- The selection-hiring process is a screening out procedure.
- Everyone will hunt for a job at least once.
- The average person knows or learns his/her job but doesn't know how to look for a job. Job hunting skills are infrequently used and usually are not taught in school.
Prepare for the interview. The 5 to 20 minutes or more you spend in an interview will affect your future. Plan to sell yourself by stressing user benefits. Follow a specific plan to reach your job objective. Indicate what, how and when it is to be done. You can under-prepare and fail or over-prepare and succeed. In fact, it is almost impossible to over-prepare for an interview.
Interviewer skills range from excellent to poor. Interviewing may be a major part of his/her job or something done infrequently. An interviewer from a specialized department (accounting, sales, production, or laboratory) can be thinking of some department problems. In addition to their thoughts being elsewhere, they can be poor interviewers. There can be interruptions - a knock on the door, a phone call, or an emergency. Read this guide carefully and you could easily know more about interviewing than a casual interviewer.
An interview is a communication process between two - or more - people. Its purpose is to exchange ideas and gain information. Remember - communication involves not only talking but also listening and body movements.
Put your future in your hands by being:
- Completely familiar with your qualifications,
- Knowledgeable about the company,
- Sure your qualifications match those needed by the job.
The interviewer is primarily interested in what you can do for the company. Do not ask questions about salary and fringe benefits until you are certain that employment prospects look excellent. It can be wise to wait until the interviewer starts discussing fringe benefits before asking what the firm will do for you. If the subject is not mentioned ask these questions after the job offer is made.
Attempt to discover the employer's needs. Then your accomplishments that satisfy those needs can be emphasized in selling yourself. Let the interviewer talk about company needs so they become very clear. This also implies a mutual sense of communication and understanding. If you sell too hard, the interviewer may get the idea that you are a "know-it-all" and resent you. Do not give your entire life history - schools, experience, and background. Highlight your talents that meet company problems. You will be asked questions for further clarification.
Types of Employment Interviews
Common interviews are: structured, unstructured or discussion, multiple or group, and stress. You are most likely to encounter a structured or unstructured interview.
STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS: Areas to be covered are listed. The interviewer determines the wording and order of the questions. A detailed form giving specific questions to ask and space for answers may be used. Different interviewers will tend to get the same information from all applicants. Comparison and hiring decisions are easier for the organization.
UNSTRUCTURED or DISCUSSION INTERVIEWS: Topics are not set in a fixed order. The interview length and questions or topics asked may depend upon your employment chances. Topics and questions may be determined by the applicant. Typically more information is obtained in an unstructured interview but it may not relate to your job qualifications.
MULTIPLE or GROUP INTERVIEWS: An applicant is interviewed by different people at separate times or in a group. In a group situation, interviewers alternate in asking questions. It is possible, but unlikely, that many applicants are together. Questions are asked and the behavior of one person can be rated in terms of the effect on others. This technique is used more on the promotion of current employees than in hiring.
STRESS INTERVIEWS: An applicant is subjected to stress questions and comments. The interviewer puts the applicant on the defensive, becomes aggressive or belittles the individual. Reactions in handling stress are observed. Stress techniques require highly experienced interviewers. Even so, a stress approach threatens the applicant and a negative image of the firm can develop.
Ask Questions Yourself
During the interview ask questions which provide information about the company needs and problems so you can better present user benefits. Another advantage is that the representative talks and you have an opportunity to talk less but think more. Ask some of the following questions at appropriate times throughout the interview. This shows your interest in working for the firm and moves the interview in the direction you want to go.
What kind of future do you see for the industry?
What future do you see for your company in the next 3 to 5 years?
I read an article that your company is planning some new construction. Can you tell me something about the new facilities? How does management rate their competitors? How much of your business is tied into government purchasing? How will the - raw material shortage, economy, recent government action, weather, suppliers strike -affect your operations? What efforts are being made to improve your - production, construction, inventory, supply, technical, accounting - problems? What type of people do you usually hire? What sort of person do you expect to hire for this position? What is management's policy about promotions from within the company? What are the daily duties of the job? Please describe the working conditions.
How much authority and responsibility will I have in - planning, budgets, and decision making? What sort of personnel turnover has this department experienced? Please tell me a little about your own experience with the company. How did you happen to become employed by this company?
What is management's policy about their employees participation in community affairs and civic organizations? What happened to the person who last held this position?
Interviewers are interested in the personality of applicants since people work better in jobs that satisfy their real interests. Examples of questions which can be used to bring your personality factors to the surface include:
Leadership: What positions did you hold in school or extra-curricular activities? How active are you in community affairs? How did you get these positions?
Confidence: Why should we hire you? Discuss your ability to work in a more responsible job than you currently have?
Attitudes: Discuss your previous supervisor for me. How do you work with your current manager? How do you like your co-workers? Do you have difficulty working with some individuals?
Stability: Why have you changed jobs so often?
Resourcefulness: What innovations did you start in your precious job?
Motivation: Why do you want to change jobs? Why did you stay so long in your current position? Why are you interested in us?
