2006 Interview Skills

Interview Skills: 

Interview Skills Jody Elliott BHP Billiton Nickel West

The interview is:: 

The interview is: An opportunity to share information , so be prepared to ask questions as well as answer them. Often your only chance to make a good first impression , so make sure you present yourself as well as you possibly can. Only a meeting, so no matter how much you want the job, it is not a case of life or death !

Do:: 

Do: Wear appropriate attire. Take a copy of your resume with you. Research the organisation – it will help your cause if you have a reasonable understanding of the company. Act positively and appear interested – no matter how good your credentials!

Slide 4: 

Make eye contact with the interviewer – it suggests confidence and honesty. Have a reason for your interest in the position - you need to articulate what attracts you to this job . Understand what gives you satisfaction and what doesn’t. You need to have a list of ingredients you are ideally seeking in a position or employer. Role play!

Slide 5: 

Anticipate a question on weaknesses . Nobody is perfect, so understand your “areas for development”. Know the dates of your qualifications and experiences . Many people falsify their qualifications or experience, and not knowing doesn’t sound very convincing. Have a handle on your salary expectations. You will be asked for this information and you need to know your own worth.

What do Companies look for and how?: 

What do Companies look for and how? Skills, knowledge and experience Do you have sound academic results in the required discipline and vacation work experience in the industry? Temperament and Motivational Fit Will you fit in with our environment and culture? Does what we have to offer suit your needs? Assess you against our requirements through: Resume review Screening interview (generally by phone) Formal interview (face to face, using targeted selection) Psychological assessment Reference checking Pre-employment medical including drug screen

What types of questions do we ask?: 

What types of questions do we ask? The STAR Principle is based on the premise that previous behaviour/action is the best predictor of future behaviour/action. Questions will therefore ask for specific examples . You’ll need a Situation or Task, the Action you took and the Result or outcome for each question.

Preparation Process: 

Preparation Process Read the advertisement/job description – what skills, experience and attributes does it mention? Make a list. Consider what examples you can discuss to demonstrate the criteria. Document these according to the STAR principle. Practice, practice, practice so they flow naturally!

Your turn to practice:: 

Your turn to practice: Electrical/InstrumentationTechnician FIFO 9/5, 9/5, 10/4 roster Reference number 6342MP As an Electrical/Instrument Technician, you will maintain plant and equipment at Mt Keith in accordance with stringent safety and statutory requirements , in order to achieve targeted plant availability and utilisation. Reporting to the Electrical/Instrument Co-ordinator, you will be responsible for the electrical and instrumentation maintenance function at Mt Keith. As a minimum, you will possess a current WA “A” Grade Electrical license and instrumentation qualifications . Possession of a High Voltage Switching ticket will also be considered desirable. You will have excellent organisational skills and the ability to work well within a team environment . Technically, you possess experience working with GE Faunc PLC’s, analytical and process control instrumentation. Further to this, you will have gained a degree of computer literacy , preferably with exposure to SAP.

Example questions might include:: 

Example questions might include: Give me an example of an assignment/project you have worked on that best demonstrates your technical knowledge. What did you do? Tell me about safety procedures you have had to follow in a work setting. What did you do to ensure your own safety? Step us through a typical day. How do you organise yourself to ensure you meet the day/week’s challenges? Tell us about the best team you have been associated with. What made it a good team? What sort of work and environment motivates you to do your best?

Learn from others - don’t:: 

Learn from others - don’t: Say you are so well qualified that if you don’t get the job, it would prove that the company’s management was incompetent. Bring your dog to the interview. Wear a walkman and claim that you can listen to the interviewer and the music at the same time. Challenge the interviewer to an arm wrestle.

And more:: 

And more: Announce you haven’t had your lunch yet, and proceed to eat it at the interview. Interrupt the interview to phone a friend for advice on answering specific questions. Say your not interested because the position pays too much. Offer to demonstrate your loyalty if hired, by having the company logo tatooed on your arm.

Some serious ones now:: 

Some serious ones now: Be late – punctuality is important and being late, regardless of the excuse, will not help. Give generic answers when asked for an example. Rather than saying “oh, that happens all the time and what I usually do is…”, try “last week I had a specific problem relating to… and I…”.

Slide 14: 

Be very mindful of how you conduct yourself through the entire application process: How you answer the phone (use your name!) Your voice mail message Being prepared for employer calls when you have applications out Email addresses Being punctual Ask when you are not sure Your reputation will precede you – a very small industry. Some Advice:

Slide 15: 

Questions?