Delivering Your Message In the Interview updated 062009
1. Alumni Career Center
Package and Service Fees
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Alumni Career Center
Delivering Your Message In The Interview
Presented by: Bernice Allegretti
ballegre@uillinois.edu
2.
3. PURPOSE
• Learn how to sell yourself
• Discuss the different types of
interviews
• Identify successful interview
strategies
• Learn strategies for how to
answer difficult questions
5. EMPLOYERS WANT TO KNOW
• Do you have the skills/qualifications?
• Do you have the education/training?
• What kind of employee will you be?
• Why do you want to work at our
company?
• What do you know about our
company?
• Will you fit into our company?
• Can we pay you what you want?
7. INTERVIEWING IS…..
• Exchanging information
• Identifying needs & expectations of
employer and applicant
• Exploring mutual “fit”
• Win/Win situation
8. INTERVIEW PREPARATION
• “Tell Me About Yourself”
• Understand the position & qualifications
• Research the organization
• Know your relevant accomplishment stories
• Review difficult questions
• Practice/ mock interview
• Planning other details
• Develop questions to ask
9. IDENTIFYING YOUR MESSAGE
Tell Me About Yourself
• Highlights your education & work
experience incorporating 3-5 key
qualifications that make you
distinctive from your competitors?
Reverse chronological order.
• Briefly state present situation.
• Why you are interested in their
position/company.
10. JOB ANALYSIS EXERCISE
Job Analysis
Product Operations Analyst - Insurance Co.
Candidate Comparison (Neda Job)
Knowledge needed
Good working knowledge of statistical modeling and other
quantitative and research analytics
My Knowledge
Used in a comparative regional study of the decline of the
auto industry
Education needed - Masters / MBA preferred My Education - Masters, Economic Research
Experience needed
At least 1 year of related experience from the insurance
industry related to property and casualty (personal or
commercial) business lines.
My Experience
2 years unrelated work experience
Communication Skills Needed
The ability to effectively collaborate with multi-disciplinary
groups and all organizational levels
My Communication Skills & Experience
Worked with a team at ABC to manage projects
Computer/Technical Aptitudes Needed
Comfortable with basic data related and presentation
packages. Familiarity with statistical packages (SAS or
STATA) is a plus.
My Computer/Technical Aptitudes & Experience
Yes to MS products
Working knowledge of STATA
Leadership Skills Needed My Leadership Skills & Experience
Provided guidance to project team in absence of Director
Teamwork Skills Needed My Teamwork Skills & Experience
Collaborative, strong work ethic, strong initiative (from
evaluation)
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills Needed
Strong decision making skills
My Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills & Experience
Made informed decisions based on information provided and
collected.
Planning and Organizing multiple tasks Needed
High level organizational and project management skills in
order to handle multiple concurrent assignments in a timely
manner.
I have demonstrated planning and organizing by …
Regularly handle from 3-5 major projects
11. CONVEYING YOUR MESSAGE
Interview Process Begins With the Resume …
• Accuracy, completeness
• Education, areas of experience, skill aptitude or
lack of the above
• Gaps or other potential concerns
• Net value/ worth regarding salary and overall
qualities you bring OTJ
• What does an employer see when s/he looks at
your resume?
13. BEHAVIOR-BASED QUESTIONS
• Past behavior can predict future behavior
• Questions are based on a set of core
competencies
• Core competencies are different for each
position
• Review and understand the job description
• Describe your particular…
S ituation
T ask
A ction(s)
R esults
14. CORE COMPETENCIES / QUESTIONS
• Interpersonal Skills/Conflict
Management
• Stress/Time Management
• Problem Solving/Decision Making
• Leadership/Delegation
• Communication
• Flexibility/Coping with Change
• Project Management
• Honesty
15. OTHER TYPES OF QUESTIONS
• Screening Questions
• Resume Based Questions
• Work Standards/Work Ethic
• Personality/Cultural Fit
• Open Ended Questions
16. HANDLING DIFFICULT
QUESTIONS
• Remain calm
• No Rambling
• “Silence trap”
• Pause & think
• Get clarification
• Relate illegal Q’s to possible job
concerns
17. COMMONLY ASKED EMPLOYER
QUESTIONS
• Tell me about yourself?
• Why are you interested in this position
• What is your greatest strength?
• What is a weakness of yours?
• What is your desired salary?
• Why should I hire you?
• Why did you leave XYZ company?
• Tell me about a mistake you made & how you handled it?
• What else should I know about you?
• What have you been doing since you have been
downsized?
18. QUESTIONS CANDIDATES
CAN ASK
• How would you describe your management style?
• What do you consider the most important areas for improvement
in this position?
• What are the critical factors for success in your area?
• Where do you see the company (or function) going in the next
few years?
• Why do you believe your organization will prosper and grow?
• What’s the most important issue facing your department?
How can I help accomplish this objective?
• When did you join this company and why?
• Where have other people moved after proving themselves in this
position?
• What are the professional backgrounds of other members in the
group?
• What is the next step in the hiring process?
• Is there anything else I can do to assist you in your decision?
• Do not ask about salary and benefits.
19. STRONG FOLLOW-UP
• Ask for a business card & what you want.
• Ask about next steps.
• Extend a firm handshake/ smile/ eye contact
• Send a short note to each interviewer
• Thank references
• Keep a record & evaluate your performance
• Call to inquire about job status
You are creating a marketing campaign & you are the product
What qualities (skills)
What characteristics/traits (fit)
value added (benefits)
<number>
Purpose of Assess
Understand who you are, what can do/offer a Co., identify interests
Match your qualifications to employer’s needs
Helps to negotiate later in the process
Refer to “Identifying Your Transferable skills” pags
<number>
Handout: Skills Assessment, Likes/Dislikes Motivators
Segue =Self Assess is framework for selling self & negotiating
Whether you are looking to transition into a similar position or something different, what do you want to communicate to the employer? Identify your top 3-5 qualifications for that position?
<number>
Tell Me About Self Presentation- articulating your skills and experiences related to the position's requirements.
Research the organization (products, services, latest news & competitors)
Know your relevant accomplishment stories- these are your strengths/value added
Practice/ mock interview… difficult / behavioral interview Q’s, incorporating a portfolio
Review difficult questions
Planning other details: travel, dry-cleaning the suit, letters of recommendation, references.
Developing questions to ask-
if offered the job what would your criteria be to evaluate the offer(s)
Make a list of 4-5 criteria & prioritize yourlist
Highlights your education, work experience & background. incorporating your top 3-5 qualifications that make you distinctive from your competitors? Reverse chronological order.
Why you are interested in their position/company & what you will bring.
Complete the Job Analysis and Candidate Comparison Exercise
When looking at the Job Analysis, what are some distinctive qualities?
For example on the Job Analysis
1. Strong experience with math & statistical packages including STATA
2. Strong writing skills to make the numbers more user friendly
3. Language skills in Spanish and French enable me to work effectively with international clients and colleagues.
Interview Process Begins With the Resume employers will look for
Review your resume: areas of inexperience, gaps or other concerns.
Be prepared to answer any questions about your experience, ability, and education; handle any potential concerns; and confront questions about salary.
Your value or worth depending on the level of position you are applying to, employers will look for:
Leadership- take on and execute challenges
Intelligence- ability to understand business
Interpersonal skills to gain Results- garner support, cooperation of others & accomplish what hired to do,
Cultural Fit- shared Co. values, style, likeability?
Team player- ability to work with others, share credit
Potential- ability to advance
Interest- why do you want to work at our Co. & what do you know about our Co.?
Value- what are you worth & can we pay you
<number>
Pre-Screen=few Q’s based on job qualifications, be aware of q’s to screen you out….salary
Telephone=can be screening, be aware of voice tone & pitch because your voice is your first impression, cheat notes are helpful..
Panel= the employer is trying to collect multiple opinions from the same interview to combat interviewer bias. To be successful with a panel of interviewers, make eye contact with each person in the group and treat each question as if it is an original question.
Lunch= See how act in social situation, especially if taking clients out is important. Environment tends to be more relaxed & easy get caught off guard
A case or hypothetical situation is presented. Before jumping into an attempt at answering a case question, ask the interviewer a number of questions to gather vital information that you'll need to address it. The interviewer is more interested in your thought process, and assessing your analytical ability, creativity and poise.
Behavioral= past performance/behavior predicts future behavior, points on PAR’S
Q How many of your are familiar with Behavioral Based Interviews?
Questions are developed based on a core set of competencies to be successful for that position
Requires an understanding of the position, it’s qualifications and knowing your stories in relation to each core competency.
Refer to Handout on pg 12-13
The following are some core competencies that an employer may create a question based on.
Other types of questions may be related to …..
Open Ended q’s are used to seek clarification, put interviewees at ease, and confirm
information. The interviewee can add descriptive information to their
yes/no answer. Example: Why should I hire you?
Refer to the Handout Pgs 14-16
<number>
Relate illegal Q’s to possible job concerns
If related to children… refer reliable arrangements, you have always been on time, ability to work late if needed
If related to age…emphasize desire to continue to work, conti. Learn & able to learn
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Questions you ask should be based on gathering more information that will help you make a more informed decision.
Exercise: What are 4-5 criteria you will use to evaluate an offer? How would you prioritize your criteria if you were short time?
