Week 9 preparing and surviving the interview

1. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH
EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE
RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Dr. Russelll Rodrigo
LIB300 WEEK 9
PREPARING FOR AND
SURVIVING THE INTERVIEW

2. INTERVIEWS
• Interview = A meeting with an objective
• Employer’s objective is to find the best person for the job
• Employer: reviews candidate’s experience and abilities
• Can you do the job? (skills, abilities, qualifications)
• Will you do the job? (interest, attitude & motivation)
• How will you fit into the organisation? (personality)
• You: impress employer and assess position on offer
• What does this position offer me?
• How does it fit with my career plans?
• Congratulations - you have passed the first hurdle
• You must prove that you are the most suitable candidate for this
position

3. PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
• Review own skills, experiences and qualities
• Check CV
• Anticipate questions and identify relevant examples
• Prepare key selling points
• Research organisation
• Websites, reports, articles, company literature, etc
• Contacts with knowledge of organisation or sector
• Relevant articles in the press
• Personal visit or telephone call
• Research job and occupational area
• Job description – or similar
• Current issues
• Prepare your questions
• Practice

4. THREE GRAVE ERRORS
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
} Answering a question that was not asked.
} Providing unnecessary information.
} Not knowing anything about the company.
Which of these three errors will you see in this video? (Video 3)

5. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE THE
INTERVIEW
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• How much time should I expect to take for the interview?
• Who will be interviewing me?
• Who will I be interacting with in my job position if I am hired?
• Is there an organizational chart I can look at?

6. THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE THE
INTERVIEW
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH
EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE
RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• How many other candidates are there?
• Will there be any tests or forms I need to complete?
• Are there any other job responsibilities or benefits I should know
about?

7. THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
1. Research the company.
2. Decide appropriate dress.
3. Practice answering probable questions.
4. Prepare questions you will ask and things you will not say.
5. Know where to go and what to take.

8. 1. RESEARCH THE COMPANY
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• Print and markup the “About Us” page of the company web site.
• Lookup the location of the company headquarters and the official name of the company.
• Search for general information about the leadership of the company, their job titles, and
what they have done recently.
• Locate and read publications from the company, such as magazines, advertisements,
newsletters, reports, etc.
• Determine the exact name of the job title you are applying for by looking for it online.

9. 2. APPEARANCE
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH
EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE
RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
} Dress like the interviewer.
} Dress better than you would normally for the position you want.
• How to dress for a job interview video.

10. APPEARANCE
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON
EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Needed a haircut
Soiled shirt cuffs and collar
Frayed cuffs and collar
Needed a shave
Tie badly knotted
100%
97%
88%
83%
79%
Item Percentage of Executives
That Noticed the Item
Dress items making a bad first impression.
Source: Leslie B. Lawrence and David D. Steinbrecher, “Round Up.” Reprinted by permission of publisher from
Personnel, July/August 1979 copyright 1979. American Management Association, New York. All rights reserved.

11. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

12. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.

13. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON
EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

14. ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.

15. 3. PRACTICE ANSWERING
PROBABLE QUESTIONS
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• What are some questions you may be asked?
• What are some questions that you may want to ask?
• Video 4

16. PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK
AND THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C)
2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER
SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS
• Questions you might want to ask:
• What would be my job title?
• Whom would I be reporting to?
• What would be my duties and responsibilities on the job?
• What new areas of responsibility will open up in this job?
• How will I be evaluated or reviewed on the job?
• Will any opportunities for advancement occur?

17. PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK AND
THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• Questions you might want to avoid until the second interview:
• How much salary should I expect?
• What benefits are included in the labor contract?
• Which day do employees usually get paid?
• Tell me more about the company’s clients.

18. • Child Care
• Marital Status
• Previous Residences
• Car Ownership
• Age
• Finance
• Foreign Language
• Arrest Record
• Race
• Religion
PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK AND
THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY
Subjects that you should speaking about altogether:
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION,
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

19. PREPARE QUESTIONS YOU WILL ASK
AND THINGS YOU WILL NOT SAY
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER
SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• How do I know which questions I should answer?
• If it’s not directly related to the job, don’t answer it!
• How do I answer a question that is not a good question?
• “Before I answer this question, could you tell me how it
specifically relates to this job?”

20. TYPICAL QUESTIONS
• About you
• Tell me about yourself - Bring me up to date with your CV?
• Why did you choose that particular degree programme?
• What experience have you had that is relevant to this post?
• What would you consider your major achievements to date?
• About the job
• What interests you about this job?
• What do you know about this organisation?
• What other options are you considering?
• How do you see your career developing – 5 years?
• If you were Head of Department, what would be your priorities?
• General knowledge
• What do you think of the Government’s policy on college fees?
• What’s your opinion of the issue “______________” ?

21. OTHER TYPE OF QUESTIONS
• “What if” Questions
• No experience - how are you likely to respond to a situation
• Probing Questions
• How exactly did you deal with the situation?
• How did you know it worked?
• How did you feel about the outcome?
• Could you have handled it differently?

22. YOUR QUESTIONS
• Training programmes
• Career development opportunities
• Types of projects & responsibilities
• Reporting structure
• Performance appraisal
• Profile of staff
• Questions about topics raised in interview
• What happens next?

23. FOR THE INTERVIEW:
• Do your homework.
• Make an appointment.
• Prepare a list of pertinent questions
• Arrive early and dress professionally
• Show your appreciation upfront.
• Ask follow-up questions.
• Send a thank-you letter immediately.
• Keep a record of your meeting.

24. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
INTERVIEW
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C)
2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER
SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS
• Greet your interviewer formally.
• Shake hands firmly.
• Wait to be invited to sit.

25. BEHAVIOR DURING THE
INTERVIEW
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C)
2006, PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER
SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS
• Display a positive attitude.
• Use active, positive, and concrete language.
• Support answers with specific examples.
• Use humor when appropriate.
• Describe job weakness in a positive manner.
• Conclude with a statement showing interest.

26. ONLINE INTERVIEWS
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006, PEARSON
EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• Determine if the person can spell and communicate well in cyberspace.
• Help companies avoid wasting time on a candidate who is not right for the
organization.
• Can open the door for a face-to-face interview.

27. MISTAKES MADE DURING ONLINE
INTERVIEWS
ROEBUCK: IMPROVING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4TH EDITION. (C) 2006,
PEARSON EDUCATION, UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
• Bringing up money too soon.
• Whispering.
• Exhibiting disinterest by typing on a keyboard.

28. AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Review own performance
what went well
what went badly
what you wished you had said
prepare for next stage
Invitation to second / final round interviews
assessment centre
psychometric testing
panel interview
Rejection letter / email
if you can request feedback - use it

29. COMPETENCY-BASED INTERVIEWS
• Company identifies key skills required for job
• Designs questions to elicit evidence of skills
• Emphasis on past behaviour as predictor of success
• Teamwork: Describe a team project you worked on. What problems
arose? How did you deal with them?
• Communication Skills: Describe situation when you had to persuade
others to support your view. Give an example of any reports you’ve written
which illustrate your writing skills
• Interpersonal skills: What kinds of people do you find it difficult to
work with? How do you handle those situations?
• Taking Responsibility: Describe a time when you took responsibility
to achieve a challenging goal
• Problem-solving: Tell about a time when you had several tasks to
manage at one time with conflicting deadlines.

30. PREPARING FOR COMPETENCY
INTERVIEW
• Identify the competencies required for job
• Review job description or ask for information
• Define each competency in behavioural terms
• Identify past experience to illustrate how you demonstrated
that behaviour
• Prepare examples for each competency
• Practice talking about your experience
• Try to give a complete answer - STAR

31. RESPONDING TO COMPETENCY Q
• Q Give me an example of a problem you encountered. How did
you approach it. What was the outcome?
• STAR response
• S: Describe the situation
• T: Explain the task/problem that arose
• A: What action did you take?
• R: What was the result or outcome?
• What did you learn from this experience?

32. Employer needs
Communication
Team work
Leadership
Initiative
Customer Care
IT
Commercial awareness
Your evidence
Presentation to class
Example from Coop
Class rep, Committee
Fundraising for charity
Working in Superquinn
Designed website
Business pages
MATCHING SKILLS TO
REQUIREMENTS

33. YOUR ANSWERS
• Listen carefully, seek clarification
• Illustrate answers with real examples and
evidence
• Be positive – constructive criticism
• Keep answers specific and succinct
• Take time to respond
• Be alert to interviewer’s body language
• Speak clearly, smile and show enthusiasm
• Know what you want to say, and find the
opportunity

34. QUALITIES EMPLOYERS SEEK
• Good all-round intelligence
• Enthusiasm, commitment and motivation
• Good communication skills
• Team work ability
• Ability to solve problems
• Capacity to work hard
• Initiative and self-reliance
• Balanced personality

35. COMPETENCIES REQUIRED BY X
COMPANY
• Adaptability
• Integrity
• Innovation
• Teamwork
• Initiative
• Drive for Results
• Know the Business
• Open Exchange of Information
• Makes Difficult Decisions

36. INTERVIEW MARKING SHEET
Name Mark-max 100
Communication Skills Max 30
Problem Solving Max 20
Team Fit Max 20
Relevant Experience Max 20
Project Management Max 10
Total Marks

37. WHAT CREATES A BAD
IMPRESSION
• Poor personal appearance
• Negative attitude – evasive, using excuses
• Lack of interest and enthusiasm
• Lack of preparation
• Poor knowledge of role
• Failure to give concrete examples of skills
• Over emphasis on money/rewards
• Lack of career plan

38. WEB RESOURCES FOR
INTERVIEWS
• UL Careers website: www.ul.ie/careers
• Gradireland website: www.gradireland.com
• Careers4graduates: www.careers4graduates.org
• Doctor Job: www.doctorjob.com (Virtual Interview)
• Prospects: www.prospects.ac.uk
• Realworld: www.realworldmagazine.com
• Virtual Career Coach: www.windmillsprogramme.com
• BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/work