As part of our ongoing efforts to share information, the UET Online Magazine features important announcements on events and learning opportunities for bargaining unit employees. Listed below are links to specific timely information for UET Members. Create or update your User Profile by clicking MyUET to receive program updates and the UET Online Magazine by e-mail.
A job interview combines several uncomfortable and challenging activities: talking to one or more strangers about yourself. You are probably wearing formal clothing which adds to the discomfort. It is the one time that you may be humble, but you cannot be modest. How do you think on your feet and share why you are the perfect candidate for the job? By research, planning, and practice!
“When you interview, you want to be sure to show your confidence in yourself and your abilities and what you’ll bring to the role,” said OCSEA Chapter 3510 Northwest President Shelly Bailey. “During the interview, they’re looking at your skills and also looking at your personality to see if you would be a good fit to work with the team setting they’re looking at hiring you for.”
Bailey, who is also vice-president of OCSEA District 1, works in the Williams County Ohio Means Jobs division and gives advice to job seekers in her role as a customer service representative/employment professional for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
There are many ways your interview might look: in person or on Teams or Zoom, to name a few, Bailey said. You might meet with a human resources representative or even a headhunter first. You might be talking with one person or several on a panel – for an hour or for a full day. Find out all you can on the interview process beforehand.
Planning for your interview
Whether your interview is in person or remote, what you wear is important. How you present yourself will shape the first impression that the interviewer gets. A well-known piece of advice is that you’re better off being slightly overdressed than underdressed.
“The key is to keep your outfit and accessory choices polished and purposeful so they don’t distract from your skills and credentials,” Molly Calhoun wrote in her article “What to wear to an interview, according to a hiring manager and a style coach” on Forbes.com.
If your interview is remote, using Teams or Zoom, there are a few extra steps you should take beforehand. Test the technology that you’ll be using. Minimize distractions in the space. According to Indeed.com’s article “How To Make a Good Impression in a Virtual Interview” by Hanne Keiling, you should “choose a room that is clean and professional-looking so the interviewer can focus their attention on you and not what is around you.”
Make sure that your screen is positioned on a table or desk that is level with your upper body.
No matter the location of the interview, all job applicants should do some research and practice before their interview. Find out all you can about the business/company/agency and its personnel. Are there new trends in the industry that you can learn about before your conversation? Look at the employer’s website and google for news articles. This information will help you understand what they are looking for in an employee, so you can tell and show them how you are that employee.
During the interview
There are some standard interview questions that you may be asked – and you can prepare for them, Bailey said. She offers her customers a handout of 61 interview questions and how to respond to them, beginning with “Tell me a little about yourself.” The answer to this question is communicating that you can do the work, will do it, and are cooperative. It is suggested that you spend about 10-15 seconds on each point with examples.
“You’re showing your personality,” Bailey said. “If you don’t know something the employer is looking for, show that you are interested in learning that skill they need or want.”
“You’re showing that you don’t have the skill, but you are eager to learn.”
The “Tell me about yourself” question is not the time to bring up anything personal, Bailey said. In fact, do not bring up anything personal in the interview.
“Keep it geared to what skills you have and the ones they are looking for,” Bailey said.
Above all, be honest. You are interviewing for the job to get hired, but also to be sure that this is the right employment for you.
Just as with your resume, the STAR method applies to how you answer interview questions, Bailey said. Focus on explaining a Situation that you/your employer was in or the task you needed to accomplish. Be specific. What was the Task/goal that you were working toward? Describe the Actions you took to address the situation. Again, be specific and keep the focus on your decisions and contributions. Use the word “I,” not “we” or “the team.” Last, describe the Results of your actions and take credit where it’s due. What did you accomplish and what did you learn?
“Don’t just say ‘I’m hardworking,’” Bailey said. “Give an example of how you are hardworking and dependable.”
Bailey also advises job applicants to NOT say specific things in their interview, including demeaning their previous/current boss or employer; putting yourself down, tipping off that you have practiced answers to questions, and using buzz words that aren’t concrete and often mean nothing. For the interview question of “What is your weakness and your strength?” do not say that perfectionism is your greatest weakness.
“You could say something like ‘I can be my own worst enemy as I’m harder on myself than you could ever be. When you set the bar at one level, I strive to produce the quality of work that is higher than that standard you have set. So, if I do not reach the standard that I have set, then I feel like I am not as successful as I could be,’ ” Bailey said. “I want to do everything to the best of my ability.”
If you don’t have an answer immediately for an interview question, don’t say “I don’t know.” Bailey recommends: “You could ask them to repeat the question or rephrase it in a different manner.”
You can also repeat the question thoughtfully before answering. There may be a question that takes you off guard and honesty is the best policy then.
“I was once asked, ‘If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?’” Bailey said. “I said, ‘Oak, because it’s strong.’”
“That’s not the best answer,” she added. “It’s ‘Willow, because it’s strong but also flexible.’”
Another common interview question is when the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” You should have several questions prepared for this opportunity. One option is to share anything else about yourself as a candidate that you haven’t yet. Another option is to ask about the follow up from the interview.
“You can ask ‘Do you have an idea of when you’ll have a decision made and how will that look – will you contact me or shall I contact you?’” Bailey said.
Ask for your interviewer’s business card and their e-mail address, if it is not on the card.
“Always thank them for their time,” Bailey said. “Say how much you appreciate the opportunity to talk to them and that you think you’ll be an asset to their organization/company/department.”
After the interview
The day after your interview is for writing your thank-you letter or e-mail to everyone you interviewed with the previous day. It sounds obvious, but few job candidates follow through with writing one.
After the thank-you letter/e-mail, it’s a fine line of showing your interest and looking too interested and therefore less appealing. If you don’t get offered a second interview or the job, you can reach out to get feedback.
“I suggest that you contact the companies you have interviewed with and ask them for some feedback,” Bailey said. “Do they have advice as to if you need to do something different for your interviews to help make you a stronger candidate for hire?”
Union Education Trust can assist you in getting the required education and skills for your next position, but getting the position will require careful planning and preparation on your part. Best wishes!
Sources
Forbes -- https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/what-to-wear-to-an-interview/