Interviewing to Win!!!
Presented by
Career & Professional Development
Center
124 Sand Spring Hall
Frostburg State University
Skills Employers Look For…
Interpersonal
 Teamwork
 Analytical
 Oral Communication
 Flexibility
 Computer

Written Communication
 Leadership
 Work Experience
 Internship Experience

“National Association of
Colleges & Employers”
“On a scale of 1-5, how important are these
skills in potential employees?”
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Ability to work in a team
structure (4.55)
Ability to make decisions and
solve problems (4.5)
Ability to plan, organize, and
prioritize work (4.48)
Ability to verbally
communicate with persons
inside and outside the
organization (4.48)
Ability to obtain and process
information (4.37)





Ability to analyze quantitative
data (4.25)
Technical knowledge related to
the job (4.01)
Proficiency with computer
software programs (3.94)
Ability to create and/or edit
written reports (3.62)
Ability to sell or influence
others (3.54)
Taken from
http://www.naceweb.org/s10022013/joboutlook-skills-quality.aspx
How Employers Find New Hires
 Referral
from current employees
 Job/Career Fairs
 On-Campus Recruiting
 Internships
 Newspaper Ads
 Web Sites
 Electronic or Faxed Resumes
Your Job Search Focus
Job Interest
 Ideal Work
Environment
 Geographical Location
 Salary/Financial
Security
 Job duties required

Career Goals
 Strengths/ Weaknesses
 Values
 Time
 Career Resources:
-Networking
-Career & Professional
Development Center
-Online

6 Steps in a Proactive Job Search
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Identify Your Job Targets
Identify & Target Potential Employers
Develop Effective Marketing Tools
Cast a Wide Net of Job Search Methods
Interview
Follow-Up
Before the interview
 Know Yourself:
goals, skills, and abilities.
 Know Your
Career Field: job titles, job duties,
and industry trends.
 Know
The Employer: products, services,
locations, growth areas for the company.
Do You Measure Up?
Applicants rated on…
 Appropriate dress
 Poise
 Posture, voice, eye contact
 Knowledge of company/ job duties
 Clearly stated career goals
 Communication-positive/assertive
 Closure-timing, handshake, follow-up
During the interview
Arrive at least15 minutes early.
 Bring extra copies of resume.
 Greet interviewer by name, shake hands. Smile.
 Allow interviewer to lead.
 Typical Interview
-small talk
-discussion of your background
-ask your questions to the employer
-conclusion

Types of Interviews
 Behavioral
Interviews
 Situational Interviews
 Case Interviews
 Technical Interviews
 Group/Panel Interviews
 Dinner Interviews
Behavioral vs. Traditional Interviews
 Best
way to predict future behavior is past
behavior
 How you’d behave vs. how you would behave
 Question/probe vs. one structured question
 Details vs. generalizing about events
 More concentrated vs. ability to tell stories
How to prepare for a behavioral
interview…
 Recall
examples that show success in coursework,
work, leadership, or teamwork.
 Prepare short descriptions.
 Show a positive outcome or result that reflects
positively on you.
 Be honest.
 Be specific.
Questions asked by employers…
 Tell
me about yourself.
 Why did you choose your major?
 What are your career goals?
 Tell me about a time you worked in a team and
how you handled conflict.
 Tell me about your greatest strength and weakness.
 Why should we hire you?
Questions to ask the employer…
 What
do you consider the most important duties
for this job?
 What are the major projects that I will work on?
 What personality traits do you consider critical to
success on the job?
 What are the training opportunities with your
company?
 What is the timetable for hiring a candidate?
What to do after the interview…
 Take
notes after interview
 Thank-you letter (ASAP)
 Follow-up by phone.
 Accepting Offers
 Salary
range
 Benefits
 Location