Employment Interviews

1. COMM 202
TUTORIAL #8 – T26 + T35
Name Tents UP! Goodbye Laptops and Phones!

2. Agenda
Question of the Day
Course Timeline
Employment Interviews
Pro Tips!
Action Items

3. If you could time travel (past or
future), “when” would you go?

4. Course Timeline
Week 12 Week 13 Week 14
• Interview Questions
• Employment
interview sign up:
Mar 27th-29th and
Mar 30th
• When you’ve got
the job!
• Employment
Interviews: Apr 3rd,
4th, 6th
• Informational
Interview due Apr
14th @ 11:59 PM on
Turnitin
Getting close to the finish line!

5. Employment Interview
When: Apr 3rd, 4th + 6th
Where: Birmingham break out rooms
What you MUST bring:
 Resume
 Cover Letter
 Job Posting
 Padfolio (optional)
 Pen
 Research Notes
25% of
your
grade

6. The Interview Process
 Check in with reception in Birmingham (side closest to the BCC)
 Be early! Ideally about 10 minutes. If you’re not there when the
interviewer arrives, you will receive an automatic zero
 Interview is approximately 20 minutes long with one COMM 202 TA, BCC
coach, or external consultant. Allot 30 minutes total!
 You can sign up for timeslots for interviews starting Mon Mar 27th @
8:30AM until Wed Mar 29th @ 11:59 PM if you applied on time
 If you applied late you can only apply Mar 30th
 Interview will consist of behavioural questions

7. Attire: Business Formal
 Dress pants or skirt with matching
jacket
 Skirts should sit at or just above the knee
 Collared blouse or dress-material top
tucked in or just below the waistline: tops
should never hang below the hem of your
jacket or show your stomach
 Dark pantyhose or tights when wearing
skirts (winter)
 Flats or low-heeled shoes in leather or
dress material
 Dress pants with matching jacket
 Button-up collared shirt paired with a
tie: white, beige or light blue are “safe”
 Ties with colours and tones should
match suit and shirt – bold colours and
patterns are acceptable
 Dress shoes in leather or dress
material
Identify as women… Identify as men…

8. Interview Questions

9. #1: Tell Me About Yourself
 Most common interview question
 Can be asked in many different ways: ”Walk me through your
resume”; ”What’s your story”; “So who is Sarah?”
 Think about this one and practice!

10. #1: Tell Me About Yourself
 Keep it to 2 minutes or less
 Brand yourself - give them something to remember you by
 Sound natural, not like you’re reading off a script – your
interviewer can tell!
 Speak to your skills and accomplishments
 Show passion
 Provide a well-rounded picture

11. #1: Tell Me About Yourself
Common Theme
The
Beginning
The Spark
Growing
Interest
Your
Future
Why are
you here?
Goal: Tell them a story that is unique to YOU to impress your interviewer

12. #1: Tell me about yourself
The
Beginning
The
Spark
Growing
Interest
Your
Future
Why are
you here?
Introduction
Realization that this is the right career for you
Your formula and how it has helped lead you to this
role
Where you see yourself in 5, 10, even 20 years, or
what you want to accomplish in your career
How this position and this company ties into it all

13. Example
Entrepr
eneuria
l family
Case
comp
involve
ment
NVD +
486R +
people
Social
impact
IT
strateg
y
Connecting people and technology

14. #1: Tell Me About Yourself
Grading Rubric
I would consider
you a strong
candidate. (3pts.)
I would like to
interview you
again. (2pts.)
I would not
consider you a top
candidate. (1pts.)
I would not hire
you.
(0pts.)
TELL ME ABOUT
YOURSELF
Does the student
provide an overview
of their skills, fit
and desire for
the role?
The student provides
a relevant “story”
highlighting their
passions,
accomplishments,
goals and fit to the
organization in a
concise manner
(2mins or less)
The student provides
a
“story” highlighting
some but not all
aspects in column
one or answer was
longer than 2
minutes
Student provided a
“story” that is not
concise and is more
than 2 minutes
Student fails to
answer the question
or answer is not
coherent and is
longer than 2
minutes

15. #1: Tell Me About Yourself
Activity
Grab a partner and swap “Tell me about yourself” stories
2.5 minutes for story telling + 1 minute for feedback
Goal
Convey the elements of the story in a logical way and experiment
with finding your formula

16. #1: Tell Me About Yourself
What did you like?
What would you do differently?
Any creative formulas?

17. #2: What are your strengths?
 A way for the interviewer to tell if you know yourself and that you know you have
what it takes to do the job
 Can also be asked in different ways: “What makes you a strong candidate for
this job?”; “What skills can you bring to this job?”; “What do you consider your
own keys to success?”
 Prepare multiple strengths.
 There is no right answer: just good answers that can be backed up by
experiences

18. #2: What are your strengths?
Grading Rubric
I would consider
you a strong
candidate. (3pts.)
I would like to
interview you
again. (2pts.)
I would not
consider you a
top candidate.
(1pts.)
I would not hire
you.
(0pts.)
STRENGTHS
Is the student able
to convey their
brand and relevant
skills/strengths for
the role?
Student is able to
choose strengths
relevant to the
position, gives a
strong examples
and communicates
concisely
Student is able to
choose strengths
relevant to the
position gives a
strong example of
execution but may
lack link to the
position
Student’s
strengths may be
irrelevant to the
position and/or
lacks proof of
execution or link to
the job opportunity
Student fails to
provide strengths
and strengths are
totally irrelevant to
the position

19. #3: What are your weaknesses?
Do not flip WEAKNESSES
into STRENGTHS!

20. #3: What are your weaknesses?
 A way for the interviewer to see if you are able to identify weaknesses and have
a plan in place to improve them
 Talk about weaknesses that weaknesses that would not impair you from doing
the job you are applying for well. Prepare multiple!

21. #3: What are your weaknesses?
Bad weaknesses:
 “I’m such a perfectionist”
 “Too detail-oriented”
 “Over-achiever”
 “I work too hard sometimes”

22. #3: What are your weaknesses?
Grading Rubric
I would consider you
a strong candidate.
(3pts.)
I would like to
interview you again.
(2pts.)
I would not consider
you a top candidate.
(1pts.)
I would not hire you.
(0pts.)
WEAKNESSES
Is the student able to
exhibit self-awareness
and resilience in
discussing past
failures/weaknesses?
Student is able to choose
a developmental area not
key to the function of the
position and share how
they overcame the
situation, the lesson
learned and
action plan moving
forward while
demonstrating self-
reflection and resilience
Student is able to choose
a developmental area not
key to the function of the
position and share how
they overcame the
situation however is not
able to articulate the
Lesson learned or
action plan moving
forward and/or student
chooses cliché answers
Student either chooses
a skill essential to the
position or was not able
to clearly convey the
lesson and/or their
action plan for moving
forward; student was
unable to provide a
weakness
Student fails to provide a
clear answer and isn’t
able to demonstrate any
weaknesses clearly

23. #4: Tell me about a time when…
Situation
• What
position
and
where
were you?
Task
• What was
the
challenge
you
faced?
Action
• What did
YOU do
and how
did you do
it?
Result
• What was
the
accomplis
hment
and the
impact?
Link
• Why is
this story
relevant
to the
job?
S T A R L

24. Wild Card Question

25. Wild Card Question
S T A R L

26. #5: Wild Card Question
 Industry or job specific, or just a pleasant surprise!
 A way for the interviewer to gauge your interest and knowledge of the position
and industry
 Test your ability to communicate clearly
 Shows the interviewer how you think

27. #5: Wild Card Question
Grading Rubric
I would consider
you a strong
candidate. (3pts.)
I would like to
interview you
again. (2pts.)
I would not
consider you a top
candidate. (1pts.)
I would not hire
you.
(0pts.)
WILD CARD
QUESTION
Does the student
provide an overview
of their skills, fit
and desire for
the role?
Student “aces” every
opportunity to
differentiate
themselves during
the interview: e.g.,
they offer a credible,
logically organized,
and concise answer
for every question.
Student “handles”
some opportunities
to differentiate
themselves during
the interview: e.g.,
they offer credible
and/or logically
organized and/or
concise answers for
many questions.
They “miss” too
many opportunities
to differentiate
themselves during
interview: e.g.,
they offer
widely varying
answers in terms of
credibility and/or
logical organization
and/or conciseness
Student fails to
provide a clear
answer or doesn’t
attempt to answer

28. FINANCE
WHAT ARE THE THREE WAYS TO VALUE A COMPANY?
PITCH ME A STOCK
SO MANY CURVEBALLS…
ACCOUNTING
WHY DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE YOUR CPA?
WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR X FIRM?
WALK ME THROUGH AN ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CYCLE?
MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
HOW MANY WORDS ARE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES?
WHAT ARE YOUR 5 WEAKNESSES? … TELL ME ANOTHER … AND ANOTHER
CASES
MARKETING
HOW WOULD YOU INCREASE SALES OF X PRODUCT BY X%?
SELL ME THIS PEN
TLOG
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO INCREASE OUR PRODUCTIVITY?
HOW MANY CHAIRS ARE IN SAUDER?
HUMAN RESOURCES
HOW SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR HIRING PROCESS?
HOW WOULD YOU FIRE ME IF YOU HAD TO DO IT RIGHT NOW?
RANDOM QUESTIONS OR
SCENARIOS
WOULD YOU RATHER GO SKY DIVING OR SCUBA DIVING AND WHY?
HOW WOULD YOU DIVIDE A CAKE INTO 8 EQUAL PIECES WITH ONLY 3 CUTS?
[ROLE PLAYING A DECISION MAKING SITUATION]
TELL ME ABOUT SOME NEWS YOU HAVE READ RECENTLY AND HOW IT
RELATES TO THIS JOB?
Common Questions by Industry

29. #6: Do you have any questions?
 Answer: YA YOU DO! Opportunity to turn it into a conversation
 Avoid asking questions you could find the answer to on Google
 An example of a good question: “What specific traits and qualities to you look for in a
successful candidate?”  listen to what they say and link it back to you if it applies
 Do not ask something that has already been addressed in the interview
 Always safe to get them talking about themselves – maybe ask something directly
related to their job/industry

30. Thank
them
Reiterate
your
interest
End with a
handshake
Ask for
their
business
card
Ask if you
can call to
follow up
Use their
name
Last step: Closing the Interview

31. Follow up!
 Send an email or handwritten card
 Reference the interview – something you want to emphasize or something
unsaid that you wanted them to know
 Reiterate your interest in the position
 Thank them for the opportunity
 Reference the answer they gave you to one of your questions
 If you interviewed with multiple people, make sure the follow up is personalized
to each person

32. Pro Tips
Remember
your skills
matrix!
Guide the
conversation
Listen to
the
questions
Differentiate
yourself
Be
structured
in your
answers
Bring the
energy into
the room
Smile and
be
authentic
BREATHE!

33. Words of Wisdom

35. Action Items
 Optional Interview Stream available until Apr 7th @ 11:59 PM
 Employment Interviews on Apr 3rd, 4th, 6th (check your email and the blog
for instructions)
 Informational Interview due Apr 14th @ 11:59 PM on Turnitin – check the
course blog and previous slides
 Next week is Lecture! BUT only happening Tuesday and Wednesday –
check Lecture video online if you can’t make it in person