GIVING AN

INTERVIEW
 Preparing for a Job Interview
Agenda
Preparing for the interview
At the Interview - Presentation
Post Interview
Giving Quality Answers
Sample Answers and Guidelines
Questions to Ask at an Interview
Disclosure
Examples Good and Bad
Before giving interview

WHO is doing the interview

WHAT is the subject and angle
WHERE will it be done
WHEN will it be conducted
HOW will it be conducted
WHY is it being done
 Basic Rules
Tell the truth
Don’t exaggerate
If you make a mistake, correct it
If you don’t know, say so
◦ I don’t know
◦ That’s not my specialty
◦ I’ll find the person who can answer that for you
◦ I don’t have that information right now
The Call
When you get “the call” for an interview,
you should ask the following:
Time and location of interview.
Who will I be meeting with?
What is the person’s job title.
What type of interview (1 to 1 or panel)
Can I have a copy of the job description?
Get Ready
Research the company
Review job posting, advertisement
Review your resume
Practice interview answers
Prepare questions to ask the interviewer
Contact your references to let know about
the interview and job applied for
Reduce the Stress
Go to the location of the interview the day
before
Note the time it took you to get there
Look for the best parking spot or closest bus
stop
If possible, look around the place of business
you are applying to, get brochures, information
etc
Lay out your clothes the night before the
interview – dress one notch better then what you
would wear to work
The Big Day
Be on time, not too early and NEVER late
– 10 minutes early is acceptable
Bring your resume, references, reference
letters, certificates, outstanding
performance reviews. Put in a file or
folder
No gum, cigarettes or fragrances
Its okay to be nervous, the interviewer
probably is too
The Interview
Use positive statements, “I can, I will, I do”
Be aware of your body language
Use eye contact and try not to fidget
Provide interviewer with your references

It is okay to:
Ask for a moment to think about your answer
Ask for the question to be repeated
Ask to come back to the question later
Whew, its over…..
Always send a thank you letter ASAP
Call your references and provide them
information on the job and review your
skills that relate to the position
Follow up with the employer
Behavioral Interviews
Are based on the idea that a potential employee's
past performance is the best predictor of their
future performances and it increases an
employer chance of picking the best candidate
for the job.
These questions usually begin with
◦ Tell me about a time when….
◦ Describe a situation that you….
◦ Give a specific example of….
◦ Give me an example of a time when you gave a
suggestion or recommendation to improve……
◦ What interests you about this role?
Quality Answers
Keep them business focused
Mentions skills that are relevant to the job
Back up what you say with examples
Be positive – never “bad mouth” another
employer
Show motivation and enthusiasm
Questions You Should Not be Asked
Are you married? Separated? Divorced?
What does your partner do?
Do you have young children at home?
What will happen if your children get
sick?
How old are you?
Do you have a disability?
Questions to ask the Interviewer
Can you tell me more about…..?
Do you have any training programs? Can you
describe them?
What would my schedule be like?
How has this position become available?
When will you be making your hiring decision?
Will you be contacting all candidates once you
have made your hiring decision?
Disclosure
It is a personal decision, there is no right
or wrong answer
There are pros and cons to disclosing
Good and Bad Interviews
We’ve all had them….
Tell us about yours…..