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Posts Tagged ‘Behavioral Interview’

Job Interview Tips from eHow videos

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

Looking for a job can be a chore…  I found a Video Series of short, less then 2 minutes, helpful search advice from eHow How Tos on the job interview.

I have included this You Tube video – How to Ace a Telephone Interview and Get the Job:

YouTube Preview Image

Also, click the links for these 4 videos from Shannon Terry (resume writer and interview skills coach); a video transcript is included for reference.

How to Prepare for an Interview

How to Prepare for an Interview

Video Transcript

  • “Abraham Lincoln said if I had eight hours to cut down a tree, I would spend six sharpening my ax. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence here to help you prepare for your job interview. The first tool, of course, is preparation. Research the company, use their website, use newspaper articles, network of course, friends, colleagues, neighbors, whoever might know something about both that company and the position. I want you to bring extra resumes so you can distribute them. You’d be surprised how many interviewers aren’t ready for you when you get there and it saves them from having to search through their desk awkwardly to look for your resume. Do a test drive to the job site beforehand so you know what’s the parking situation, how long does it take me to get there, things like that. And, I always want you to arrive early anyway because the best preparation, is not feeling rushed. Review the qualifications for the job before you get there and then plan how are you going to incorporate your skills and experience into what they’re looking for. Make sure you’re answering those questions for them. Last but not least, and most important practice, practice, practice, practice with a trusted friend, an interview coach, a trusted colleague. This will help you feel comfortable with the most common anticipated interview questions, so that when they throw you a curve ball or two, and they will, you don’t lose the whole game. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, an interview skills coach and resume writer helping you prepare for your interview.”

How to Answer Questions in a Structured Oral Interview

How to Answer Questions in a Structured Oral Interview

Video Transcript

  • “The best indicator of future performance is past performance. This is a key tenant to structured interviewing, or also called behavioral interviewing. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry. I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence here to help you answer questions in a structured interview. What a structured interview actually is is an interview in which they ask the same series of questions in the same order to all the participants and then the interviewers score your answers. The point here is to try to be fair to all of you, asking the same things. What they are looking for is specific examples of your skills and experience. In effect, by asking you for these stories, you are proving your skills and experience by explaining in detail these examples. Your answers all need to have the following information, kind of a structured answer, right, for a structured interview. First, give a description of the situation: when I was a…give a job title, at such and such company, here’s what I was faced with. Something like that. Next, state your objective. What was it you were supposed to accomplish. After that, make sure you spend most of the time in your, in your answer talking about your action. What did you do? These prove your skills and experience and therefore what you can actually do in the future as well. Lastly, but also very important, make sure you explain in detail the positive end results for the company and of course, the client. Every employer wants to know how you made something better for your fu, your past rather, your past employers. I’m Shannon Terry, an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence, helping you answer questions in a structured interview.”

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

Video Transcript

  • “So, you’re sitting at home after what you think was a good job interview, you got done, but you’re like what do I do now, how do I follow up with this company. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence here to help you learn how to follow up after a job interview. So, your follow up actually begins at the end of the interview. I want you to ask what are your next steps in the process, how can I follow up with you after this, I’m really interested in the job. Make sure you say that, state your interest. I want you do avoid saying things like, if I don’t hear from you, I will call you on, it seems like you’re being assertive but what you’re actually doing is implying by saying, I doubt, by saying if I don’t, don’t do that. Be a little more positive and confidant by saying well, I look forward to hearing from you, when can I expect your call? Something like that, that subtly implies of course, you want to hear from me, without being arrogant. Send those thank you notes. A lot of people don’t, so it’ll make you stand out. Send them within about a business day or so. If you used e-mail in the past to communicate with the employer, feel free to do that, otherwise, mail a note, in a time crunch, you can even fax it. If the employer gave you a specific time frame for follow up and they don’t call on that day, call them the next business day. If they didn’t give you a specific follow up time frame, then wait two or three business days till after the interview and call to follow up. Be brief in your follow up call, restate your name and the day and time that you interviewed, and the position to jog the employers memory. And, just simply say again, I’m interested in the job, just calling to follow up and seeing when I can expect to hear from somebody. Hear that? When can I expect, you’re assuming of course, they’re going to call you back. Last but not least, in the meantime, keep looking, it’s always good to have options. I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence helping you learn how to follow up after a job interview.”

How to Do a Second Follow-Up After a Phone Interview

How to Do a Second Follow-Up After a Phone Interview

Video Transcript

  • “They say that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, but in job searching you have to find a balance between being persistent and being annoying. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence, here to help you learn how to follow up after a second phone interview. The follow up actually begins at the end of the interview. Ask what the next steps are in the job search process. State your interests, make sure you do that, so they know that you want the job. Send a thank you note, yes, again, right away, and if they specified a time frame that they’re going to be getting back to you, and they don’t actually call you on that day, call them, the next business day to follow up. If they didn’t specify a follow up date, then I would wait two or three business days before you make your follow up call. Keep all of your follow up calls brief. Simply call say your name, hi, I’m so and so, and I’m calling to follow up on the, and list the name of the job that you’re applying for. I interviewed on and give the date and the time and this helps jog their memory. Again, repeat your name and your contact information for their convenience and then just simply end your call with I look forward to hearing from you soon, or I’m really looking forward to that call. In the meantime, keep on looking for other jobs, it’s always good to have options. I’m Shannon Terry, an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence helping you follow up after a second phone interview.”

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Interviews: Hiring Manager perspective

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

So, what exactly is the hiring manager looking for?

No matter what field you are in or what position you’re applying for, there are some similarities across the board that all hiring managers seek in ideal candidates.

Preparing for interviews to the best of your ability is time consuming but extremely important. You must know and understand the interviewer(s), organization, clients/products/services and the industry itself—plus how you fit into that big picture.

The List

  1. Likeability. Do you get along with the hiring manager? Does the hiring manager feel you will get along with his or her team? This is a big factor. I know when I see myself in candidates, I find myself leaning toward them more than individuals who remind me nothing of me. (That sounds self-centered, but hiring managers want a cohesive team!)
  2. Strategic thinking. Are you thinking ahead about the future of the organization? Do you have a suggestion already in mind you’d like to brainstorm with the hiring manager? In this economy—or any, for that matter—organizations want (and need) results. If you can show you’re a results person—or at a minimum thinking about results—you will prove a strong candidate.
  3. Clear communication. Is your tone and word choice professional? Do you get your message across effectively the first time? Chances are, you’re going to have to communicate with others in some fashion in order to do your job. Throwing in any type of slang word, giggling or other methods of unprofessional communication will make the hiring manager forget what you’re actually trying to say.
  4. Professional appearance. If you’re interviewing at an organization where you know the hiring manager will be wearing ripped jeans and a T-shirt, you can probably get away with far less than a suit and tie. However, at most organizations, you want to not only dress the part for which you are interviewing, but one step above. Again, it’s these little things that stack up in a hiring manager’s mind about whether or not to hire you.
  5. Enthusiasm. Be happy you are there! And not just because this is the first interview you’ve had in weeks (or months), but because you are genuinely looking forward to the possibility of working at the organization.
  6. Good eye contact and “engaged behavior.” Don’t stare and not blink throughout the whole interview, but make sure you have decent eye contact. Also, lean forward slightly when the hiring manager is speaking—this is what I call “engaged behavior.” Both tactics show the hiring manager you are listening and interested in what he or she has to say.

Source: Heather Huhman, mentor to individuals seeking entry-level positions, particularly in the public relations field

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5 Tips for Telling Better Stories

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Better Stories – like in your interviews!

This is a good list for job seekers who need to get their stories straight.

The author has referenced the increasingly popular storytelling movement where people stand up before a live audience and tell stories. I have adjusted a few items to make it relevant to the job seeker.

You are aware that being a good storyteller is a useful skill when you are looking for work (like when you are in an interview setting). We need to tell stories all the time — to position ourselves in the job market, to pitch a new business idea to investors, to explain why a failure was actually a success, and so on.

5 tips

1. Keep it simple. The brain gets overwhelmed when trying to process too much information.

2. Openings and closings are very important. Be sure to begin and end the interview with your strongest material since this is often what stays with the listener. That is the same reason skilled public speakers often memorize the beginning and ending of a speech but allow themselves to improvise more in the middle.

3. Be mindful of your story’s “spine”. If your story has six parts, all six parts must be essential. Beware of tangents: if something goes too far astray, you will probably lose the recruiter / hiring manager’s attention.

4. Make sure not to alienate your target (the recruiter / hiring manager). When speaking about delicate subjects (like why you have been out of work for 6 months, or longer) or things that have the potential to offend (like taking it out on your last company), carefully plan your approach.

5. Tell the truth. If you are not telling the truth, the recruiter / hiring manager will know it.

Even stand-up comics — who are permitted exaggeration — perform best when their material stems from the truth. Failure to make comfortable eye contact (usually by looking away or looking too long) or providing too much information are two common tip-offs that someone is not telling the truth.

Remember, good stories can be told in simple language.

Source: Marci Alboher, writer for The New York Times Company

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Behavioral Interviewing – “STAR” Method

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Introduction

Behavioral interviewing is a technique employed by interviewers to evaluate your past behavior in order to predict your future behavior in a particular situation.  Answering behavioral questions is not an easy task, but proper preparation will assist you in answering them successfully.

Utilizing the S.T.A.R. model will help you construct an organized, specific, thoughtful, and concise answer.

Situation – Think of a situation in which you were involved that had a positive outcome.

Task – Describe the tasks involved in the situation.

Action – Specify what actions you took in the situation to complete the tasks and achieve your results.

Results – What results followed due to your actions?

Use the following guidelines to enable this effective strategy:

  • Analyze the position for which you are being interviewed and determine what skills are required.
  • Evaluate and reflect upon your background to identify your skills and experiences related to the position. Think about your experiences and skills gained in class, internships, leadership positions, and activities and relate them to the skill sets required by the position for which you are interviewing.
  • Identify three to five top selling points—attributes that set you apart from other candidates—and be sure to take the opportunity to point them out during the interview using “STAR Stories.”
  • Create brief “STAR Stories” prior to the interview that demonstrates your teamwork abilities, initiative, planning, leadership, commitment, and problem solving skills. Try to be as relevant as possible to the position.
  • Be prepared to provide examples of occasions when results were different than expected.
  • Practice your stories, but be careful not to memorize as you may forget nuances of your story when in a pressure situation.
  • Reviewing them before your interview will give you confidence in knowing you are prepared and will eliminate fumbling for words and awkward silences in the interview.
  • Be specific in your stories. Giving generalizations will not help the employer understand and evaluate your behavior and skills.
  • Employers want to know what you did rather than what you would do in a given situation.
  • Quantify wherever possible. It is evidence of your achievements, accomplishments, and efforts.
  • Be honest! Omitting or embellishing parts of your story could lead to disaster if the interviewer discovers that the foundation of your story is weak.

In using this strategy, you will be able to showcase your accomplishments, skills, and knowledge and show the employer what a STAR you are!

Example:

The following example shows how you might use the S.T.A.R. Model to answer this behavioral interview question.

Interviewer States: “You indicated on your resume that leadership is one of your strengths. Please describe an experience in which you used your leadership abilities to manage a recent challenge.”

You Respond:

Situation:
During my third year of college, I was elected Vice President for Professional Programs for my student association. The duties of the position included
securing speakers for our meetings, advertising the programs to the campus community, introducing speakers and evaluating each program.

Task:
Previous attendance at meetings had decreased substantially due to a decrease in the overall student population. The goal was to implement programs to address the professional development of our association and increase attendance by 25% compared to the prior year’s figures.

Action:
I assembled a team to help with the program design and speaker selection. I developed a survey to determine the members’ professional interests and
ideas for possible speakers and topics. My team and I had each member complete the survey. Then we randomly selected members for a focus group
interview. I had learned about this research technique in my marketing class and thought it would help us identify why attendance had dropped.

Result:
Because of the information we gathered from the surveys and interviews, we selected speakers for the entire year, produced a brochure describing each
program and the featured speaker. Under my leadership, attendance increased 150% over the previous year.

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