HR Interview Skills Lunch and Learn

Human Resources
April 30 and May 1, 2014
INTERVIEWING
@ AC
1

Andrea Barton
•Post Diploma Certificate, Human
Resources Management and Services
•Bachelor's degree, History – University
of Toronto
•Over 10 years of experience in Human
Resources, with last 6 in Higher
Education
2
Interview Skills – Lunch and Learn
April 30 and May 1

Outcomes
• To learn how to best prepare for a
successful job interview.
3April 30 and May 1

Agenda
Session 1
•Where are the postings?
•Interview Tips
• A Hiring Manager’s Perspective
• Strategies for Interview Success
• Interview Questions
• Homework Assignment
4April 30 and May 1

Agenda
Session 2
•Interviewing Practice
•Additional Interview Tips
•Questions and sharing of best practices
5April 30 and May 1

Current Opportunities
6April 30 and May 1

Understanding The Job Posting
7
Minimum requirements for the interview
Core skills / competencies identified in the interview
April 30 and May 1

Hiring Manager Insights
8
• What makes for a successful job
interview?
Christopher Hahn
- Academic Chair, Construction
Trades and Building Systems
- Bachelor of Business
Administration, Wilfrid Laurier
University
- Over 23 years in a range of
employment sectors
April 30 and May 1

9
Purpose of the Interview
The Candidate’s role
is to evaluate the
position for fit with
their personality
and career goals.
The Selection
Committee’s role is
to evaluate the
candidate’s fit for
the position.
• April 30 and May 1

Rehears
e
Rehears
e
ReviewReview
Strategies for Interview Success
10
ResearchResearch
April 30 and May 1

11
Focusing Your Interviewing Energy
• The best way to reduce the interview stress is to be
prepared.
April 30 and May 1

Research
• Research the job…
• review the College website
• examine the specific department’s profile
• browse the Strategic Plan
• study the position description or job fact sheet
• read the job posting
• Professor of the 21st
Century
• You will want to be able to answer the following:
• how did you prepare for today’s interview
• how does the department fit into the plan
• how does the position help the department reach plan goals
12April 30 and May 1

• Review the job description and job posting, write down the skills,
education, competencies and experience that are required for the
job.
• Review your education, skills, experience and accomplishments
that are applicable to the job you are applying for.
• Create a T graph and on one side list the jobs requirements and on
the other map your skills, experience and accomplishments to
them.
13
Review
What is
required?
What do I
have?
April 30 and May 1

14
Rehearse
• Rehearse your answers for the difficult types of questions until
you have them down pat.
• Rehearse your accomplishments until you know them inside out
and backwards.
• Visualize yourself in the actual Selection Committee setting.
• Conduct a mock interview, or record your answers and listen to
them.
April 30 and May 1

15
Type of Interview Questions
• There are a variety of types of interview questions
that you can expect.
• April 30 and May 1

• Direct questions are types of questions that determine the focus
of your answer (e.g. "What skills do you have that relate to this
position?").
• The information you provide should be clear and specific. These
types of questions, whether they relate to technical or soft skills,
should be easy to answer if you have performed a self-
assessment.
16
1. Direct Questions
April 30 and May 1

17
2. Non-Direct Questions
• Non-direct questions are general in nature
(e.g. “Can you tell us a bit about yourself?“).
• In response to this particular question, you
should briefly summarize approximately four
areas: education, experience, skills, and
personal attributes.
• Always make your response relevant to the
job you are seeking.
April 30 and May 1

• Scenario questions use a problem solving approach to
determine your analytical skills and critical thinking abilities.
• These are "What if" type questions and are presented in the
form of case examples or problem situations.
• You will be asked to imagine yourself experiencing a situation
and will then be evaluated on how you would handle that
situation.
18
3. Situational (or Scenario) Questions
April 30 and May 1

• Behavioral interviewing is based on the premise that the best way
to predict future behavior is to determine past behavior.
• This technique is designed to minimize personal impressions that
can effect the hiring decision, by focusing on actions and behaviors,
rather than subjective impressions.
• Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation,
you will be asked to give an example of how you did behave in the
past to the same kind of situation.
• You will be asked to provide details.
19
4. Behavioural Questions
April 30 and May 1

20
STAR Interview Responses
Situation: The interviewer wants you to present a recent challenge
or situation in which you found yourself.
Task: The interviewer will be looking to see what you were trying to
achieve from the situation.
Action: What did you do?
Results: What was the outcome of your actions?
April 30 and May 1

Homework
• Pick and print one position currently
available AC’s Career Opportunities
website:
• Write down 1 question that you would expect
to be asked about in an interview
• Prepare your answer to this question

Human Resources
April 30 and May 1, 2014
INTERVIEWING
@ AC
22

Nigel Parker
•Bachelor of Arts
(B.A.), Economics – Carleton
University
•Certified Human Resources
Professional
•Over 20 years in the Human
Resources Field
23
Welcome.
April 30 and May 1

Welcome Back!
• In Your Groups
• Person with the closest birthday goes first to
day will sit in the “hot seat”;
• Hand your posting and question to the person
to the left;
• Person to the left will ask question and you
will answer;
• Rest of group observe answer, and provide
feedback.

Interview Advice
• Be specific in your answer (try using “I”
instead of “we”).
• Take time before you respond to the question
to think through your answer. Silence is ok.
• It’s ok to go back to a question, however
make sure you do go back – you might lose
out on valuable points.
• Ask for clarification or for the question to be
repeated, if you need to.

• Be aware of your own body language.
• The interview starts from the minute you
arrive at the office and ends when you leave
the premises - be polite to everyone!
• Be friendly to everyone, but not their friend –
stay professional.
• Pay attention to visual cues… if the
committee has put down their pens or are
glancing at each other, it’s time to move on.
Interview Tips

• Selection Committees are used at Algonquin
College. Be prepared to be interviewed by 3 or
more committee members.
27
Interview Tips
April 30 and May 1
• When interviewing with people you
know, assume they know nothing about
you.
• Eye contact, shake hands with
committee members, stay positive and
smile.

28
Your Turn To Ask the Committee
• “Do you have any questions for the hiring
committee?”
• When you ask thoughtful questions, you show
the selection committee that you:
• care enough to do your research;
• are very interested in the position;
• are confident and able to assert yourself
appropriately.
April 30 and May 1

29
After the Interview
• Write down some notes on the questions asked and
where you thought you did well or poorly.
• Send a “thank you” e-mail to the interviewer(s).
• If you don't get the job, consider calling the hiring
manager for some feedback about the interview.
• Don't get discouraged! Interviews are about both
parties finding the right fit for the job. Doing better
interviews is something that can be developed
through preparation and practice.
April 30 and May 1

Survey Please
30
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