www.usask.ca/secc 1 Interview Guide Student Employment and Career Centre Introd
www.usask.ca/secc 1 Interview Guide Student Employment and Career Centre Introduction | An Opportunity to Shine The interview is the single most important step in the job search process. Therefore, thorough preparation is essential. The purpose of the job interview is to determine whether you are right for the job and whether the job is right for you. The interview also provides you with an opportunity to ask questions about the organization/company and the position. Your ability to answer questions with relevant detail and in a conversational manner is key in an interview. Sometimes it is the person most skilled at interviewing, not the most qualified person, who gets the job. The interview is your opportunity to shine, to sell your strengths and to present yourself as a unique candidate for the position. Your role in an interview is to leave a clear and convincing impression of who you are, what you can do to contribute to the organization/ company, and why you should be hired for the position instead of another candidate. The interviewer’s role is to determine whether you have the skills, knowledge and personality needed to be an effective member of the organization/company. Interviewing Goals 1 | Demonstrate how your experience, knowledge and accomplishments match the qualities and skills the organization/company is seeking. 2 | Convince the interviewer that you will “fit in” and contribute to the needs of the organization/company and the position. 3 | Gather information that will help you decide whether you can be successful in the position and whether the organization/company will give you the opportunity for growth and development. Once you accept the interview, follow through with that commitment. Nothing can be more frustrating to an employer than to have a candidate fail to show up for an interview. Not only have you wasted the employer’s time, but your reputation and the University of Saskatchewan’s reputation may be adversely affected. If you have to cancel an interview, for whatever reason, do so as quickly as you can, providing a brief explanation for this decision Preparing for the Interview Careful preparation is critical to conveying a polished image. You never know when the call will come, so do not wait until after you have been contacted to prepare for an interview. You might drop off an application and have the employer interview you on the spot, or you may receive a call for an interview the next day. Whenever it occurs, employers will be impressed with how much you know when you give specific examples of how your skills and achievements are right for the job. You will stand out from other candidates if you take the time to properly prepare for an interview. Step 1 | Know Yourself The first step in preparing for an interview is to examine yourself. Having a strong understanding of your abilities, skills, interests, goals, personality preferences and experiences will help you present yourself more effectively. By improving your self-knowledge, you can demonstrate maturity and insight and enhance your ability to communicate your qualifications in an interview. Table of Contents Introduction | 1 Step 1: Know Yourself | 1 Step 2: Do Your Research | 2 Step 3: Consider Interview Formats | 3 Step 4: Prepare and Polish | 5 Additional Resources | 11 Interview Checklist | 12 COMPETENCIES AND QUALITIES THAT EMPLOYERS SEEK Accountability ¡ ¡ Honesty ¡ ¡ Integrity ¡ ¡ Responsibility ¡ ¡ Credibility and substance ¡ ¡ Results-oriented Interpersonal Skills ¡ ¡ Strong verbal and written communication skills ¡ ¡ Leadership ability ¡ ¡ Ability to work independently and as a team member Attitude & Character ¡ ¡ Positive attitude ¡ ¡ Confidence ¡ ¡ Enthusiasm (but not overwhelming) ¡ ¡ Professionalism ¡ ¡ Maturity Knowledge & Experience ¡ ¡ Track record of achievement/ success ¡ ¡ Relevant education and experience ¡ ¡ Analytical/logical thinking ¡ ¡ Problem-solving skills 2 www.usask.ca/secc Evaluate yourself in terms of your strengths and how you can translate these strengths into skills the prospective employer can use. It can also be helpful to know your weaknesses. If you do not meet all the requirements for a specific position, do not elaborate on these shortcomings. Rather, concentrate on your potential strengths for the organization. Consider writing down specific examples of how you have used your skills to achieve tangible and measurable results. Then, relate your accomplishments to the requirements of the position. Study your resume and be familiar with your education and experiences. If you’re struggling to identify your values, skills, interests and personality; there are helpful SECC resources available to you: ¡ ¡ Career Assessment Guide – available on the SECC’s website to help you assess your career and lifestyle goals ¡ ¡ MBTI and SII Workshops – formal career assessments meant to help you explore your personality and interests ¡ ¡ Career Counselling – meet one-on-one with a professional to explore issues affecting your career development Step 2 | Do Your Research Research the Employer/Organization One of a recruiter’s biggest pet peeves is when an interviewee has not conducted any employer research. Researching the employer conveys interest and professionalism. You will make a positive impression if you have done your homework. The more you know about the organization, the more effectively you will communicate what you can contribute and how you will “fit” into the organization/company. Research the following areas prior to the interview: ¡ ¡ What are the major products/services provided by the organization? ¡ ¡ What is the history of the organization and who are its key competitors? ¡ ¡ What are the latest trends/issues in this field? ¡ ¡ What are the organization’s goals? ¡ ¡ How can your skills fit with the stated goals for the organization? ¡ ¡ What are the organization’s community interests and involvements? Your knowledge about the organization will help you respond to interview questions and develop appropriate questions to ask at the end of the interview. Interviewers expect you to have knowledgeable and insightful questions for them. You may be judged as much by the quality of the questions you ask as by your responses to the questions the interviewer(s) ask you. To begin your company research, start by looking at their website. It can offer valuable insight in to many of the questions above. Following the companies you’re interviewing with on social media websites can provide you with great intel on company culture, major events and accomplishments and even gives you material for small talk with the interviewer before and after your meeting with them. Linkedin suggests, “As you find employers you might want to work for, check out their LinkedIn Company Pages. Each page provides a wealth of information about an organization’s operations, employees, locations, available jobs, and more. Plus, when you visit any of the 150,000 Company Pages on LinkedIn, you’ll see how you are personally connected to people at that organization. Then you can reach out for advice or to request informational interviews and referrals to open positions. Not connected to anyone at your target company? Join a university alumni, industry, or interest group.” Research the Position Researching the position provides valuable clues to the kinds of questions you will be asked at the interview. The better you understand the position, the better you will be able to communicate your interest in the job and evaluate its impact on your career goals. Knowledge of the position will help you present relevant information to a potential employer. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the position by: ¡ ¡ Researching the general tasks and responsibilities that the job requires ¡ ¡ Researching other aspects of the job that may affect your decision (travel, overtime, shift work, evening work) ¡ ¡ Becoming aware of future job trends in the field ¡ ¡ Researching salary ranges and non-monetary benefits related to this occupation www.usask.ca/secc 3 Step 3 | Consider Interview Formats Within the different interview styles, interview questions may be structured or unstructured. Structured interview questions are a prescribed set of questions determined prior to the interview. Unstructured interview questions are developed by the interviewer(s) as the interview progresses. Interview formats can range from employer to employer, and can be presented in combination with one another. Basic/Traditional These types of interviews will typically begin with open-ended questions designed to get to know you better. Examples of open-ended questions include, “Tell me about yourself” or “Why should we hire you for this position?” Behavioural Based Behavioural based interviewing has become an industry standard for many companies recruiting on campus. It builds upon the basic premise that future performance is best predicted by past behaviour. Interviewers develop their line of questioning around the traits and skills deemed important in the position and organization. Questions focus on “real life” experiences and actions. Questions usually begin with such phrases as “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of a situation where you demonstrated…” Common Skills Targeted During Behavioural Based Interviews ¡ ¡ uploads/Management/ secc-interview-guide-2011-12.pdf
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- Publié le Sep 14, 2021
- Catégorie Management
- Langue French
- Taille du fichier 1.1838MB