Interview Preparation How to Put Your Best Foot

Interview Preparation How to Put Your Best Foot Forward Angela Espada, MA, JD February 15, 2019

A Little About Me Former higher education administrator Wife, Mother A person who feels like she has a reason to celebrate life

The Importance of Interviews Allows the organization to know you and determine if you will be a good “fit” Many recruiters discount cover letters & resumes Gives depth to your resume and cover letter Lets you know more about the organization you know if you want to be part of their organization

How to Prepare Research the Organization: This should include salary information (Glassdoor) Check Linked. In for people who may work there or with whom you can connect Be mindful of your online social media presence and persona Think of how you will make your first impression Think of the questions you may be asked Think about how you will respond Participate in a mock interview Have thoughtful/ relevant questions to ask

Sites to Check Salaries https: //www. payscale. com https: //www. salary. com https: //www. monster. com/salary Salary Wizard https: //swz. salary. com

The Impression You Made Before You Walked Through the Door The reason why cover letters are discounted: Social Media and online presence (70% of employers look) In 2013, 1 in 10 people age 18 -35, lost out due to Social media. In 2018, over 45% had. What is your electronic footprint? Also looking at: Google, Bing and Yahoo It isn’t just what you post or commented on. What did you like and how often do you post on: Facebook, Linked. In, Twitter or Instagram Also looking at communication skills, typos, errors and syntax Is the answer to remove your online presence entirely to be safe? No. One survey found that 57% percent of employers are less likely to call someone in for an interview if the interviewer cannot find the candidate online

First Impression: How Do You Present Yourself? What will you wear? We know club wear isn’t appropriate, but should you look like a clone? Dress how you want to be addressed Be aware there might be a sock issue Polish your shoes Smile, even a grouch has trouble not smiling back How firm is your handshake Don’t be weak or bone crushing, tennis squash and basketball players be aware of your hand strength Your 30, 60 or 90 second elevator pitch If the fire alarm is pulled and that’s all the interviewer heard, would you have distinguished yourself?

Other Ways to Less Than-Impress Crossed or folded arms Projecting a small image or sitting small or slouching Turning away from some members of the group Exaggerated hand movements or facial expressions Avoiding eye contact Too intense eye contact Fidgeting with items Checking the time Inconsistent facial expressions that do not match the subject (continuing to smile while talking about a difficult time)

How do you describe yourself What are your strengths Proudest Accomplishments What does your education, training or previous employment experience include? Three words to describe yourself: How do you conveys these words? Stories Examples

The Question Round Can you tell us about yourself? What do you think makes a person succeed or fail? How well do you work under pressure? Why are you interested in this position? What experiences have you had leading others? What accomplishments are you most proud of? Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years? What else do we need to know about you that we haven't already discussed? Salary Expectations?

Some of the Difficult Questions What qualifications do you have that will make you successful in this position or ? Why should we hire you? Acknowledge that you have been thinking about that also Have 1 -3 examples of your strengths and experiences that tie in to the requirements that lets the interviewer know what the interviewer will be getting. What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses? Tell me how you have dealt with a difficult boss/coworker? Tell us about a time when you failed. How do you adapt to difficult situations. What do you like least about your current position? “Google” Questions

Your Turn to Question What are the organization’s long term and short term goals? Relate your question to something you saw on the website. What traits do you consider critical for this position? What does the organization hope to achieve in the next few years? How will this new position be deemed a success? What are the top three objective you would like the new hire to achieve? What do you value most about your employment with the organization? If you could rewind, would you still be employed with this organization? Why or why not? Ask who the interviewer/organization considers its biggest competitor If diversity is important, ask about the environment. What are the challenges of this position? How will the work that I will be doing contribute to the organization’s mission?

Don’t Forget the Basics and the Practical Ask what are the next steps? Ask what is the timeline or when can you expect to hear from them? Send thanks you notes to those who participated You can restate your continued interest in the position Do not send the identical note to all the participants. (The interviewers talk) This can include an administrative assistant who arranged the multiple meetings or if you were there for a day of interviews Do you know your worth? Know the market value

Things to Remember Don’t assume the interviewer has thoroughly read your resume. Don’t assume the interviewer has thoroughly read your cover letter. If the interviewer did read the cover letter and resume, don’t assume that the interviewer remembers your information with great accuracy. Don’t assume the interviewer has talked to your references. Don’t assume your refences said what you might have wanted them to say. Be aware that the interviewer could have spoken with people who you did not list as references. Don’t assume that the interviewer has translated your education/experience into value for their organization.

QUESTIONS

I Appreciate Your Time