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Interviewing Tips for Candidates
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Telephone Interviewing Tips
The goal you want to accomplish during a telephone interview is to receive an invitation for an on-site interview.
On-site Interviewing Tips
The goal you want to accomplish for an on-site interview is to receive an offer of employment from the company.
Candidate questions to ask during an interview
Questions candidates should be prepared to answer during an interview
Behavioral Interviewing
Over the last several decades a newer style of interviewing has surfaced and gained in popularity. This interviewing method, called "Behavioral Interviewing", was actually developed in the 1970's. It focuses on past performance and behavior, and it is now estimated that over one-forth of all organizations utilize this method to some degree. Preparing for this type of interview is time well spent, and it has been proven that candidates who prepare for behavioral type interviews are better prepared for traditional interviews as well.
Companies that utilize the behavioral interviewing approach have determined specific skill sets that are required for a position. Such skills may include:
Questions asked during the interview process focus on bringing out those specific skill sets. The theory being, if you have the behavioral skill sets that match those needed by the position, you will be a better match for the position and company, thereby ensuring success.
Preparing for a behavioral interview takes more time because you will need to develop perhaps two or three illustrations. You will want to be (1) specific in stating the situation or task, (2) specific in describing the action you took and (3) specific in citing the results. As you practice "being specific" you will develop a better presentation of the behavior and this will help to ensure that you do not ramble. Listed below are some sample behavioral questions.
Please note, an important key to remember about Behavioral Interviewing is to reframe any of your negative experiences into positive ones. For instance, if the interviewer asks about a situation in which you "failed", you would add to your response, "What I learned from that experience was…" and/or "What I would do differently is…" Remember that mistakes and failures are part of life's lessons and are basically unavoidable, but they are very valuable reminders for making different choices in the future.
Preparing for a behavioral interview does take more time, but it is more than worth the effort. Review the position you are applying for and ask yourself questions like:
As you consider each question, review the list of basic skill sets (see above) to determine which "skills" might be part of your answer. Describe a specific situation, describe the action you took and then cite specific results. We have listed an example (below) that may be a helpful illustration.
Possible behavioral questions candidates should be prepared to answer during an interview
When answering behavioral questions, most companies look for the "Situation/Task" the "Action" and the "Result" and then "What you learned". For example, answering question number one below -
"A co-worker and I had a healthy disagreement about how to tackle a problem. He wanted to do it one-way and I wanted to do it another. Realizing that there are many ways to do certain tasks, I agreed to do it his way, keeping in mind the lessons learned from my way. We were able to accomplish the task in minimum time with both our efforts, and I even learned something to boot! His process was quicker than mine because it eliminated up-front investment and cost and maximized our company's goal of market share sooner."
Problem Solving
Leadership
Decision Making Interpersonal Skills
Communication skills
The Ability To Motivate Critical Thinking Abilities
Ability To Build Teams
Organizing and Planning Skills The Ability To Influence Others
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