Michelle S 202 T8

COMM 202 TUTORIAL #8

w/ Michelle Sieklucki T05 & T11

AGENDA

Agenda

• Course Timeline• Resume & CL Debrief • Employment Interview

• Interview Q&A • My Take

• Action Items

Course Timeline

Week 12 Week 14

• tutorial: interview questions

• interview stream due (Nov. 25th @ 11:59PM)

• lecture: when you’ve got the job!

• interviews (Nov. 28th to Dec 1st)

Week 13

• informational interview assignment(Dec. 9th @ 11:59PM)

RESUME & CL ASSIGNMENT

Employment Interview• When: November 28th, 29th, December 1st

• What to bring:o resumeo cover lettero job descriptiono padfolioo peno research notes 25%

What to ExpectThe Interview:

o check in with “reception” in Birmingham o BE EARLY! – ideally about 7-10 minutes, if you’re not

there when the interviewer arrives, you will receive an automatic zero

o interview is approximately 20 minutes long with one COMM 202 team member/coach or external consultant (allot 30 minutes total).

o you can sign up for timeslots for interviews starting Nov 22nd at 12:01 am until Nov 24th midnight. You can choose between a consultant or TA/coach

o Interview will consist of behavioural questions

Dress for SuccessBusiness Formal

http://cpd.degroote.mcmaster.ca/student-services/mba-dress-code/business-formal-attire/

INTERVIEW Q&A

Question 1Tell me about yourself

• most common question to be asked during an interview

• can be asked in different ways• Like??

• PRACTICE!

Question 1Tell me about yourself

• keep it under 2 minutes

• brand yourself – give them something to remember you by

• sound natural – not like you’re reading off a script!

• speak to your skills and accomplishments

• show passion

• provide a well-rounded picture

Question 1Tell me about yourself

• telling YOUR story

Find a common theme in your experiences

the goal: tell them a story that no one else can replicate and impress them in the first 2 minutes

The Beginning The Spark Growing

InterestYour

FutureWhy you

are here?

Question 1Tell me about yourself

• telling YOUR storyintroduction

realization that this is the right career for you your formula and how it has helped lead you to this role

where you see yourself

how this position ties into it all

growing interest

the spark

your future

the beginning

why you are here

Question 1Tell me about yourself

My Formula

+ +The foundation

– People are most important

Dance

Education – Studying towards

understanding others

HR & Psych

Work Experience – I

like to help people succeed

202 & YVR

Question 1Tell me about yourself

Rubric

ACTIVITY

Activity activity: grab a partner and swap “tell me about yourself stories”• 2 minutes to brainstorm• 2.5 minutes story telling • 1 minute feedback

goal: convey the elements of the story in a logical way and experiment with finding your formula

Question 2What are your strengths?

• way for the interviewer to tell if you know yourself and that you know you have what it takes to do the job

• can also be asked in different ways! prepare multiple strengths

• there is no right answer – just good answers and bad answers

Question 2What are your strengths?

Rubric

Question 3What are your weaknesses?

do not flip WEAKNESSES

intoSTRENGTHS!

Question 3What are your weaknesses?

• way for the interviewer to see if you are able to identify weaknesses and have a plan in place to improve them

• talk about weaknesses that would not impair you from doing the job you are applying for well. again, prepare multiple!

Question 3What are your weaknesses?

✘ “I’m such a perfectionist”✘ “Too detail-oriented”✘ “Over-achiever”✘ “I work too hard sometimes”

Question 3What are your weaknesses?

Rubric

Question 4Tell me about a time when...

SITUATION ACTIONTASK RESULTwhat position

and where were you?

what was the challenge you

faced?

what did YOU do and how did

you do it?

+ LINK back to job and why the story is relevant

STAR

Question 4Tell me about a time when…

Rubric

Question 5Wild Card Question

• industry / job specific or… a surprise!

– way for the interviewer to gauge your interest and knowledge of the position and industry

– test your ability to communicate clearly

– shows the interviewer how you think

Question Wild Card Question

What about Downtown

Vancouver?

Wild Card ExamplesFINANCE

WHAT ARE THE THREE WAYS TO VALUE A COMPANY?PITCH ME A STOCKSO MANY CURVEBALLS…

ACCOUNTINGWHY DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE YOUR CPA?WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR X FIRM?WALK ME THROUGH AN ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CYCLE?

MANAGEMENT CONSULTINGHOW MANY WORDS ARE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES?WHAT ARE YOUR 5 WEAKNESSES? … TELL ME ANOTHER … AND ANOTHERCASES

MARKETING HOW WOULD YOU INCREASE SALES OF X PRODUCT BY X%?SELL ME THIS PEN

TLOG WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO INCREASE OUR PRODUCTIVITY?HOW MANY CHAIRS ARE IN SAUDER?

HUMAN RESOURCES HOW SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR HIRING PROCESS?HOW WOULD YOU FIRE ME IF YOU HAD TO DO IT RIGHT NOW?

RANDOM QUESTIONS OR SCENARIOS

WOULD YOU RATHER GO SKY DIVING OR SCUBA DIVING AND WHY?HOW WOULD YOU DIVIDE A CAKE INTO 8 EQUAL PIECES WITH ONLY 3 KNIFE CUTS? [ROLE PLAYING A DECISION MAKING SITUATION]TELL ME ABOUT SOME NEWS YOU HAVE READ RECENTLY AND HOW IT RELATES TO THIS JOB?

Question Wild Card Question

Rubric

Question 6Do you have any questions?

• always have at least 2 questions!

o avoid asking questions you could find the answer to on Google

o do not ask something that has already been addressed in the interview

o always safe to get them talking about themselves – maybe ask something directly related to their job/industry

Closing the Interview

THANK them

reiterate your INTEREST

end with a HANDSHAKE

ask for their BUSINESS CARD

Ask if you can CALL to follow-up

Follow-up • send an email or handwritten card

• reference the interview – something you want to emphasize or something unsaid that you want them to know

• reiterate your interest in the position

• thank them for the opportunity again

• reference an answer they gave you to one of your end of interview questions

• if you interviewed with multiple people make sure the follow-up is personalized to each person

MY TIPS

Tips

answer the questions

asked

listen to the

questions

& smile

Tips • guide the conversation to where you are comfortable

• answer the darn question

• smile & nod

• differentiate yourself

• bring the energy into the room!

QUESTIONS?

ACTION ITEMS

Action Items• interview stream is due on November

25th @ 11:59PM

• employment interviews are on Nov. 28th, 29th, Dec. 1st

• informational interview is due on December 9th@ 11:59PM on turnitin

next week is lecture