The Employment

Interview

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Chapter Summary

Analyzing Yourself
Doing Your Homework
Conducting the Search
Preparing Credentials
Creating a Favorable First Impression
Answering Questions
Asking Questions
The Closing
Evaluation and Follow-Up
Handling Rejection
Summary

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Analyzing Yourself
Questions to Guide Your Self-Analysis
What are your personality strengths and
weaknesses?
What are your intellectual strengths and
weaknesses?
What are your communicative strengths and
weaknesses?
What have been your accomplishments and
failures?
Continued...

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Doing Your Homework

Research your field

Research organizations
Research the position
Research current events
Research the interview process

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Conducting the Search

Networking
Knocking on Doors
Newspapers and Newsletters
The Placement Agency or Service
The Internet
The Career/Job Fair

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Preparing Credentials
Resumes
Types of Resumes
Chronological resume; use action verbs to show that
you are a doer.
Functional resume; place your experiences under
headings that highlight your qualifications.

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Preparing Credentials
Resumes
Mechanics of Resumes

Make your resume easy to review.

Proofread your resume with great care.
Terms and labels are critical in scannable resumes.
There is no simple formula for creating resumes.

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Creating a Favorable First Impression

Relationship of the Interviewing Parties
Dress and Appearance

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Creating a Favorable First Impression

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is critical in first
impressions.
Be alive and dynamic.
Good communication skills are important in all
positions.

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Answering Questions
Responding: Successful Applicants
Listen, think, and then answer.
Effective answers are long on substance and short
on puffery.
Do not play act; act yourself.
Good recruiters detect phoniness.
Be informed before replying.

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Answering Questions
Responding: Unsuccessful Applicants
Unsuccessful applicants are passive and cautious.
Know what not to do during interviews, and then
do not do it.

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Answering Questions
Unlawful Questions
Do not be surprised by unlawful questions.
Identifying Unlawful Questions
The pressure is on the applicant.
Review EEO laws and your rights.
Beware of recruiter tricks to get unlawful
information.

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Asking Questions
Guidelines for asking questions
Question pitfalls
Sample applicant questions

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The Closing

Be aware of everything you say and do.

Take and active part in the closing.
Its not over til its over.
The employer is likely to note everything you do
and say.

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Evaluation and Follow-Up

Remember: the interview is more art than
science.
Be thorough in your debriefing.
Quality applicants write thank you notes.

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Handling Rejection
Dont be a victim
Use each interview as a learning process

Ask what you might do differently in the next

interview.
How did you handle behavioral-based and critical
incident questions?
What was the nature of the questions you asked?
How might you have prepared more thoroughly?
What did you do that might have turned off the
recruiter?
Was this a position for which you were highly
qualified, or was it a stretch?

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Summary
We are undergoing a second industrial revolution
thats moving from a manufacturing to a service and
information-oriented society.
The best positions in the future will go to those who
understand and are prepared for the selection
process.
You must know yourself, the position, and the
organization to be selected for a job.
The job search must be extensive.
Interviewing skills are increasingly important.