First and Lasting Impressions : Preparing for the Interview

1. First and Lasting Impressions : Preparing for the Interview Presented by Robert L. Belle, Jr., Ed.D.

2. “Proverbs are the daughters of experience.”

3. PROVERB “When a needle falls into a well many people will look into the well, but few will be ready to go down after it.”

4. “You do not teach the paths of a forest to an old gorilla.”

5. “You can’t build a house for last year’s summer.”

6. Interview Settings

7. Interview Settings

8. Interview Settings

9. Behavioral Interview • What is a behavioral interview? • Behavioral based interviewing is interviewing based on discovering how the interviewee acted in specific employment/comparable related situations.

10. Behavioral Interview • The logic is that how you behaved in the past will predict how you will behave in the future i.e. past performance predicts future performance.

11. Traditional vs. Behavioral • In a traditional interview, you will be asked a series of questions which typically have straight forward answers like "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" or • "What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?" or • "Describe a typical work week."

12. Behavioral Interview Explanation • In a behavioral interview, an employer has decided what skills are needed in the person they hire and will ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills. • Instead of asking how you would behave, they will ask how you did behave. • The interviewer will want to know how you handleda situation, instead of what you might doin the future.

13. Behavioral Interview Questions • Behavioral interview questions will be more pointed, more probing and more specific than traditional interview questions:

14. Behavioral Interview Questions • Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? If so, how? • What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? Give an example of how you handle it. • Have you had to convince a team to work on a project they weren't thrilled about? How did you do it? • Have you handled a difficult situation with a co-worker? How? • Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.

15. Additional behavioral type ???? • Give an example of an occasion when you used logic to solve a problem. • Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it. • Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.

16. TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS • Let’s begin by you telling me about yourself? • If you were going to do it all over again would you change anything in your educational career? • What are your professional goals? • How did you get along with your coworkers/classmates? • Tell me about the most difficult thing you had to handle in graduate school/last position? • Tell me about your greatest strength? • What do you believe is the common thing that has contributed to your success?

17. TRADITIONALINTERVIEW QUESTIONS • Tell me about your greatest weakness? • Give me an example of what you did to solve a unique problem? • What was it about this position that interested you to the point that you applied? • Give me two reasons that might convince me that you should be hired for this position?

18. TRADITIONALINTERVIEW QUESTIONS • How do you think that your education has prepared you for this position? • You are just starting out in the profession. You have very little experience. There are others who may have more experience than you. Why should you be hired instead of them?

19. Verbal Tics • Huh • Ahh • Hmm • And huh • You know • Like • You know what I’m saying • Like so • Huh huh • Exact same • OK

20. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY THROUGH “CAB’S” • A powerful communication vehicle called the “CAB” was created to help people in the job interview. • If used properly the CABcan be a multi-dimensional method for enhancing the value of a personal skill, characteristic or capability.

21. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY THROUGH “CAB’S” • The CAB can be an effective “neutralizer” for alleviating career liabilities or other negative perceptions.

22. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY THROUGH “CAB’S” • CAB is an acronym which stands for: Condition…Action…Benefit. When used properly, it permits an individual to tell a short, impactive action story that enhances the value of a personal ability.

23. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY THROUGH “CAB’S” • It meets the requirement parameters of being “logical” and “sounding good.” • It satisfies a need or wants and, in doing so, adds strength to the “credibility.”

24. CAB’s are your personal “success” stories.

25. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY THROUGH “B’SCA” • In order to properly strategize your CAB’s you will need to formulate power phrasesthat best exemplify your most marketable skills, capabilities and talents within these CAB stories.

26. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY THROUGH “CAB’S” • You don’t want to tell your life story. • The goal is simply to “value sell” yourself. • Honed them into “90 second commercials.”

27. PERSONAL POWER PHRASES • Problem Solver • Perform against deadlines • Found new alternatives • Versatile and not rigid • Sensitive to people • Motivate others • Action oriented • Determined and capable • Strong people person • Team player • Perform …not procrastinate • Bright and goal oriented • Handle change easily • Good communicator • Ability to get things done • Good teacher and comfortable in the classroom • Accept a challenge and produce positive results

28. Self Manager • Work well with people • Finish my assignments • Punctual • Pretty considerate • Outgoing • Take initiative • Self motivated • Support other people • Detail schedule • Good communicator • Realistic • Good organizer • Set priorities • Help others succeed • Work well under pressure • A positive person

29. PREPARATION OF THE CAB’S • (Describe the condition ( • problem), cause and effect…and scope)

30. PREPARATION OF THE CAB’S • ACTIONS: (What you did to correct the problem…But, not how! Here you’re adding credence to the capability example in the power phrase.)

31. PREPARATION OF THE CAB’S • BENEFITS: (Quantify benefits where possible.)

32. Try to begin and end each CAB with your Power PhraseThese CAB stories should be put on the ruled side of a 3 X 5 index card.

33. ADDRESSING CAREER LIABILITIES • Murphy’s Law of Perception, “If it can be perceived negatively…it will be…usually prevails.”

34. Some Commonly Perceived Liabilities . . . • Unemployed • Too young • Too old • Had only one job • Fired from last position • Had too many jobs • Too much of a generalist • Too much of a specialist • Haven’t shown much leadership • Experience is very narrow • Demonstrated no results oriented activities • Poor references • Short time in current position • Lack of teaching experience • Lack of publishing articles/papers/ • Lack a particular job requirement • Attempting to switch careers • Attempting a geographic relocation • Switching from education to the private sector • Switching from the private sector to education

35. Some Commonly Perceived Liabilities . . . • Short work history with few achievements • Lack writing experience • To technical background • Education is unrelated to industry/position • Achievements cannot be quantified

36. OVERCOMING LIABILITIES“UTILIZING THE ARQS TECHNIQUE”

37. ARQS is an acronym • Acknowledge • Redirect • Qualify • Satisfy

38. THE INTERVIEW • You must prepare yourself for the interview. • Never try to “wing it.” You will not be credible. • Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse your responses. • Use a small tape recorder to listen to yourself. • Pay attention to basic attending skills; (Eye contact, body language, and vocal qualities) • Video/audio tape yourself and look critically for ways to improve.

39. THE INTERVIEW • Take a view book or samples of some of your work. (Flyers, articles, pictures, bibliography, letters, recognition) Make sure the items are labeled accurately. • Tell the truth…Tell the whole truth….but, not necessarily all the truth. Sometimes all the truth may get you into trouble.

40. THE INTERVIEW • Our natural tendency as honest professionals is to full disclose in response to any situation. However, in the instance of responding to the pointed questions asked by some interviewers…this natural tendency must be tempered by good judgment.

41. THE INTERVIEW • Your mission is to satisfy the question…not to justify the response.

42. Basically six categories for interview questions • Questions about employment history, past jobs, etc. • Questions about job skills, strengths and weaknesses. • Questions concerning your attitudes about working conditions.

43. Basically six categories for interview questions • Questions about your goals, attitudes, philosophies and accomplishments. • Questions about your family, attitudes and personal affairs. • Questions about your education.

44. A cow that has no tail can not chase away flies.

45. “Always believe that what you do today helps to prepare you for something better tomorrow.”Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor