McGraw-Hill OnlineMcGraw-Hill Higher EducationLearning Center
Student Centre | Instructor Centre | Information Centre | Home
Career Corner
Templates
Sample Letters
Self-Assessment
Glossary
CBC Videos
In the News
E-STAT
Learning Focus
Sites to See
Self Quiz
Internet Exercise
Electronic Lecture Notes
E-Learning Session
Feedback
Help Center


Business Communication: Building Critical Skills
Kitty O. Locker, Ohio State University
Steven Kyo Kaczmarek, Columbus State Community College
Kathryn Braun, Sheridan College
Job Interviews

E-Learning Session

  1. Why do I need an interview strategy? So that you can be proactive!
    1. Develop an overall strategy based on your answers to the following questions:
      • What about yourself do you want the interviewer to know?
      • What disadvantages or weaknesses do you need to minimize?
      • What do you need to know about the job and the organization to decide whether to accept this job if it is offered to you?
  2. What details should I think about? What you'll wear, what you'll take with you, and how to get there.
    1. Plan details before the interview carefully. TRANSPARENCY MASTER
  3. Should I practice before the interview? Absolutely!
    1. Interviews are your opportunity to shine.
    2. Your interview skills will improve with practice.
      • Where possible, practice using simulated interviews.
      • Be prepared for stress interviews. TRANSPARENCY MASTER
          1. CONCEPT CHECK True or False: It's illegal for companies to put an interviewee through situations that make them uncomfortable, such as demonstrating their skills on the spot. CONCEPT CHECK
  4. How should I answer traditional interview questions? Choose answers that fit your qualifications and your interview strategy.
    1. Interviews can ask you any number of questions; however, some questions are more common that others. TRANSPARENCY MASTER
    2. Increasingly, candidates are asking about work-life balance and about the control they'll have over their work:
      • Do people who work for you have a life off the job?
      • If my job requires too much travel, can I change without doing serious damage to my career?
      • What support can you offer my significant other?
      • Do you offer flextime?
      • How much pressure do you have to achieve your projects? How much freedom is there to extend a deadline?
  5. How can I prepare for behavioral and situational interviews? Think about skills you've used that could transfer to other jobs. Learn as much as you can about the culture of the company you hope to join.
    1. Many companies are now using behavioral and situational interviews.
      • Behavioral interviews ask the applicant to describe actual behaviors, rather than skills or general principles.
      • Situational interviews put you in a situation that allows the interviewer to see whether you have the qualities the company is seeking.
  6. How can I prepare for phone or video interviews? Practice short answers. Retape until you look good.
    1. Try to schedule a phone interview at home, not work.
    2. Schedule a time when things will be quiet.
    3. Prepare carefully for both kinds of interviews. TRANSPARENCY MASTER
      • CONCEPT CHECK True or False: Because phone interviews are less formal than face-to-face interviews, you can expect the interviewer to take them less seriously. CONCEPT CHECK
  7. Go to the Self Quizzes section if you would like to test your understanding of this module.




McGraw-Hill/Irwin




Copyright2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of The McGraw-Hill Companies.