Final Exam - Week 10 on line during class

 Covers everything from week one

through week nine
 Review PowerPoints, videos, articles,
assignments
 Multiple choice questions
 Worth 15% of final mark
INTERVIEWING
Before Anything Else,
Preparation is the
Key to Success!
Alexander Graham Bell
PREPARING FOR AN
INTERVIEW
Research Company

Know your strengths for the

position

Practice, practice, practice

Interviews are a two way street!
Why Research a Company?
 Help in the selection of prospective employers at the
application stage.

 Develop better cover letters and resumes

 More effective in an interview

 Employers have an expectation that you are aware of

their services, products, locations, current events etc.

 Assists you in making informed employment decisions

What to Research?
 Products and services
 All geographical locations
 Relative size, position in the industry and major
competitor
 Potential for growth of the firm and the industry
 Annual sales and profits for the last few years
 Organizational structure and management style
 Corporate mission and vision statement
 Philosophy on training development and other
employee programs
 The work environment/culture
Where to Look
 Internet/website
 Company promotional material
 Annual Reports: available online and at
public libraries
 Magazine articles, newspapers,
television
 Current employees
 Review Job Posting/Job Description
 Why should we
hire you?

What makes you distinct

or different?
Know Your Value
 Know your product
 Know the employers needs
 Assess your skills against the
requirements of the job
 Effectively communicate the
value you will bring to the
position and the organization
 Do you have what they need and can you
prove it?
The Requirements
Qualifications:
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work flexible schedules
• Exceptional Customer Service skills
• A team player who collaborates effectively with peers and other
teams
• University Degree or a College Degree/Diploma/Certificate is
considered an asset
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite 2010 (Word, Excel, Outlook and
PowerPoint)
• Technical / troubleshooting ability, technical support experience
and/or education
What to Bring (a Smile)

 2-3 copies of your Resume

 References 3 - 6
 Portfolio
 Transcript
 Samples of Work
 If you do not have a portfolio bring
materials in a folder
 A Smile!
Stages of the Interview
Reception/Lobby Be polite and smile
Introduction (Greeting) Handshake, eye contact, smile
Small Talk (brief)
Discussion of the Company
Questions and Answers
Opportunity to Ask Questions of Company
Say ‘thank you’ at end of Interview
Follow-up with a thank you email within 24
hours
 Prepare to answer common
questions
There are some common questions that tend to pop up in almost every
interview. Below are some of these common questions.

Have you done this kind of work

before?
Why do you want to work here?
What is your greatest strength as a
worker?
Where do you see yourself in five
years? (Or “What are your long-term
goals?”)

14
Prepare to answer common
questions (cont’d)
 What motivates you as a worker?
 Describe a stressful situation you’ve been in recently,
and tell me how you handled it.
 What did you like most/least about your last job?
 Why did you leave your last job?
 Describe a time you came into conflict with a co-
worker or employer.
 What was your last employer/co-workers’ opinion of
you? Did you get along?
 Is there anything else I should know about you?

15
 HINT: Google it!
Behavioural Interview Questions
Question: “Tell me about a time you disagreed with your
boss. How did you handle it?”

Question: “Tell me about a time you had to organize a

project at work. How did it turn out?”

Question: “Give me an example of a time when you made a

commitment you couldn’t keep.”

Question: “Describe a situation when you had a conflict with

a co-worker. What was it about and how did you
resolve it?”

How would you answer these questions: ???

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Tough question #1
“Tell me about yourself.”
 This question is difficult because it’s so broad. (Where to begin?)
It can cause an interviewee to freeze up or start rambling.
 The trick is…
WRITE A ‘STORY STATEMENT’
A story statement is a 60-second mini autobiography. It
describes…
 Who you are as a person
 What your goals and ambitions are
 Why this job is the next natural chapter in your life’s story.

A well-delivered story statement will flow nicely into the rest of

the interview.
18
Tough questions #2
“Describe a problem you faced,
and how you overcame it.”
In high-pressure situations it’s tough to
come up with good examples of complex
ideas. That’s what makes this one tough!

The trick is…

Preparation and Practice!
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 Familiarize Yourself With Your ‘Accomplishment
Statements’

An accomplishment statement is a brief

description of something impressive
you’ve done in the past.
Writing them follows the formula:
Practice, Practice,
Practice,
If you’ve already written some
relevant Accomplishment
Statements for this job on your
résumé/application.
Familiarize yourself with them
and practice them!
Tough questions #3
“What is your biggest weakness/flaw/fault as a
worker?”
How can you get out of this one looking good?
You may be tempted to evade (‘Beats me!’), be corny (‘I
work too hard!’) or bite the bullet (‘I’m terrible at mental
calculations’.)
The interviewer really wants to know:
If you’re aware of your own limitations and how you deal
with those limitations.
So the trick is…
Describe a weakness and how you overcame it
“I’mslow at mental calculations, so I started carrying a
pocket calculator/phone app to check my math.”
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Self-presentation and
practical matters
 What will you wear to the interview?
 Is it clean?
 Dress formally!
 What will you eat before your interview?
 Avoid bad-breath flavours!
 How will you get there?
 You cannot be late for an interview!
 Schedule your route, aim to be 15 mins early,
and have a backup plan!
 What will you bring?
 A notebook, copies of your résumé and cover
letter, directions to the site, personal items
you might need, and a bottle of water, dry 23
mouth can ruin and interview.
 Telephone Interviews
 Plan for a time and place that will minimize
distractions
 Make sure you are in a location with strong reception
 Sound confident and enthusiastic and Smile
 Listen! Don’t interrupt!
 Speak slowly and clearly
 Have a notebook, pen and your resume handy
 Smile
 Week #7 – Online Work

Read the following articles:

 
“How to Sell Yourself in an Interview”
https://biginterview.com/blog/2015/02/how-to-sell-yourself-in-an-interview.html
 
“Tell Me About Yourself”
https://biginterview.com/blog/2011/09/tell-me-about-yourself.html
 
 ANSWER and SUBMIT - You are interviewing for a co-op position

Answer the following questions:

 Tell us what you did to prepare for the interview?

 Tell us about yourself?

*Save your answers and submit them to Moodle