JOB INTERVIEW Department of Arts and

Letters

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DEFINITION
Personal meeting with a prospective employer
A conversation between a candidate and a hiring manager
Evaluation process

2
PRACTICE A MOCK
INTERVIEW
WITH A PARTNER:
TRADITIONAL OR
RESUME BASED:
Tell me about yourself.
Tell me about your current position.
What did you learn from this experiences?
What did you like the most about your program
of study at Mapua University?
What accomplishments are you proudest of?
What skills, experience and training do you have
that make you qualified for the position?

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TRADITIONAL…...
What do you know about our department/organization?
Why do you want to work at this department?
What are your strengths? weaknesses?
What kind of supervisor do you like to work for?
What are your career goals?

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BEHAVIORAL:

Tell me about a time when you solved a problem.

Describe a situation where you were able to
successfully juggle multiply priorities.
Give me a specific example of a time when you
used good judgment and logic.
By providing examples, convince me that you
can adapt to a variety of people, situations and
environments.

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BEHAVIORAL:
Tell me about a time when you used written communication skills to
get an important point across.
Give me an example of an important goal you set for yourself and
how you reached it.
Tell me about a time when you needed to communicate unpleasant
information.

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PRACTICE TYPICAL AND
TARGETED INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS
“Basic 3”
Why are you interested in this field?
Why are you interested in this company?
Why are you interested in this position?

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 MOST FEARED
QUESTIONS
“Tell me about yourself.”
“What is your greatest weakness?”
 Tell them what you learned…..

“What salary do you expect?”

 Ask them for the range they expect to pay
 Do your research
BE PREPARED TO ASK THE
INTERVIEWERS SOME
QUESTIONS:
What traits do you consider critical to success in this position?
How will I receive feedback on my performance?
How will I be oriented to your department?
What other training and professional development opportunities exist
within this department?

10
INTERVIEW ATTIRE
93% of communication is non-verbal
BUSINESS CASUAL

A comfortably relaxed version

of classic business attire:
Men – Slacks/khakis, shirt, tie and
jacket
Women - Slacks or skirt, sweater or
nice blouse
TO DO’S
Get plenty of rest and try and do some stress
management techniques:
 Exercise
 Meditation
 LAUGH!
Dress appropriately and limit what you carry with
you:
 Portfolio
 Women – appropriate size purse
 Turn off cell phone when you get there
 TRAVEL/DIRECTIONS

Plan to arrive 20
minutes early for
your interviews
Or better yet…..do
a test run!
THE FIRST THREE MINUTES
“HALO EFFECT”
Interviewers focus on:
Appearance
Facial expressions
Eye contact
Movement
Personal space

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 POSITIVE NON-VERBAL
BEHAVIORS
Refrain from sitting down until
you’ve been offered a seat
Sit upright in your chair and lean
forward a bit
Keep feet flat on the floor and
crossed at the ankle
THE SECOND MINUTE:
The Interviewer focuses
on:

Rate of speech
Volume
Pitch/Tone
Articulation

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 HANDLING THE CLOSING
Ask your questions
Reiterate your interest
in the position
Get business cards
Ask about next step in
the hiring process
Go home and send a “Thank You”
note!
INTERVIEWING IS A
SKILL…….

The more you

practice…….

The better you will get at

it!

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