Know Yourself
What are my skills and
abilities? What are my strengths?
How do my skills and experiences relate to the
position and employers’ needs?
What contributions will I bring to the
employer?
Am I willing to relocate?
How do my values compare to the philosophy of
the organization?
What points do I want to be sure to get across
during the interview?
How does this position fit into my career
goals?
If interviewing in a country other than your
home country, do you understand the cultural expectations?
Prepare Yourself
Obtain a copy of the job description.
Use the employer information and the
employer’s websites to gather information (annual reports, employee handbooks,
policy statements, employee newsletters) on the organization.
Locate the employer’s home page on the
Internet.
Conduct informational interviews with persons
in similar positions to learn about the career field and how your skills may
apply.
Develop a list of appropriate questions that
reflect your research.
Be sure to know the culture of the country
where you are interviewing. U.S. employers are expecting you to articulate your
future career goals and past accomplishments. They are assessing you according
to American values such as self-confidence, initiative, directness, and
individualism.
Practice
Review attached list of questions most asked
during an interview as well as list of questions to prospective employers.
Practice answering interview questions (out
loud).
Schedule a mock interview, through the Office
of Career Services, to gain experience and feedback.
Be aware of your body language…what is your
body language under pressure?
Remember to smile and be yourself!
Checklist
Confirm date, time and place of interview.
Pack several copies of your resume; a list of
references, including names, titles, addresses and telephone numbers; writing
samples if appropriate; and letters of recommendation.
Dress appropriately (conservative business
attire).
Be punctual. Plan to arrive early.
Research the Occupation:
Know the area in which you are interested:
Read articles written by people who are in the
field.
Inform yourself about future trends.
Check if your interests and abilities compare
to the requirements of the position.
Find out the average income earned by people
in the occupation.
Some methods of finding this information include:
Conduct information interviews.
Reading the information in the Connection
Centre (Student Life & Career Services), either through Internet or hard copy
publications.
Talking to friends, relatives or others.
Researching the Organization:
Before the job interview, you should research the organization. It is easier to
convince an employer that you would be of benefit to the organization if you are
knowledgeable about it. In addition, information obtained through research can
help you decide whether you want to work for a specific organization.
General areas to research:
How old is the organization, and what is its
history of development?
Where are the plants, offices, or stores
located?
What are its products or services?
If the organization sells, what are its
markets? Retailers? Wholesalers?
What are its new products?
Is it a public or non-profit organization?
What purpose does it serve? How is it funded? Whom does it serve? What functions
does it perform?
How does this organization rank in the
industry?
What is the financial status of the company?
Last year’s sales? Growth record?
Are there any plans for expansion?
What is the organizational structure?
How does the organization fit into the
community? To what degree is it committed to solving community problems?
What problems does the organization need to
overcome? (By identifying the problems that the organization faces, you can
match your abilities to these ends during the interview.)
One of the best ways to find company information is on the Internet. You should
be able to find plenty of information to get you started by exploring the Web
with a good browser and search engine. Just entering the company name in the
search engine will usually result in success.
Here are five things that most employers want to know about you.
1. They want to know if you are qualified for the
position.
What are your greatest strengths?
Do you have experience in this field?
What do you believe you bring to this job?
Why should I hire you?
2. They want to know what motivates you.
What motivates you to put forth your
greatest effort?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
What is more important to you, the money or
the job?
What did you like most about your last job?
3. They want to know about the negatives.
Why did you leave your previous job?
What did you like least about your last
supervisor?
What is your greatest weakness?
What did you like least about your last job?
Why have you been unemployed so long?
4. They want to know if you are a good fit.
What kind of people do you find it hard
to work with?
Tell me about a time when you worked as a
member of a team.
In what kind of environment are you most
comfortable?
Do you prefer to work alone or with others?
5. They want to know if you want their job with their
company.
What are you looking for in a position?
Who else are you interviewing with?
Why are you interested in this position?
What do you know about the company?
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Reading Assignment:
Read Chapter Eleven
Discussion Questions:
Complete the following questions by typing the questions and your answers on your word document for this chapter and then e-mail your work to the instructor.
1. List and describe three of your strongest skills.
2. List ten individual qualifications/ related experience that qualifies you to be a tour guide.
3. List five reasons why a tour company should hire you.
4. What is "emergency hiring"?
5. Look up one local tour company (in your area) and call them to see if they are hiring tour guides.
6. Why is "networking" so important?
Book Activities:
1. Complete the "Chapter Check" (for this chapter) by typing the questions (and your answer) on your document for this chapter to be e-mailed to the instructor.
2. Complete the "Term Challenge" (for this chapter) by typing the terms and the definitions on your document for this chapter to be e-mailed to the instructor.
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VISIT these important sites!
Proven Resumes
Proven Resumes sells books to help in developing resumes, cover letters, and interviewing techniques. It also offers lots of excellent free information and suggestions.
http://www.provenresumes.com/serious.html
Princess and Holland America hire about 2400 people each summer to work on their Alaska tour program. In January, they start selecting candidates.
http://www.princessjobs.com/alaska.htm
http://www.hollandamerica.com/explore/alaska/landonlytours.htm