GIVING AN
INTERVIEW
Preparing for a Job Interview
Agenda
Preparing for the interview
At the Interview - Presentation
Post Interview
Giving Quality Answers
Sample Answers and Guidelines
Questions to Ask at an Interview
Disclosure
Examples Good and Bad
Before giving interview
WHO is doing the interview
WHAT is the subject and angle
WHERE will it be done
WHEN will it be conducted
HOW will it be conducted
WHY is it being done
Basic Rules
Tell the truth
Don’t exaggerate
If you make a mistake, correct it
If you don’t know, say so
◦ I don’t know
◦ That’s not my specialty
◦ I’ll find the person who can answer that for you
◦ I don’t have that information right now
The Call
When you get “the call” for an interview,
you should ask the following:
Time and location of interview.
Who will I be meeting with?
What is the person’s job title.
What type of interview (1 to 1 or panel)
Can I have a copy of the job description?
Get Ready
Research the company
Review job posting, advertisement
Review your resume
Practice interview answers
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer
Contact your references to let know about
the interview and job applied for
Reduce the Stress
Go to the location of the interview the day
before
Note the time it took you to get there
Look for the best parking spot or closest bus
stop
If possible, look around the place of business
you are applying to, get brochures, information
etc
Lay out your clothes the night before the
interview – dress one notch better then what you
would wear to work
The Big Day
Be on time, not too early and NEVER late
– 10 minutes early is acceptable
Bring your resume, references, reference
letters, certificates, outstanding
performance reviews. Put in a file or
folder
No gum, cigarettes or fragrances
Its okay to be nervous, the interviewer
probably is too
The Interview
Use positive statements, “I can, I will, I do”
Be aware of your body language
Use eye contact and try not to fidget
Provide interviewer with your references
It is okay to:
Ask for a moment to think about your answer
Ask for the question to be repeated
Ask to come back to the question later
Whew, its over…..
Always send a thank you letter ASAP
Call your references and provide them
information on the job and review your
skills that relate to the position
Follow up with the employer
Behavioral Interviews
Are based on the idea that a potential employee's
past performance is the best predictor of their
future performances and it increases an
employer chance of picking the best candidate
for the job.
These questions usually begin with
◦ Tell me about a time when….
◦ Describe a situation that you….
◦ Give a specific example of….
◦ Give me an example of a time when you gave a
suggestion or recommendation to improve……
◦ What interests you about this role?
Quality Answers
Keep them business focused
Mentions skills that are relevant to the job
Back up what you say with examples
Be positive – never “bad mouth” another
employer
Show motivation and enthusiasm
Questions You Should Not be Asked
Are you married? Separated? Divorced?
What does your partner do?
Do you have young children at home?
What will happen if your children get
sick?
How old are you?
Do you have a disability?
Questions to ask the Interviewer
Can you tell me more about…..?
Do you have any training programs? Can you
describe them?
What would my schedule be like?
How has this position become available?
When will you be making your hiring decision?
Will you be contacting all candidates once you
have made your hiring decision?
Disclosure
It is a personal decision, there is no right
or wrong answer
There are pros and cons to disclosing
Good and Bad Interviews
We’ve all had them….
Tell us about yours…..