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High Stakes Communication:Interviewing for a Job

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Successful Interviewees

Analyze situation & audience

Organize knowledge and experience

Convey confidence

Handle questions

Reduce anxiety www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/ ed/jobs.html

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Analyze Situation and Audience

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Analyze Interview Situation Where? When? How many interviews? With whom? Other expectations?

Give job talk Take tests

www.quantumwave.com/images/interview.jpg

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Research the Employer

Mission

Organizational structure and culture

Clients, dept. faculty, students

Products, research foci, services

Size and location

Financial standing

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Sources of Information

Career services

Web sites

Advisors, peers, employees

Annual report

Promotional materials

Periodicals

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Organize Knowledge and Experience

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Know Yourself List adjectives that describe yourself

Create table of job satisfaction factors

Rank personal values

Analyze past work experiences

Assess strengths & weaknesses

List life & career goals

Stay aware of current events http://www.resumetapebook.com/i/tn_interview_jpeg.jpg

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Know Your Work Experience

Assemble and review job portfolio

Review notes on employer

Match your qualifications to their needs

Formulate questions to ask

http://uk.dk.com/static/cs/uk/11/features/whatnext/images/interview.jpg

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Get Organized! Greeting

Small talk

Confident, Can-Do stmt

Strategy

Deliver topic sentences

Provide concrete examples

Organize for conciseness

Adapt to audience

Closing (memorize)

Summarize qualifications

Reinforce interest in position

www.nebhworker.org/images/organize.gif

Apply New Knowledge

Respond to the interview prompts on the next 4 slides.

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Tell me a little bit about yourself.

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What are your most significant

accomplishments?

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What are your strengths and weaknesses?

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Describe your research.

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Convey Confidence

Posture

Gestures

Eye contact

Voice quality

Dresshttp://a.abcnews.com/media/US/images/pd_job_interview_030812_nv.jpg

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Handle Questions

Do:

LISTEN

Paraphrase/clarify

Engage and elaborate

Monitor body language

Don’t:

Exaggerate qualifications

Give yes/no responses

Criticize previous employer

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Reduce Anxiety

Physical signs Sweat

Hands shake

Voice cracks

Psychological signs Blank out

Babble

http://gradschool.rgp.ufl.edu/images/handbook/Job-interview-door.gif

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Success without Stress

Eliminate negativity

www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj/ news/october99/october.html

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Negative Talk Positive Talk

--- I’m freaking out! I’m going to blow this.

++ I’m prepared. This could lead to a great opportunity.

--- He/she thinks I’m an idiot.

++ The interviewer is on my side. He/she needs me to fill important role in org.

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Success without Stress

Breathe

www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj/ news/october99/october.html

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Breathing Exercise

Relax shoulders, neck, and jaw

Place fingertips on diaphragm

Inhale slowly and silently count to 5

Hold 3 seconds

Exhale while counting to 5

Repeat sequence for 5 minutes

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Success without Stress

Eliminate negativity

Breathe

Eat

Sleep

Avoid caffeine

www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cainproj/ news/october99/october.html

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Practice!

Practice answering questions out loud

Mock interview w/ different people

Get videotaped

Keep a journal about interview experiences to aid future preparation

stress

perf

orm

ance