Interviewing

Veterans Initiative

Interviewing
What do the materials cover?
The materials will cover: The purpose of an interview Different types of interviews Structure of an interview How to prepare for an interview Questions that may be asked How to sell yourself in an interview Evaluating the fit of a job

What does the interviewer want to know?

It is important to note that interviewers want to know the following things listed below. They may ask directly or indirectly. Whats important is that you are prepared, each time you interview, to address each of these questions. Why are you here? What can you do for us? What kind of person are you? What distinguishes you from your competitors? Can I afford you?

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Interviewing, Veterans Initiative 4/2011 1

Definition and Purpose

What is interviewing?
Interviewing is a strategic discussion between two people to determine whether there is a mutual fit - strategic because both of you have an objective. Typically, you interview with a Human Resources recruiter first, followed by the hiring manager.

What is the purpose?

For Me: To express experience, skills, accomplishments Relay how my skills from the military are transferable Learn about the position, department, team, manager Determine level of interest Show how I will add value Decide if there is a mutual fit

For the Recruiter: Confirm your key skills in relationship to the position Provide an overview of the position Decide if you will be passed on to the manager

For the Hiring Manager: Learn about your experience, skills, accomplishments Provide more comprehensive information about the position Determine a personality fit for the position, team, department, company culture Uncover additional skills Decide if there is a mutual fit Look at your ability to transition from the military to the corporate environment

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Types of Interviews
What types of interviews are there?
Not all interviews are a traditional, face-to-face encounter between you and a hiring manager. Preparation requires learning how to be effective in a variety of interviewing formats. Phone Screen Interviews Typically this is an initial interview with a recruiter to determine whether you have the skills and experience to justify bringing you in for a face-to-face interview. Many of the questions you will be asked are specific to help the recruiter better understand the depth and breadth of your knowledge and interest. Be prepared to discuss: Specifics about your current role Challenges, likes, dislikes in current role Knowledge of a specific area of expertise Examples of how you handled certain situations Interest in the position Reason for looking at job opportunities Current compensation/eligibility for incentive

How do I Tips for the Phone Screen Interview prepare for a phone screen? First impressions matter and being prepared is key. If a

recruiter calls, schedule another time to talk so you can be at your best. Then: Review the job description and any correspondence Think through your answers to anticipated questions Highlight skills and achievements you want to mention Identify questions you may have to better understand the role and responsibilities

In addition to being prepared, a recruiter will be relying on your telephone presence to glean a sense of your personality. Put a smile in your voice, use inflection to avoid sounding monotone, and speak clearly with energy and enthusiasm. Listen carefully to the question, answer and then ask if you have provided enough detail.

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Types of Interviews
What are other types of interviews? How do I prepare for multiple meeting interviews?
Here are additional types of interviews with ideas on how to prepare and be effective in the meetings.

Multiple meeting interviews Multiple meeting interviews are a series of consecutive interviews all in the same day. You may be meeting with the recruiter, hiring manager, a senior manager and a team member and the whole process may last 3 to 4 hours. When the recruiter schedules you for an interview, ask in advance who you will be meeting with on that day. Learn job titles and each persons connection to the position Think about key points you want to share about yourself Decide what you want to learn from each interviewer Prepare appropriate questions for each interview Bring several copies of your resume

How do I prepare for group interviews?

Group Interviews A group interview includes you and more than one other person at the meeting. In some cases, you may encounter a panel of people at a large conference table. It is more challenging to build relationships with multiple people during this type of interview, so it is important to exude warmth and personality. Discern the different roles in the room and create a chart of attendees Identify who is the hiring manager Give primary eye contact to the person who asked the question and secondary to others Bring questions to ask

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Structure of an Interview
What are the key parts of an interview?
While each interview will be different, the average is 45 minutes in length with 3 key parts: small talk, down to business and next steps. In each part, the interviewer is getting key information to make a decision about your skills, experience and interest based on the job. Your goal is to be doing 50-70 percent of the talking. Small Talk This phase occurs within the first 5 minutes of an interview. The interviewer is noting first impressions about professional presence, likeability, confidence and your comfort in building a relationship. Non-verbal communications such as a warm smile, handshake, eye contact and posture are all cues in providing a positive impression. Current event topics, weather or navigating to the location may be discussed. Down to Business Once the interviewer shifts topics and begins with something like, Ive reviewed your resume and am interested in learning more about you and talking in detail about this position you are moving into the meat of the interview. During this time you will be: Asked questions about your experience and sharing specific examples Asked questions about personality, style, accomplishments and initiatives Told about the job responsibilities Asked if you have any questions

At the end of this portion of the interview: Add any information you want to share Summarize your understanding of the position Express interest

Next Steps Make an impression and demonstrate follow up skills by: Asking about next steps and best way to follow up Asking for a business card Emailing a thank you letter

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Making Impressions
How do I make a good impression?
Beginning within the first ten seconds and continuing throughout the interviewing process, impressions are formed. Those impressions can make or break the selling of your product - you! - and are based upon observations, interpretations and opinions about you. Careful planning of the head to toe details will ensure that you are presenting yourself as credible and professional. Select professional wardrobe: clothes, shoes, accessories; assess hair and glasses for current style Consciously understate: jewelry, nails, cologne, make up Be mindful of food / drink prior to interview Print extra copies of resumes, directions, organization chart Bring a notebook, pen and calendar Research five things about the department / line of business / company Review the job posting / prepare answers and examples Bring prepared questions about the position, team, department, goals, projects Turn off cell phone Arrive 10 minutes early

Preparation Before the interview

During the Interview

Prepare to shake hands Smile, make eye contact, sit straight Note and correct nervous habits Look for ways to be relational Share three reasons why you want to work for the department / line of business / company Articulate your value to the role Listen intently and give relevant answers Ask pertinent business related questions Collect business cards Email a well written and expressive thank you to the interviewer and copy the recruiter Subtly stay in touch

After the Interview

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Preparing to Interview
What do I need My skills to know up Identify your job specific skills front?
Determine which skills you want to emphasize Look at how your military skills can be linked to the corporate environment My accomplishments Identify actions youve taken Link skills to those actions Determine the positive results Plan how you will express those accomplishments

My strengths, interests, career values Develop self awareness Plan how you will talk about these aspects of yourself

What am I selling?

A good salesperson knows their product and the value it offers. Write down five job skills and attributes that describe what you bring you as a product. Emphasize the skills you were recognized for in the military, adopting corporate terminology. ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

To create a compelling sales pitch and help set you apart from other candidates, add one thing that truly motivates you or drives you at work and relates to the position.

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Questions to Ask
What questions should I ask?
Interviewers are impressed with candidates who ask questions. This skill demonstrates your interest in understanding the roles and responsibilities of the job and in your field. Asking questions also gives you a broader picture of what you might expect on the job. Here are questions you might consider asking.

Questions to Ask HR: Can you tell me more about the position and the type of person you are seeking? Tell me about an employee in your organization who is considered to be an outstanding employee. What makes that person special? What type of training does the organization provide to help someone new learn their way around? How does my background compare with the others you have interviewed for this position? I feel my background and experience are a good fit for this position and I am very interested. What is the next step?

Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager: What would you consider to be exceptional performance from someone in this position in the first 90 days? What will be a major challenge I would encounter in this position? How are you measured as a manager? What can I do to make you successful? Has the department grown or shrunk in the last three years? Why is that? Can you give me an example of your management style?

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Questions to Ask
Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager: More questions I can Can you tell me more about the position and the type of ask person you are seeking? What are your expectations of the person in this position? When did you come to work here? Would it be possible to speak with a co-worker/peer? See the work area? What is the tenure of the team? What are some of the business issues/challenges or trends that might impact this team?

Questions to Ask a Co-Worker/Peer: Why did you decide to join this department? What were your initial expectations? Were they met? How have your expectations changed over time? What do you consider your departments strengths and weaknesses? What can you tell me about working for your manager? How would you describe a typical day in this position?

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Prepare to Answer Questions

How should I respond to standard questions? Although every interview is unique, you can anticipate standard questions that will likely be asked. Spending some time thinking through how youll answer these questions will ensure a strategic response and help you feel confident in your answers. Interviewers are interested in hearing about specific situations to better understand how well you demonstrated critical skills on the job. Start by understanding the interviewers purpose for asking the question. Then, use the Challenge, Action, Result format (what was a challenge or opportunity, what actions did you take, and what were the results of those actions) to ensure a comprehensive yet concise response. How does the interview get started? A typical first question of the interview is Tell me about yourself? Provide a two minute snapshot of who you are professionally, emphasizing your strengths and interests. Use the format below to prepare an interesting story to help get the interview started. 1. Tell me about yourself? Introduction: What are the most important things I want this person to know about me? Share a snapshot of who you are professionally, highlighting your top skills and attributes. Describe your overall experience: Start with most recent and highlight accomplishments and skills youve developed. Note some of your most meaningful work experiences. End with your key strengths and interests: Focus on your motivated skills and interests and tell how they pertain to the role. Be sure you speak about your skills using transferable terminology. 2. What is your plan for how you will make the transition from the military to the corporate setting? (Lets the interviewer know you are aware of the differences and that you are prepared for the transition) Note some of the differences in culture and expectations that you anticipate Explain the steps you will take to assimilate to the new culture and describe the support you have available to you Use corporate terminology to express your transferable skills Capitalize on areas that were similar and provide evidence on how you will use the skills you developed 3. What accomplishments in your career are you most proud of? (Identifies your motivated skills and possibly uncover competencies that could be leveraged in this role.) Think of a specific example in the last 3 to 5 years thats relevant to the position. Use as an opportunity for you to share your interests and showcase your enthusiasm

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Prepare to Answer Questions

4. What is the greatest strength you will bring to this role? (Shows the hiring manager that you are self aware and how you see this skill as valuable on the job.) Tell how the strength has contributed to being successful in past roles and how it will add value in the new role If possible, to prepare refer to your previous performance reviews and read what your manager said about you 5. What is your weakness? (Think of something authentic, not canned.) Use a real example of something you are developing, enhancing, or improving Share examples of how you compensate for your weakness so it isnt an issue 6. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years? (Indicates your level of ambition and whether you are goal oriented.) Share any education and training goals you are pursuing or plan to pursue State future career goals, product knowledge or computer skills you plan to gain 7. What skills do you enjoy using? Which of your skills would you rather not use? (Gives insights on whether this role is a fit based upon your job tasks likes/dislikes.) Talk about skills that you are truly energized by and that are required in the position Think of a skill you disliked in your last job but that you know for sure wont be a primary part of the new job 8. What adjectives would your references use to describe you? (Provides a sense of your personality and work style in determining how you might fit with team members.) Keep your answer relevant to the job in which you are interviewing Choose the qualities you most want to be known for 9. Why are you interested in this job? (Shows whether you are really interested in this role and this department / company.) Emphasize aspects of the job that match your skill set and express these in a way that convinces of a true passion or strong interest Research!! Find out some facts beyond the standard pieces of information 10. Why should we hire you? (Showcases your ability to summarize your areas of expertise that would be of value in this role.) Reiterate your qualifications that relate to the position and highlight what makes you unique Talk about what kind of person you are, how you add value and contribute 11. What is your salary expectation? (Determines whether general salary expectations are mutually congruent to continue a conversation. This is not a negotiation.) Express your desire to know more about the opportunity and requirements first If the questions continue, ask what a typical range is for the position. If reasonable, be positive and move on. Provide a range based on your research if pushed to reveal JPMorgan Chase, Career Services
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Behavioral Interviewing Questions

How do I answer behavioral interview questions?
Managers know that past experience predicts future success. The interviewer is looking for specific examples of how you have handled situations not general statements. These questions are related to the skills you need to perform the job well. Think about a brief story that includes: 1) A specific situation that has relevance for the position you are interviewing for 2) The actions you took 3) The outcome or result you achieved. 4) Finish with what you learned from that experience. When preparing for these questions: Use the job description to identify required skills. Anticipate what question might be asked regarding each skill. Think about your past experiences - most recent job, past jobs, leadership roles - for situations you can share. Begin preparing examples/stories that relate to the skills noted in the job description.

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Behavioral Interviewing Questions

What are some The following are examples of behavioral questions that might be used to identify various skills. To prepare for behavioral interviewing, come up with an answer for each of the questions?
following questions. Conflict Management Give me an example of a situation where you dealt with an angry customer and describe how you resolved the situation. Flexible, Adaptable Describe a time when you had to switch gears quickly. What were the circumstances and how did you do it? Time Management Tell me about a time when you had many deadlines to meet in a short period of time. How did you prepare yourself and organize your time? Managing Diversity Give me an example of a situation in a past work experience where you demonstrated a sensitivity to individual differences. Team Decision Making Describe a team or group you have been a part of and how you dealt with reaching decisions. Organization skills Tell me about a project you were responsible for that you had to organize start to finish. How did you approach this and complete it? Resourcefulness Tell me about a situation when you were given a complicated assignment with little or no information. How did you complete the assignment? Prioritization Tell me about a time when you had to juggle many different tasks at once and how you handled it. JPMorgan Chase, Career Services
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Evaluate Fit
How do I determine if the position is right for me?
The interview is over. Now it is time to process the information you learned about the position, culture and challenge to determine an overall fit.

Does it meet your needs: Is this the right job for me? Is this a good work environment for me? Do I see opportunities to grow and learn? Do my skills truly match this job? Are these the kind of people I would like to work with or not? What are the opportunities for growth at this company: Can I acquire new skills? Will I receive new and varying responsibilities? What is the visibility factor for this job? Are there career opportunities beyond what is initially seen? Will you be involved in a training and/or orientation program: Who will train me? What is the length of training or orientation program? Where will the training take place?

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Evaluate Fit
Is the location of the position satisfactory: How convenient is commuting? What are the accounts and/or territory? (question of particular importance for sales and marketing positions and others requiring travel) What is your familys view of the position: What effect will this position have on my personal life? How will this position affect my leisure time? How will it impact my personal interests and commitments? If you are offered the job and accept it without careful consideration, you increase the likelihood of changing jobs in the near future. Make a decision based on what is right for YOU!

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Interviewing, Veterans Initiative 4/2011 15

Thank You Letters

Are they important?
Writing a thank you letter or email after a job interview is a must in showing interest and enthusiasm for the position. You will stand out from the competition and demonstrate strong follow up skills. A thank you letter is considered business correspondence and should be sent out within 24 hours sooner is better! Your goal is to keep your candidacy fresh in the mind of the hiring manager and to continue to impress. Like any piece of writing, it is best to keep your audience in mind. Thank the person for their time but only once Address their issues and concerns, addressing any weaknesses with confidence. Keep brief and concise three paragraphs maximum. Highlight your key selling points and fit. Restate what your qualifications are and how you will make a significant contribution. Reinforce your interest and enthusiasm in the job and the company/department. Carefully proofread; check spelling, grammar and look for typos. If in doubt about correct names, spellings, or titles of your interviewers, call the office to doublecheck. Dont forget to sign your name on the letter or type your name at the conclusion of the email.

What should consider?

What if I suffer writers block?

Time takes precedence get a simple, appreciative thank you letter in the mail or email without delay and save your creative efforts for another time. If you are not sure what to write, review examples in books or on the Internet. Send individual messages to each person you interviewed with. Modify your message so each interviewer gets a unique thank you letter. Ask for a business card at the conclusion of each interview.

What if I interview with more than one person?

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Example Thank You Email

Subject Line: Interested in Marketing Manager Opportunity Dear John: I enjoyed speaking with you yesterday about the marketing manager position. I appreciated you sharing your vision for the start-up of the new division and I share your passion for identifying diverse talent to deliver on your objectives. As I learned in our meeting, the primary role for this position is to build community relationships and create a marketing plan to consistently communicate products and services to customers in targeted markets. I would like to remind you and emphasize that my military experience in a similar role allowed me to build strong community relationships in many markets, which I would be delighted to share. I have successfully created comprehensive marketing strategies to effectively maintain a strong brand for the military and am excited about transferring my abilities to do this for a large corporate firm. I am very interested in continuing the conversation about this role and where you see my talents fitting in with your organization. As we discussed in the interview, if I havent heard back by mid-week, I will call you on Thursday. Thank you for your time and I look forward to speaking with you again. Sincerely, Your Name Phone Email

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Next Steps
Where Do I Go From Here?
Now its time to get prepared! The following steps are suggestions to help you get started developing a strong interviewing presence.

Check box upon completion

Steps to Take Spend some time determining my skills and attributes. Prepare my interviewing outfit. (Check fit and color of clothes. Check condition of shoes.) Research information about the company. Write down specific examples where I have applied my skills. Determine the questions I want to ask. Think of examples where I added value in previous positions. Practice Tell Me About Yourself while looking in a mirror. Review Prepare to Answer Questions and my responses. After interviewing, evaluate the job fit against my criteria. Send a thank you email after each interview and to each person within 24 hours. See the Marketing Your Transferable Skills materials

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Additional Resources

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Competitive Skills for Todays Job Market

The job market is very competitive and requires skills beyond product knowledge. Most organizations seek candidates that have the competencies outlined below. In preparation for networking and interviewing, prepare examples or stories that will help the interviewer or contact understand that you do have these skills. Find ways to show how you have used and added value with these critical competencies.

Competency

Description

Your Interview Story

Big Picture Thinker

Provides perspective, future focus, visioning, with a broad view of issues and challenges. Well read and knowledgeable about the business, organization, and market. Articulates, writes and speaks succinctly, and listens to understand. Confident speaking voice. Able to synthesize information and accurately restate what others communicate. Maintains a standard of consistent responsiveness, information gathering, and follow through. Builds strong relationships, gaining trust and respect. Handles conflict well, diffusing difficult situations. Self-driven with the ability to assess situations and make independent decisions. Determinations based on information, analysis, experience, and wisdom.

Communication Skills

Customer Focused

Decision Making

Flexible/Adaptable Able to effectively shift directions and priorities when faced with the unpredictable. Copes with change and ambiguity, staying engaged while quickly developing a new focus. Open to new ideas.

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Competitive Skills for Todays Job Market

Competency Description Your Interview Story Initiative Motivated solution provider that looks beyond the job description. Uncovers business opportunities to benefit the group and highlight individual talents. Seen as a contributor that impacts department goals. Open to new ideas... Seen as resourceful and may act as a catalyst to change. Looks objectively at new ways of doing things. Creative in thought and action. Knows strengths, weaknesses, how they are seen by others, opportunities, and limits. Seeks feedback, receives input without defensiveness, and gains insight from mistakes. Relates well, builds rapport, and consistently contributes to the group. Possesses a diplomatic and tactful style. Known for having a collaborative spirit.

Innovative

Self-Awareness

Team Player

Technical Acumen Skilled in using various software products; Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint. Proficient in essential technical functions of the job. Open to learning and using new technologies. Time Management Uses time effectively, organizing work loads, setting priorities, and meeting deadlines. Can effectively handle multiple activities, using resources well to accomplish a goal.

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Online Tools & Resources

Military Skills Translator Sites
Search military job titles for skills list Military to Civilian Occupation Translator Military Skills Translator Military-to-Civilian Skills Translator Career One Stop Skills Profiler http://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/MOC?s=&g=Go http://www.acinet.org/acinet/moc/ http://www.military.com/skills-translator/mos-translator http://www.resumeedge.com/military/careercenter/skills.shtml

http://www.careerinfonet.org/skills/default.aspx?nodeid=20

Additional Military Resources

Military Abbreviations & Terminology http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/dod_dictionary/ http://www.militarywords.com/ http://www.military.com/benefits http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/military-payoverview http://www.militaryonesource.com http://www.dol.gov/vets/ http://www.vetsuccess.gov/ http://www.militaryconnection.com/virtualfairs.asp http://www.careeronestop.org/militarytransition/ http://www.quintcareers.com/former_military.html http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/tsm.aspx http://www.turbotap.org/register.tpp

Military Benefits Military Pay

Military OneSource US Department of Labor Dept of Veterans Affairs Military Connections Military Transition Assistance Quintessential Careers U.S. Office of Personnel Mgmt Virtual Training Sessions Offered by Dept of Defense

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Interviewing Resources on the Web

The Riley Guide: Interviewing http://www.rileyguide.com/interview.html A wonderful portal to many other resources on the Web

MSN Careers: Interviewing http://msn.careerbuilder.com/msn/category.aspx?category id=IV Lots of short articles and tips to review right before the big event!

Monster.com: Interview Center http://career-advice.monster.com/jobinterview/careers.aspx Comprehensive! If you cant find it here, it doesnt exist.

About.com: Interview and Networking http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/ Interesting content, but loaded with conspicuous, distracting advertising.

Quintessential Careers: Career tools/Career articles http://www.quintcareers.com/articles.html Articles on every aspect of careers and job search skills.

IMDiversity.com: What Interviewers Really Want to Know About You http://www.imdiversity.com/Villages/Careers/articles/prasad _what_interviewers_want_0604.asp Limited interviewing resources but targeted to minorities.

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