do not have to cite an example from work but it may be good to do so.eg. 5. If your director was here to describe your character and achievements, what would he/she say?This is where you would list your contributions or statements of your positive character. Keep his criticism of you to a minimum but you can mention to give the question a MORE sincere feel.THERE ARE NO STRICT RULES BUT THESE ARE JUST SOME GUIDELINES FOR YOU TO CONSIDER. You can Break the rules. LETS READ TOGETHER.Body Language:p.12 Passages (handout)_Proverbs for the day:p.6: Two heads are better than one: Two people working together can solve a problem more quickly than just one.When to use: You are at work writing a huge play about mankind and you feel stuck. You sit there for three days trying to get rid of your writers block. Your friend comes to see you and asks if you need any help. You say, No, Im fine. He says, Two heads are better than one.If you can beat them, join them: If you cant defeat your opponent, join forces with them.When to use: You are working on a contract to make the next flying car when toyota comes up with