COMM 202

Week 12
T12 & T18
 202 Roadmap Post Interview
Building your professional toolkit

Week 13:
Week 8 - Week 11 - Compensation
10: 12:
Week 5 - Resume Interview
Learning Externally 7: & Cover
Personal Development

Skills Letter
Week 2 - 4: Matrix
Informational
Interviews & Linkedin

Learning Internally
WE ARE HERE
Week 1 - 3: Design
your life

Professional Development
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 EVERYTHING WE ARE TEACHING YOU TODAY IS 100%
APPLICABLE TO ‘REAL’ JOB-INTERVIEWS.

JOB INTERVIEWS ARE THE LAST STEP IN THE INTERVIEW

PROCESS. YOU HAVE IMPRESSED THEM WITH YOUR
RESUME AND COVER LETTER, THE JOB INTERVIEW IS THE
TIME WHERE YOU HAVE TO IMPRESS THEM WITH YOU.

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Takeways for the Day

⬡ Know what to expect for your Mock

Interview
⬡ Understanding key interview
questions
⬡ Develop a structure for key interview
questions
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Who’s gone through an interview? 5
What are some interview questions?

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Questions

⬡ Tell me about yourself

⬡ Strengths/Weaknesses
⬡ Behavioral/Situational
⬡ Wild card
Question Bank!
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“ Practice
makes
perfect
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“Tell me about
yourself”
⬡ Tell me about yourself
⬡ What is your story
⬡ Walk me through your resume
⬡ Tell me what brought you here

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TMAY

Most common opening question across all industries

Tips
⬡ Practice!!!
⬡ Be Unique (memorable)
⬡ Sound Natural (be on point and off script)
⬡ Show your passion (tell a story)
⬡ Be Authentic (show who you are)

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TMAY – Basic Structure
GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and
impress them in the first 2 minutes

The Beginning The Spark Growing Interest The Future Why You’re Here

Introduction Realization Your process Where do you How this

that this is the and how it has see yourself in position ties
right career helped lead you the future into it all
to this role
for you
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TMAY – PAWS Structure
GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and
impress them in the first 2 minutes

P ERSONAL

A CADEMICS

W ORK EXPERIENCE

S KILLS

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TMAY – My Way
GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and
impress them in the first 2 minutes

Origin Story
Powers
Purpose
Action
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TMAY – Key Takeaway
GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and
impress them in the first 2 minutes

Tailor, Tailor, Tailor

Components of your answer should change depending on the job
you are applying to
Look at the job description to decide on what to highlight
Take some time to practice and come up with an answer you are
happy with and proud of
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Strengths and
Weaknesses
⬡ What are your strengths
⬡ What can you bring to this position?
⬡ Why should we pick you over other candidates?
Why should I hire you?
⬡ What would your friends or colleagues say about
you?
⬡ What was your greatest achievement?

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Strengths

Do you really know yourself and your key skills ?

Tips
⬡ Mention 2-3 (but prep 4-5)
⬡ Be Concise (don’t go into too much detail, keep
it at around 2 minutes)
⬡ Be Relevant (look at the job description to find
those key skills, know who’s interviewing you)

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Strengths

What’s a good answer?

⬡ Clearly conveys brand and shares skills/strengths
that are relevant to the role
⬡ Give strong examples
⬡ Communicated clearly and concisely
⬡ Well structured

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⬡ What’s your greatest weakness?
⬡ What are your 10 biggest weaknesses?
⬡ What are some areas that you struggle with?
⬡ Which aspect of this role do you feel least
prepared for?
⬡ When were you last proven wrong?

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Weaknesses
Do you really know yourself and your key weakness?
Do you have a plan?
Tips
⬡ Around 90 seconds
⬡ Mention 1 (but prep 2-3)
⬡ Be Careful (don’t point out a critical flaw for the role)
⬡ Be Forward-Facing (include how you’re working on these areas)
⬡ AVOID CLICHES OR FAKE WEAKNESSES

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Weaknesses

What’s a good answer?

⬡ Exhibits self-awareness and resilience
⬡ Discusses past failures or weaknesses
⬡ Choosing a weakness that is not mandatory or
super important to the industry/position
⬡ Action plan or lesson learned is clear, shows you
are working on the weakness

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Behavioral/
Situational
Behavioral
Tell me about a time you:
⬡ Worked with a team to solve a problem
⬡ Used your communication skills to influence or
persuade someone
⬡ Dealt with a difficult situation
⬡ Had a disagreement with a colleague

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Behavioral
Do you have the necessary skills/experience for the job
To peer into your thought process in a situation
Tips ⬡ Online: feel free to take a note or two
⬡ Around 2 minutes while they ask

⬡ Show off 1 main skill ⬡ Be clear and concise

⬡ Listen to the entire question ⬡ Know what sort of questions they’ll be
asking (read the job posting)
⬡ Don’t reuse the same experience too
many times

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Behavioral

SITUATION Set the scene. Who? What? When? Where? Why?

The objective, the challenge, the project.

TASK Why is this story significant?
SKILLS MATRIX

ACTION The how. What steps or considerations did you take

The outcome or lesson from the situation.

RESULT
How did your actions lead to the result?

LINK Tie it back to the employer. Why should they care?

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Behavioral

What’s a good answer?

⬡ Logically organized and concise (STAR)
⬡ Clearly answered the question
⬡ Showed connection to the company (culture/fit)
⬡ Strong answer with clear experience that ties in with
the skill

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Situational
What would you do if:
⬡ You ran out of funds for a project?
⬡ A client was being unprofessional during an engagement?
⬡ A potential client suddenly lost interest?
⬡ You found a material misstatement on an audit document?

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Situational
To peer into your thought process in a situation and to assess how prepared
you are for the role
Tips
⬡ Research, research, research
⬡ Ask good clarifying questions
⬡ Don’t rush headfirst into an answer, ask
for time if
⬡ Show your logic clearly

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Wild Card
Questions
Case, Technical, Oddball
⬡ Pitch me this stock
⬡ Sell me this pen
⬡ What’s your favorite ad campaign?
⬡ What would be your TED Talk topic?
⬡ What would be the name of your autobiography?
⬡ How large is the diaper market in Canada?
⬡ How many golf balls would fit in a school bus?
⬡ What’s a trend you’re looking forward to?
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Wild Card Questions
Is industry/job specific (think about the culture)
Gives you a chance to differentiate yourself in a pressuring situation
Tips ⬡ Stay professional and don’t panic!
⬡ Tell them what you’re going to do, ⬡ Stick with one answer
do it, then tell them what you just ⬡ For certain questions, you might to
did do a lot of prep beforehand
⬡ If it’s a joke question, take it easy (especially in consulting (cases) and
and be personable tech (technical questions)

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Closing an
Interview
Closing Questions

Key: close with grace

Tips
⬡ Prepare at least 2 questions (maybe more)
⬡ Show your research (don’t ask a Google-able question, maybe incorporate something
you know about the company)
⬡ Be the right level of personal (get them to talk about themselves/their roles, but be
professional)
⬡ Treat them like an expert (ask about the industry, about certain trends, etc.)
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Closing Ettiquette

Key: close with grace

⬡ Thank them for their time
⬡ Reiterate your interest
⬡ Ask how you can best follow up
⬡ Use their name
⬡ (Post Covid: use a FIRM handshake)
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Follow Up
• Send an email (or handwritten card if you really want it)
○ LinkedIn is second best scenario
• Reference the interview – something you want to emphasize or
something unsaid that you want them to know
• Reference an answer or insight they gave you during the question period
• Reiterate your interest in the position
• Thank them for the opportunity
• If you interviewed with multiple people, make sure the follow-up is
personalized to each person

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The Mock
Interview
The Mock Interview

Will be done on Interview Stream

8 components/questions You will have 5 seconds A timer will countdown You will have time to ask
before you have to answer your remaining time the interviewer questions

1% BONUS
OPPORTUNITY:
PRACTICE & GET
COMFORTABLE WITH
USING INTERVIEW
STREAM BEFORE MOCK
INTERVIEW (CANVAS)

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 The Mock Interview
20% of your grade! Open now until December 3rd
Overall:
How would I prep if I were you?
- 15-20 min total
- Interview attire (business formal) is required Prepare stories!
- Have a professional background Tell me about yourself
- (take down posters/make your bed!) 4-5 strengths
- HR professionals will be grading you
2-3 weaknesses
Questions:
Key behavioral answers with a variety of
- Each question is timed to 2 minutes skills and experiences (skills matrix!)
- First question asks about the role/industry you are applying to
Prepare questions to ask
- Make sure to properly close the interview
- You only have one chance, so prep for it! Practice with Interview Stream for bonus!

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The Mock Real Interviews
Listen to what they’re asking Smile & keep up the energy – they’re
Stay alert, don’t be afraid to ask them to clarify human too
They want you to do well, so show your
personality!
Answer the question & be concise
Do not beat around the bush… and don’t ramble Bring a paper and pen
Feel free to jot down notes throughout

Take your time if you need to Most importantly… do your research!

“Great question– may I have a quick minute to Learn about your industry/company and what
collect my thoughts?” the interviews look like

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Mock Interviews
Due Dec 3rd at midnight (Office hours available on Canvas)

Resume and Cover Letter

Due Dec 3rd at midnight (Office hours available on Canvas)

Informational Interviews
Due Dec 3rd at midnight
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Thank
You
slido.com #jon202
IG: @_jonkimmy LinkedIN: Jon Kim
Let’s connect!
FB: Jon Kim Calendly!
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