Interviewing Strategies

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Interviewing Strategies
Career Connection The Ohio State University 1640
Neil Avenue, Second Floor Younkin Success
Center Columbus, OH 43201-2333 (614)
688-3898 http//www.careerconnection.osu.edu
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Objectives
To learn proven strategies for the different
types of interviews. To have an understanding
of what skills and experiences employers are
looking for in candidates. To learn how to
formulate answers to frequently asked interview
questions.
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Step 1 Before the Interview

• The importance of research!
• Find out who will be interviewing
• Review common interview questions
• Generate and rehearse stories
• Develop questions for them
• Remember your references
• Know where you are going
• Dress professionally
• Know your interviewers names
• Plan ahead for contingencies!

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Step 2 Positive First Impression

• Show up on time and prepared
• EVERYONE is interviewing you
• Direct eye contact, warm smile, firm handshake
• Mental connections lead to physical connections,
  you will radiate a positive attitude if you
  believe so
• Remember, small talk is big talk avoid
  potentially divisive topics

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Step 3 What the Employers are Looking For

• Credentials (Skills and accomplishments)
• Motivation (Why them and clear career goals)
• Fit (Potential for work environment and
  collegiality)
• Salary and Benefits

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What SKILLS do You Have? Can you do the job?
Tell me, how does your past experience relates to
the present job? What are your major strengths?
What are your areas of professional growth?
Tell me a situation when you demonstrated
_________ skills? Check handouts for
sample questions
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Demonstrating your Skills answer question
back it up with story connect to
employer/program needs

• Back up skill with experience (story telling)
  portfolio
• How do you tell your story? SAR technique.
  (Scenario action result)
• You can expect to demonstrate the skill by
  performing (i.e. teaching a class)
• Weakness question
• Answer with similar skill and back it up with
  story
• Answer with SAR technique and go to the future
• Clueless? tell story when you learn something
  new in a job
• Tone of the interview What you can do for the
  employer

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Employers Expectations Would You do this Job?
MOTIVATION
What makes you think you would like to work in
this company? Youve seen our mission statement.
How would you see yourself contributing to our
mission? What makes you think that you would be
able to grow with us? What do you know about our
program? What attracted you to this
company? Describe your goals and plans for
professional development
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Demonstrating Motivation
Do your homework research the company (mission,
products, services, annual reports) Have clear
career goals, both short and long term.
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Employers Expectations Would You Fit in with
this organization? PERSONALITY
Whats your ideal work environment? What would
frustrate me the most of working with you in a
team? What will be the positives of having you
as a colleague What will you do if you encounter
a challenging situation at work? How would your
previous supervisor describe you?
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Demonstrating Personality
Ideal work environment Personal strengths and
weaknesses (take your strengths to the
extreme) Ideal Colleagues Ideal
Supervisors Conflict question Of the
wall-questions
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Skills Skills Key words Answer story connect with companys needs Learning story weakness To tell story use SAR technique scenario action results (JFK ?) what you can offer Motivation Research the company do your homework - key words Goals short and long term
Fit 5 5- Ideal work environment Colleagues Administrators Conflict Off-the-wall Salary Negotiation
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Interviewing Tips Handling Illegal Questions

• You can answer the question however, you are
  giving information
• that is not related to the job.
• You can refuse to answer the question but you
  run the risk of
• coming off as confrontational.
• May re-phrase, Whats the relationship between
  my
• _____________ and the job requirements?
• You can examine the question for its real intent
  and respond with
• an answer as it might apply for the job.

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Handling Illegal Questions

• Inquiry Area National Origin
• -Illegal Question Are you a U.S citizen?
• -Legal Question Are you authorized to work in
  the U.S
• Inquiry Area Marital/Partner/Family status
• -Illegal Question Whom do you live with? How
  many kids do you have?
• -Legal Question Would you be willing to relocate
  if necessary?

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Building Confident Interviewing

• Consider using these techniques
• The Parrot Technique, Repeat back the question
• using your own words
• The Delay Technique, Reflect the question back
• Educating the employer, cannot have lunch
• because you are fasting, offer alternatives!

Preparation by researching the organization and
its needs Formulation and practice of your
answers Know yourself and know what you
want ______________ CONFIDENT INTERVIEWING
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Step 4 Closing with Finesse

• Briefly reiterate your interest and
  qualifications
• Ask about next steps (who, when, and how are they
  going to follow up)
• Ask for a business card from all interviewers

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Step 5 Interview Follow-Up

• Take notes immediately after
• ALWAYS send a thank-you letter
• Anticipate a second Interview
• Prepare to respond to an offer review carefully
  the job
• Call if you have not heard anything and the
  deadline has passed
• Dont burn bridges.EVER!