Interview Skills Training

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Program Objectives

Gain an understanding of the multiple styles of interviewing

Understand how to best respond to questions asked during the interview

Be prepared for a potential interview

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The Hiring Manager’s Ultimate Interview Objectives

To get information that answers the following questions about you:

Can you do the job and how well?

Will you do the job?

How well will you get along with others?

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Your Ultimate Interview Objective

To get a job offer! By …

Shining over your competition through

Preparation

Practice

Perform!

Reasons Why Interviews Derail

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Top Ten Reasons Why Interviews Derail

Being unprepared

Not knowing your resume

Providing rambling answers

Demonstrating poor listening skills

Not coming across as interested or engaged

Poor body language

Coming across as unprofessional

Being inappropriately dressed

Being late to your interview

Not turning off or (even worse) using your cell phone

Interviews Styles

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What Is A Competency?

Competencies include knowledge, skills, attributes and actions which are measurable and observable.

Competencies can focus on either behavioral characteristics or technical skills that an individual must possess and appropriately use for optimum success in performing specified work.

Source: Global Interview Framework Training Materials

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Types of Competencies

Behavioral CompetenciesTechnical CompetenciesThe functional knowledge and skills that are required to perform a particular type or level of work activity.

Examples• Brand & Product Knowledge• Scientific Risk Analysis• Technology Procurement

The underlying traits, attributes and values which directly influence behavior.

Examples • Leadership• Team Work• Attention to Detail• Multi-Tasking

Source: Global Interview Framework Training Materials

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Competency-based Interview

What it is

A structured interview process

Designed to elicit information from candidates that will enable evaluation against selected criteria to determine their potential for success in a specific position

Types of competency-based interviews

Behavioral

Situational/Case

Competency-based interviews allow employers to make hiring decisions based on facts. They are structured, job-specific, and focused on relevant,

concrete and tangible qualities.

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Behavioral Interview

What it is

An interviewing technique designed to evaluate candidates’ experiences and behaviors against selected competencies in order to determine their potential for success

Aimed at uncovering patterns of behavior and making inferences about how a candidate will behave in the future based on what happened in the past

Elements of a behavioral interview

Open-ended questions that are designed to assess desired competencies by eliciting information on how a candidate behaved given a specific situation

A rating system or guide is developed and used to evaluate candidates’ responses to each question

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Behavioral Interview Questions

Main Interview Question

Asks you to recall and describe a time when you were faced with a specific situation or had to perform a specific task.

For Example:

– "Tell me about a time when...”

– "Describe a situation in which...”

– "Give me an example of...“

– “Tell me about the toughest problem you have ever solved.”

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Behavioral Interview Questions

Learning Probes/Follow-up Probes

Help an interviewer delve deeper into your response to a main interview question.

For example:

– “How did you approach solving the problem?”

– “Why did you select that approach?”

– “What was the impact of the solution?”

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The STAR Response Format

The most common and all-encompassing approach to responding to behavioral questions is to follow the STAR format

Situation/TaskStart your "story" by explaining the situation you were in or the task you were trying to achieve

ActionThen you should explain the action(s) that you took. 

ResultFinally, it's important that you explain the outcome or results that you achieved.

How Can I Best Prepare For My Interview?

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Before The Interview

Research the position and interviewer(s)

Know yourself and your resume

Prepare your “elevator speech”

Prepare questions to ask during your interview

Practice your interview skills

Look the part

Know where you are going

Bring copies of your resume

Arrive early

Turn off your cell phone

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Preparing for a Behavioral Interview

Imagine what the ideal candidate for the position you are interviewing for would look like from the decision-maker’s perspective

– Thoroughly review the job description and the components of the position

– Research the department and its culture

Develop a list of competencies you believe a successful candidate will need to have

Review your resume and look back on your past experience to identify examples where you demonstrated those competencies

Prepare your stories following the STAR format (whenever possible, quantify your results)

– Your examples should be mostly positive

– Prepare some examples of situations that started out negatively but ended positively or you positively affected the result

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Helpful Tips

Try to vary your examples – do not take them all from just one area of life/experience

Select examples that you can easily and quickly tailor to respond to a number of different behavioral questions

Use fairly recent examples (preferably within the last 12-24 months)

Keep your responses succinct (each story should take between 2 to 5 minutes to share with the interviewer)

How Can I Best Navigate The Interview Process?

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During The Interview

Communicate with confidence and purpose

Mind your body language

Ask questions

Ask for the interviewer’s business card

“Roll with the punches”

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After The Interview

Document and evaluate the interview

Send a “Thank You” note

Expecting The Unexpected

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Dealing With The Unexpected

Remain calm

Remain confident

Take notes

Use appropriate body language

Think before you speak

Remember that it may be a test

Go into the interview expecting the unexpected

What to do if the interview questions are not what you expected

Final Reminder

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Above All, Remember …

A successful interview depends on you …

Knowing your value

Remembering your value

Conveying your value

Q & A