Interview Management Skills

A Successful Interview

„ You have the tools to always have the

advantage in an interview.

„ You should always be able to

communicate your strengths whether
you are asked or not.

„ You want to be perceived as adding the

most value to the organization.
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 A Successful Interview

„ Good preparation requires time, thought,

organization, and practice.
„ The interview is a dialogue.
„ This is an opportunity to exercise power.
„ You decide what you reveal about yourself
and how you present and deliver the
information.
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Communication is both
Verbal and Non-Verbal
„ What you say is only seven percent of
your communication -- word choice.
„ How you say the words accounts for 38%
of your communication -- vocal tone,
inflection, rate, volume, and pitch.
„ Non-verbals account for 55% of your
communication -- posture, gestures, facial
expressions, and body movements.

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 The “Magic Pills”
„ Eye contact

„ Smiling

„ Handshake and Greeting

„ Posture

12 x 12 x 12 Theory

„ People judge you first from 12 feet away;

„ then they judge you from 12 inches away;
„ and then they judge you based on the first
12 words out of your mouth.

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 Before the Interview

„ Research the company. „ Check the local library

„ Look at the company and on-line resources for
website. news articles.
„ Look at the parent „ Review a competitor’s
company’s website. brochure or website.
„ Review business „ Check with professional
newspapers and organizations.
magazines. „ Talk to employees of the
company.

Before the Interview

„ Company Industry and Product Line(s).

– Major products, brands, and services
– Products/services in greatest demand
– New technologies impacting the industry
– Basic trends and growth in the industry
– Standing in the industry
– Major competitors

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 Before the Interview

„ Financial Health
– How is the company doing?
– Is the company growing?
– Is the company in the midst of layoffs or
cutbacks?
– Does the company have a history of
layoffs?

The Receptionist and

the Secretary

„ Greet everyone you meet with a friendly

smile and respect.

„ Research indicates that two-thirds of

bosses say that the opinions of their
receptionists and secretaries influence
them.

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 Components of an Interview

„ The typical interview has four

components.
1. Opening, rapport building, and agenda
setting
2. Interpersonal, chemistry building, and
giving information about yourself
3. Organizational fit and asking questions of
the interviewer
4. Closing
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Types of Interviews

„ There are many types of interviews. We will

focus on the most common types.

» 1. Behavioral Interviews
» 2. Competency Interviews
» 3. Group or Panel Interviews
» 4. Telephone Interviews

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 Behavioral Interviews
„Obtain information about how you
behaved in prior situations.
„Look at your future performance.
„Avoid vague and abstract answers.
„Lead off questions with:
– Give me an example of …
– Describe a situation when …

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Behavioral Interviews
„ Follow a pattern:
– pre-planned, structured and consistent
– focused
– directed towards seeking specific information
– open-ended

„ Use the STAR technique

– STAR is an acronym for situation, task, action, and
results.
– Used to create accomplishments and success
stories.
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 The STAR Technique

z STAR is an acronym for …

– Situation
z Describe the situation.
– Task
z What were you required to do?
– Action
z What action did you take?
– Results
z What were the results of your actions?

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Bringing the Interview

to a Close
„ The last impression is powerful, too.

„ Ask any questions you may have.

„ Have a closing statement.
„ Reiterate your ability to fit in and have a
value-added impact on the organization.

„ Ask the interviewer for a business card.

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