Interview Power Selling Yourself

1. Interview Power Selling Yourself Undergraduate Career Services Office Kelley School of Business Room P100 www.ucso.indiana.edu

2. Prepare Well for the Interview

3. Profile the Company • Research the company thoroughly • Where do you fit in? • Tailor your skills to company’s needs • Information you uncover reflects your interest and enthusiasm in position • Establishes a common base of knowledge for questions

4. Research the Company • Know the language of the industry • Know the job duties • Know the company • Ask questions of a similar company

5. What Do You Need To Know? • Age of company • Services or products • Competitors within the industry • Growth pattern • Reputation • Divisions and subsidiaries • Locations/length of time there • Size • Number of employees • Sales/assets/earnings • New products or projects • Culture and values

6. Where Do I Find The Information About Companies? • UCSO, Room P100 • UCSO Website • Job Choices books published by NACE • Standard & Poor’s Register • Internet • Chamber of Commerce • Trade Associations • Alumni in the companies

7. Develop Career Goals • Have a focus--at least act like it, even if you don’t have a clue • Identify challenges you are looking for • Know what you want to accomplish • Have a plan or agenda

8. Write Down Answers/Scenarios • Draft written answers to potential interview questions • Develop job appropriate scenarios based on your research • A marketing plan for a new product • A solution to one of their problems

9. Write Down Your Strengths • Relate them to the job • Give examples of where you have demonstrated these • How were they developed • Identify your mentors and/or role models

10. Write Down Your Areas for Improvement • Relate these to your work • Show the positive side of these • Identify the steps you have taken for improvement • Detail the results and/or time frames expected • Identify criticism you have received and its effects

11. Write Out Questions for the Interviewer • Consider multiple areas • Corporate values • Anticipated responsibilities • Employment trends • Measures of work performance • Work environment • Quality of work • Personality factors • Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and company

12. Frequently Asked Interview Questions

13. The Day of the Interview

14. Acknowledge Your Nervousness • Train your butterflies to fly in formation • Advance preparation reduces nervousness • Practice answering the worst possible question they could ask • Ask permission to take notes or refer to questions if necessary • Relax--take a few deep breaths

15. Appearance Matters. . .A Lot! • If you don’t dress seriously, they can’t take you seriously!! • Make a good first impression • Pride in yourself implies pride in your work • Show your creativity in your work, not your appearance • Dress conservatively • Be well groomed and clean

16. Don’t Forget the Details • Nicely styled hair • Natural, clean looking face/makeup • Clean your fingernails • Skip the clunky jewelry • Press your clothes • Avoid strong perfumes or colognes • Avoid cigarettes

17. Professional Image for Women • Best choices • Navy or black suit, solid blouse • Suit in solid colors, printed blouse • Straight dress with jacket, solid colors • Wear polished, low heeled shoes • Minimal accessories • Hosiery - appropriate color, no holes, no darker than your hem • Don’t wear anything too tight or revealing

18. Professional Image for Men • Best choices • Business suit, dark colors (blues, grays, browns), white shirt • Suit with solid shirt • 2-piece suit, lighter colors, striped shirt • Button your jacket when you stand • Shine your shoes • Socks-appropriate color, no holes, long length

19. Attitude • It separates winners from losers • Be enthusiastic and eager • Practice good eye contact • Smile • Walk with confidence • Sit up straight (listen to your mother!) • Adapt to your surroundings

20. Employers Notice Good Manners • Be on time for the interview • Treat the receptionist with respect • Use Mr. or Ms. unless they ask you to use first names • Don’t sit until you’re invited to

21. Practice Your “Soft Skills” • Greet people with a firm handshake • Stand up to meet people • Keep your guard up during lunch or dinner • Practice your dining etiquette • Remember “please” and “thank you” • Be good at chatting and small talk

22. What to Bring to an Interview • Several copies of your resume • Your portfolio, if applicable • New notebook and a nice pen • Briefcase or leather folder • Names, addresses, and phone numbers of references

23. Interviewing Techniques

24. Put Yourself inthe Interviewer’s Shoes • They have an agenda • To determine if you have the skills • Identify your personal attributes • Assess your motivation

25. Interviewers AreLooking to Hire You • Help them by • Showing how you fit their company • Exhibit your personality • Share your career goals

26. Be HONEST • DO NOT lie on your resume • DO NOT lie in the interview • Either of these can get you eliminated from consideration or FIRED if discovered after hiring

27. What Do Winners Show • They are capable of doing the job or learning it quickly • They are willing and eager to do the job • They need little motivation or supervision • They are friendly and would work well with other employees

28. Use Proper Language • Speak clearly and distinctly • Avoid slang expressions • Don’t swear • Control your • “ums” • “you knows” • “likes” • “that kinda stuff”

29. Tell Me About Yourself Create a 60-second sound byte Include • Geographic origins • Reason for choosing major • Educational background • 2 or 3 strengths related to position • Specific expertise and accomplishments • How you can contribute to company • Identify your career goals • Speak clearly and honestly

30. Behavior Based Interviewing • Previous behavior predicts future behavior • Examples show the meaning you have made of education and experience • Provides insight on how the candidate’s mind works

31. Answer Questions with aSTAR Approach • S ituation • T ask • A ction • R esults STAR provides an outline for answers

32. Situation • Give the situation for your answer • Choose a professional example from your job experience, course work, volunteer work, or student activities • Set the stage so the interviewer can relate to your answer

33. Task • Tell what the task was at hand • Dwell on the positive, don’t blame or point fingers elsewhere

34. Action • Describe the action you took to resolve the problem or bring about the success • Explain your role in the action • Identify specific skills you used

35. Results • Explain the results • Provide details, dollar amounts, success • Apply these results to the position for which you’re applying

36. STAR Provides an Outline • Helps you answer completely so you give enough information • Lets you know when to stop so you don’t ramble • Allows the interviewer to see you as a problem solver and decision maker

37. Do’s and Dont’s

38. Do’s • Research the company • Prepare for tough questions • Greet interviewer enthusiastically • Focus on what you have to offer, not what you want • Know your rights as an interviewee • Have a good attitude, be positive • Show confidence • Be professional • Follow up with a note or phone call

39. Dont’s • Don’t discuss salary, benefits, or vacations until an offer is made • Don’t display personal habits, i.e. smoking, chewing gum, tapping a pencil, stretching, jiggling a foot • Don’t lie • Don’t get too chatty about non-job topics • Don’t blame others or disparage employers

40. Difficult Situations

41. Listen Carefully • It’s important to understand the questions correctly • Ask for clarification • Don’t be afraid to ask if you can take a few seconds to think about your answer

42. Illegal Questions • Be familiar with the legal issues • Address the underlying concern of the illegal question, if possible • Remain professional and in control

43. Illegal Topics • Topics to avoid include • Nationality/race • Marital status • Religion • Affiliations • Disability or medical history • Pregnancy, birth control, child care • Age

44. How to Handle Illegal Questions • Answer the question • Refuse to answer the question • Examine the intent behind the question • Ask the relationship to the position • Walk out

45. Telephone Interviews • Dress up and use a professional environment to maintain your professionalism • Have your notes organized, highlighted, and within easy access • Without non-verbal communication, be aware that it is difficult to “read” the interviewer • Make sure your voice conveys enthusiasm • If more than one person on the other end, have them identify themselves when asking their questions

46. Panel Interviews • Get names and positions for all participants in advance if possible • Address all with good eye contact • Relate your answers to others that were similar from other participants • Shows your ability to relate to diverse groups

47. Day Long Interviews • Keep your energy up • Continue to give complete answers to all questions even though you’ve been asked multiple times that day • Listen for consistencies and discrepancies to assess company culture

48. After the Interview

49. Details Needed for Follow-up • Write down the interviewer’s name, department, address, and phone in the notebook • Ask for their business card • Use interviewer’s name

50. Follow-up the Interview • Send a short thank you note within 24 hours • Remind them of key points from the interview • Emphasize your interest • State when you expect the next contact to be