Topic 6
Welcome to Topic 6. We are going to look at the interview process
and how you might answer questions about yourself. When interviewing for a job think about your skills and education then highlight your strengths and abilities. You have gained experience within your classes and within jobs you might have worked up to this point. When preparing for an interview script out your answers and try to anticipate the questions they might ask of you. Your answers should always have a positive direction and never complain or tell stories about things you didn’t like about a previous job.
The University of Central Florida has many online resources as well as in person to help you prepare for the upcoming interviews you might have. The career services center is available to help you. They offer job fairs and events to get you started in your job search.
Next go to http://www.perfectinterview.com/ucf/
Complete the interview process and answer at least 3 of the following questions. Please answer each of the three questions with 1-2 paragraphs.
How do you feel after taking this practice interview?
What is something valuable you learned from this exercise?
Can you ask a potential employer how much you will get paid?
If a potential employer asks you about your qualities what will you say?
What is your best or worst interview experience and why?
Have you interviewed for an internship and what was your experience?
NOTE: Please reply as three separate comments not as new posts but as replies
UNDER 3 separate posts to receive credit for Cornerstone class requirement.
Due date: Please post assignment by Sunday, March 25th.
Have a great week!
Nikki, Edison, Heather, Kristin, Rachel, Rikesh, Susanne and Victoria
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAfter "taking" this interview, I realize how hard it is to sell yourself to the interviewer, at least in the appropriate ways. A question asked, "Give an example of how you used practical knowledge to complete something important," seems so general. Questions like these are necessary to be thought of before the interview and scripted.
ReplyDelete-Natalie
Hi Natalie, I completely agree with what you are saying about tough interview questions. I personally have a lot of trouble coming up with answers to such general questions. Those types of questions are what make me nervous about interviews. I feel like I can answer the questions that directly pertain to the job position, but the abstract and vague questions I have trouble with. I think it may be helpful to look over some of the typical interview questions and prepare answers for them. Also participating in mock interviews would be helpful.
Delete-Randi Owen
Hi Natalie and Randi,
DeleteYou both make a great point in mentioning the difficulty of difficult questions. In my own experience I have come up with a few examples to keep "on tap" for interviews. I'm often asked to describe a difficult situation or crisis situation and how it was handled. For those I have a specific incident and I mention particular details based on what the interviewer is looking for.
Another thing that has helped, like Randi mentions, are mock interviews. I'm lucky in that I have a friend who is a recruiter for a staffing company so we've run few interview questions a few times if I am looking for a job.
You're both on the right track, as long as you seek ways to prepare you will be in a better position than your fellow interviewees.
Nikki
Nikki,
DeleteMock interviews are a great idea to get the edge off the nerves before an interview. I like also that you have specific situations already planned out for tough questions like these. Also, it doesn't sound so scripted because you customize the details to apply to your interviewer. I am going to use your suggestions to prepare for interviews in the future.
-Cristina Albert
That is what I struggled with too. The questions asked are so general that it is your choice where to you want to take the question. To me that is really hard to answer such general questions. And like you said, even harder to sell yourself when the questions are so general. I think it would be beneficial to prepare now for some of these more general questions. In addition, to really focus on selling yourself to your interviewer.
DeleteI do believe you may ask about salary in an interview. From my experience, it is definitely not the first concern you should reveal. However, at the end of what you feel was a successful interview, there is no harm done in inquiring. That will show you're confidence in yourself and the interview and that you are seriously interested in working for the company.
ReplyDelete-Natalie
Hi Natalie,
DeleteThis is a greatly debated topic and I'm always interested in seeing other people's perspectives. I don't think discussing salary at a first interview is a negative thing. Personally, I have had a general knowledge of a salary scale before going to an interview (there are sites like salary.com that can give you an industry average, etc). If the interviewer doesn't bring up salary/benefits I won't either. If they mention it then we can discuss.
I doubt there is a "correct" decision as to when salary talks begin. I suppose it depends on the circumstances and "feel" of how your interview is going.
This is an interesting topic. I agree with you both. Asking about pay during the first interview is not a bad thing like you mentioned. If anything this will show your interest in working for the company. But sometimes like Nikki mentioned it depends on the circumstances and flow of how the interview is going. So to play it say if they dont bring it up, maybe its not meant to come up. If they happen to touch on the topic, than thats when its best to discuss it.
Delete-Shatori Brockington
Natalie,
DeleteYou can ask about salary in an interview but I would think before going into the interview you would have some general knowledge. Whatever position you are applying for you can research the salary and job duties. Before going into an interview you should research the position and company. It gives you the upper hand to know what the employer is looking for and what to expect.
-Ashley Vanzant
When asked about my qualities, I would tell the interviewer that I was hard-working, determined, punctual, loyal and above all, passionate about working for their company. I would try and give examples to demonstrate these characteristics, and not just throw hollow promises at them without any evidence.
ReplyDelete-Natalie
Thanks Natalie! Those a great qualities to look for in any potential employee! In any new job, one must learn new policies, techniques, and dynamics to work with, and those qualities are good way to implicate your willingness to learn. Also adaptability is great within any situation and job. How do you think you will exemplify this to an interviewer? Do you have specific examples that would demonstrate these qualities? You want to be memorable as well, in a good way.
DeleteThanks,
Bethany Moore
Hi Natalie and Bethany,
DeleteWhile discussing qualities, be prepared for an interviewer to ask about your weaknesses as well. I have been in the job force for over a decade and this question still throws me for a loop from time to time. Having a general idea of how you will answer this question can be helpful if it happens to come up in an interview.
Nikki
Thanks Nikki! I always try to spin my weaknesses into strenghts as well :)
DeleteBethany
I believe my most important qualities that I should express to an interviewer are hard-working, dedicated, and passionate. I feel these are the most important characteristics because someone with these traits can be taught easily. I will probably not know everything there is to know for the job I am seeking, because every job is done a bit differently and there is always something to learn. The best employee is one who is willing to learn and maybe even change the way they do things. Also other employees want to be around people that share their same passion and keep them motivated. These qualities will make top employees and be the best fit for the company.
ReplyDelete-Randi Owen
Randi,
DeleteI would agree that professional development is wonderful in any profession. It allows an employee to grow and become a greater asset to the employer. I would also agree that employers want employees that are passionate and joyful. A person with a good attitude is infectious and vise verse with a negative attitude. An employer doesn’t want a negative Nancy walking around bringing everyone down. I have witness this in my own job setting. A person more than qualified for the position applied but didn’t receive the position because of their attitude.
-Ashley Vanzant
I have never interviewed for an internship, but I interviewed for a job. For one job I participated in a group interview and for a different job I had a one on one interview. I found that in the group interview it was much easier to come up with answers to the questions because you could build off what other people said, but the main goal was to stand out amongst the other candidates. The one on one interview was much more formal and made me more nervous. During both types of interviews, I was asked a lot of general questions about myself that I had never thought of before and questions about hypothetical situations.
ReplyDelete-Randi Owen
A very helpful tip in interviewing for a job is to get some background information on the company or corporation you are interviewing with. Find out what their mission statement is, their targeted audience or marketing audience, their philosophy, etc. Also, it is helpful to try and find a job description of the position you are applying for. This will enable you to reply to interview questions with specific answers that fit what they are looking for. This also shows that you have an interest in the company and an informed and prepared candidate.
DeleteWhat is your best or worst interview experience and why?
ReplyDeleteI will start with the worst job interview I experienced during my earlier years of job hunting. I read about this potential job in a newspaper article, everything I was looking for in a company. I wasted no time touching up my resume and faxing it over. I received a call two days later for an interview. I selected the right outfit, went over some of the questions I thought the interviewer might asked, and read frequently asked questions on job interviews. By the end of the night I felt well prepared for the following day. I was interviewed by two guys who were the assistant managers of two separate departments within the company, after a long and length interview about myself, my likes and dislikes, limitations and so much more I was exhausted. But to my surprise, I was informed that the manager will see me next. Immediately, I was questioned about the company, purpose, audience of interest, etc… (did not know that was part of the interviewing process). I can say it was clear to the interviewers that I had little to no information about the company. At the end, the manager (a female) kindly suggested for future reference to find out more about a potential employer. I worked ten years for the company but the interview I will never forget. Key point, learn as much as possible about a potential company before applying or the interview.
Kerline Leonard
Thanks Kerline! These are words to live by. This is most important if you are interviewing for a proffesional job, or anything you really see a future in. And one should be looking into a company they are seeking employment just to see if it a company they would be happy working for. I have looked at potential employers before, and after a google search, found a few unsavory facts about the company's practices that made it clear that I would not be well suited or happy in a job at that company. I think sometimes (us) college graduates get so desperate for a job, and an income, we look past such key steps.
DeleteThanks for the grat advice,
Bethany Moore
K. Leoonard,
DeleteWhat a down but insightful experience. When I was younger I had the same thing happen to me. I prepared like you getting the perfect outfit and reviewing questions in my head but failed to research the company. I was beyond embarrassed and felt as if I wasted both the interviews and my time. I am glad that I learned that lesson early on. I have found it to beneficial when applying for a job. It shows the employer that you are serious. Thanks for sharing the story and advice.
Bethany,
The search for a job can become stressful and allow "us" to skip or past "key steps". I think the best thing to do is relax and review a simple "before interview" check list.
-Ashley Vanzant
Can you ask a potential employer how much you will get paid?
ReplyDeleteI believe it is against proper etiquette to inquire about salary at the beginning or middle of the interviewing process. According to Virginia Tech, the interviewee should not ask about salary or benefits until the interviewer brings up the topic. But with the same company I mentioned, in my worst interview experience, I made the unfortunate mistake of asking how much will I get paid? In reply the manager stated, “If we decide to hire you we’ll go over the details of salary.” I’ve been told it is proper to ask this question when the interviewer asks if you have any questions or if everything seems settled and salary has not been mentioned, kindly approach the subject. But, Humbert of Fortune magazine warns, it is impractical to ask this question to soon, because you really don’t have a good understand of what the job entails.
Kerline Leonard
In the past, I have waited until a call back interview to approach the subject of salary. It is a good idea to research a reasonable salary range for the position you are applying for. Remember, a business wants to get help at the cheapest price possible. It is not a bad thing to try and negotiate a salary.
DeleteIf a potential employer asks you about your qualities what will you say?
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe it is a question of “if” employers will ask this question. I would rely mostly on my characteristic and personality traits. I would highlight three of my strongest qualities, team player, reliable, and a high preference for diversity. I have work in many group projects and have never encountered a problem, if the need arise I will take charge and perform to the best of my abilities. I have always been relied upon as a reliable person in both world’s occupation and personal life. I believe that diversity is the revolving door to global knowledge, the more opportunity one gets to learn from another with different sets of value and/or beliefs the more that individual will grow. These are my strongest qualities which I continue to improve upon through self-improvement training and life-long learning.
Kerline Leonard
I think the results of my interview were good, except I would have liked to see a set up for a graduate school interview, because that is my next step. After graduation I hope to attend dental school, and the application and interview process can be a long, and tedious one. My strategy to answering the interviewer was to stay positive, and always focus on what I have learned and what I hope to learn/achieve in the future. I always try to make sure I state my intentions with the company as well. I never try to answer what I might think they want to hear, because, ultimately, the goal is to find a job that I right for me and right for the company so I will work there for a long time and have a prosperous future there. If I wasn’t honest, and got the job I don’t think it would work out in the grand scheme of things.
ReplyDeleteBethany Moore
Hi Bethany,
DeleteYou have some great tools in getting through the interview process. Specifically that you are looking for the right job for both yourself and the company. This is key, in my opinion. Often people have to take whatever job they can get, even if it's a bad fit. This is detrimental to everyone involved.
A friend who is a hiring manager once said that it takes approximately 4-6 months before her company is able to fully train/use a new employee. That is a lot of time/money for either party to waste if the fit isn't right.
As far as the graduate school style interview, if you know of/shadow with a dentist you could possibly ask them for tips or questions they faced during their interview?
Nikki
Thanks Nikki! I have shadowed and it was great experience, but more experience would help even more!
DeleteI can't imagine working somewhere for 6 months just to find it wasn't working out. What a waste of time!
Thanks for the comments,
Bethany
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ReplyDeleteAfter taking this practice interview, I felt a little scared. I even got nervous for it like I normally would for a job interview.To feel out the variety of questions a potential employer would ask, I took two practice interviews. I feel completely unprepared now, even though my last life-altering interview I landed and got more pay and more hours than I applied for. I'm not sure if it's because I'm still contemplating what to do when I graduate, but I know this is a wake up call to get organized.
ReplyDelete-Cristina
Can I ask a potential employer how much I will get paid? Absolutely. We all need money to live, and the goal is to get paid more than your last job. Also, I look competitive pay and ask questions that give me a sense of how the employer treats his or her current employees. Of course, all of this is done in a subtle and tasteful way. Knowing the pay is only one of the details you want to know about a job before jumping into it.
ReplyDelete-Cristina
Great job interviewing skills include being able to highlight your experience and strengths. accomplishing this without sounding like you are boasting can be done by sticking with the facts, being assertive on important points, and being detailed in your weaknesses. One question that's often asked in job interviews is.
ReplyDelete"What do you think are your 3 greatest strengths and your 3 greatest weaknesses?"
A good answer to this question would be to state your 3 strengths that offset your weakness. This will also link with being assertive on the most important points. For example, if the job description requires manufactin efficiency, this is the time to broadcast your skills relevant to the job. I always remember that my goal in an interview should be to convince the interviewer that I'm compotent and the right person for the job. To do this, I cant be afraid of showing off my strenths.
-Shatori Brockington
I believe you can ask a future employer how much you will get paid; however, you should not make it seem like that is what you are most interested in. Although I think you should wait until the end of the interview to see how the interview went. If you feel that the interview went well, and then asks at the end when the interviewer asks if you have any questions or concerns, about the salary.
ReplyDelete-Erica Vazquez
If a potential employer asked about my qualities I would say that they include loyalty, hard-working, working with others, punctual, reliable. I feel that these are all very important traits to have for any career. I would try to explain to them why I said those are my qualities and why I feel they are important for a career. However I know that they will most likely also ask me what my weakest qualities are so I will try to answer those with a positive direction as well.
ReplyDelete-Erica Vazquez
How do you feel after taking this practice interview?
ReplyDeleteAfter taking the practice interview I realized that you are not always going to be asked easy questions. Some questions may require a little more thought than other. With all of those nervous neves and trying to impress your future employer; its very easy to mess up some of those critical thinking questions. Interviewing skills can be learned though, so if you mess up one interview you have the chance to brush up your skills and be better at the next one.
-Shatori Brockington
What is your best or worst interview expericence? why?
ReplyDeleteI lost my job and was unemployed for almost two years. I had been applying to jobs for a whole year. I redid my resume and cover letters more times than I could count. It became a bit discouraging because a lot of companies were not taking on any bait. FINALLY, after about 6 months I got a call for an interview as a pharmacy tech. I had applied to so many jobs that I didn't even remember applying to this company. I knew very little about the position, but decided to go anyways. During the interview, I was a mess, verbally speaking. I was so nervous and unknowledgable about the position that I could not think of words to say. Every other word out of my mouth was, "Um". As my luck ran out, I was aksed to take a pharmacy tech test. I failed it, of course and ruined my chances of getting the job. Even though I didnt get the job, this was a learning experience and I had the chance to brush up on my interviewing skills for future interviews.
-Shatori Brockington
My worst job interview experience would have to probably be one of my first interviews, I had heard about the job from a friend she had said there was an opening so I applied. When interviewing for a job it’s good to study the job and know about the position you are looking for. It’s not that I didn’t know what position I applied for, but I didn’t know all that it required so when I was asked questions I was unable to answer them properly. It was a learning experience, study up on the company and the position you are applying for.
ReplyDelete-Erica Vazquez
I have never done an official interview, so taking that was very helpful for me to kind of get a sense of what questions I could potentially get asked. Some of the questions I was already anticipating them being asked because they are just general questions that all employers need to know the answers to. However, I wasn't prepared when he threw a curve ball at me and said my experience didn't really have anything to do with the job, and I had to somewhat explain myself. I wasn't really prepared for that. This interview helped me to realize that before interviews I need to prepare myself for the unexpected and learn how to react to the tricky questions interviewers can potentially ask.
ReplyDeleteSomething valuable that I think I learned is you have to really sell yourself to the interviewer. You don't want to be arrogant and self-centered but you do have to present yourself in a reasonable manner. There were several general questions asked and on those I think you have to come up with an answer that is going to stand out in front of the rest. Anyone can list out their short and long term goals, but what is going to separate you from the rest of the interviewees. I have to learn how to really sell myself in a way that helps me to stand out in the crowd.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, after taking this practice interview I know there are some things that I can improve upon. It was surprising to me because I thought that I was pretty well polished. However, this does not seem to be the case. I really liked this exercise.
ReplyDelete-Travis Burnett
My best interview experience was my interview for the job that I currently have in the Emergency Room at Florida Hospital. When I went into the interview I felt very confident, and I had already had some previous job experience. I think this helped a lot because I remember some of the insecurities I had in my first job interview. The first job I applied for was at Buckle, a clothing store. When I went into the interview I feel like I came across as fake and trying WAY too hard, so the manager was probably turned off by that. That was by far my worst interview.
ReplyDelete-Travis Burnett
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ReplyDeleteI have only interviewed for one internship and it didn't go very well. I was not prepared at all for was required of me so I looked extremely incompetent to the people who would be selecting the lucky few who got the internship. However, I'm glad that I did decide to try and get the internship and go through that process because I think I feel more prepared if the need arises in the future.
ReplyDelete-Travis Burnett