IDM 1010 Unit 6: Interviewing

Successful Interview at a Glance

• preparation

  • identify your power skills (assess and reflect)

  • know your resume

  • understand the position and the industry (research)

  • practice and repeat

• interview day

  • be on time

  • practice listening skills

  • follow up

Common Interview Formats

• digital prescreen interview

• telephone/video

• one-on-one

• panel

• follow-up (2nd, 3rd)

• technical interview

• case interview

• group interview

Illegal Questions

• age

• disabilities

• ethnicity, ancestry, race

• membership in organizations

• religion

• sexuality and/or family status

Common Interview Questions

• tell me about yourself

• what are your strengths/weaknesses?

• what are your salary expectations?

Situation-Based Questions

given a certain scenario, how would you deal with this situation?

Behaviour Descriptive Questions

• tell me about a time when…

• describe a situation where…

Technical or Factual Questions

• what computer programs do you use to complete tasks?

• what is the difference between between accounts receivable and accounts payable?

Preparing (Self Assessing)

• consider…

  • skills, strengths, aspirations, weaknesses

  • what you’ve learned from previous experiences

  • what you can offer

  • why you’re interested in this position and organization

  • what others say are your strengths

  • review your online presence for professionalism

Researching the Job Posting

• go back to the job posting and revisit the research you’ve already done (on your application)

• identify specific competencies/skills required, think of specific examples when you have demonstrated these

• easily answer “what do you know about us?”, “why do you want to work here?”, “why do you want to be (role)”

“Tell Me About Yourself”

• the most widely used interview question

• your answer will tell the interviewer who you are, what you have done, and what you have to offer

• cover 4 main areas…

  • education (leverage academic knowledge)

  • work experience (highlight relevant skills)

  • community and volunteer experience (emphasize professional development and leadership)

  • added value (career goals, unique fact about yourself, interests)

• use present, past, future formula

  • present (where you are now)

  • past (how you got here)

  • future (your next moves/aspirations)

Behavioural Descriptive Interview (BDI) Questions

• the most commonly used type of question based on the premise “past performance is the best predictor of your future performance”

• interviewers design questions to assess your ability to perform the job duties required

• measures real life experience, not hypothetical responses

• reaches beyond whether a person can do the job to determine whether or not a person will do a good job

SOAR Stories

• use SOAR to show examples of times when you’ve successfully showcased a skill/competency to answer BDI questions

• should take about 60-120 seconds

  • S → specific situation

  • O → obstacle/opportunity

  • A → actions

  • R → result

Questions for the Interviewer

• always ask questions at the end of the interview

• questions should relate to the position, training, supervision, feedback, trends in the industry, company growth, etc…

• stay away from “me” questions (e.g. salary, benefits, vacation)

• write them down and bring them with you to the interview

• be prepared with multiple questions in case some information is already covered

After the Interview

• evaluate the opportunity and the organization

  • will it meet your needs and career goals?

  • is the environment right for you?

• evaluate your performance

  • ask yourself which questions you answered well and which ones you found difficult to answer

  • what do you need to work on for next time?

• always send a personalized thank you email within 24 hours

• you are being evaluated, so be mindful of all interactions throughout the process

Common Interview Pitfalls

• lack of preparation

• arriving late

• dressing inappropriately

• failing to make eye contact

• rambling or not answering questions directly

• speaking negatively about previous employers or colleagues

• forgetting to sell yourself

• not asking questions

• being too focused on salary and benefits

• failing to follow up