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Interviews
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SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWS
This guide is designed to give you maximum interviewing preparation in minimum time. Finish it the day you start, then review and update it in the future (preferably for every interview/application). You can print this guide as many times as you need, so please, print it out and write in answers.

Here are the steps to prepare you: 1. Understand: yourself Your story, skill-set, personality, strengths, and weaknesses 2. Practice: Learn to interview effectively How will you meet the managers and companys needs? Sample questions and answers 3. Apply: Find and a apply to jobs Finding what you want Resumes and cover letters 4. Understand: your potential employer Preparing to interview 5. Decide: Is this job for you?

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I am responsible for my own success or failure. I will complete the exercises in this workbook.
Session
1

Topic
I read all of Step 1: Understand Yourself I answered the questions in the Personal Narrative section I took the Meyers Briggs personality test & described my personality I wrote 3 examples of my teamwork abilities I wrote 4 strengths I have I wrote 2 potential weaknesses I may have I read all of Step 2: Learn to Interview Effectively I completed Exercise 1 I completed Exercise 2 I completed Exercise 3 I read all of Step 3: Find and Apply to a Job I defined the things I want in a job I created or modified my cover letter and resume I read all of Step 4: Understand Your Potential Employer I answered questions about the company, interviewers, and industry I read all of Step 5: Is This Job is Right for You? I considered the positives and negatives associated with this job opportunity I reread the workbook and my answers. I adjusted my answers if necessary.

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STEP 1: UNDERSTAND YOURSELF Be comfortable with the narrative of your career as a professional. Tell people your unique story from education to current-day position. Many people fail to concisely define their strengths, weaknesses, and experiences, and as a result, they appear uninterested, unprepared, and incompetent during an interview. Personal Narrative First, learn to describe who you are as a person. If your life is not interesting, you need to make it interesting (not for the sake of interviewing, but for the sake of you). You need to be passionate and alive about where you have been and where you will go. You need to suggest that you have always made previous life-decisions intentionally and they fulfilled a part of your life purpose. This is not always true, but its a good exercise in positivity to perceive it as so. Being positive is the single best thing which will improve your career and your life.

Concept
Why did you decide to become a (fill in your job here)? Why did you choose to go to the school you went to? How did you get here and where are you going? What previous jobs have you had and what has led you to apply for other jobs? What interests you, what are some of your passions? How do you want to be remembered when you are dead?

Answer

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Technical Skills Technical skills are the guts of many interviews. If you are a recent graduate, you probably dont understand what your skill-set is if you havent worked in industry (its not that you dont have skills, you just dont yet understand how they are utilized in industry) . The following exercises will help illuminate what technical skills you may have.

Concept
What is your educational background? Highest degree received? Name of Degree? What unique classes have you taken beyond what is standard with your degree? List 3 What projects have you worked on that demonstrate your ability to problem-solve and achieve goals? List 3 Best: Which classes have you done the best and worst in, and why? List 2 of your best classes and why, Worst: and two of your worst classes and why.

Answer

Have you attended any continuing education classes or conferences? List 3 continuing education experiences List experience with different software programs applicable to your job. List 2.

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Personality It is necessary to understand your personality to be a successful employee. You must understand where your comfort zone exists and why, how you communicate, and how you interact. Honestly assessing your personality helps you exploit your strengths and rectify your weaknesses. What is your personality? o Take the Meyers-Briggs personality test to better understand yourself o Free Meyers-Briggs test available here: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp o Research your personality type on the internet (Google your four letters) o Using the above results, describe your personality in your own words

My Personality Is

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Teamwork Teamwork is the premise of every companymultiple people are given goals and expected to achieve those goals by exploiting individual strengths and collectively covering any weaknesses. How have you functioned as part of a team? Think of three examples in which you were a member of a team. For each example, answer the questions below.

Examples of Teamwork
What was the project? How did you contribute to the team? What would you do the same and differently next time?

What was the project? How did you contribute to the team? What would you do the same and differently next time?

What was the project? How did you contribute to the team? What would you do the same and differently next time?

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Strengths Everybody has strengths. The difference in interviews is making your strengths seem applicable and real. If you say you are self-motivated, you need to provide an example. If you say you are anything, you need to provide an example. You also need to describe how your strength will contribute in the job for which you are interviewing. What are 4 strengths that you have demonstrated?

Strength

Example

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Weaknesses Interviewers often want to determine what the interviewees weaknesses are. To satisfy the interviewer, you need to give them some answers, but you also need to spin the answers to demonstrate how they have become a strength (see example in Appendix). To prepare for weaknesses you may need to address, do the following: o Compare your resume to the job description. What aspects do you seem least qualified for according to the job description? If you dont have a specific job description, research several job openings in your field to use as guides. o What can you do to mitigate that shortcoming (as a last resort, you can at least say you are a fast learner and eager to learn new things)? o Write down 3 issues that may come up (it appears you dont have _______ qualification). Add an explanation for how to mitigate this potential weakness.

Weakness

Response

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STEP 2: LEARN TO INTERVIEW EFFECTIVELY

Answer questions tactfully by conveying your experience and personality as fitting the needs of the manager and company. This is the most important part of interviewing. Its not just what you know; its how you communicate what you know. Some guidelines to remember (things youve hopefully heard before): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Do not lie. Rehearse your answers. Never be negativeabout anything or anyone. Interviews are not about your wants and needs, they are about how you can meet and exceed the companys needs. Be the best prepared, best dressed, nicest, most well-mannered, and most eloquent person in the room. Dont talk for more than 3 minutes at a time. Speak naturally. The examples below are not for you to rehearse and memorize, they are for you to consider. You should smoothly weave in the correct content in a variety of situations.

Use the following questions as a guide to prepare yourself for a variety of questions during an interview.

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Question
Tell me about yourself?

Translation
Are you interesting or annoying?

Answer Ideas
Succinctly summarize your experience in engineering and how you think it has prepared you for this job. Dont tell your life story. Life stories are messy. You can tell a short, succinct, non-messy version of your life story if you like. Review your strengths with brief examples. You should have several examples of minor weaknesses that you turn into strengths. Note: Some interviewers will give you a silent treatment after discussing your weaknesses. They do this to try to draw out more weaknesses. This can be awkward if not handled correctly (either you both sit in silence for a long time, or you crack and blurt out a lot of terrible things you have done). The best way to handle it is to let the silence sit for a moment, then take the initiative and ask is there anything else I can add to that answer for you? Cite specific aspects of the job description you found appealing and connect them to your experience. Cite the company culture as a place where you could thrive.

What are you strengths and weaknesses?

Whats wrong with you that I should know about?

Are you actually interested in this job or What made you interested in this job? did you accidentally end up here?

Cite an example of how you deal with stress calmly and effectively. Typically, you How do you deal with Can I count on you when I should be professional, communicative, and collaborative which allowed you to swiftly need you? stress? create an effective solution. How do you function in a team? Are you the lazy or annoying team member? Can you still think under pressure? What is your problem-solving process? Are you willing to make estimations to arrive at approximate solutions, or do you suffer from Analysis-Paralysis Look back to your personality test and cite examples of recent projects you have worked on with a team. Link how your contributions made the project a success.

How many golf balls would it take to fill this room?

Describe how you are going through the approximating. For example, I would say 1000 golf balls would fit in that medium fridge over there, and that this room is about 5 fridges tall by 10 wide by 20 long, so thats 1000 fridges each with 1000 golf balls which is 1,000,000 golf balls.

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Question

Translation
i. If this is a phone interview, they are probably killing time while they email. ii. The interviewer already knows if they will hire or not hire you, now they are just killing time. iii. The interviewer is working on a similar project, and he wants to know if you know what you say you know. Will you stick around? Or am I going to be going through this God-awful hiring process again in two years? How much can I make you travel before pushing your limits? When a crisis hits can I dump it on you and know that it will be done within 24 hours?

Answer Ideas

Tell me about this random thing on your resume.

Either way, give a detailed answer (within the confines of any existing Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)) of what you did. If you are constrained by an NDA, mention it, your interviewer will be glad to know you respect them and are conscious of them. It also gives you a way out if they want to know details you dont know. For example, I dont feel comfortable talking about the material properties because of my NDA.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What are your longterm goals?

This is tricky. Usually, its best to talk about how in the next five years youre simply planning on getting really good at whatever job youre interviewing for. Eventually, of course, you would like to move up either by getting more education or more qualifications, or move into a supervisory or managerial role. If you do want to move, focus on your movement staying within the company. Answer honestly. If you are a recent graduate, you dont know what travel means. It can be fun, but its also living in a hotel room in places far away from everyone and everything you love. 25% is being away for one week every month. Thats my limit, think about what yours is. If youre a workaholic, say so. If not, say that you enjoy time with your family but have been able to effectively meet the demands of work in previous situations. Talk about your ability to work efficiently.

How much travel is too much?

Do you mind working long hours?

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Question

Translation

Answer Ideas
Identify positive strengths that your interviewer demonstrated with examples. Say you wish you could give more constructive feedback but youve never interviewed anyone so you are not qualified for that. The trick here is the interviewer wants to know if you have the guts to give constructive feedback, and more importantly, if you can do it without being harsh. Nobody actually likes constructive feedback, wise people just accept it as unfortunately necessary. Be positive, dont be harsh, and give examples so your answer doesnt sound generic. Never badmouth any person, company, or industry. Never state that you had a personality clash or got the short end of the stick. These all make you look bad. Talk about your future goals and how this new company may be a better fit for you. If you are not totally invested in leaving your current employer, say so. This will let your interviewer know he/she needs to make your job offer sweeter to draw you away. Emphasize choices you have made which have prolonged your job search. For example, say that after you lost your last job, you didnt want to take the first opportunity, but you felt it was important to find the right fit, and thats what brought you to this company which seems like the perfect fit. Also discuss market trends such as a recession which was out of your control. Discuss what you value about this job and how your over qualifications make you a better fit. For example, if you have too much experience talk about how you can contribute more quickly. Talk about how you want a good job, and you value the culture of the company and the people you work with over your job title.

How am I as an interviewer?

Whats your criticism style?

Why are you considering leaving (or why did you leave) your current employer?

Was there some problem you had there?

Why have you been out of work:

Is there something wrong with you I should know about? Will you grow dissatisfied and as soon as you get a better opportunity will you leave?

Arent you overqualified for this position?

What are your other options right now?

Always make yourself seem as wanted as possible. This will justify and increase your potential employers valuation of you. As a general rule in life (except for spouses and Are you a hot commodity? children) try to have multiple options lined up. Whether that be graduate schools, other jobs, or staying at your current job, its beneficial to always be in a stronger bargaining position than your interviewer.

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Question
What do you do in your free time?

Translation
Are you interesting?

Answer Ideas
If you have a good hobby, talk about it. If you dont really know what you do in your free time, NOW is the time to think about it. Be able to state it clearly and smoothly. For example, dont say you like to work out, say youre health-conscious or working towards being a cross-fit instructor or something more impressive. Small changes in verbiage make you seem more sophisticated, and sophisticated is the name of the game.

Exercise Your Interview Muscles

Interview Preparation Exercises

Exercise 1 Exercise 2 Find a mirror someplace you can be alone. Read each of the above questions aloud and answer them. When you answer, maintain eye contact with yourself in the mirror. Do this until your answers are smooth. Repeat Exercise 1 with a recorder (recorders are now on most smartphones and computers) to capture your answers. Playback your answers and critique yourself. Repeat Exercise 1 using a video and audio recording device. Again, use your smartphone or computer to do this. Critique yourself in terms of your posture, eye contact, and any weird ticks you have when you talk (e.g. saying umm before each answer, looking down while youre talking, making puffy cheeks while you think, etc.). For the record, we all do weird things when we talk. This isnt about seeing if you have problems, its about finding your problems and fixing them now.

Exercise 3

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STEP 3: FIND AND APPLY TO A JOB Getting an interview for a job can be difficult. Most people do not know what they want in a job until theyve survived several jobs. Here is your to-do list: 1. 2. 3. 4. Define what you think you want Find an employer who values your skills Apply to those employers who value your skills During the interview, explain to them what you want in a job. If they want you, they will do what they can to give you what you want.

Every resume and cover letter should be tailored to a specific organizations needs. Thats right, your cover letter and resume will probably change with every application.

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What do you want in a job? You need to define what you think you want in a job. Some people know, most people have no real idea, and everyone changes their wants over time.

Characteristics of Jobs
Societal Impact Work/Life Balance Career Potential

Think About It
Whats the significance of a job in this industry? What are your hours at work? Are you expected to stay connected via phone and/or email after hours? How flexible is your day-to-day schedule? How would this job prepare you for your next career step? Can you grow within the company? Is this company respected by the industry (will other companies seek you out?). What are the people you work with like? (Note: company culture is often defined as the companys mission statement, goals, and advertising, but really, for you, it all boils down to who you work with). See Appendix for examples of negative work environments. Will you be mentored as you grow into your role? Will you be happy working with these types of people?

Company Culture

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Professional Resumes & Cover Letters Make your resume look professional:

Do
Do use Action verbs at the beginning of each bullet point Do keep content concise (1 page unless youre legitimately a big deal) Do utilize a professional layout (e.g. use a free Microsoft Word resume template.) Be specific if possible (while respecting NDAs)

Do Not
Do not use any needless words on your resume Do not exaggerate your accomplishments Do not have grammar or syntax mistakes Do not write an objective statement unless space is available

Write an Excellent Cover Letter:

Do
Do be concise (3 paragraph structure) Do use keywords appearing in the job description Do revise your cover letter with each opportunity

Do Not
Do not use the same cover letter repeatedly. Each cover letter should be tailored to a specific job. Do not be self-centered. Speak about how you can help the company. Do not have grammar or syntax mistakes.

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STEP 4: UNDERSTAND YOUR POTENTIAL EMPLOYER Learn about your potential employer. This should not take more than an hour, and can be done entirely online. 1. 2. 3. 4. Search their website Review any online articles concerning your employer Learn about the industry they serve Learn about the individuals who will be interviewing you (if possible)

Questions About the Company

What is the companys mission statement? What kinds of products do they make or what markets do they service? What recent changes has the company gone through?

Questions About the Interviewers

What aspects of the company do your interviewers represent? Technical engineers, mid-level management, Human Resources, etc. What are their responsibilities within the company?

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Questions About the Industry

What changes are the company and industry going through right now, for better or worse?

Why do you want to work in this industry?

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STEP 5: IS THE JOB FOR YOU? You should always be fully committed to the job during the interview (i.e. your interview answers should reflect your certainty that this is the best job for you and you are the best person for the job). After the interview, you can consider whether or not you want the job if a job offer is given to you. This gives you: 1. Practice 2. Options 3. Connections As a rule, most managers dont like going through the hiring process. As a result, if they offer you a job and you turn it down, they are usually still interested in hiring you if several weeks or months later you realize you are better off with them. They have already vetted you, and they will often hire you if possible. Companies can take hours or months to get back to you with a job offer. Usually the smaller the company, the faster they will get back to you (within days). Never accept a job on the spot without reviewing the offer, speaking with your family, and clarifying any ambiguity. It is standard to give a person two weeks to decide; however, occasionally you may only have a single day. If a small company is strong-arming you to make a decision, dont give in. It is your life. Use the following table to guide your determination of appropriate jobs.

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Topic
Personal (Family, Social Life)

Think About It
Your family is forever, your career is not. Do not get starry-eyed and chase a dream which will make your significant other and children indefinitely dissatisfied and unhappy. Life is about balance, and balance means sacrifice. Will you love or hate working there because of: o Your responsibilities o Work schedule o Personalities (manager(s) and coworker(s)) o Location You need your manager to support you in order to succeed, both in the workplace and beyond. You will learn more from your coworkers than anywhere or anyone else. You need to be able to get along with them, understand them, and work effectively with them. Will this job hamper your future career opportunities due to NDAs or Non-Compete Agreements? See Appendix for additional information. What opportunities will working at this company give you to other companies, other industries, or academia?

Company Culture

Your Manager and Coworkers Legal Aspects (NDA, NonCompete) After this Job

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Deciding On Jobs
How will this job affect myself and my family? What is the Company Culture? What are your managers and coworkers like? What potential legal restraints are there? How will this job help or hamper my future career?

Positives

Negatives

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APPENDIX Weakness Examples I was trying to be a team player so I went along with the groups majority decision to do x which ended up failing. I saw that my original idea would probably work, so I made a small presentation showing my solution and the justifications behind it and emailed it to my team as a suggestion that night. They had a chance to look at my approach, and we, as a team, decided to go with that route. Even though I could have been more assertive with my idea in the beginning, I think it was important to make sure the team fully understood it and agreed with it before pursuing that course of action.

Unprofessional Work Examples Working in a company where people can swear loudly, violently, and continuously. Working in a company where male workers continuously trade stories about naked women. Working in a company where co-workers continually talk about each other behind their backs. Working in a company where verbal abuse is acceptable.

Non-Compete Examples Many people will tell you its difficult to enforce non-competes. This is true, BUT, here are some questions to ask: 1. Do you have the money to hire a lawyer throughout a non-compete case? 2. Do you want to experience the stress involved with being sued? 3. Even if you think the non-compete is unenforceable, your new company may simply fire you to avoid the risk of litigation if they find out your previously employer is considering taking action against you. Non-competes need to specify a specific area for a specific time period for a specific industry. If they do not do those three things, they are difficult to enforce. California does not enforce ANY non-compete. Other states vary in the severity of their enforcement.

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YOUR FUTURE

Thats it! You have made it through this guide and you are now better-prepared to succeed in your next interview. Be positive and persevere. All good things, Please Proof This

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