Preparing for an Interview

Personal Work History (For Each Employer)
Name, address, and telephone number
 Names of supervisors how to reach them
 Exact dates (months and years)
 Specific duties
 Specific skills that were required
 Promotions, awards, or recognitions received


Education
Schools you have attended and years attended
 GPA
 Academic Honors/Awards Received
 Activities (clubs, groups, as well as offices held)
 Athletic teams


Self Assessment
What accomplishments are you proudest of?
 What mistakes have you made? What have you
learned from them?
 How well do you interact with authority figures?
(bosses, teachers, etc…)


Identification

Name, address, and phone number at the top of the
page, usually centered. (Avoid Nicknames)

Objective or Goal




Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this resume?
Know the type of job you are applying for.
Ex: Seek a hostess position at a fine dining
establishment
Change it if it does not fit the specific job you are
applying for

Education and Training
Near the top for now to list your most impressive
credentials first
 As you gain work experience, this will move lower
 Be sure to list any special job-related skills you have
(foreign language, computer applications, etc…)


Work History
Include name and location, as well as dates you were
employed there.
 List in reverse chronological order.
 List mini-descriptions to call attention to job
responsibilities. These descriptions should begin
with action verbs!


Personal Data
List clubs, organizations, leadership positions,
hobbies, etc…
 This is also a great place to list volunteer services
 This shows employers that you are well rounded


References





At the end of the resume
List their contact information
Use two professional references (employers,
teachers, counselors, etc…
Use one personal reference
Ask them before using them on an official resume





Be Brief
Be positive
Stick to the facts
Keep your language clear
Keep your eye on the goal

Research the employer
You want to be informed about what type of
company it is.
 Look for newspaper articles, internet articles, etc..
 You want to be able to talk intelligently during the
interview


Practice



Anticipate the questions
Have someone practice with you
Wear what you are going to wear in the interview
Answering Interview Questions

Different types of questions:
General: Why do you want to work for us?
 Educational: What is your grade point average?
 Job-Related: Why should I hire you?
 Personal: Tell me something about yourself.



Prepare a list of positive points to make about
yourself during the interview (Your Offensive
Game Plan)
Be alert for opportunities to make a positive
point:



Puff Ball Questions: Tell me about yourself?
Pauses: “downtime” interviewer looks at notes,
takes a sip of water, etc…
Bridges: Transitions from one answer to another

When you encounter a tough, unexpected
question:



Pause (Shows Poise) Buy yourself some time
Restate the question in your own words, or speak
generally while pondering the specifics.
You can also ask for a moment to think about the
question

Inappropriate Questions



Questions that may give an employer a reason to
unfairly discriminate
OK: Are you in good health? Or, Do you have any
physical problems that may limit your ability to
perform this job?
Not OK: Is that an Irish name? Or, what religion are
you?

You can:


Answer briefly and move on
Or, Ignore the question and address what they may
be really getting at.

Be prepared to ask the interviewer some
questions. This shows interest.


Avoid talks of salary, benefits, sick days, etc…
Ask about duties/responsibilities of the job.






Previous Work History
Education (School Name and Dates)
 Clubs, Organizations, Graduation Date,
etc…
Accomplishments, Achievements,
Awards
3-5 Strengths and 3-5 Weaknesses
Skills
Interests/Hobbies
Tell me about yourself.
 What are your greatest
strengths?
 What is your biggest weakness?
 Where do you see yourself in 5
years?





Tell me about a personal
achievement that makes you proud.
Tell me about a mistake you made
and what you learned from it?
Who is the biggest influence in
your life and why?
Why would you be an excellent
choice for this job?