Career Fair Interview Workshop - NetworkBash Ignite 2010

THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

Interviewing

Before the Interview

•Research the organization•Prepare for interview •Think about your qualifications•Practice your communication skills

(InterviewStream or Mock Interview)

•Plan for travel

Interviewing

Interviewing

Day of the Interview

•Arrive early•Dress professional•Make a positive first impression•Be familiar with the typical

structure of the interview

After the Interview•Send a thank you note•Follow up 2-3 weeks after interview

Types of Interview Questions

Traditional Interviewing Questions - will allow you to project what you might or should do in a

given situation

“Tell me about yourself.”

Employer Motivation: To see how well you can communicate and structure your thoughts.

Strategy: You might answer this question by quickly mentioning your relevant background, experience and skills and then explaining why you would be a good fit for the position.

“What is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?”

Employer Motivation: To find out if your strengths would be used in the position and to find out if you are aware of the areas where you need improvement.

Strategy: You can give examples of your strengths if you wish (e.g. “I’m an excellent writer. Most of my teachers have commented on my ability to organize my thoughts and communicate with a variety of audiences.”)

With your weaknesses, explain how you work around them or try to strengthen them.

Types of Interview Questions

Behavioral Interviewing Questions - will allow you to articulate past actions only – it is

designed to minimize personal impressions that can affect the hiring decisions

S.T.A.R. (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique for structuring your answers.

“Tell me about a situation in which you demonstrated leadership skills.”

SITUATION - Define the situation or set the stage. “Every year my fraternity sponsors a

fundraising event to benefit a local food bank.”

TASK - Identify the task/project performed. “Since I held the position of philanthropy

chair, I was in charge of the event last year.”

S.T.A.R. (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique for structuring your answers.

“Tell me about a situation in which you demonstrated leadership skills.”

ACTION - Describe the action that you took/initiated.

“I organized and led a committee of eight brothers to handle the logistics involved in planning the fundraiser. I managed the budget, created the timeline and delegated tasks.”RESULT - Summarize the outcome.

“I was really proud of the outcome. Two-hundred fifty people attended the event and we raised $3,000 for the food bank.”

Types of Interview Questions

Zinger Questions – will allow you to show how you handle yourself under pressure

Illegal Questions - Questions about marital status, children, ethnicity, and religious affiliation are illegal

ZINGER QUESTIONS-

“If you could be any color in the rainbow what color would you be?”There is not a direct right or wrong answer to this question, the employer wants to see how well you think on your feet and if you can justify your answer.

ILLEGAL QUESTIONS-

“Do you have any children?”You can state that you would prefer not to answer this question or try to get to the root of what the interviewer is looking for. In this case if anything in your personal life would inhibit you from being successful in the job.

Types of Interview Questions

Employer Questions

Upcoming NETWORKBASH Events

October 6 Time TBAMcKissick TheaterLearn how to incorporate social media into your job search

November 4 6:00-8:00pmAlumni CenterPractice networking with Clemson alumni and recruiters

www.clemson.edu/career http://networkbash.com

THE MICHELIN CAREER CENTER(864) 656-6000

Thank You