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TipsforaPositiveInterviewingExperience!Inthebeginning...TheJobSearch•Readthedutiesandtheknowledge,skillsandabilitiesrequiredofeachpositionCAREFULLYbeforeapplying.•Assessthevalueofwhatyouhavetooffertoeachpositionandtheorganization.Howdoesyourexperienceapplytowhatisrequiredforthejob?Thinkdeeplyaboutyourself:Howhaveyougrownovertime?Howdoyouinteractwithothers?Whatcouldyouhavedonedifferentlyforbetterresults?Whatmotivatesyou?•Becomefamiliarwiththeorganizationsoyoucandemonstratehowandwhyyouwillbeaneffectiveemployee.Asktheagencyorcompanytosendyoumaterial(brochure,jobdescription,newsletter,etc.)•Berealistic!Knowyourqualificationsandlimitations.Wantingajobdoesnotnecessarilymeanyou’requalifiedforit.Also,ajobthatpayswellfordutiesyoudon’tlikewillnotberewardinginthelongrun.CommunicationToolsApplications&Resumes•Fullycompletethestateapplicationwithoutbeingtoowordy.Resumesshouldbebriefandtothepoint(1-2pages).BothmustbeERRORFREE!•ApplicationformisavailableontheIntranetintheHRFormsfile.Ifyoudonothaveapersonalcomputeravailabletoyou,pleasecompletetheformNEATLYbyhand,preferablytyped.•Makesureallinformationisaccurateandcaptureswhatyouhavedoneineachjob.•Documentyourqualifications.NEVERassumeanything.•TheapplicationDEADLINEdateisexactlythat.Planahead!TipsforSuccessfulInterviewingInterviewDO’s•Dressappropriatelyfortheindustry.Whenindoubt,goconservative.Personalgroomingandcleanlinessshouldbeimpeccable.Keepcologneorperfumetoaminimum.Payparticularattentiontohandsandfingernails.•Arrive10minutesearly.Knowtheexacttimeandlocationofyourinterview;knowhowlongittakestogetthere,park,andfindarestroomtofreshenup.•Treatotherpeopleyouencounterwithcourtesyandrespect.Theiropinionsofyoumightbesolicitedduringthehiringprocess.•Offerafirmhandshake,makeeyecontact,andhaveafriendlyexpressionwhenyouaregreetedbytheinterviewer.•Listentobesureyouunderstandyourinterviewer’snameandthecorrectpronunciation.•Evenwhenyourinterviewergivesyouafirstandlastname,addressyourinterviewerbyMr.OrMs.Andthelastname,untilinvitedtodootherwise.•Maintaingoodeyecontactduringtheinterview.•Sitstillinyourseat;avoidfidgetingandslouching.•Respondtoquestionsandbackupyourstatementsaboutyourselfwithspecificexampleswheneverpossible.•Askforclarificationifyoudon’tunderstandaquestion;andbethoroughinyourresponseswhilebeingconciseinyourwording.•Usegoodgrammarandgooddiction.Say“yes”,not“yeah.”Don’tfillpauseswith“um,”uh”or“ah”.Don’tpunctuatesentenceswith“youknow”,“like”,“see”or“okay”.•Treattheinterviewseriouslyandshowinterestintheemployerandtheopportunitypresentedandrespondtoquestionsinapositivemanner.•Watchthetoneofyourvoice.Whileitmightbetrendyamongyourfriendsto“upspeak”(endsentencewithahighertoneofvoicesothatsentencessoundlikequestions),thishabitwillkillyourcredibilityduringtheinterview.•Answerthequestionanduseprofessionalexperiencesordescriptiveinformationtodemonstratehowyouwouldreactorrespondtoasituation.•Makesureanswershaveadefiniteflow.Inthebeginningstatemajorpointsyouwanttomake;inthemiddleexpanduponthosepointsorideas,andintheendreinforceyourkeypointsandendonapositivenote.•Evaluatetheinterviewerandtheorganization.Aninterviewisatwo-waystreet.•Makesureyouunderstandtheemployer’snextstepinthehiringprocess;knowwhenandfromwhomyoushouldexpecttohearnext.SoftlyTootYourOwnHorn!•Exhibitquietconfidence.•Organizeyourthoughtsandapplyyourknowledge,skillsandabilities.•Thinkglobally!Relate“outside”experiencestodemonstrateyourqualifications.InterviewDon’ts•Don’tmakeexcuses.Takeresponsibilityforyourdecisionsandyouractions.•Don’tmakenegativecommentsaboutpreviousemployersorsupervisors(orothers).•Don’ttreattheinterviewcasually,asifyouarejustshoppingaroundordoingtheinterviewforpractice.Thisisinsultingtotheinterviewerandtheorganization.•Don’tgivetheimpressionyouareonlyinterestedinsalary.•Don’tactasthoughyouwouldtakeanyjoboraredesperateforemployment.•Don’tchewgumorsmelllikesmoke.•Don’ttakecellphonecallsduringaninterview.Ifyoucarryacellphone,turnitoffduringtheinterview.WhataboutAnsweringQuestions?YourpointsmustbeCLEAR,RELEVANTANDADEQUATE:•toenabletheinterviewertounderstandwhatyouaretryingtosay;todetermineyourstrengthsforthatparticularjob;andtohavesufficientinformationtomakeagooddecision.Theinterviewerneedstodetermineifyoucandothejob,ifyouwilldothejob,andifyoufitin.HiringtheRIGHTpersonisthegoal.BePreparedforBehavior-basedQuestions!•Describeatimewhenyouwerefacedwithproblemsorstressesatworkthattestedyourcopingskills.Whatdidyoudo?•Giveanexampleofatimewhenyouhadtoberelativelyquickincomingtoadecision.•Givemeanexampleofanimportantgoalyouhadtosetandtellmeaboutyourprogressinreachingthatgoal.•Givemeanexampleofaproblemyoufacedonthejob,andtellmehowyousolvedit.•Tellmeaboutasituationinthepastyearinwhichyouhadtodealwithaveryupsetcustomerorco-worker.YourkeystoRESPONDINGwelltothesetypesofquestionsare:Bespecific,notgeneralorvague!Don’tdescribehowyouwouldbehave.DescribehowyouDIDbehave.Ifyoulaterdecidedyoushouldhavebehaveddifferently,explainthis.Theinterviewerwillseethatyoulearnedsomethingfromexperience.YourRights•Accommodations-Timetor