Seminars and Workshops Interviewing Techniques

Interviewing Techniques

Workshop Objectives
• Typical Interview Structure
• Behavioural Interviews
• Interview Preparation & Practise

Typical Behavioural Interview
Component
Time

Employer questioning 20 minutes Applicant prepared questions 5 minutes
Closing 3 minutes Introduction/Greeting 2 minutes

Introduction/Greeting
1. First impressions count
a. Appearance is important
b. Good eye contact
c. Firm handshake
2. Introduce yourself
a. Slow, clear pronunciation of name
b. Make small talk
3. Practise

Employer Questions:
Will
l address items on your resume
l ask about behaviour/skills you have
Will not
l be personal

Behaviour Based Interviewing:
l Previous behaviour predicts future behaviour
l Recruiters ask for examples that demonstrate your level of skill with a behaviour that is important to the firm

How to ace behavioural interviews?
l Work on your STARs
• Situation
• T ask
• Actions
• Results
STAR provides an outline for answers

Star Quiz:
Review the question and answer provided
l What skill is the question addressing?
l Did if follow the STAR format?
l Could the answer be better and how?

Effective STAR response?
Q: Give an example of when you had to persuade others to your point of view?

A: I was part of the negotiating team for my department when we negotiated our last contract. Let me tell you the bargaining on this one was tough; no one wanted to give an inch. But in the end we got them to agree to most of our demands
A Better STAR:
ST: I was part of the negotiating team for my department.
The supplier wanted a large increase of 8%
A: I listened carefully to the supplier’s needs
A: I collected data to support my argument on why 8%
was unreasonable
A: I presented analytical data to support our position for a
4% vs. 8% increase
A: I also worked with management to change some requirements, so
it would be less costly for the supplier
R: The final agreement was for only a 5% increase, saving us $500,000. I
learnt the importance of really listening to the supplier, collecting and
analysing relevant data and getting management support of my plan.

Effective STAR response?
Q: Give me an example of your ability to use analytical skills?
A: I’m good at Excel and have created several spreadsheets to improve processes.

What is missing from this STAR?
l Didn’t describe the Situation/Task
l Actions are missing
l Results are vague
Interviewer will likely ask follow up questions

Prepare your STAAARs: Understand what skills the company considers critical to success there
Write out STAAARs for each skill on your resume: Some common areas covered in behavioural interviews:
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Initiative
• Analytical Ability
• Creativity/Innovation
• Problem Solving Skills
• Customer/Client Relations

Other Common Questions to Prepare For:
• Tell me about yourself? or Walk me through your resume
• Why did you decide to go to the Kelley School of Business
• Tell me about a time when you had an opportunity to lead others. What did you learn from it?
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• What achievement are you the most proud of?
• Why do you want to work for ______ company?

Tell me about yourself?
(Walk me through your resume)
Include
• Tie your storey to their business needs
• Demonstrate 2 or 3 strengths related to position or why you chose IU
• How you can contribute to company
Don’t include
• Personal/family information
• Politics
• Create a 60-second sound byte
What are your strengths?
• Relate them to the job
• Give examples of where you have demonstrated them
• How were they developed
What are your weaknesses?
• Admit you have one
• Identify what you are doing to improve or learnt from this weakness
• Detail the results or time frame expected

Need more time?
• Good question, let me think about that a minute.
• So, you are asking if…..
• Can you repeat that question, please?
• No one’s ever asked me that one before…
• Silence is okay, too

How to prepare for an interview?
• Research the company
• Review your resume
• Prepare STAR responses
• Prepare questions for interviewer
• Prepare yourself

Research the Company:
• Know the industry
• Know the company
• Know the job duties
• How do your career goals align with position?
• Do you have succinct storeys for each point on your resume?
• Anticipate questions
Prepare Questions for Interviewer:
• Consider multiple areas
o Corporate values
o Anticipated responsibilities
o Employment trends
o Measures of work performance
o Work environment
o Quality of work
o Personality factors
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and company

Closing:
• Always thank them for the interview
• Clarify if they haven’t told you next steps
• End with you are looking forward to hearing from them and really enjoyed talking to them.

iii. Use please and thank you ,avoid (can i, should i, discourteous behaviour)
iv. Handshakes should be used by boys with interviewer (male) if offered
v. Please practise and prepare for the interviewer to avoid awkward behaviour
vi. Maintain eye contact and smile (moderately) to convey positive outlook

How to prepare for an interview
§ Search the organisation
§ Tailored your resume according to job description.
§ Have a resume (at last 2-3 copies)
§ Show creativity
§ Be presentable
§ Mock interview (practise)
Remember: your behaviour/attitude in the waiting room is really important.

How to handle q- questions
q-questions a quantitative questions.
Always give an example of all skills set that mentioned in a resume. Don’t over exaggerate.
Formula for q-statements:
Verb + (who, what, when, where, how) + result click here
How to handle critical questions?
I. Tell me about yourself?
II. What one word best describes you?
III. What are your greatness strengths & weakness?
IV. Why do you want this job?
V. What made you choose your major?
VI. What are your greatness accomplishments &what roles did you play?
VII. Is your gpa a true reflection of your academic abilities & success potential?
VIII. You didn’t seem to excel in the classroom. What makes you so sure you’ll do well on the job? Why should hire you?

Physiological Questions
1. Who is your best friend or professor & how would he or she describe you?
2. Where do you see yourself after 10 years?
3. Which is more important to you, the money or the type of job? How do you determine or evaluate success?
4. Tricky One: I don’t know what I am looking for, but you don’t seem to have all of the experience I want. Why should I Hire you?
5. What makes you think you can handle a job that requires so many different talents & persuasive skills?
6. What do you think it takes to be successful in a company Like ours?
7. Interviewer will ask you to sell a pencil? He is checking your techniques & temper(If you go for marketing interview)

Importance of Internships in Your Professional Life
What is an Internship?
According to the National Society for Experiential Learning, an internship is
“Carefully monitored work or volunteer experience in which an individual has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience.”
It’s temporary work that gives you on the-job training and practical experience.
Internships usually last one semester, although some can be longer or shorter.

Why is an internship important & what are the benefits?
1. Experiential learning is the single most effective way to obtain employment after graduation. Approximately 85% of interns receive a job offer from the parent company
2. You get the opportunity to learn new skills, and apply the things you learnt in the classroom in “real life situations.”
3. It is a way to explore career options, likes and dislikes, with little investment in terms of time and money.
Importance & Benefits of Internship
1. You can earn academic credit, and for some internship you may even be paid!
2. You can network and develop professional contacts in your field of study.
3. You can increase your self-confidence and professionalism.
4. You can learn more about a chosen field.

Find out before graduation what you’d like to do after graduation
Types of Internships
1. Academic
2. Paid
3. Unpaid – no monetary compensation but show your commitment to the field.
Where do I Identify/Look for Internships?
i. Directories in the NUST Placement Office and your college/school Placement Office
ii. Positions posted in the NUST Placement Office and your college/school Placement Office official Facebook Pages.
iii. Internet/Websites
iv. Job Fairs (many employers there also have internships to offer)
v. Contact previous/present employers and/or faculty.
vi. Alumni contacts/database
vii. Contact local seasonal employers (e.g. Department of Parks and Recreation)
Resources at NUST
§ Placement Offices
i. Each School/college has its own Placement Office
ii. NUST has also a Placement Office for whole university known as NUST Placement Office
§ Websites
§ Directories
§ Individual Appointments
§ Positive Learning Experience
§ To get the most out of an internship or summer job, you must
Ø Take it as seriously as a “real” job.
Ø Speak, act, and dress in a way that says you are professional.
Ø The employer will be evaluating you and your work.
Ø But also realise that it is a learning experience – you are not expected to know everything beforehand!

How can you Reach us?
Mrs. Atiya Zulfiqar (DD CDC)
Room# 108, 1st Floor, RIC Building, H-12, NUST
Visiting Hours
Monday – Friday (0900 hrs to 1700 hrs)
You can email us on [email protected] to schedule an appointment 48 hours prior to meeting.