Task 1

During the recent mock interview conducted in room A.813, I reviewed the interviewee’s
resume and prepared a set of questions to facilitate the conversation with Mr. Duong, a
candidate for a Digital Marketing Internship. By analyzing my performance as a manager
during a roleplay interview with Duong, I can identify areas of strength and opportunities
for improvement in my interviewing skills.

Prior to the interview, I meticulously reviewed the job description, identifying key
requirements such as campaign management, data analysis, and content creation skills.
This knowledge informed the development of a structured interview guide categorized
by the required skills and experience (SHRM, 2023). However, recognizing the dynamic
nature of the digital marketing landscape, I incorporated a question about a recent
marketing campaign Duong admired. This assessed his industry awareness and critical
thinking abilities.

Because creating a positive and welcoming atmosphere is essential for effective

communication (Ali et al., 2020), as Duong entered, I greeted him warmly, introducing
myself and my role in this company. Maintaining eye contact and offering a genuine
smile fostered a relaxed environment. While I had prepared opening remarks, I opted for
a more personalized approach, inquiring about his background and motivations for
pursuing the internship. This opened the conversation and allowed Duong to showcase
his passion for the field.

As Duong spoke about his experiences, I practiced active listening. This involved
maintaining eye contact, nodding, and offering verbal affirmations (“I see,” “That’s
impressive”) to demonstrate genuine interest. When he discussed a successful social
media campaign for a charity, I leaned forward and used an open-ended question (“Can
you walk me through the challenges you faced and the strategies you employed?”) to
encourage further elaboration.

My initial interview guide provided a framework, but I readily adapted my questions

based on Duong's responses. While he mentioned experience with content creation, I
needed to assess his technical proficiency. Instead of a generic question about his writing
skills, I employed the STAR method by crafting a scenario-based question: "Imagine
creating a blog post for a company aimed at attracting young graduates. What key aspects
would you focus on, and what platforms would you consider for promotion?" This
allowed him to showcase his understanding of target audiences and content creation
strategies. Reviewing the interview, I recognized an opportunity to further refine my use
of the STAR method. Additional follow-up questions could have delved deeper into
specific situations where Duong demonstrated his analytical skills and ability to work
under pressure. Furthermore, while I explored his general knowledge of digital marketing
tools, I could have developed more questions that required him to showcase practical
application of specific software programs listed in the job description.

Moreover, I will not just focus on qualifications. In future interviews, incorporating

questions that assess a candidate's values and working style would provide a more
holistic understanding of potential fit. By incorporating the strategies outlined above, I
can ensure future interviews are more thorough, enabling a more accurate assessment of a
candidate's qualifications and cultural fit within our team. This continuous learning
process is essential for conducting effective interviews and recruiting talented individuals
like Duong, who can contribute to the company's continued success.

References

Ali, Z., Masroor, F., & Khan, T. (2020). Creating Positive Classroom Environment For
Learners' Motivation Towards Communicative Competence in The English
Language. Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan, 57(1), 317.
Dessler, G. (2015). Human resource management.
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2023). Retrieved from
https://annual.shrm.org/2023-program-overview/