©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
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 Purposes of the Applicant
• To convince the employer of your
potential
• To learn more about the job and
the company
• To expand on the information
in your résumé
• To decide whether this is a good
place to work

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 2
 Purposes of the Recruiter
• To assess the candidate's abilities in
relation to the position
• To discuss the candidate’s training,
experience, and knowledge
• To see what drives and motivates the
candidate
• To decide whether the candidate
would fit into the organization

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 3
 Two Types of
Employment Interviews

Screening Hiring / Placement

Goal: Goal:
To weed out To evaluate
unqualified candidates candidate
Types: Types:
Telephone (most One-on-one, panel,
often), online, job group, sequential,
fairs stress, online, video

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 4
 Anatomy of the
Job Interview Process
Know the Interviewing Sequence
• Expect a telephone screening interview.
• If successful, expect the hiring interview.
• Be prepared to answer questions in one-
on-one, panel, group, or video interview.

Research the Target Company

• Study the company’s history, mission,
goals, size, and management structure.
• Know its strengths and weaknesses.
• Try to connect with someone in the
company.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 5
 Anatomy of the
Job Interview Process
Prepare Thoroughly
• Rehearse detailed but brief success stories.
• Practice stories that illustrate dealing with a
crisis, handling tough situations, juggling
priorities, and working on a team.
• Clean up your online presence.
Look Sharp, Be Sharp
• Suit up! Dress professionally to feel confident.
• Be ready for questions that gauge your interest,
explore your experience, and reveal your skills.
• Practice using the STAR method to answer
behavioral questions.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 6
© denis_pc /Fotolia
 Anatomy of the
Job Interview Process
End Positively
• Summarize your strongest qualifications.
• Show enthusiasm; say that you want the
job!
• Ask what happens next.
Follow Up
• Send a note thanking the interviewer.
• Contact your references.
• Check in with the interviewer if you hear
nothing after five days.

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 7
 Before the Interview
Researching the Target Company
• Search the company’s website, news sources,
trade journals, and industry directories.
• Learn about the company’s history, mission,
goals, size, locations, number of employees.
• Analyze its products, services, advertising,
competitors.
• Use social media sources to discover the
company’s social presence.
• Try to connect with someone currently
employed.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 8
 Before the Interview
Prepare and Practice
• Rehearse success stories.
• Clean up any digital dirt.
• Remove questionable content.
• Be selective about your list
of friends.
• Set up a professional social
networking page or a personal
website.

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 9
 Before the Interview

Traveling to and Arriving at

Your Interview
• Allow plenty of time to groom and dress.
• Arrive 5 or 10 minutes early.
• Don’t smoke, eat anything
smelly, or load up on perfume.
• Be courteous and congenial
to everyone.
• Greet the interviewer confidently;
be at ease and unrushed.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 10
 During the Interview
Sending Positive Nonverbal
Messages and Acting Professionally
• Control your body movements.
• Exhibit good posture.
• Practice appropriate eye contact.
• Use gestures effectively.
• Smile enough and listen attentively.

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 11
 During the Interview
Questions to Get Acquainted

• Tell me about yourself.

• What are your greatest strengths?

• Do you prefer to work by yourself

or with others? Why?

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 12
 During the Interview
Questions to Gauge Your Interest

• Why do you want to work here?

• Why are you interested in this position?
• What do you know about our company?

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 13
 During the Interview
Questions About Your Experience
and Accomplishments

• Why should we hire you when we have

applicants with more experience or better
credentials?
• Why did you leave your last position?
• Describe the most rewarding experience
of your career so far.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 14
 During the Interview
Questions About the Future

• If you got this position, what would you do

to be sure you fit in?
• Where do you expect to be in five (or ten)
years from now?
• How do you think you can contribute
to this company?

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 15
 Using the STAR Technique to Answer
Behavioral Interview Questions

Situation Task Action Results

Briefly explain Describe the What did you Explain the
the background problem. What do? How? results: savings,
and context needed to be What skills or greater
of a situation. done? Why? tools did efficiency.
What happened? you use? Try to
When? Where? quantify.

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 16
 During the Interview
Asking Your Own Questions

What will What training Who would be

my duties programs are my immediate
be? available? supervisor?

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 17
 During the Interview
Ending Positively

• Summarize your strongest qualifications.

• Show enthusiasm for obtaining
this position.
• Ask what action will follow.
• Thank the interviewer.
• Ask for the interviewer’s business card.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 18
 After the Interview

• Write a thank-you message

to each interviewer.

• Contact your references.

• Follow up with a call if you

hear nothing after five days.

©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 19
 Preparing Additional
Employment Documents
• Keep a digital record or card listing your
vital data so that you can fill in
applications accurately.
• Consider sending a follow-up message
if your résumé or application generates
no response within a reasonable time.
• Consider a follow-up message if you
didn’t get the job.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 20
 Preparing Additional
Employment Documents

• If you do get the job, send a message

confirming details of the offer.
• If you must turn down a job offer, show
professionalism by writing a sincere
message.
• When leaving a job, send a tactful and
gracious message documenting your
resignation.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 21
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 14 / Slide 22
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