CONTENTS

FOLLOWING UP        

SECOND INTERVIEWS        

THE INTERVIEW AND THE INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

WHAT IS THE INTERVIEW?

The interview has been defined as a conversation with a purpose and as an opportunity for mutual marketing. Although many employers use very sophisticated recruitment methods, especially for graduates or senior staff, the interview still forms a vital part of the process.
    The employer will want to quiz you on certain aspects of your application form/CV, make a judgement as to how well you will do the job, explore your attitude towards your previous experiences in education and in work, and assess how you will cope in different situations. They will be asking, ‘Will your skills and personality complement those of others in the team? Will you get on with other people? Will you identify with the aims of the organisation?’
    On your side the interview gives you the chance to meet future colleagues, ask any questions you may have about the job or the company get a feel for the atmosphere and culture of the organization and possibly see where you will be working. You will be asking yourself, ‘Can I see myself working here? Will I be successful? Is the job likely to give me what I am looking for?’

Remember that interviews are not interrogations. This is a meeting of two adults who each have a stake in the successful outcome of the conversation. They want to measure you against the requirements of the organization and you want to see if you could blossom and grow as their employee. It's a two way process. You must believe that you are a good candidate and they must think so too.

TYPES OF THE INTERVIEW

BASED ON PURPOSE

CONFIRMATION INTERVIEW

The Confirmation Interview is more common and more critical today than ever before. Frequently, job candidates are asked to interview with multiple peers or superiors with whom they would work if hired. A series of interviews may be arranged or a group meeting may be scheduled. This is NOT a "rubber stamp" interview. Literally, each contact within a company--from the receptionist to the president--has the power to confirm or raise doubts about any job candidate's fit in the organization.

EMPLOYMENT DECISION INTERVIEW

Typically, this interview occurs during the second contact with a company--but it may immediately follow the Screening Interview by only minutes. During an Employment Decision Interview, you have your greatest opportunity to learn the needs of the hiring manager so that you can present those aspects of your skills, education, background and personality that "fit". Note: LISTEN for the employer's needs instead of rushing forward with "everything you every wanted to know about John Q. Jobseeker". Unfortunately, few hiring managers have been trained to interview job candidates. However, the hiring manager will have the technical background to assess your skills and abilities and will prepare questions as well an overview of the job itself and the culture in which it operates. You must be confident enough to adapt your style to the hiring manager's in order to provide answers in a form that is appreciated.

IN PERSON SCREENING

This interview is used to verify the candidate's qualifications for the position and to establish a preliminary impression of the candidate's attitude, interest and professional "style." This interview is most often conducted by a professional screener from the company's Human Resources department. At this stage, the goal is to select candidates to meet with the decision maker.

SELECTION INTERVIEW

Used after some type of screening process. Usually conducted by a professional practitioner who will be the candidate's supervisor. It is generally less formal and less structured than the screening interview. Questions tend to be open-ended with subsequent questions based upon candidate's responses to previous questions.

SCREENING INTERVIEW

Used to quickly and efficiently eliminate unqualified or overpriced candidates. Conducted by professional interviewers, recruiters, or personnel representatives seeking information regarding educational and experiential background using a highly structured question and answer format.

TELEPHONE SCREENING

This interview saves the employer time by eliminating candidates based on essential criteria such as employment objective, education or required skills. Since these interviews will often occur unexpectedly, it is important that your job search records are organized and kept where you can reach them at a moment's notice.

BASED ON FORMAT

COMMITTEE INTERVIEW

Committee interviews are a common practice. You will face several members of the company who have a say in whether you are hired. When answering questions from several people, speak directly to the person asking the question. It is not necessary to answer to the group. In some committee interviews, you may be asked to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. The committee will outline a situation and ask you to formulate a plan that deals with the problem. You don't have to come up with the ultimate solution. The interviewers are looking for how you apply your knowledge and skills to a real-life situation.

GROUP INTERVIEW

A group interview is usually designed to uncover the leadership potential of prospective managers and employees who will be dealing with the public. The front-runner candidates are gathered together in an informal, discussion-type interview. A subject is introduced and the interviewer will start off the discussion. The goal of the group interview is to see how you interact with others and how you use your knowledge and reasoning powers to win others over. If you do well in the group interview, you can expect to be asked back for a more extensive interview.

LUNCH INTERVIEW

A member of the personnel department usually conducts the screening interview, which is meant to weed out unqualified candidates. Providing facts about your skills is more important than establishing rapport. Interviewers will work from an outline of points they want to cover, looking for inconsistencies in your résumé and challenging your qualifications. Provide answers to their questions, and never volunteer any additional information. That information could work against you.

ONE ON ONE

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This is the standard no-frills approach to interviewing. Anyone who's ever held a job of any sort is probably familiar with the format. First you are screened over the phone or through an application form. Once invited in for the interview, you are quickly led through a question and answer session (if you're lucky, the interview seems more like a conversation) to determine whether you are the right candidate to fit into the company "culture" or "mix." Success or failure are often based on such tenuous issues as did the interviewer like you, or did you use the word "paradigm" ...

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