Auburn University Chemical Engineering Interviewing September 20 2018

Auburn University Chemical Engineering Interviewing September 20, 2018 Alumni Council/OXE Joint Event

Basics • Be prepared. • Find out as much as possible about the company through newspapers, annual reports, and websites. Your preparation tells a prospective employer you are motivated, hardworking and proactive. Practice for your interview the way you would for a major presentation to a large audience. • Answer key questions with confidence. • Practice your responses to questions like, “What are your strongest skills? ” and “Why would you like to work for this company? ” Well thought-out answers to these questions show confidence and competence. Don’t be afraid to interject your own relevant ideas or insights. Successful interviews are the result of two-way conversations. • Ask good questions. • Prepare a few good questions from the research you’ve conducted. Two or three strategic questions will demonstrate your intelligence and analytical skills. • Sell your strengths. • Identify five or six of your main attributes/skills and be prepared to talk about them in very specific terms. The strengths you focus on should also be aligned with traits the employer is seeking for the position. • Offer brief, focused responses. • Your ability to communicate is critical during an interview. Answer questions briefly, yet thoroughly. Provide specific examples about your experience, skills, etc. Stay on target with your answers, maintain eye contact with your interviewer, and offer enthusiastic responses whenever appropriate. • Arrive early. • Arrive 15 minutes early. You should also give yourself a few minutes to relax before the interview. Remember, your punctuality tells a prospective employer that you’re conscientious and dependable. • Be friendly and enthusiastic. • Smile and say hello to company employees. A positive impression goes a long way, especially when others, such as the support staff, often influence hiring decisions. • Keep a positive perspective. • Never talk negatively about past experiences or people. Maintaining a positive attitude shows a perspective employer that you’re a team player. • State your interest. • Let your interviewer know you are interested in the position, and inquire about the next steps in the process. Asking a question such as, “Do my qualifications match the needs of your company? ” gets right to the point and lets the interviewer know you’re serious about employment. • Don’t’ forget the thank-you letter. • A prompt thank-you letter exhibits your professionalism and interest in the position. Send a letter to the company’s key decision-makers as well as to the person with whom you’ve interviewed. It is also acceptable to e-mail a letter to your interviewer, which provides instant feedback regarding your interest, but determine if this kind of response is acceptable.

Prep for the Interview • Think about experiences you’ve had. What are some examples you’d want to share? • Focus on “stories” that show your leadership, teamwork, innovation, or creativity. • Determine how best to share those “stories”. • PRACTICE!! Practice telling these “stories”…in front of a mirror, to a roommate, a friend…whatever. The more practice, the better.

Example STAR questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Tell me about a time when you got results when others tried and failed. Describe a time you championed a cause that others had abandoned Tell me about a time when you just had to give up and move on to something else. Tell me about a time when you got results that far exceeded other’s expectations. Talk about a time you were assigned to a fix-it or turnaround assignment. 1. 2. 3. Give me an example of how you identified a new opportunity worth pursuing. Describe a time when you seized an opportunity and moved forward with it yourself. Describe a project or issue you were eager to address, yet first needed others’ buy-in. 1. 2. 3. Give me an example of what you are currently working on for personal or professional improvement. Tell me about a time you took a job or assignment that required new or different skills. Describe something you’ve learned or developed from other people (a boss, peer, colleague). 1. 2. 3. Give me an example of a time when having a strong network inside the organization worked well for you. Tell me about a time when you built strong relationships that stemmed from a difficult situation. Tell me about a time you needed to connect people in order to accomplish a goal. 1. 2. 3. Tell me about a time you made a change after receiving positive feedback. Tell me about a time when you were surprised or confused about how someone viewed you. Describe when or where you learned the most about your strengths and weaknesses. 1. 2. 3. Tell me about a time when you exceeded a customer’s (internal or external) requirement. Tell me about a time you created a new service, process, or product based on customer feedback. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with what you thought were unreasonable customer requests. 1. 2. 3. Give me an example that illustrates how you appeal to very different people when managing a work project. Tell me about a time you had to energize a group of disengaged people. Give me an example of how you created an environment where others could offer input. 1. 2. 3. Tell me about a time you almost lost a customer and had to turn the situation around. Describe a time when you challenged an idea or approach Tell me about a time you accepted an assignment where the odds of success were against you 1. 2. 3. Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone and brought them around to your way of thinking. Describe a time you changed your mind after hearing the other side of an argument. Tell me about a time you had to reach agreement with other parties when there was little trust.

Standard Questions/Advice • • How would you describe yourself? • Be ready to spend about two minutes answering this question. Begin wherever you feel comfortable: high school, college, or a prior position. This is your opportunity to speak logically and clearly about yourself. Share the accomplishments and attributes that make you a valuable employee. Tell me about your biggest accomplishment. • Your response here is critical. Focus on your hard work, commitment to long hours, or ability to work under pressure. Describe a recent challenge and how you were involved in the solution by working overtime, taking a leadership role, or other contribution. Describe one of your accomplishments that applies to this new position. How are you qualified for this position? • Focus on a few requirements of the job and how you can meet those requirements through your particular skills and experience. Highlight your management experience, technical skills, or a personal success story. Describe your most important strengths. • Identify five of your strengths that are most relative to the position for which you’re interviewing (i. e. technical skills, management experience). Describe each strength using a brief example of how you successfully applied that particular strength to a work situation. Have you accomplished something you didn’t think was possible? • This question allows you to prove your integrity, work ethic, or commitment to achieving a goal. Be prepared to give an example of how you accomplished a significant challenge without giving up. Is there a situation in the past in which you took the initiative? • A motivated, results-oriented employee knows what to do without being told. Describe to the interviewer situations in which you exhibited a strong work ethic or creative abilities that helped you overcome a challenging situation. What are your career goals? • Don’t mention goals you know are most likely not attainable. Give realistic answers, such as a management promotion in three-to-five years. Consider your past (did you rise quickly or travel a rocky road? ) and use this as a guideline for what seems reasonable. Most importantly, why should we hire you? • Take this opportunity to present your skills, positive attitude, and confidence. Restate some of the key aspects of the job (which you’ve gleaned from the interview) and describe traits that make you an ideal candidate for the position.

Top 50 Worst & Most Common Job Interview Mistakes 1. Arriving late. 2. Arriving too early. 3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette. 4. Bad-mouthing your last boss. 5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge. 6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes. 7. Forgetting the name of the person you're interviewing with. 8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave. 9. Wearing sunglasses. 10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece. 11. Failing to research the employer in advance. 12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm. 13. Inquiring about benefits too soon. 14. Talking about salary requirements too soon. 15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question. 16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job. 17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume and/or portfolio. 18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own resume. 19. Asking too many questions. 20. Asking no questions at all. 21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions. 22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying. 23. Talking more than half the time. 24. Interrupting your interviewer. 25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer 26. Yawning. 27. Slouching. 28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother. 29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair. 30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking. 31. Saying "you know, " "like, " "I guess, " and "um. " 32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all. 33. Asking to use the bathroom. 34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest. 35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly. 36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact). 37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does. 38. Becoming angry or defensive. 39. Complaining that you were kept waiting. 40. Complaining about anything! 41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist. 42. Letting your nervousness show. 43. Over explaining why you lost your last job. 44. Being too familiar and jokey. 45. Sounding desperate. 46. Checking the time. 47. Oversharing. 48. Sounding rehearsed. 49. Leaving your cell phone on. 50. Failing to ask for the job.

Resources Available to YOU • Alumni Council Members – • https: //wp. auburn. edu/chenalumnicouncil/ • Email: auchenalumni@gmail. com • College of Engineering’s Department of Career Development & Industry Relations • Apryl Mullins mulliat@auburn. edu • College of Engineering’s Young Alumni Council • Mock Interviews (done in early Sept) • Professional Resume Review Event in the Spring or via email. (Send to Apryl) • Society for Engineering executive Development (SEED) – Student ran organization that meets on Thursday evenings. Speakers, advice, etc. Forchette ajf 0016@auburn. edu is current president. Al • Auburn Career Center – Tips, Mock Interviews & Online Interview practice • http: //career. auburn. edu/students/interviews

PRACTICE, PRACTICE