Applying for a Job

1
Chapter 7 Applying for a Job
Lesson 7.2 Putting Your Best Foot Forward
2
Discover

• How to prepare for an interview
• What happens in an interview
• How to follow up after an interview

3
Why Its Important

• Interviews are an important part of applying for
  a job. The more practice you get, the more
  confident youll be in future interviews.

4
Key Terms

• interview
• pre-employment tests
• body language

5
Putting Your Best Foot Forward

• An interview is a formal meeting about a possible
  job between a job seeker and an employer.

6
Putting Your Best Foot Forward

• The interview is an employers chance to meet you
  and decide if youre right for the job.

7
Putting Your Best Foot Forward

• The interview is your chance to convince an
  employer that you are the right person for the
  job, and to decide if the job is right for you.

8
Getting Ready for an Interview

• What you do before an interview is an important
  as what you do during the interview.

9
Be Prepared

• You need to be prepared to answer questions about
  your interests, skills, work experience,
  education, and career goals.

10
Be Prepared

• Be prepared for pre-employment tests.
• Pre-employment tests are tests given to a job
  seeker by an employer to find out if the job
  seeker fits the job.

11
Be Prepared

• Pre-employment tests can evaluate your
  personality and your skills.

12
Know the Job and the Company

• To succeed in an interview, you need to know as
  much as possible about the job you want.

13
Know the Job and the Company

• Find out as much as you can about the job before
  the interview.
• Then you will be better able to sell yourself as
  the best possible candidate.

14
Know the Job and the Company

• Get to know the business or organization where
  youre interviewing.
• Be prepared to ask questions about the job and
  the employer.

15
Practice Makes a Difference

• The more practice you have, the more comfortable
  youll feel during the interview.
• One way to practice is to ask a friend or family
  member to role-play an interview with you.

16
Practice Makes a Difference

• Make a list of questions you might be asked.
• Prepare answers.
• Make a list of questions you want to ask.

17
Try This Activity
Role-Play

• Role-play interviewing techniques with a partner.
  Have your partner ask you typical questions.
  Practice answering them.

continued
18
Try This Activity
Role-Play

• Practice, Practice, Practice! Tape-record or
  videotape the interview if you can. Then listen
  to yourself. Look at yourself. Keep practicing
  until you get it right.

19
Dress the Part

• Give some thought to what you are going to wear.
• Remember, first impressions count.

20
The Interview Itself

• If youve put effort into preparing for an
  interview, its likely it will go well for you.

21
A Winning Attitude

• The biggest boost you can have going into an
  interview is a positive attitude.
• If you feel positive, youll have just the
  attitude employers are looking for.

22
A Good Conversation

• A good interview is like a good conversation.
• Each person should have a chance to speak and ask
  questions.

23
A Good Conversation

• Each person should listen carefully and pay
  attention to the other.

24
Graphic Organizer
Be Prepared for These Questions
?
?
What can you tell me about yourself?
Do you prefer to work with others or on your own?
What are your greatest strengths?
Why do you want this job?
?
?
What are your greatest weaknesses?
What are your career goals?
?
?
25
Watch Your Body Language

• Body language plays an important part of an
  interview.
• Body language is the gestures, posture, and eye
  contact you use to express yourself.

26
After You Say Good-Bye

• There are some important things you should do
  following an interview.

27
Take Time to Say Thanks

• Write a letter of thanks no matter how the
  interview went.
• A letter of thanks should go out no later than a
  day after the interview.

28
Take Stock

• Make some notes for yourself while the interview
  is still fresh in your mind.
• Write a summary of the interview.

29
Take Stock

• In your summary, write down anything youd do
  differently next time.

30
Take It in Stride

• You may get the job. You may not.
• If you dont, dont give up.
• Rejection is part of life and part of the
  learning process.

31
Investigating Career Clusters
Government and Public Administration

• Government The institution through which the
  state keeps order, provides services, and
  enforces laws
• Public Administration The administrative
  management of government and nonprofit
  organizations

continued
32
Investigating Career Clusters
Government and Public Administration

• People in the Government and Public
  Administration career cluster collect taxes,
  build infrastructure, protect the nations
  borders, and make laws. Workers in this cluster
  often have excellent job security and benefits.

33
Critical Thinking Review

• What questions should you be prepared to answer
  at a job interview?
• Answers will vary but should include questions
  about skills and past work experience that
  qualifies the applicant for the job.

Critical Thinking
Q
A
continued
34
Critical Thinking Review

• What questions would you ask an employer at a job
  interview?
• Questions students ask should focus on the
  company or organization, the job itself, their
  responsibilities in the job, and opportunities
  for growth in the company or organization.

Critical Thinking
Q
A
35
End of Chapter 7 Applying for a Job
Lesson 7.2 Putting Your Best Foot Forward