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Job Interview

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Interview highlights

Objectives of the Job Interview

1. To decide whether or not to make you a job offer. 2. To examine your work history and educational background, your strengths and accomplishments

. 3. To evaluate your level of motivation, values, attitude and personality.

Types of the interview Selection interviewing: its goal is to shortlist only the qualified candidates. Focus here on presenting

the facts about your qualifications rather than building a friendly relationships with the interviewer

One-to-one interview: to test your matches with the job and your suitability to their work environment, how you will integrate with the rest of the organization. Focus on your qualifications and build good relationship with the interviewer.

Panel interview: where many representatives from the organization will take the role of the

interviewer. Focus your answer to the person who is asking . some questions will test your way of thinking rather your final answer.

Group interview: you will be put within a group of other candidate that takes a discussion style, to

discover the leadership, intelligence, analytical skills and how you interact with other people.

Stress interview: you will be asked some questions that put you under pressure. All what you need is to keep calm and take your time to answer the question after taking a deep breath. You can ask the interviewer to clarify or repeat the question . if you faced a situation of silence you can by asking if the interviewer needs clarifying or details regarding the last answer.

Lunch interview: conducted in a less formal atmosphere on a lunch meal. Be careful for every move

and word you do or say. Apply etiquette and mannered behavior while eating.

Telephone interview: to reduce the number of candidates who are invited to a personal interview. Expect a conversation about your resume details. Focus and keep your information near the phone. Ask them to invite you to a personal interview. And always be prepared.

Smile. If you smile during a phone interview, that smile reflects on your voice and tone.

Do not smoke, eat, drink or chew gum during the interview.

Keep a glass of water beside it just in case your mouth gets dry.

Address the interviewer by their last name with the appropriate title like Mr. or Ms.

Speak clearly and get your thoughts across to the interviewer. He/she is not a mind reader and would not know what you are thinking.

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The main activity here is to collect and gather information

in 3 axis:

1. About the company Products Services Competitors Locations Branched Capital CEO’s Departments

2. About the occupation Physical surroundings Safety Salary Allowances Special requirements

3. About myself (Stories to tell) My skills Qualifications / projects / awards Experience / achievements Objectives and goals Activities Hobbies Questions to ask the interview

Practice on telling a story on each part is a must

Preparing in the interview night :

Identify very clearly the time, location of the interview and if possible the person who’s going to conduct it

Prepare formal, comfortable clothes Practice the roads to arrive in the proper time (15

min before) Prepare many copies of the CV and any other papers Sleep enough Eat breakfast

Arrive Early Be confident Smile Shake hand firmly in the beginning and

end of conversation Set down after their permission to do so Keep on the eye contact Watch your tone level while speaking Display enthusiasm and sincerity Communicate clearly Listen attentively Don’t smoke or chew gum Don’t interfere the interviewer while

talking Ask questions by the end of the interview Keep on a stable body language Ask for the job and for a reply Match your skills, qualifications,

experience to the offer you have Talk about:

o Strengths o Leadership skills o Ability to learn new things o Contributions to the

organizations in which you have worked or volunteered

o Creativity in solving problems and working with people.

Present yourself in a positive and confident manner

Turn negatives into positives. Emphasize what you can do for the

company Avoid discussions about personal

problems. Thank the interviewer for his/her time before

leaving.

Phase # 1: Before the interview

Interview phases

Evaluate your performance immediately after the interview Write a thank you letter for the interviewer Wait for the reply or ask for it when the time of waiting exceeds the limit Use the interviews as a part of you contacts network

Phase # 2: in the interview

Phase # 3: after the interview

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Some questions you can ask in the interview Why is this position available? What kind of person are you looking for? How did the previous person in this position fail or succeed? What are the main responsibilities of this position? How is an employee evaluated and promoted? What are some objectives you would like to see accomplished in this job? What direction is this company heading? Expansion? Upwards? To whom would I report? What is the company's management style? What industry trend will most likely occur in this company? What makes your company different from its competitors? What long and short-term opportunities do you think my prospective area/department faces? Describe the work environment. What is the time frame for making a decision on this position?

Instruction for the Interview

Appearance: Before you go for the interview ensure that your general outlook is appropriate as this

is a vital part of your evaluation. General Information:

o Be ready to answer all questions. o Observe eye contact. o Facial expressions and the way you sit. o Do not forget to shake hands with the interviewer when you leave.

Fluency: Be Fluent when answering questions and say words correctly and properly

Emotional State: Avoid any form of excitement when you are asked various questions and particularly when discussing the salary.

Top 10 Reasons for Rejections: Evasiveness

Lack of confidence or overconfidence

Sloppy resume (CV)

Uniformed about organization

Lack of courtesy, maturity, or tact

Too interested in salary or vacation

Lack of interest in job

Poor personal appearance

Uncertainty about goals

Inability to express oneself clearly

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Some Do’s & Don’ts:

Plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is not excusable.

If presented with an application, do fill it out neatly and completely. Don’t rely on your application or resume to do the selling for you. Interviewers will want you to speak for yourself.

Greet the interviewer by last name if you are sure of the pronunciation. If not, ask the employer to repeat it.

Give the appearance of energy as you walk. Smile! Shake hands firmly. Be genuinely glad to meet the interviewer.

Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Sit upright, look alert and interested at all times. Be a good listener as will as a good communicator.

Look a prospective employer in the eye while speaking.

Follow the interviewer’s leads, but try to get the interviewer to describe the position and the duties to you early in the interview so that you can apply your background, skills and accomplishments to the position.

Make sure that your good points come across to the interviewer in a factual, sincere manner. Stress achievements.

Always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job you are discussing. Never close the door on opportunity.

Show enthusiasm. If you are interested in the opportunity, enthusiastic feedback can enhance your chances of being further considered. If you are not interested, your responsiveness will still demonstrate your professionalism.

Don’t forget to bring a copy of your CV (Resume) keep several copies on hand

Don’t smoke . Even if the interviewer does and offers you a cigarette . Do not chew gum

Don’t answer with a simple “yes” or “no” Explain whenever possible. Describe those things about yourself which relate to the situation

Don’t lie. Answer questions truthfully, frankly and succinctly

Don’t make unnecessary derogatory remarks about your present or former employers. Obviously, there were issues or else you would not have left a prior company or be looking to leave a present employer. However when explaining your reasons to adequately communicate your rational.

Don’t over answer questions and if the interview steers the conversation into politics or controversial issues, try to do more listening than speaking since this could be sensitive situation.

Don’t inquire about the salary , vacations, bonuses, retirement, etc. on the initial interview unless you are sure the employer is interested in hiring you. If the interviewer asks what salary you want, indicate what you’ve earned but you’re more interested in opportunity than specific salary

Employer Requirements:

Communication Skills: Oral and written, including the ability to listen as will as transmit. Also includes presentation skills. Employers say these sills are most noticeably lacking in Graduates applicants.

Interpersonal/Social Skills: The capacity to establish good working relationships with customers, clients, colleagues is seen as of utmost importance in almost all work roles, for effective performance within the organization and competent representation of the organization with its clientele.

Organization Skills: e.g. planning ahead, meeting delaines; managing self and others; coordinating people, activities( e.g. organizing events whether work related , social, etc).

Problem analysis and solution: e.g. clarity and logic of thought; capacity to identify key issues and reconcile conflict; ingenuity in the creation of solutions; effectiveness under pressure; concern with priorities.

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Intellect: judged by how effectively mental ability is transmitted into action.

Leaderships: leadership potential is important because it assumed that most graduates will eventually take up senior positions.

Team working: ability necessary to work in formal and informal, interdisciplinary, long term and project-based teams.

Adaptability: for initiation of, and response to, changing circumstances. Breadth of intellect, interests, knowledge and attitudes required for adoption to changing demands.

Technical Capability: capacity to acquire technical skills required for application of basic management techniques (e.g. statistics, data analysis, scheduling, computer applications, etc).

Achievement: ability to set and achieve goals for self ant others. Employers frequently need those who will help move the organization forward.

The Personal Interview

The main purpose of the personal interview is to select the proper applicant for the proper job. The interviewer generally asks many questions that will help him know you better. The following is a sample of such questions:

What’s your name?

How old are you?

Are you married?

Do you have a driver’s license?

Where did you study”

what is your area of specialization?

what were your favorite subjects at the university?

What was your GPA?

What was the last job you took?

What is the name of the company you worked for?

What was your salary?

Why did you leave the company?

Tell me something about your own areas of interest/your family etc.

what are your hobbies?

Tell me something about your health.

Do you wear glasses when you read?

When was your last visit to the health clinic?

Do you take any medication?

why do you want this job?

What do you know about it?

Do you think that you can do well in this job?

What salary do you expect?

What are your weaknesses?

How did you deal with criticism?

Where do you see your self in ten years?

How do you deal with authority?

What do you thing of your previous manager?

What is the riskiest thing you have ever done?

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our personality, abilities, aptitude and attitudes will be measured according to job requirements.

Thank-You Letter Dr. Nada Ismail Executive Manager 247 Audit Fax 17123456 Dear Dr.Nada I want to thank you very much for interviewing me yesterday for the junior accountant position. I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about your research and auditing work. My enthusiasm about the position and my interest in working for 247 Audit were strengthened as a result of the interview. I found that my education and cooperative education experiences fit nicely with the job requirements, and I am sure that I could make a significant contribution to the firm over time. I want to reiterate my strong interest in the position and in working with you and your staff. You provide the kind of opportunity I seek. Please feel free to contact me at 31234567 or fahad_1980@uob.edu.bh if I can provide you with any additional information. Again , thank you for the interview and your consideration.

Sincerely,

FAHAD HAMAD Fahad Hamad

Manama 333, House 00, Road 000 Kingdom of Bahrain

Express your sincere

appreciation

Reemphasize your strongest

qualifications. Draw attention to the good match between your qualifications and the

job requirements.

Reiterate your interest in the

position. Use the opportunity to provide or offer supplemental

information not previously given

Restate your

appreciation

Do employers expect a job interview thank you letter….? A common question asked interviewees is whether or not to send Job interview thank you note. This mainly depends on the company itself.. The company may be employing you but the interview and shorting listing is done by human beings who have feeling and emotions. They are the ones to decide if you get the job or not. By sending a thank you card to your interview will certain make them think highly of you. You have take the trouble to print and post them a thank you card. Even if you don't get that job they may recommend you to another job they have now or in the future.

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Invite information: Carry the print-out of the e-mail

by which you were notified about the interview. If

you were invited by telephone always save the

name, designation and contact number of the

person who informed you as well as name of the

person who you’re supposed to meet.

Things to take with you to a job interveiw

Reference Sheet Bring a sheet separate from your resume that lists your professional references. It's usually a good sign when the interviewer asks for references, so eliminate any hesitation by providing your reference list on the spot. Edit Image Image Sizes Add Images

Notebook With Prepared Questions It is inevitable the interviewer will ask if you have any questions for her. As long as you've remembered to bring the notebook where you outlined prepared questions, this part of the interview will be a breeze.

Pen and Paper: Never forget to carry a pen and

a note pad to note an important thing. Though it

is information age and most of the people carry

iPhones and Blackberrys, it still saves much

time to jot down points on a paper.

Your CV: Never forget to carry clean copies

of your updated CV enough for yourself and

interviewer(s). We often tend to assume that

our interviewer has a copy of our CV, but the

person taking your interview might not have

it. Thus, remember to carry some extra

copies.

Questions. Always have prepared

questions for your interviewer. It is

perfectly acceptable to have these

written on your pad and you can write

notes.

Quick Tips for the interview * Be on time. Five or ten minutes early is about right! * Dress appropriately. * Don’t chew gum or smoke. * Be neat, clean and well groomed. * Never bring a friend to an interview. * Don’t discuss personal or financial problems. * After the interview, don’t linger. Smile, shake hands, thank the interviewer(s) for their time, and make a graceful exit.