面试的艺术

THEARTOFINTERVIEWINGAHANDOUTFROMTHEOFFICEOFCAREERDEVELOPMENTSETONHILLUNIVERSITYMAKINGTHEMOSTOFTHEINTERVIEW:TAKINGCHARGEOFTHEINTERVIEWPROCESS:Thetimeyouspendwithaninterviewermaydetermineyourentirefuture,soasuccessfuljobinterviewisanimportantsteptowardsfulfillmentofyourambitions.Youhaveonlyoneobjectiveinaninterview:Toconvincetheintervieweryoucansuccessfullydothejobandbecomeadesirablepartoftheorganization.Fourthingsyoushoulddo:-Preparewellpriortotheinterview.oResearchinformationaboutthecompanyusingcontacts,theInternet,orlibraryresourcesoReviewpossibleinterviewquestionsoPracticeinterviewing-Dressprofessionally–abusinesssuitisalwaysa“bestbet.”-Arriveearly–tentofifteenminutesissufficient.-Bepreparedtoaskatleasttwoquestions.Threethingsyoushouldknow:-Youmustknowexactlywhatyouwanttodo–anythinglessislackoffocus.-Youmustknowabouttheorganizationandthefieldinwhichitoperates,howtheorganizationisstructured,itsmajoractivities,anditsplansforthefuture.Thisinformationisusuallyobtainedfromthecompany’swebsiteorthroughtheOfficeofCareerDevelopment.-Youmustknowspecificallywhatyoucandofortheorganization.BACKTOYOURMAINOBJECTIVE:Toconvincetheintervieweryoucansuccessfullydothejobandbecomeadesirablepartoftheorganization.-Preparealistofthepointsaboutyourselfthatyouwanttocoverintheinterview:oAccomplishments–onthejoborpersonaloApplicableeducationandtrainingoImportantpriorjoborinternshipexperienceoPersonaltraitsoProfessionalskillsCommitthesetomemory.Theyareabsolutelyessentialitemsyoumustdiscusswiththeinterviewer.-Writedownandmemorizetwoorthreesuccessstoriesoraccomplishments:oProblemsyoumetandsolvedoRecognizedsuccessesandaccomplishmentsoEarnedpromotions,recognition,orawardsoInnovativeapproaches,creativityinfindingsolutionsoCostsavingideasandresultsachievedHavethesereadyforuseatappropriatetimesduringtheinterview.Youwanttomakesurethesearetoldinastoryformatsoitactuallypaintsapictureofyouandyouraccomplishments.-Reviewpossiblequestionstheinterviewermightaskandwriteanswers.Usetheseanswerstoprepareforyourinterview.Lookatquestionsasopportunitiesorinvitationstosellyourself.Thiswillreducethestressifdoneinatactful,confidentway.TENQUESTIONSINTERVIEWERSCOMMONLYASK:1.Tellmeaboutyourself.(Adirectinvitationtosellyourself.Startwithyourstrongestpoints.)2.Whatareyourlong-term/short-termgoals?(Youhavetohavesome,andtheyshouldberealisticinviewofyourageandpresentprogress.Havethesereadyalongwithyourqualitiesandsuccessstories.)3.Whatareyourstrongest/weakestpersonalqualities?(Possibleexamples:“Iamimpatientwithpeoplewhorepeatedlyfailtocompleteaprojectontime,”or“Iamcommittedtoincreasingmyknowledgeofdatabasemanagement.”)4.Whydoyouthinkyouwouldbesuccessfulatthisjob?(Again–Prepare!)5.Whydoyouwanttoworkforus?(Makesureyouknowwhybyresearchingthecompanyandproducts.)6.Whyshouldwehireyou?(Thisiswhatyoucametotell–sotell!)7.Whatsupervisingorleadershippositionshaveyouheld?(Talkaboutyourabilitytoleadtheclass,taskforce,advisorypanel,project,etc.)8.Whatmotivatesyoutogetajobdone?(Whateveryousay,donotsaymoney.Theinterviewerislookingforsomethingalittlemoreprofoundandcreative.)9.Describetheperfectworkenvironmentinyouropinion.(Thisisagoodopportunitytobringinsomeofthosequalitiesandskillsyouhavememorized.Showjusthowflexibleyoucanbe.)10.Doyoupreferworkingaloneorinteams?(Thisisanotherchancetoshowyourflexibility.Giveexamplesofhowyouworkwellinbothatmospheres.)BEHAVIOR-BASEDINTERVIEWS:Alongwiththequestionsmentionedonthepreviouspage,frequently,interviewersareaskingforspecificexamplesofsituationswhenyouwerefacedwithdifferenttypesofoccurrences.ThistypeofinterviewiscalledBehavior-Based.Theyarelookingtoseehowyouhandleproblemsandsituations.TacklingBehavior-BasedQuestions:-Listencarefullyforwhatisbeingaskedofyou.-Putyourexampleinstoryformatsotheinterviewercanpicturethesituationandyouhandlingtheproblemeffectively.-Endonapositivenote.Howdidthisincidenthelporshowimprovementinthegivensituation?FivePopularBehavior-BasedQuestions:-Givemeaspecificexampleofatimewhenyousoldyoursupervisororprofessoronanideaorconcept.(Showsnegotiationandpersuasiveskills)-Describethesystemyouuseforkeepingtrackofmultipleprojects.(Showsorganizationandprioritizingskills)-Tellmeaboutatimewhenyoucameupwithaninnovativesolutiontoachallengeyourcompanyorclasswasfacing.(Showscreativityandimagination)-Describeaspecificproblemyousolvedforyouemployerorprofessor.(Showsproblem-solvinganddecision-makingskills)-Describeatimewhenyouhandledadisgruntledcustomer.(Showscommunicationandcustomerserviceskills)TOPTENNEGATIVEFACTORSEVALUATEDBYINTERVIEWERS1.Poorpersonalappearance2.Lackofplanningforcareer–nopurpose,goals,orfocus3.Lackofconfidenceandpoise–nervousness4.Overemphasisoncompensationasthedecidingfactor5.Makingexcusesforunfavorableeventsinworkhistory6.Lackoftact,maturity,andcourtesy–overbearingoregotisticalbehavior7.Condemnationofpastemployers8.Failuretolooktheinterviewerintheeye9.Limphandshake10.Failuretoappreciatethevalueofexperience*Compiledfromvariousstudiesofemployersandhumanresourcesassociateswhointerviewprospectivecandidatesforavarietyofcaree