Understanding An Interview

LEARNING OUTCOMES 

In this lesson, you will learn to :

1. Understand the concept of a job interview

2. Develop vocabulary to talk about jobs and the interview process

3. Develop the ability to write a short story using the past simple tense

4. Provide listening practice through watching a video called "A job Interview"

INTRODUCTION

What is a job interview?

A job interview is a conversation which occurs between a potential employer and a job applicant.

During the job interview, the employer has the opportunity to appraise applicant's qualifications, appearance and general fitness for the job opening. In parallel, the applicant tries to learn more about the position, to appraise the employer and to find out if you need and interest will be met.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW

All job interviews have the same objective, but employers reach that objective in a variety of ways. One strategy for performing your best during an interview is to know the rules of the particular game you are playing when you walk through the door.

There are some types of an interview :

1. The screening interview

2. The informational Interview

3. The Directive style

4. The Meandering Style

5. The stress Interview

6. The behavioral Interview

7. The audition Interview

8. The Group Interview

9. The tag-team interview.

10. The follow Up interview.

1. THE SCREENING INTERVIEW

Screening interviews often have honed skill to determine whether there is anything might disqualify you for the position.

Tips :

1. Highlight your accomplishments and qualifications.

2. Get into the straightforward groove. Answer questions directly and succinctly. Save your winning personality for the person making hiring decisions.

3. Be tactful about addresing income requirements. Give a range, and try to avoid giving spesific by replying, "I would be willing to consider your best offer." 

4. If the interview is conducted by phone, it is helpful to have note cards with your vital information sitting next to the phone. 

INTERVIEW DO AND DON'TS

DO :

1. Dress appropriately for the industry. Your personal grooming and cleanliness should be impeccable.


2. Know that the exact time and location of your interview; know how long it takes to get there, park, find a restroom to freshen up, etc.


3. Arrive early; 10 minutes priors to the interview start time.


4. Treat other people you encounter with courtesy and respect. Their opinions of you might be solicited during hiring decisions.


5. Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by your interviewer. 


6. Be honest and be yourself. Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds for withdrawing job offers and for firing. You want a good match between yourself and your employer. If you get hired by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your employer will both be unhappy.


7. Treat the interview seriously and as though you are truly interested in the employer and the opportunity presented.


8. Do take criticism gracefully.


9. Do equip yourself with a strong knowledge of the company.


10. Do display a sense of humor.


11. Do bring a pen and small notebook with you to the interview.


12. Have intelligent questions prepared to ask the interviewer.


13. Evaluate the interviewer and the organization s/he represents. Conduct yourself cordially and respectfully, while thinking critically about the way you are treated and the values and priorities of the organization.


14. Do expect to be treated appropriately. If you believe you were treated inappropriately or asked questions that were inappropriate or made you feel uncomfortable, discuss this with a career advisor.


15. Make sure you understand the employer's next step in the hiring process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next. Know that action you are expected to take next, if any.


16. When the interviewer concludes the interview, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Depart gracefully.


17. After the interview, make notes right away so you don't forget critical details.


18. Make sure you understand the employer's next step in the hiring process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next. Know what action you are expected to take next, if any.


19. When the interviewer concludes the interview, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Depart gracefully.


20. After the interview, make notes right away so you don't forget critical details.


21. Write a thank-you letter to your interviewer promptly.
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DON'TS

1. Don't make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions and your actions.


2. Don't make negative comments about previous employers or professors (or others).


3. Don’t contradict yourself in responses.


4. Don’t display intolerance or prejudice.


5. Don't treat the interview casually, as if you are just shopping around or doing the interview for practice. This is an insult to the interviewer and to the organization.


6. Don't give the impression that you are only interested in an organization because of its geographic location.


7. Don't give the impression you are only interested in salary; don't ask about salary and benefits issues until the subject is brought up by your interviewer.


8. Don't act as though you would take any job or are desperate for employment.


9. Don't make the interviewer guess what type of work you are interested in; it is not the interviewer's job to act as a career advisor to you.


10. Don't be unprepared for typical interview questions. You may not be asked all of them in every interview, but being unprepared looks foolish.


11. A job search can be hard work and involve frustrations; don't exhibit frustrations or a negative attitude in an interview.


12. Don't go to extremes with your posture; don't slouch, and don't sit rigidly on the edge of your chair.


13. Don't assume that a female interviewer is "Mrs." or "Miss." Address her as "Ms." unless told otherwise. (If she has a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree or medical degree, use "Dr. [lastname]" just as you would with a male interviewer. Marital status of anyone, male or female, is irrelevant to the purpose of the interview.


14. Don't chew gum or smell like smoke.


15. Don't allow your cell phone to sound during the interview. (If it does, apologize quickly and ignore it.)


16. Don't take a cell phone call. Don't look at a text message.


17. Don't take your parents, your pet (an assistance animal is not a pet in this circumstance), spouse, fiance, friends or enemies to an interview. If you are not grown up and independent enough to attend an interview alone, you're insufficiently grown up and independent for a job. (They can certainly visit your new city, at their own expense, but cannot attend your interview.)
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Preparing for a telephone interview.

The employer will usually suggest a time and date, so you will need to think about where you will take the call. The place you choose should be somewhere quiet, where you are not likely to be interrupted. If you have asked them call you on your mobile, check that there is a strong signal, and remember to charge up your battery. Some other things that might help include:

• Have a desk or writing surface near the phone, with a suitable chair. The interviewer may ask you to write things down, so have a pen and paper to hand. Avoid lying on your bed to take the call.


• Have your CV or application form and any notes you may need laid out on the desk, so that you don’t need to rummage for them during the interview.
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Preparing for a-face-to face interview.

Your interview invitation will probably give the following information. If not, it is perfectly acceptable to ring up and ask:

• How long will the interview last?


• What format will the interview take?


• Will there be any tests or group exercises?


• Do I need to bring or prepare anything specific?
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Make sure that you:

• Double check the time and date of your interview;


• Know how to get to the venue and how long the journey takes;


• Confirm your travel arrangements carefully, especially if you have to make rail connections;


• Check for any planned disruptions to road or rail services;


• Plan to arrive early, rather than rushing in late. This is especially important for assessment centers, where the day runs to a tight schedule;


• Find out if accommodation is provided if needed.
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What to take?

• The interview letter, with the name(s) of the interviewer(s) and their address and phone number.


• A map of how to get there,


• A copy of your CV and/or application form.


• A note of the key points you want to make and any questions you want to ask.


• Money for a taxi in case you are running late.


• A number to call if you are running late (but remember to switch your mobile off before going into the interview).


• A small bottle of water
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What to wear?

• Dress appropriately. It is important to look smart for your interview, but you also need to feel comfortable so that you can relax. Some companies have a much more relaxed approach to dress than others, but unless you are specifically told to dress informally, you should wear a suit or equivalent business wear.


• Decide what to wear well in advance - do not leave it until the morning of the interview. Make sure that it is clean, ironed and ready to wear.


• Make sure your shoes are clean.


• It is a good idea to avoid excessive alcohol the night before an interview - you will perform better with a clear head.


• Avoid using an aftershave or perfume that has a very strong smell.


• Smokers should resist the temptation to have a cigarette on the way or while waiting for an interview, as the smell may be noticeable when you walk into the interview room
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Knowledge about the job

It is important that you know as much as possible about the job for which you’re being interviewed. Have a look at types of jobs and, if possible, speak to people already doing the type of work you are interested in. Increasingly, employers are adding case studies of employees to their websites, and these can provide an interesting insight into the day-to-day activities of certain roles.

Knowledge about their organization

All employers will expect you to display some understanding of their business, its size, and the sector in which it operates. Have a look at their website and, if possible, their annual report. Many employer websites have press archives of articles that have been issued by them or about them and you could also do a web search to find out what is said about them by other organizations.

Interview questions

Knowing what kind of questions you will be asked at your interview can be a real help. You won't be able to predict every question, but there are some common ones that most interviewers will ask. Some will be related to the job for which you are applying, while others will be more generic. Below you will find a list of common interview questions, along with explanations of why interviewers ask them and what type of response you should provide.

The questions

A. Openers

1. Tell me about yourself... The interviewer is asking you to tell them about yourself as a person, not merely about your job skills. Take your cues from the interviewer as to how formal or informal you should be.

a. Try to provide information that may indicate something you have in common with the interviewer.

b. Describe a few personal items, such as hobbies or interests.

c. Mention work-related factors such as previous work experience, training and education.

B. Work Experience/Job Performance

1. Have you ever done this type of work before? The interviewer is trying to determine if you are qualified for the job. If you have completed similar work in the past or have held a job using some of the required skills, examples of skills used in past jobs should be described. If this line of work is new to you and you have never done anything similar in the past, be sure to mention your eagerness and ability to learn.

2. Why should we hire you instead of someone else? What are your greatest strengths? When answering this question, remember to keep the information related to the job you are competing for. Mention positive traits that give the interviewer a variety of information about you. Confidently list your skills and your positive characteristics.

3. What are your weaknesses? Don't mention weaknesses if they will not interfere with your ability to do the job. If you do have a weakness that will interfere with the job, then perhaps this is not the best position to be applying for. If you feel you can overcome the weaknesses, mention them to the interviewer and explain what you have been doing to overcome the difficulties.

4. What kinds of machines/equipment have you worked with. Only mention machines or equipment that are related to the job in question. If you have not had experience working with the type of equipment used, describe similar equipment and express your confidence that you can learn quickly.

5. Give me an example of a time when you worked under pressure. Give the interviewer examples of paid or unpaid activities that involved deadlines and pressures and be able to explain how you handled the stress. If you were unable to meet the deadline, explain what you did to compensate, such as working overtime, renegotiating the deadline, etc.

6. Why have all your jobs been short term? You should mention any straight forward factors that are responsible for your work history, such as returning to school, summer or temporary employment, travel, etc. If you have no explanation to offer the employer, mention that you were looking for work and assure the employer you plan to stay with this job for some time.

7. Why did you leave your last job? Employees should mention only those reasons that are favourable to you. If you were fired from your last job and feel you need to mention the position on your resumé, explain what happened in a positive manner and note that the situation would never occur again. Do not say anything negative about a company or supervisor you used to work for as the interviewer will most likely view you as someone who will do the same thing again.

C. Education/Training/Future Goal

1. Why aren't you in school/Why haven't you finished school? The interviewer may fear that you will leave your job for the same reasons you left school. He/she may also be curious about any ambitions you have to complete your education. Tell the employer in a positive way why you are not attending school at present. If you do plan to complete high school, let the employer know this.

2. What are your long range goals? The interviewer wants to know whether you are serious about staying with the company and to determine whether you have given some thought to your future. If your goals are related to the job in question, be certain to make note of this. If the position is not related to your goals, mention the advantages of gaining additional work experience as part of your career planning

D. Company Research

1. Why do you want to work here? The interviewer wants to learn what you know about the company and the job for which you are being interviewed. Knowledge about the company and the job shows the interviewer you are interested and demonstrates initiative on your part. You should mention as many of the positive features as you can about the company and mention why you are a good candidate to fill the job vacancy.

2. What kind of salary do you expect? Most lines of work have a set salary range and it would be wise to learn what this range is prior to the interview. If you are unable to obtain this information, you may want to tell the interviewer that you would work for whatever the company feels is fair, based on your qualifications and the company's standard salary level for that position. If you want to request a specific salary, be able to back up why you should get that amount (avoid stating personal reasons).

E. Personal

1. How much were you absent from work/school? How is your health? The interviewer is trying to determine whether they can depend on you to show up for work. If you have had difficulties in this area in the past, tell the interviewer what the reason was and why you feel that it will no longer be a problem. If it will continue to be a problem, be up front about this and try to negotiate a schedule that works for both of you.

2. When are you available for work? If you are presently unemployed, you can most likely respond that you can begin to work right away. However, if you are presently employed, you should be aware of how much notice your present employer requires before you are able to leave your present job. If you are going to school, know when you will be finished and what part-time hours you will be prepared to work before the school year ends.

3. Can you explain this gap in your employment? The employer may be questioning your commitment to employment, thinking that you don't like to work, or wanting to find out what you have been doing with yourself during the gap.

4. Do you have a criminal record? If you have a criminal record, don't try to hide it from the interviewer. Briefly explain the situation, remembering not to sound like you are making excuses or blaming the incident on someone else. Reassure the interviewer that you have learned from your mistakes and have changed your ways.

5. Are you willing to cut your hair/take out your earring? The interviewer feels that some aspect of your appearance does not "fit" with the business and wants to know if you are willing to change your appearance.

F. Closure

1. Do you have references? It is best to provide the interviewer with a neatly typed sheet indicating the name, position, location, and telephone number of your references. If you do not have employment references, consider using the names of teachers/instructors or the names of personal references. Personal references should not be the names of friends who are approximately the same age as you.

2. Are there any questions that you have? This is often the final question that an employer will ask. It is wise to always ask one or two questions as it shows the interviewer your interest in the position available. However, the interview is not the time to ask questions about salary, benefits, hours, or vacation. This information may be critical for you in making your decision, but wait until you have been offered the job before asking about them.

Question To Ask 

1. Always prepare questions to ask. Having no questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent thought process. 2. Some of your questions may be answered during the course of the interview before you are offered the opportunity to ask. If so, you can simply state something to the effect that you were interested in knowing about ..., but that was addressed during the interview. You could ask for additional clarification if applicable.

3. Do not ask questions that are clearly answered on the employer's website and/or in any literature provided by the employer to you in advance.

4. Never ask about salary and benefits issues until those subjects are raised by the employer.

Sample Question 1

1. What are the company's strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?

2. How important does upper management consider the function of this department/position?

3. What is the organization's plan for the next five years, and how does this department fit in?

4. Could you explain your organizational structure?

5. How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?

6. What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?

Sample Question 2

1. Could you describe your company's management style and the type of employee who fits well with it?

2. What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job?

3. What is the company's policy on providing seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?

4. What particular computer equipment and software do you use?

5. What kind of work can I expect to be doing in the first year?

6. What percentage of routine, detailed work will I encounter?

Sample Question 3

1. How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my efforts?

2. Who will review my performance? How often?

3. How much guidance or assistance is made available to individuals in developing career goals?

4. How many opportunities will I have for decision-making in my first assignment?

5. Can you describe an ideal employee?

6. What is your organization's policy on transfers to other cities?