Applying and Interviewing for Employment

- Use a 3 step process to create attention getting letters
- Impress with knowledge and professionalism
- opening paragraph should convey the reason your writing and keep the reader compelled.
- Middle section should expand your opening and present more strengths
- Do not bring up salary, unless previously for a requirement
- Final paragraph, ask for a specific action and how they should respond.
- Think about a follow up message: show any additions to your skills or how you have learned more about the company
- May be interviewed several times before an offer.

The following is a website with many videos of job interviews:

http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html

- Differentiate yourself from other candidates in the screening stage.
- selection stage: may interview with several people
-final stage: interviewer may try to sell you on working at the firm
- Follows a set sequence and allows the interview team to compare answers of different potentials.
-Open ended interview: adapts line questions based on your responses.
- Panel interview: meet several interviewers at once
- Group Interview: one employer, group of candidates
- Behavioral interviews: address how you handled situations in the past
- Situational interview: asked to explain how to handle various situations
- Working interview: preform real or fake work tasks
- Stress interviews: show how you will handle things in the future

Here are websites with tips for different interviews:

Panel Interviews: http://www.best-job-interview.com/panel-interview-tips.html

Group Interviews:http://www.job-application-and-interview-advice.com/group-interview-tips.html

Behavioral Interviews:http://www.brockport.edu/career/behave.htm

Situational Interviews:http://www.careerchoiceguide.com/situational-interview.html

Working Interviews:http://www.careercc.com/interv3.shtml

Stress Interviews:http://www.indobase.com/resumes/stress-interview.html

- Use a variety of media when interviewing ex: virtual meetings

- A telephone interview is just as important as if it were in person
- if interviewing by email, be sure to double check responses before sending
- If video interviewing, speak to the camera as though you are addressing a person
- Computer based interviews can be simple structured to realistic job situations
-Suitability is based on (1) academic preparation (2) work experience (3) job related personality traits
- Compatibility with an organization is based on a personal, background, attitudes, and style.
- Expect questions about personal interests, world events, and many other topics
- Pre-employment tests shows objectives, quantitative information, and information about skills and habits
- employers expect you to know something about the company and the industry.
- Be prepared to relate your qualifications to he organization's needs.
- practice answering questions and be prepared, so you can respond with confidence.
- Plan questions to ask the interviewer to see if the job meets your goals as well.
- Think of how to relate to skills and accomplishments
- Build confidence to prepare thoroughly and address shortcomings as best as you can
- Stage mock interviews to prepare
- Nonverbal behavior has an effect on the interviewer's opinions.... The way you speak is just as important as what you say
- be well groomed and dress conservatively, the employer will judge you on your view of what is appropriate
- Be ready as soon as you arrive at the interviewing site, do not fumble when you get to the site
- Stay on your toes
- Be prepared to face substantial questions at the beginning of the interview.
- Make sure to emphasize tour strengths
- Pay attention to your verbal and non verbal messages you are sending-
- Interviewers know what they shouldn't and think about how you would respond to an unlawful question
- Make sure to end with courtesy and enthusiasm

Here is a website of how and why job interviews should be followed up:

http://www.quintcareers.com/job_interview_follow-up.html

- Six types of Follow Up Messages
1. Thank you message
2. Message of inquiry
3. Request for a time extension
4. letter of acceptance
5. Letter of declining a job offer
6. Letter of resignation

This following is a link to a video of what not to do at a job interview:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2664192855320111160#