Interview Workshop - SLATE

Effectively Preparing
for a Job Interview

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of today’s workshop, you will be able to:
Learn the tools and strategies that you can use to effectively
market yourself in an interview including using accomplishment
or STAR statements
Prepare answers to typical interview questions and
understand how to successfully tailor and present them to
employers during a job interview
Effectively prepare for a job interview which includes knowing
what to do before, during and after the interview

Part 1:
Preparing for a Job Interview

WHAT ARE INTERVIEWS?
• Interviews are conversations between
a candidate and an employer and are
designed to exchange information
• An interview exchange helps the
employer in answering their ultimate
question: "why should we hire you?"
• Interviews allow you, the candidate, to
demonstrate your value to employers

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
1:1
Interviews
Interviewing
with 1 Hiring
Manager to
discuss your fit
for the role.
Group
Interviews
Interviewing in
a group with
several other
candidates at
the same time.
Panel
Interviews
Interviewing
with more than
1 Hiring
Manager during
your interview.
Phone
Interviews
Interviewing
with Hiring
Manager(s)
over the
telephone.
Video
Interviews
Interviewing
with Hiring
Manager(s)
through video –
Skype,
FaceTime, etc..
What types of interviews have you been on?

Review the job posting
carefully
Connect your experience and
skills to the job requirements
Research the company
Checklist – 9 Ways To Prepare
PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS

Prepare responses to interview
questions
Practice interviewing
Prepare your interview clothing

Figure out directions to your
interview
Print out and bring your resume,
cover letter, references, etc.
Identify and prepare 2 to 3
questions you can ask the
interviewers

VIDEO INTERVIEWS
• Video interviews are a popular,
cost-effective way for employers to screen a
potential candidate.
• A two-way video interview is interactive, where
a person meets the interviewers in real time
(like an in-person interview).
• A one-way video interview is where a candidate
video records themselves answering an
employers' interview questions then submits for
consideration.

VIDEO INTERVIEW TIPS
Source: Robert Half, YouTube

VIDEO INTERVIEWS: AT A GLANCE
Source: Image by Theresa Chiechi © The Balance 2019

PHONE INTERVIEWS
• Phone interviews are meetings used
to screen a candidate before meeting with a
hiring manager.
• Screening is a discussion of your skills and
qualifications from your resume as they
relate to the job position/description.
• Phone interviews could be conducted by
anyone in the company, including Human
Resources personnel

PHONE INTERVIEW TIPS
SOURCE: Indeed, YouTube

PHONE INTERVIEWS: AT A GLANCE
Source: llustration by Katie Kerpel. © The Balance, 2018

TACKLING STRESS
Interviews can be nerve-wracking!
Here are some tips you can use
to help calm your nerves
before and during an interview.

TACKLING STRESS
Superman Pose
Deep Breathing 4 – 7 – 8
Positive Self-Talk

TACKLING STRESS
Superman Pose • Participants who assume a couple of
superhero-type stances for a grand total of two
minutes feel more powerful and act that way
• Stand like a superhero, feel like a superhero,
act like superhero
• This includes the superman pose, or even
poses with your arms placed on the back of
your head
• Posing like this at home before your interview
can help you boost your feelings of confidence
Source: Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-superheroes/201107/why-you-may-want-stand-superhero

TACKLING STRESS
Deep Breathing
4 – 7- 8
• Breathing techniques are designed to bring the
body into a state of deep relaxation and specific
patterns allow your body to replenish its oxygen
• Relaxation practices also help bring the body
back into balance and regulate the fight-or-flight
response we feel when we’re stressed
• The 4-7-8 technique forces the mind and body to
focus on regulating the breath, rather than
replaying your worries and proponents claim it
can soothe a racing heart or calm frazzled nerves
• Take a deep breath in through your nose for 4
seconds, hold this breathe for 7 seconds, and
release this breathe through your mouth for 8
seconds
Source: Healthline
https://www.healthline.com/health/4-7-8-breathing#2

TACKLING STRESS
Positive Self Talk • By re-writing your self-talk, you will change
the way you feel and how you behave
• Negative self-talk will generate low self-
confidence and self-esteem issues while
positive self-talk produces the opposite effect
• Practice positive self-talk throughout your life
and your confidence levels will soar
• Students can choose to write down any
negative thoughts before an interview, cross
them out, and re-write the statements into
something positive and assertive
Source: Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/louisefron/2013/12/23/get-that-job-nine-ways-to-interview-with-
confidence/#63dabfae93c6

TACKLING STRESS
How do
you tackle
stress?

INTERVIEW PART 1: MINI-QUIZ
1) Fill in the blank: A panel interview is _______
a) Where you interview with a group of other candidates.
b) When you meet with one interviewer.
c) Meeting with more than one interviewer.
d) None of the above.
Answer: C
2) How could you prepare for an interview? Check all that apply:
a) Research the company
b) Practice interviewing
c) Print out and bring your resume, cover letter, references, etc.
d) Have no questions prepared to ask the interviewer
Answers: A, B, C

INTERVIEW PART 1: MINI-QUIZ (2)
3) True or False: Positive Self Talk is one way to tackle anxiety before an interview
Answer: True

Part 2:
At, During and After
the Job Interview

ARRIVING AT YOUR INTERVIEW
Coffee / Tea
Smoking /
Scent
Chewing Gum
Introduction
Eye Contact /
Smiling
Water
Be impatient Turn Phone Off

Arriving At Your Interview
CHECK-IN
What are your
DOs & DON’Ts
when arriving at
your interview?

DURING YOUR INTERVIEW
Body Language
& Posture
Facial
Expressions
Fidgeting
MannerismsEye Contact

During Your Interview
CHECK-IN
What are
your DOs &
DON’Ts
during your
interview?

AFTER YOUR INTERVIEW
Thank You &
Handshake
Follow Up
Business
Cards

After Your Interview
CHECK-IN
What are your
DOs & DON’Ts
at the end of
your interview?

Follow Up/Thank You Note
• After a job interview, it is
recommended that you contact the
employer again and thank them for
their time
• Thank you notes can be sent via
email or in the form of a physical
card

Thank You Emails / Notes
Do’s
• Send a thank you note / email right away
(no later than 24 hours after interview)
• Send it to all interviewers
• Be professional
• Add at least one specific detail from your
interview
• Personalize the message based on your
conversation during the interview
• Keep it concise and simple
Don’ts
• Make grammatical errors or
spelling mistakes
• Be too casual
• Write less than 3 sentences
THANK
YOU

sheridancollege.ca
Thank You Emails / Notes
Subject: Thank You – Executive Assistant Interview
To: joe.smith@smithagency.com
Dear Mr. Smith,
I enjoyed speaking with you today about the Assistant Account Executive position at the Smith Agency. The job
seems to be an excellent match for my skills and interests.
The creative approach to account management that you described confirmed my desire to work with you. In
addition to my enthusiasm, I will bring to the position strong writing skills, assertiveness, and the ability to
encourage others to work cooperatively with the department.
I appreciate the time you took to interview me. I am very interested in working for you and look forward to hearing
from you regarding this position.
Sincerely,
Jane Jones
Subject: Thank You – Executive Assistant Interview

INTERVIEW SECTION 2: MINI-QUIZ
1) Matching: Match Column A with the best answers in Column B
Answers: 1:c; 2:a; 3:b
2) Fill in the blank: After a job interview, it is recommended that you contact the
employer again by writing/emailing a concise thank you note. It can be sent via email
or as a physical card, no later than 24 hours after the interview. Be professional and
ensure you speak on one specific detail from your interview.
Column A Column B
1) At the Interview A) Make Eye Contact
2) During the Interview B) Follow Up/Thank You
3) After the Interview C) Phone is Off

INTERVIEW SECTION 2: MINI-QUIZ (2)
Click to add text

Part 3:
Typical Interview Questions

TYPICAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Interviews can include common
and behavioural-based
interview questions
Common and behavioural-based
interview questions use your
past experiences to determine
your future behaviour

Common Questions
Why do you want to work
for our company?
What do you consider to be
your major strength/weakness
(or area for improvement)?
Tell me about yourself.
• Interviewers ask these questions to see if a candidate's
personality, character, values, skills, and other qualities
would match their work environment and overall corporate
culture

Behaviour-Based Questions
Tell us about a time where
you succeeded in a
project. What was your
role? What was the result?
Tell us about a time where
you faced a difficult situation.
What did you do? How did
you handle it?
• Interviewers ask these questions to see if a candidate's
personality, character, values, skills, and other qualities
would match their work environment and overall corporate
culture

Let’s Review:
Typical Interview Questions

QUESTION # 1
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Break this answer down:
• Include details on your relevant education
• Include some main points and the length of experience
you have from your past work or volunteer experience
• Include your top 3 skills and how they can relate to the
job you are interviewing for – incorporate key words here

QUESTION # 1
Example response for “Tell us a bit about yourself.”
Example:
I’m currently completing the 3rd year of my BBA degree in Marketing at
Sheridan College, where I’ve completed courses in Sales, Advertising and
E-Commerce. I have one year of experience working in sales as an
Account Manager using marketing strategies to sell to groups of students on
campus and through all of this, I have gained skills in communication,
outreach and building strong interpersonal relationships which I believe
will help me succeed in the Account Manager role at your company.

QUESTION # 2
Why do you want to work for our company?
• Do your research!
• Learn about the company:
• What are their products/services, what are their values,
who do they partner with, what do you appreciate about
them?
• Review the company website / their social media pages

QUESTION # 2
Example response for “Why do you want to work for our
company?”
Example:
As a graduate from the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program, I really
value the City of York Region because your organization maintains geospatial
data, conducts research in client business requirements, and positively
evolves the region of York and its communities.
I also noticed that your organization is focused on participating in projects across
the region to help other organizations succeed. I appreciate that you partner with
Canadian Environmental Law Association in Toronto. This is definitely an
organization I would value being a part of and contributing to.

QUESTION # 3
Why should we hire you?
• Show your value! Tell the employer about the skills and
experiences you can bring to the job, and give strong
examples
• Review the job posting carefully and look for key skills /
abilities they are looking for and relate your experiences
to these!

QUESTION # 3
Example response for “Why should we hire you?”
Example:
Through my 1 year of experience within IT Operations, I gained skills in
troubleshooting in the configuration, operation and maintenance of PC systems and
in communication to speak with frustrated customers about the challenges they are
experiencing with their computers.
One of my work projects included installing networks to 150 workstations, 50 printers,
and 4 communication rooms with supporting infrastructure. It was completed within
2 weeks, with no outstanding issues. I believe these skills would be helpful in the
IT Help Desk position at your organization.

QUESTION # 4
What is your greatest strength / weakness?
Strength
• Identify a strength you have that could relate to the job
• Provide an example to back it up!
Weakness
• Identify a weakness or an “area for improvement”
• Show the employer what you’re doing to improve
• Focus on skills that aren’t critical to the job

QUESTION # 4
Example response for “What is your greatest
strength?”
Example:
One of my significant strengths would be my strong writing skills. I’ve
worked as a Copywriter for eight years in several industries, and I am
committed to both creative excellence and communication performance
metrics when it comes to my work.
I’ve had to learn how to find the perfect balance between that creativity and
analytics, and it’s a personal passion of mine to demonstrate what good
writing can achieve for the bottom line—in advertising or otherwise.

QUESTION # 4
Example:
An area that I’m hoping to improve on would be my public speaking in groups.
I’m naturally shy and I found that it prevented me from speaking up in group projects
or in class. After being part of a group assignment where we were struggling to meet
our goal and I felt too shy to share my thoughts, I decided I owed it to myself to learn
to confidently share my ideas.
I joined an improv acting class—it’s fun and has really helped me overcome my
shyness. I learned practical skills around leading discussions and sharing
diverse perspectives. Now, in group settings, I feel more confident when I start
conversations.
Example response for “What is your greatest
weakness?”

STAR Method for Answering Behavioural Questions
• Use accomplishment (or STAR statements)
when responding to behavioural interview
questions
• Accomplishment or STAR statements describe
your skills, experiences and achievements
• They go above and beyond a simple statement
of what you did and they show your added value
• Incorporate keywords into your accomplishment
statements and other answers!

STAR Method
Use the following S-T-A-R method to put together your
accomplishment statements:
S
T
A
R
Situation  define the situation; use action verbs
Task  describe the task clearly
Action  define the action you took; highlight skills you used
Result  summarize the outcome

STAR Method
S
T
A
R
Situation  Handled angry customers
Task  Met with customers in returns department
Action  Calm customers down, resolve problems, follow through
Result  Strong customer relationships
Simple Statement:
Responsible for customer service.
Action Verbs:
Selected, Recognized, Resolved

STAR Method Example
Accomplishment Statement
My manager selected me as the lead Customer Service Associate to handle
angry or frustrated customers specifically in the Returns department
where I had to meet with each customer regarding their complaint. I was
recognized by management for my ability to calm the customers down,
resolve problems through effective communication, and follow through
to make sure customers still showed loyalty to the company. This resulted in
our company gaining strong customer relationships and referrals, and
positive feedback.

STAR Method
S
Situation / Task
T
Did a
presentation
for my
Marketing
class on
strategies.
A
Action
Developed
and delivered
a PowerPoint
presentation
on Marketing
strategies.
R
Result
Used
interactive
modules to
engage peers.
STAR Statement
For my 2nd year Marketing
class, I developed and
delivered a PowerPoint
presentation on how to
develop effective Marketing
strategies, where I used
interactive modules to
engage my peers in the class.
This led to an increase in
knowledge for my peers and I
received a 95%.

PREPARING EXAMPLES
While there are an unlimited amount of
possible behavioural questions an
Interviewer could ask you, there are several
specific categories they all fall into:
Teamwork &
Collaboration
Communication
Skills
Problem
Solving
Conflict
Resolution
Initiative &
Leadership
Pressure, Stress &
Meeting Deadlines

QUESTION # 5
Tell us about a time where you succeeded in a project. What was
your role? What was the result?
• Use Accomplishment / STAR statements when
responding to a question like this
• Talk about the Situation / Task you were involved in,
the specific Actions you took (provide details), and the
end Result
• Give the employer concrete examples

QUESTION # 5
Example response for “Tell us about a time where you succeeded
in a project. What was your role? What was the result?”
Example:
S/T: During my 2nd year of the Computer Systems Technology – Software
Development and Network Engineering Program, I led a group for a project and
delegated tasks to team members.
A: I developed and delivered a presentation to the class on security solutions.
I delivered key points of the presentation, led an interactive activity and
engaged the class.
R: Our project received a grade of 93% and allowed students to learn more
about the topic.

QUESTION # 6
Tell us about a time you had a conflict.
• Employers want to know how you would handle a difficult
situation. Use the C-A-R method:
C Conflict  describe the conflict
A Action  define the actions you took in hopes of resolving
the conflict
R Result  summarize the outcome and aim for an example
with a positive outcome

QUESTION # 6
Example response for “Tell us about a time you had a
conflict.”
Example:
C: During a group project for my Metrics course, we decided that everyone would independently work on
parts and we would come together a week before it was due to combine everything for our final project. On the
day we met finalize the project, everyone except one member of our group had completed their parts. The rest of
the group was very upset, and everyone started to argue because without this person’s contributions we
wouldn’t be able to complete the assignment.
A: I pulled him aside and asked him what had gone wrong. When he realized I was actually looking for
answers and wasn’t just going to yell at him, he told me he thought he had a better understanding of Excel than
he actually did. He thought he’d have time to review more of his notes about this, but he also had to pick up some
extra shifts at work because he needed the extra money. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do the project, he’d just
completely run out of time and he said he felt like he let everyone down. I calmed down the rest of the group
and we all sat down to figure out how to fix the problem. While we weren’t going to do the work for him, we
set a plan in place where each group member would meet with him for 15 minutes after class to help answer
his Excel questions and I shared a few great LinkedIn Learning modules I’ve used for Excel.
R: With the extra support, not only did he get the project done, but we all got an A+ grade on the assignment.

QUESTION # 7
Do you have any questions for us?
• Employers expect you to ask questions as a sign that you
are engaged and interested
• Be prepared to ask 3 questions
• Questions should not be about salary, benefits, or
vacation

QUESTION # 7
Example responses for “Do you have any questions
for us?”
• How would you describe the ideal candidate for
this position?
• How would you describe the team I would be
working with?
• What would be the biggest challenge that the
person stepping into this position would face?

QUESTION # 7
• What qualities does the person stepping into this
position need in order to be successful in this role?
• How will the success for the holder of this position
be measured?
Example responses for “Do you have any questions
for us?”

Questions to Ask
ACTIVITY
What are some
other questions
you could ask the
employer after
your interview?

Video – “Expert Advice On Job Interviews” (THNKR, YouTube)
IN CONCLUSION
Video – Expert Advice on Job Interviews

INTERVIEW SECTION 3: MINI-QUIZ
1) True or False: Employers ask only common interview questions during interviews.
Answer: False; they could ask both common and behavioural questions

Interview and Career
Centre Resources

CAREER CENTRE RESOURCES
Come by or call us to book an appointment!
Locations:
Davis B230  Trafalgar D103  HMC A247
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Student Success Officers / Front Desk:
905-459-7533 ext. 5400 (Davis)
905-845-9430 ext. 2533 (Traf) ext. 2528 (HMC)

In-Person Services
Meet 1-on-1 with an Employment Consultant or Career Counsellor
Employment Consultants:
• Resume, cover letter critique
• Interview preparation
• Assessment of your job search skills
• Developing a job search strategy, locating
advertised employment opportunities and
learning how to network your way to
unadvertised opportunities
• Using social media to search for work
Career Counsellors:
• Career testing & assessment
• Exploring career options, finding direction
• Research & evaluation of career
alternatives, setting career goals
• Labour market information, outlooks &
future trends
• Planning further education (university,
college programs, transfer agreements,
apprenticeships, etc.)

To find out when employers will be on campus,
follow us on social media:
@Sheridan_CC
facebook.com/CareerEducationSheridanCollege

Online Resources
• CareerCentre.SheridanCollege.ca
• Optimal Resume (Tools for Resume and
Interview Preparation) -
sheridancollege.optimalresume.com
• Exclusive Job Board for Sheridan Students &
Graduates - Jobs.SheridanCollege.ca
• Career Management 101 Modules -
CareerManagement101.SheridanCollege.ca

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