Business Communication Workshop

Business Communication Workshop Course Coordinator: AyyazQadeer Lecture # 29

Interviewing and Follow-Up Messages

We have discussed…. • Typical hiring sequence • Types of interviews: • What an employer looks for • Preparing for an Interview • Things to do for an interview • Potential discriminatory topics • Succeeding in a telephone screening interview

We have discussed…. • Preparing for a Hiring/Placement Job Interview: investigate the target organization; study the job description; practice answers to typical interview questions; expect to explain problem areas on your résumé; build interviewing experience with less important jobs first • Sending positive nonverbal messages

Fighting Job Interview Fears • Practice interviewing as often as you can, particularly with real companies. • Prepare 110 percent. • Know how you will answer the most frequently asked questions. • Be ready with your success stories. • Rehearse your closing statement.

Fighting Job Interview Fears • Take deep breaths, particularly before the interview. • Remember that during some parts of the interview you will be in charge. • Remember that you are also evaluating the interviewer and his or her organization. This should give you confidence.

Five Important Areas Employers Will Probe • Communication skills. How well do you present yourself and your ideas? • Attitude. Do you have a positive attitude about yourself and your career? • Aptitude. Do your educational training and general life experiences qualify you for this position?

Five Important Areas Employers Will Probe • Potential. How do your attitude and aptitude combine to contribute to this company? • Motivation. What are your short- and long-term career goals? Why do you want this job?

Answering Interview Questions Effectively • Use the interviewer's name occasionally. • Be sure you understand the question asked. If necessary, clarify vague questions by asking questions of your own, such as "By _ _ _ _ do you mean _ _ _ _?" • Use good English and enunciate clearly. • Avoid answering with a simple "yes" or "no."

Answering Interview Questions Effectively • Aim your answers at key requirements for the job and at characteristics that interviewers seek: expertise, competence, communication skills, and enthusiasm for the job. • Do not lie. • Don't be a "know-it-all." Don't be overbearing, overly aggressive, or conceited.

Answering Interview Questions Effectively • Never make derogatory statements about your present or former employers. • Show what you can do for the company; avoid an attitude of "What can you do for me?" • Don't inquire about salary, vacations, and bonuses until the interviewer raises the issue or until you are offered the position.

Ten Standard Interview Questions • What would you like to tell me about yourself? • Why do you want this job? • What best qualifies you for this job? • What are your key strengths? • What are your weaknesses?

Ten Standard Interview Questions • What did you like and dislike about your last job? • Do you consider yourself a team player? Why? • What are your career goals? • Where do you expect to be five years from now? • What salary do you expect to receive?

Ten Good Questions for You to Ask • What will my duties be? • Do you have a written job description for this position? • What is it like working here, in terms of the people, management practices, work loads, expected performance, and rewards?

Ten Good Questions for You to Ask • What training programs does this organization offer? • What are the possibilities for promotion? • What is the first problem that needs the attention of the person you will hire? • What is the organizational structure, and where does this position fit within it?

Ten Good Questions for You to Ask • Who would be my immediate supervisor? • What is the salary for this position? • When will I hear from you regarding further action on my application?

Conclude gracefully Discuss salary Know when to negotiate Know what to negotiate The Closing

Closing a Job Interview and Following Up • When the interviewer signals the end of the interview, stand up and shake hands. • Find out what action will follow. Ask, "When can I expect to hear from you?" • After his or her reply, say "If I don't hear from you by then, may I call you?" • Thank the interviewer. • Say goodbye to the receptionist.

Closing a Job Interview and Following Up • Take notes on the interview as soon as you leave. • Alert your references that they might be called. • Write a thank-you letter to the interviewer. Remind the interviewer of your visit. Show that you really want the job and that you are qualified for it.

The Thank-You Message • Write it within two days. • Restate the job you’re applying for. • Mention special qualifications. • Convey continued interest. • Politely ask for decision. • Acknowledge interviewer’s time and courtesy. • Don’t forget the liberal use of “you” attitude.

Other Follow-up Messages • The letter of inquiry • The request for a time extension • The letter of acceptance • The letter declining a job offer • Letter of resignation

Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge • How does a structured interview differ from an open-ended interview and a situational interview? • What typically occurs during a stress interview? • Why do employers conduct preemployment testing? • Why are the questions you ask during an interview as important as the answers you give to the interviewer's questions? • What are the three stages of every interview, and which is the most important?

Let’s Discuss Test Your Knowledge continued • How should you respond if an interviewer at a company where you want to work asks you a question that seems too personal or unethical? • What should you say in a thank-you message after an interview? • What is the purpose of sending a letter of inquiry after an interview? • What is the legal significance of a letter of acceptance? • What organization plan is appropriate for a letter of resignation, and why?

Thank You

Business Communication Workshop