Understanding the structure that most employment interviews follow will help you prepare for the situations youll face. Employment interviews generally have four stages:
- Opening and getting started
- Questions the interviewer asks the interviewee
- Questions the interviewee asks the interviewer
- Closing.
The interview will typically last for thirty minutes.
Remember that your interview begins when you enter the reception area of the company. Be on time or even 5 to 10 minutes early. Greet the receptionist pleasantly and respectfully. Then confidently and clearly state your name, that you have an appointment, and who you want to see. Dont chew gum, smoke, or engage in other activities that would be inappropriate and even offensive.
The opening is the time for mutual preliminary assessment and turning to each other. Even the beginning small talk leaves an impression. Start with enthusiastic attitude and a smile, introduce yourself to the interviewer, and use a firm and confident handshake. This is equally important for men and women. Do not put any materials on the interviewers desk or act as though you are scanning the persons desk. Your posture should be natural but professional.
As you settle into your seat and begin the small talk to start the interview, you can mention the surroundings or items you see in the room. Be observant; perhaps you can see something in the office that you can use for a brief conversation starter. For example, I see by your diploma that you went to Utah State University.
Eventually, the conversation will turn to questions about you. Your preparation in the three areas of achievement, skills, and knowledge will help you in this portion of the interview. Answer the questions directly and with some detail. Provide more then a yes or no response.
At some point during the interview, the interviewer will likely ask you for questions. Ask some intelligent questions, based on your research, about the company or job. Ask the interviewer to explain the major products or services the organization provides. Ask about working conditions. Although, you have interest in salary levels, discussion about them is a natural outgrowth of an offer. You are not at the stage yet where the company is making an offer. Similarly, you will not want to place too much emphasis on company benefits.
Observe nonverbal cues and be sensitive to the close. If the interviewer begins watching the clock or shows other signals of restlessness, then the interviewer shifts to stage 4. You and the interviewer are closing your interview. Dont expect the immediate offer. As you close, shake hands confidently, thank the interviewer for his or her time, and end with a smile. You want your last impression to be strong and favorable. Ask when the company expects to reach a decision if the interviewer has not yet answered that question. Be sure to thank the receptionist on your way out.
Notes to the text:
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Posture - -
Cue - ꠠ
4. Answer the questions:
ü What kind of specific information can you include in your interview?
ü What are some reasons why a firm is likely to reject an applicant based on the interview?
ü What cues can you use to note the shift from one stage of an employment interview to the next?
ü What kind of questions an interviewer might ask an applicant during the interview?
ü What are some appropriate questions interviewees can ask during the job interview?
ü What are some inappropriate questions?
5. Look through the following questions. Divide them into groups. Give detailed answers:
With what kind of people do you lest get alone?
What do you consider your greatest strengths or assets?
What do you feel are your major weaknesses?
What led to your decision to choose your major?
Do you have any work experience?
Give some examples of your achievements that go well beyond the
absolute requirements of your curriculum?
How do you imagine an ideal work environment?
Tell about the most creative thing youve done. What was unique about
it?
In what areas are others most complementary of you?
What has been your single most significant career-related failure? Why?
What do you most value about your education? Why?
Which of your past jobs you enjoyed most of all and why?
How do you measure your personal success?
Tell me about your daily routine. How and when do you start the day?
Do you consider yourself to be more analytical or more creative?
Explain by providing concrete examples.
What do people do to make you dislike them?
How do you do planning? What influences your planning?
What would you most like to improve about yourself? Why?
Tell about situation when you wish you had done more planning. What
exactly happened?
How do you cope with people you dislike?
In what ways do you consider your qualifications unique or distinctive
from others applying to this position?
What did you like least about your education?
Which of your jobs was most challenging? Least challenging?
What are you long-term career objectives?
What have you done to improve relationship with people you dislike?
What do your group-mates most admire or value about you?
Which skills do you lack to succeed in a job?
How you see yourself in ten years?
What do you believe are most important principles needed to achieve
job success?
What have been the results of your effort to improve your relationship
with the people you dislike?
What type of work do you find most rewarding and stimulating?
Which of your personal traits and characteristics sometimes get in the
way of your relationship with others?
What type of work do you find less satisfying?
