The interview process is considered the most crucial part of getting a job. It is all about how you present yourself and if you meet the companies needs. I recently had a interview for Physician Assistant schools and they ask the basic questions like Tell me about yourself?, Why did you choose this profession?, What do you have to offer this company/school? But it is the unexpected questions that stump us and those vary depending on what your interviewing for. Before I went to my interview I went to a mock interview. UCF offers free mock interviews and EVERYONE should take advantage of it. Before going to the mock interview I was advised to read this site, http://www.perfectinterview.com/ucf/, which teaches you how to prepare yourself to have the perfect interview. During my interview practice I was told to speak slowly and to elaborate more on my questions. The questions I found problematic was “what do you expect fro a supervisor”, and “What comes to mind when you consider what you disliked about your last job”? I found these one difficulty because no matter what you said it could be seen as a negative. Overall, the mock interview and this website really helped because I got into Physician Assistant School. Don’t forget the best way to have a good interview is to remain calm, breathe, and take a second to think before answering the question.
Go to the website > http://www.perfectinterview.com/ucf/
- Complete the short interview , what questions did you think you need more practice on? Did you find this website helpful? What are other tips you can give your peers on how to nail a interview? When do you think it is the right time to talk about salary?
I had my share of interviews and so i thought that this little mock interview would be really easy. However, after doing the short interview, i was taken by surprise some of the questions that were thrown at me and i could not have an answer without thinking about it for a while. Some of the questions that gave me much trouble were: Other than office productivity software, are you experienced with any other software programs or systems?Could you run down the steps you go through when you are confronted with a serious problem?This organization has an offical mission statement. Do you have a personal mission statement?. I definitely thought that this website was very helpful, it showed me the variety of questions that i could encounter, and opened my eyes that not all interviews are the same. Another tip that i could give another person regarding interviews, is to look professional, and try to not look nervous because they might read that as a sign of weakness. I think that the right time to talk about salary is when your about to sign with the company, because if you ask right away i think that would be looked upon. So, i think that first you should be offered the position and then if they havent told you by then, well then you should ask.
ReplyDelete-Benjamin Rivera
When people here interview so many thoughts go through ones heads that causes them headches. An interview allows the employer to know wgo you are based on the response of the questions. At first one might be nervous or timid or lack a self confidence. However, I agree with Benjamin that mock interviews are a great way to lose nervousness and be well prepared. Mock interviews will only help you on the areas you need to improve. I remember when i had an interview for Harley Davidson about two years ago. I did not know anything about the company except that they make motorcycles. However, i was able to use my experinces and skills to obtain a sales associate job on my experience in sells and bilingual skill. I have moved up in the company to Assitant Manager and still work their. For the salary, question one must not over ask but just state according to your company what is the wage for the position. In this way you make the employer answer the question for you.
ReplyDeleteI felt that the mock interview was helpful and feel that I performed the questions well. I did have a few questions that were a little tough but were the type of questions you should expect in every interview. One question in particular was the question of “What do you bring to the company that is unique? In other words “Why should we hire you over the other candidates? This question is usually difficult because you have to state why you’re a better pick so it requires you to somewhat brag about yourself. I always answer this question by stating that the qualification stated on my resume gave you the insight to progress me to this interview, what is it about my qualifications that stood out in your mind when considering me for the position? Consider that I mostly interview for sales positions, so you have to sell in those settings during the interview. The response says to the employer that I can find out what they are thinking by asking a question with a question to state a response based off their interest in me not just my canned response. Secondly, it shows that I’m not intimidated and shows confidence in myself by asking what they think about my qualifications. Showing how I will gain insight while talking to clients shows that I am prepared for the position.
ReplyDeleteI found the website to be very helpful in preparing someone for the real interview process. I especially think it would be very helpful to utilize the webcam option to see how you look while fielding these question, you may be quite surprised how look.
There are a lot of different ways to respond to interview questions and I have reviewed many interviews in the past. One of the best questions, and you should always have questions that I always end an interview with is “Is there anything about any of the other candidates that you’ve seen so far today that would prevent me from getting the position? This question is important because it gives you the opportunity to respond to something that was in your way of getting the job. Secondly, you should always close the deal so to speak at the end of the interview by stating something such as “I feel that that I would be an ideal candidate for your company and the position of sales representative for the southeast division, based on what we have discussed today and the responses of the other candidates can I expect to receive a follow up call for the next phase in the hiring process? With this closing statement I’ve committed the interviewer to give me an answer on whether I will proceed in the process of being hired. In sales this is a crucial question because in essence I’ve just closed the deal so to speak which again tells the interviewer that I can close deals. Whether you’re in sales or not I’ve learned that these sales techniques apply to all things in life.
The issue of talking about salary is always somewhat tricky but the key to winning the most salary is to never state a figure. This should always be done after the interviewer has finished their line of questioning and only if they bring it up. The issue of money in an interview is a good sign so be happy, if they are going to talk salary in the interview you probably have the job. Back to how to address it, they will usually bring it up and ask “What do you feel is a fair salary for you to work here at XYZ company? The key here is to never give them a monetary answer, the first one who does loses! An effective response would be “, Based upon what we’ve discussed today, given my experience and current salary, what do feel is a fair salary for me to begin here at Xyz Company?
I know it seems strange to answer questions with questions sometimes but it can be a very effective tool when doing many things in life. By asking questions you will know what they are thinking about you and the interview, which will give you the chance to respond to their thoughts. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason, if you listen twice as much as you talk you will be great in whatever you do.
I found the website very helpful and appreciated the practice in interviews as I have only had a few myself. The media player was a really good aspect of the website as it forced me to process and think of an appropriate response in real time rather than just reading a list of commonly asked interview questions. The example answers were an additional help just to see how other people approached the question. One question that I struggled with is “When was the last time you went above the call of duty in a project?” I had to think a few seconds to come up with something and even then it wasn’t very sound. I’ve never held a position in which I had to do projects and so all I had to pull from was examples from school. Another that I really had to think about was “What is the most important thing you learned about yourself in your previous position?” Self awareness is something I try to be mindful of, always striving to grow and learn, but I didn’t expect to be asked about it or never really thought about it in terms of employment. It was interesting and thought provoking to consider previous employment experiences not in terms of skills or proficiencies acquired but in terms of what did I learned about myself.
ReplyDelete@ Jarna
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your recent acceptance, you should be very proud!
- Shannon
I think it is great that UCF offers mock interviews, I was not aware. The interviews are of great assistance for gainful employment. Especially for students who may not have had to hold a job while completing their education. The question on the online interview, “Your experience does not meet the needs of this position, correct?” was quite shocking. I have never heard that one before, the rest of the questions were standard but I was surprised by that particular question. I believe the best answer would be to create an understanding of how and why you are qualified for that position. I know if someone were to say that to me though I would probably turn 4 different colors and want to leave the room. I do not think I would feel comfortable working with someone on a day to day basis who phrased a question in that manner, even if I did get offered the position. I guess I need to work on my reply to that one. The question “tell me about your education” also has so many possibilities and directions with which to go in response. I am not sure as to answering where I received my education, the timeline of receipt of education, to name the degrees or to specify classes and areas of study. Overall I think the website is very helpful. In regards to salary I think it is best to wait until the interviewer brings it up or once the job is offered. We all care about the bottom line and the bottom dollar but you do not want the interviewer to think that is your only goal or main reason for employment. Also, the first interviewer is usually not the person who deals directly with finance. An executive manager, human resource manager or even the CEO is usually who negotiates wages. The last few positions I obtained I interviewed with 2-4 people on different dates and times before I was offered a job and given details of compensation.
ReplyDelete@ Ryan
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that you answer a question by questioning the interviewer. Does this work well? I alwys question the interviewer in regards to their company and the position but not in response to a stated question. I was once told the interview is as much for the company as it is for you beacuse you are looking for a perfect fit.
-Shannon
@ Benjamin
ReplyDeleteI agree that salary negotiations should not be brought up until you are offerd a postion.
-Shannon
I also did not know about the UCF mock interview services that are provided to students. I haven’t been to many interviews in my life, and the ones that I bombed I can say for sure that they were bombed because I got too nervous. Unfortunately, while these mock interviews are great, I don’t see the benefit with nerves. It is nice though to see proper answers to some questions. I agree it is a nice source and can be helpful for the right person.
ReplyDeleteI got hung up on the experience question. I just don’t know if I have the experience some people are looking for. I guess it’s one of those things that I would need to tailor to each job individually, to try and make myself shine.
Also, who actually asks during an interview about the salary? I went to an interview once where I was asked if it was OK because it was less than what I was currently making…”well, um….now that you mention it, thanks for your time.” That’s basically what I did. It was a shut down for the rest of the interview in my eyes.
I think those are the questions I need help on. As mentioned previously in my thoughts, salary negotiations should not be during the interview. Ace the interview then discuss the salary. To me, it’s one of the least nerve wracking parts of the interview.
My interview tips mostly consist of wearing proper attire. I interview people at work occasionally, and interviewers make a first impression based on how you are dressed, how you smell, your make up, etc. Being conservative goes a long way, and can help you succeed throughout the interview.
-Jessica Starr
@ Jessica i agree that proper attire and appearance accounts for first impression. I can remember for my interview at Harley i was a bit nervous but just said im getting this job. I was talkative and made a good impression with manager through out he interview. TRy making the interview as dull as possible add some humor or or throw in a joke or two which will make both you feel comfortable.
ReplyDeleteAs a manager myself, I do interviews all the time. In fact I just did one yesterday. I never realized the questions that could be asked. I moved up from the bottom position to the management position, so I did not have a supervisory style interview like this one I did. I feel this website really opened my eyes to help me respond in a way where I did not give to much detail, but where it would portray we as the best candidate for the position.
ReplyDeleteIf I needed to go an interview this website is very helpful. The simple questions like "Why do you think this is the best position for you?" or tell me about a situation that you had to fix a serious problem type questions would be something I would need to make sure I was prepared to answer. I also never have asked or been asked what I disliked about my past employers, that is something I would make sure to practice on as well.
Salary is something that I as the interviewer hate when someone asks me on the phone to schedule the interview or even in the first interview. Most management or supervisor positions consist of two interviews and the final acceptance interview is where I would discuss Salary. My company wants me to ask what Salary a person is looking for and a word of advice, always give a range. For example if you want $11/hour say "anywhere from $10-$12 an hour, but it is negotiable." Some advice to my peers when going on an interview and things I look for is never OVERSELL your self. Concentrating on moving up in the company and advancement is great to talk about once in the interview not over and over. It makes it seem like you want my job! Also always ask questions and stay alert and don't ramble! To me when having a conversation with someone and feeling comfortable starts with you as the person being interviewed, if you seem warm and personable the interview will go alot smoother.
Shanna Kahn
@Shannon
ReplyDeleteWow I am surprised by that question too. What was the example response? If I were asked that as well It would take me a few minutes to re-gain my composer and then I would state what my strengths are and explain how quick I learn and pick up new experiences and everyday is a learning curve in any position. I hope I never get asked that question!
@ Ryan Burris
ReplyDeleteI can see how answering a question with a question in an interview can show how important it is that you gain the interviewers trust. It shows you want to know what they are looking for and once you can figure that out,you can take your strengths and show how they help that company. I feel as long as the questions are condencending and more to help me understand your response, its a great idea
The questions were not really that difficult but if I had to choose which questions I needed to brush up on would be the question that asked how did I handle it when my boss and I reached a disagreement. The site however was very helpful because it was realistic with the videos giving the interviews. I think a tip that may help to nail an interview especially if someone is as nervous as I am would be to watch more business reality shows. They seem to show different templates of questions that front office managements like to see in those that work for them. I believe the time to talk about salary is after I get the job because first the goal is to get the job and then worry about the money.
ReplyDelete-Jeremy Amin
I believe I need more practice on questions that talked asked about salary and my previous employer. This website was very helpful to me and I will surely use it again to practice interview questions. Some tips I would give to my peers on how to nail an interview would be: 1. Be assertive and confident in your answers. 2. ASK questions! Employers love to be challenged by a good question. 3. Smile and have a firm handshake, and last but not least 4. Be yourself :) At the end of the interview when the employer asks if you have any extra questions, I believe that is the best time to ask about salary.
ReplyDeleteLeslie-Ann Ellington
@Shanna I agree with giving a range for your expected salary that is definitely something I was always taught when practicing interviews!
ReplyDelete@Jessica The appropriate attire is probably one of the most, if not the most important thing to have during an interview! I don't know how I forgot to mention that in my post! lol Great tip!
Leslie-Ann Ellington
I completed the medium interview because I wanted to see more questions than the short offered. I like that UCF offers mock interviews, and need to go take advantage of that opportunity. Its also great that UCF offers the Perfect Interview website as another resource to prepare for interviews. I have endured a few interviews, most have been successful with me earning the position. I think it is always good to have practice interviews and discuss interview questions with my peers because the more you hear, the better prepared you can be.
ReplyDeleteThe best tip I can give is be prepared to answer every question with a smile and be sure your answers end on a positive note. Don't take too long to answer any question, but to answer too readily like rapid-fire to scare away interviewers.
I think the right time to talk about salary is after you have earned the job but before your first day of work. Unless of course the topic is brought up in interview or secondary interview, then that is the time to talk about salary.
- Erin Chandler
@ Jamin,
ReplyDeleteThe questions were not difficult, I agree. I just think that during an interview, we are just so nervous that we can’t think of the right things to say to certain questions. I am unsure as to how I would handle answering a question about a disagreement between my boss and I and how it was handled. That is a question too that I need to think about.
-Jessica Starr
@Lellington27,
ReplyDeleteA firm handshake is essential to an interview! I took a job class in high school and we actually spent a couple of hours practiving handshakes. Because of that, I learned the simple basics to it, but I also learned that employers have the potential to get a first impression from the handshake.
The other day I had a new employee start on my team at work, and she shook my hand, and the first thought that went through my head was “What was that?” Employers DO have mental thoughts about handshakes!
-Jessica Starr
@Shanna
ReplyDeleteYou have a cool perspective for this assignments. Did you feel comfortable being on the other side of the table, being interviewed? I bet you learned some new questions you could ask job candidates! Haha.
@ Jessica
I think something that could help your nerves would be utilizing the web capture feature of the Perfect Interview program. You can record your self (if you have a web cam) answering the interview questions and then re-watch while critiquing you self. It helped me practice giving speeches for class, it could work for interviews.
@shannon
ReplyDeleteWow i agree, that question you got seems rather difficult to answer especially if it was in a real setting, and you dont have time to think about it. But definitely not your standard question that ive been used to from previous interview
-Benjamin Rivera
@jessica starr
ReplyDeletei definitely agree with you, a firm handshake is very essential in the part of the interview because they can tell about your character through that one moment, plus you always want to give a great first impression, so a strong firm handshake, shows a strong character.
@Benjamin and Shannon
ReplyDeleteI agree that that you should wait until the position has been offered to you. Otherwise you can come off as presumptuous.
@ Erin
ReplyDeleteI like how you talked about the pace of a response in an interview. Its not something I had thought to consider in making a good impression and answering well but it is certainly important and easy to mess up when your nervous.
I absolutely loved the website, and the variety of questions asked. There are certainly questions that I didn't expect. I didn't realize that some questions could require so much detail and creativity. I found them more so surprising versus challenging, for example explain in detail how you would approach a problem at work. i think that question is more important than we give it credit for.
ReplyDeleteMy best advice for an interview would be have the right amount of confidence, make eye contact, and boost yourself with positive intentions before entering; see yourself as an asset that they need
@ Lindsay
“What is the most important thing you learned about yourself in your previous position?" I love your answer! I totally agree that self-awareness is highly important. My job in the emergency department has really reiterated this.
@Shanna
Thats really great advice! Overselling yourself can make you look kind of corny. I think I actually did that once, and my over-confidence caused me the position, however I'm not sure, because I never got called back!
I could really use a lot of help on my missions’ statement. That was the first question that I was asked and I freaked out and exited it with hopes of getting another answer! After the fact I realized how dumb it was that I did that! I don’t really know what I’m suppose to say when I’m asked “if hired how can your supervisor help you do your best on the job”. Also, when I’m asked to “talk about my education”, does that mean talk in general about everything I have done in my school or just things that pertain to the job?
ReplyDeleteOverall, I found this website to be very helpful. It opened my eyes and showed me that I need a lot of practice before I even think about going to an actual interview! Some advice I have for others is to dress appropriately and be sure to make eye contact. As far as salary goes, I really don’t know when the best time to talk salary would be; this is a problem I have always had because I have never felt comfortable talking about money with people.
@Benrivera89, I was stumped as well when I got the question about the personal missions statement; I had no clue what to say! I also agree with you about being confident in what you’re talking about because it could be taken as a sign of weakness.
@Ryan Burris, That is a good tip about question the other candidates applying for the position; I have never her d that before but it sounds like it would be beneficial and it also makes you look like you know what your talking about.
-Megan Sebastian