L16 Applying and Interviewing For Employment
L16 Applying and Interviewing For Employment
L16 Applying and Interviewing For Employment
Chapter 16
1. Communicate Professionally
2. Follow Employer’s Instructions
3. Observe Job Posting’s Close Date
– Questions to ask:
▪ Has a hiring decision been made?
▪ Can you tell me what will happen next?
▪ What is the company’s time frame?
▪ Could I follow up in another week?
▪ Can I provide additional information?
• Employment interview:
– Meeting in which you and the prospective employer
ask questions and exchange information
• Structured
– Interviewer asks questions in a fixed order
• Unstructured
– Doesn’t follow a predetermined sequence
• Panel
– Answer questions from two or more interviewers
• Group
– You and several other candidates meet with one or
more interviewers at once
• Behavioral questions.
– Tell me about a time (situation that you have resolved)
– Describe your last high-stress project
– Explain how you resolved a communication breakdown
– Tell me about a mistake you made
– Tell me about an important goal
• STAR (Situation/Task/Approach/Results)
• Situational interview:
– Focuses on how you would handle various situations
• Case interview:
– Presents you with one or more problems
• Stress interview:
– Asks questions designed to unsettle you
Sources: Based in part on Jon Simmons, “5 Steps to Mastering Phone Interviews,” Monster, accessed
25 May 2018, www.monster.com; Larry Kim, “17 Phone Interview Tips to Guarantee a Follow-Up,” Inc.,
24 March 2015, www.inc.com; Kate Finley, “How to Nail the Dreaded Phone Interview,” Fast Company,
6 February 2015, www.fastcompany.com.
1. Suitability
2. Organizational fit
• Types of assessments:
– Integrity, personality, and cognitive ability tests
– Job knowledge and job skills tests
– Substance tests
– Background checks
– Online searches
1. How does this job fit in the overall department or A vague answer could mean that the responsibilities have not
organization? been clearly defined, which is almost guaranteed to cause
frustration if you take the job.
2. What have past employees done to excel in this This will help you go beyond the job description to understand
position? what the company really wants.
3. How do you measure success for someone in this A vague or incomplete answer could mean that the
position? expectations you will face are unrealistic or ill defined.
4. What is the first problem that needs the attention of Not only will this help you prepare, but it can also signal
the person you hire? whether you’re about to jump into a problematic situation.
5. How well do my qualifications align with the current This gives you the opportunity to address any unspoken
and future needs of this position? concerns the interviewer might have.
6. Why is this job now vacant? If the previous employee got promoted, that’s a good sign. If
the person quit, that might not be such a good sign.
7. What makes your organization different from others The answer will help you assess whether the company has a
in the industry? clear strategy to succeed in its industry and whether top
managers communicate this to lower-level employees.
8. How would you define your organization’s You want to know whether the managerial philosophy is
managerial philosophy? consistent with your own working values.
9. What is a typical workday like for you? The interviewer’s response can give you clues about daily life
at the company.
10. What are the next steps in the selection process? Knowing where the company is in the hiring process will give
What’s the best way to follow up with you? you clues about following up after the interview and possibly
give you hints about where you stand.
Sources: Courtney Connley, “5 Things You Should Ask During Every Job Interview,” Black Enterprise,
June 2016, 29; Jacquelyn Smith and Natalie Walters, “The 29 Smartest Questions to Ask at the End of
Every Job Interview,” Business Insider, 28 January 2016, www.businessinsider.com; Heather Huhman,
“5 Must-Ask Questions at Job Interviews,” Glassdoor blog, 7 February 2012, www.glassdoor.com.
1. The warm up
2. The question-and-answer session
3. The close
Sources: “Illegal Interview Questions,” Betterteam, 7 January 2018, www.betterteam.com; Dave Johnson, “Illegal Job
Interview Questions,” CBS Money Watch, 27 February 2012, www.cbsnews.com; “5 Illegal Interview Questions and How
to Dodge Them,” Forbes, 20 April 2012, www.forbes.com; Vivian Giang, “11 Common Interview Questions That Are
Actually Illegal,” Business Insider, 5 July 2013, www.businessinsider.com.
• Letter of Acceptance
– Confirm important details
– Legally binding contract
• Letter Declining a Job Offer
– Do so tactfully.
• Letter of Resignation
– Use a gracious and professional tone