acing your job interview - ddcspnetwork.org alumni...• take notes on who asks which questions to...

Acing Your Job Interview

GreenCareerAdvisor.com

DDCSP Alumni Webinar July 2, 2018By: Lisa Yee-Litzenberg

Introductions

About Me

Questions: • What is your name• What university did you graduate from?• What hope to learn from this webinar?

Agenda

• Interview Types & Preparation• Types of Questions• Follow-Up• Final Tips• Q & A

Interview Types

• Phone• SKYPE/ Video• In-Person

General Preparation Tips

• Get More Details on Interview– Length, format, people participating in interview

• Research Employer– Mission, projects, approach– Why do you want to work here?– Biggest challenges? Your solutions?

• Is Anyone You Know Influential to Employer?– Ask them to put in a good word

General Preparation Tips

• Research Interviewers– LinkedIn profiles, bios, anything in common?– How long worked there?– Relationship to this role?

• Prepare 3-5 Talking Points: Your Message– Why should we hire you?

• Create a List of 3-5 Questions– Learn how to be a stronger candidate– No red flags

Phone Interviews

• First interviews are typically via phone.• Goal: narrow down initial candidates.Preparation Tips:• Have a quiet place to do the call. Alert roommates.• Cell phones: Charge phone and make sure you

have good reception. Have a backup plan.• Have resume and talking points in front of you.

Phone Interviews

Phone Interview Tips:• If more than one interviewer, know who is asking a

question.• Take notes on who asks which questions to analyze

and possibly address later.• Be personable. Say the interviewer’s name a

couple times. Ex: Sally that’s a good question . . .

SKYPE/ Video Interviews

• SKYPE/ Video interviews becoming more common. Saves employer on flight costs.

Preparation Tips:• Make sure to practice with technology before.• Get all logistical info beforehand (ex: exchange

SKYPE addresses and accept).• Make sure webcam set at eye level.• Be sure viewing area looks good.• Good lighting is crucial.

SKYPE/ Video Interviews

• Have backup plan if technology fails. Cell #s.SKYPE/ Video Interview Tips:• Dress professionally• Look at webcam when talking• Have key materials in front of you• Keep pets/ people from wandering in view• Smile

In-Person Interviews

• Often used in later stage or final interviewsPreparation Tips:• Map out location in advance. Allow extra time

for traffic and parking (ask for parking info).• Practice your handshake and greeting.

In-Person Interviews

In-Person Interview Tips:• Dress professionally.• Brush your hair and teeth before.• Be kind and friendly to everyone you meet.• Smile and make eye contact.• Greet and shake hands with interviewers as

you enter and leave interview room.

Lunch or Dinner During Interview

• Some interviews go long and may include a lunch or dinner with key staff.

• Remember, you are still on the interview.• Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say in an

interview.• See what employer eats and follow suit.• Avoid messy or garlic-ridden foods.• Prepare a few small talk questions.

Types of Interview Questions

• Behavioral• Hypothetical/ Situational• Technical• Open-Ended

Behavioral Interview Questions

• Designed to assess how you handled a similar situation in the past.

• Employers believe it is a strong indicator of how you will handle similar situations with them.

• Examples:– Tell me about a time when . . .– Give me an example of when . . .

STAR Framework for Responding:• Situation/ Task: Describe the context which

you performed a job or faced a challenge.What was your responsibility/ role?

• Action: How did you complete the task or meet the challenge?

• Result: What were the outcomes or what did you learn?

• Ex: Tell me about a time you tried something but failed.–Situation/ Task: During an intensive 6-

hour interview for a university job, Iinterviewed with 6 different groups.

–At the end of the long day, a professorasked me a question.

–I answered the question but not as fully as I would have liked.

• Ex: Tell me about a time you tried something but failed.–Action(s): After the interview, I sent

individual thank you emails to everyone who interviewed me.

–I used it as an opportunity to let theprofessor know that I had had a little moretime to think about her question.

–I provided a more in-depth answer.

• Ex: Tell me about a time you tried something but failed.–Result: The professor thanked me and said

she appreciated my extra effort.–I ended up getting the job!

Hypothetical/ Situational Interview Questions

• Questions that ask you to describe how you would handle a hypothetical job-related situation that focuses on a relevant skill.

• Employers like to see how you think . . .

Example:• You are under a tight deadline for a

project. A new priority is just handed toyou. What would you do?

Framework for Responding:• Talk through possible strategies/ options.

– I could knock myself out and do both projects.– I could ask for clarification on how soon the new

priority is due and determine if I can manage both.– I could say no to the new priority.– I could put together a team to help me with new

priority.

• Propose the best solution– The best solution is probably a combination of these.– I would get more info on the deadline for the new

priority, develop a timeline to address both projects,prioritize project to-dos, and execute plan.

– If an option, consider pulling together a team toassist on new priority.

• Try to provide a real-life example if possible.– I once used this strategy successfully in a real-life

situation . . .

Framework for Responding:• State the ideal result to show that you are

(hopefully) on the same page as the employer.– I like this approach because it will allow for both

projects to be completed on time.– It may also help prevent individual staff burnout.

Technical Interview Questions

• Some jobs require specific technical skills.• Employers may ask interview questions or give a

test to assess these skills.

• Examples:– Write a C program to find the depth or height of a tree.– What statistical software have you used? Give an

example of a project using each.– Describe your process to evaluate a program.

• How to Prepare:– Typically, you either have these skills or you don’t.– Review critical technical skills + strategies to solve.– Ask others what technical questions they were given. – Research via Glassdoor (look up interview questions by employer).– Have examples to discuss.– Bring a portfolio to show examples.

o Ex: work using a specific software

Open-Ended Interview Questions

• Open-ended questions allow interviewers to assess candidate’s ability to convey relevant information.

• Encourages a full and meaningful answer.

• Examples:– Tell me about yourself.– Walk me through your resume.

• Framework for Responding:– Develop 3-5 talking points that highlight top

relevant skills, experiences, attributes that makeyou the best candidate.

• Develop 3-5 Talking Points:1. I am passionate about your organization because . . .2. Skill A + Example + Outcome(s)3. Skill B + Example + Outcome(s)4. Skill C + Example + Outcome(s)5. Skill D + Example + Outcome(s)

Interview Follow-Up

1. Review your answers to interview questions.• Understand motivation for questions.• May help you be a better candidate in future interview

rounds. Anticipate what’s important to employer.• Assess your responses.

Interview Follow-Up

2. Send thank you emails to all interviewers (sameday if possible).• If you bombed an interview questions, include a clarified

answer with your thank you email.

Interview Follow-Up

3. Reach out to contacts whose opinion would be respected by employer.

– Ask them to call or email hiring manager to putin a good word.

Final Tips

• Prepare. Prepare. Prepare.• Practice answering (out loud) commonly asked

interview questions with a roommate.• Do this multiple times--each time refining and

streamlining your answer.• Anticipate questions an employer might ask

and practice your answers.• Identify employer’s biggest

challenges and have ideas to solvethem.

Questions Contact Info

Lisa Yee-Litzenberg, President, Green Career Advisor• Email: Lisa@GreenCareerAdvisor.Com

• Website: GreenCareerAdvisor.Com

• Twitter: @GreenCareerGuru

• Facebook: Facebook.com/greencareeradvisor

• LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/yeelitzenberg

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