Lecture Business and administrative communication: Chapter 14 - Kitty O. Locker, Donna S. Kienzler

Chapter 14 - Interviewing, writing follow-up messages, and succeeding in the job. After studying this chapter, you will know: What interview channels you may encounter, how to create a strategy for successful interviewing, what preparations to make before you start interviewing, what to do during an interview, how to answer common interview questions, how to prepare for less common interview types, what to do after an interview.

Chapter 14

Interviewing, Writing Follow-Up Messages, and

Succeeding in the Job

 Know protocols and expectations

 Provide good details and professional stories about your work

 Focus on 3-4 selling points

 Narrows list of candidates

 Speak distinctly

 Treat the interview like an in-person interview

 Find a quiet, private location

 Make sure your phone works

Focus on 3-4 selling points

 Video interviews

 Preparing a video

 Participating in videoconference

1. What about yourself do you want the

interviewer to know?

2. What disadvantages or weaknesses do

you need to minimize?

3. What do you need to know about the job and the organization to decide on a job

offer?

 Read

 Ask people you know about the organization

 Find out who will interview you and research

them, if possible

 Determine salary ranges for job/location

 Short, powerful statement of why you’re a

good candidate (2 min max)

 Uses carefully selected details to sound

convincing

 Helpful in a variety of situations

 Group interviews

 Receptions with company employees

 Brief, one-on-one conversations

 Find building and closest parking

 Plan how much time you’ll need to get

there

 Leave time margins for unexpected

events (e.g., traffic jams, broken

elevators)

 Plan transportation and schedule, if flying

most common

dress a step above

 Extra copies of your résumé

 Notepad, pen, and list of questions

 Copies of your work or a portfolio

 Reference information

A low-cost briefcase will carry these items

 Put on the clothes you’ll wear

 Practice everything

 Entering a room

 Shaking hands

 Sitting down

 Answering questions

 Use video equipment if available

Answering out loud

is much harder than answering in

your head!

 Be punctual

 Practice active listening

 Do not monopolize interviews with

lengthy monologues

 Never say anything bad about current or

former employers, including schools

 Be enthusiastic

 Be yourself—your best self

 Record the following briefly

during or right after the interview

 Interviewer’s name (or names)

 Advice given to you

 What they liked about you

 Negative points discussed

 Answers to your questions

 When you’ll hear from them

Sections

 Opening (2 to 5 minutes)

 Body (10 to 25 minutes)

 Close (2 to 5 minutes)

 Tell me about yourself

 Walk me through your résumé

 Why do you want to work for us?

 What have you read recently?

 What are your greatest strengths?

 What is your greatest weakness?

 What questions do you have?

 Behavioral: Describe past behaviors

 Situational: Situation similar to the job

 Stress: See how you handle pressure

 Group: Multiple candidates at once

 Multiple: A series of interviews

Final Steps: Follow­Up

 Wait for job offer to talk about

salary

 Find out going rate for work

 Avoid naming a specific salary

 Negotiate package, not just

starting salary

 Are you willing to take work home?

 Would you want firm deadlines or flexible schedule?

 What kinds of opportunities for training and advancement are you seeking?

 Where do you want to live?

Starting Your Career