1. University of Phoenix
South Florida Campus
Understanding the
Interview Process

2. I haven’t interviewed in years.
The thought of an interview
STRESSES me out!!
The Interview

3.  Very few people enjoy being
interviewed
 It is very normal to be nervous
 Most people do well… People
get hired all the time

4. The key is to be prepared
Never go to a interview without
being prepared

5. The Interview Process
Job
Posting
Send Resume/
Telephone call
Review
applications and
résumés
Pre-Interview
Telephone
Call/Screening
In-Person Interview w/
Human Resources
Job Testing
In-Person Interview
w/ Hiring Manager
Job Offer

6. Interview Formats
• Two main styles
of interviews
– Traditional
• uses broad-based
questions.
– Behavioral
• used to find out what past
behaviors the candidate
has exhibited that will be
beneficial to our
company

7. 7 Types of Interviews
Screening or telephone interview
– over the phone, these interviews are more of a quick
check to see if the candidate has the basic
qualifications you are looking for
– It is recommended that you have in front of you your
resume, the job description, a list of references, some
prepared answers to challenging questions and
perhaps something about the company.
– Be sure to ask what the next step is.

8. 7 Types of Interviews
Individual Interview
– Most common type and often called a “personal
interview.”
– Typically a one-on-one exchange at the organizations
offices
– In order to best prepare you will want to know the length
of the interview which can usually range from 30 to 90
minutes.
• If the interview is 30 minutes you have to be concise and have a
high impact with your answers.
• If it is 60 or 90 minutes you will want to go into much more depth
and use specific examples to support your generalizations.

9. 7 Types of Interviews
Multiple or Committee Interview
– This is where you will be meeting with several decision-
makers at once or all in the same day.
– This is a series of interviews where the candidate gets to
meet individually with several different representatives
from the organization.
– It’s an efficient way to interview candidates and allows for
different interpretations or perceptions of the same
answer.
• Be sure to make eye contact with everyone, no matter who asked
the question.
• It’s important to establish rapport with each member of the
interview team.

10. 7 Types of Interviews
Behavioral-Based Interview
– The theory behind Critical Behavioral Interviewing (CBI)
is that past performance in a similar situation is the best
predictor of future performance
– You should prepare by thinking of specific examples that
demonstrate your competence in core behaviors:
– Teamwork
– Problem-solving
– Communication
– Creativity
– Flexibility
– Organizational skills.

11. 7 Types of Interviews
Task Oriented or Testing Interview
– This is a problem-solving interview where you will be
given some exercises to demonstrate your creative and
analytical abilities.
– A company may ask you to take a short test to evaluate
your technical knowledge and skills.
– A presentation to a group is necessary to determine your
communication skills.

12. 7 Types of Interviews
Stress
– Candidates given questions or are told remarks
that are intended to upset them, in order to see
how they react.
– The interviewer tries to bait you, to see how you
will respond.
– The objective is to find your weaknesses and test
how you hold up to pressure.
• Such tactics as: Weird Silences, Constant Interruptions,
and Challenging Interrogation with antagonistic
questions are designed to push your boundaries.

13. 7 Types of Interviews
Situational
– Candidates are given scenarios of situations
they may face when they come to work for the
company, and their responses are compared
with standard responses that have previously
been set.

14. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

15. Interview Question Types
Specific
Concept
 Specific
 Concept
 Procedure
 Behavior Based

16. Example Specific Question
Structure
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act
what determines if an employee receives
overtime …?

17. Example of a Conceptual
Question Structure
What does Division of Labor mean?
Why do you think the cost of our product is
a most important competitive advantage to
our organization?
Key question types are “What is..." "Why
does... "

18. Example of a Procedural
Question Structure
Which one of the following is the correct
procedure for…
How would you satisfy a customer if they
wanted to return something after the return
policy has expired?

19. Example of a Behavior-Based
Question Structure
“Tell me about a time when you …
(instead of “what would you do…”)
Tell me about a time where you had to deal with
conflict on the job.
If I were your supervisor and asked you to do
something that you disagreed with, what would
you do?

20. It Is Illegal To Ask About
 Race
 Sexual preference
 Religion
 National origin
 Birthplace
 Age
 Disability
 Marital/family status

21.  Most illegal questions asked by untrained
interviewer
 Usually they are innocent
Remember

22.  Answer the question by answering the intent of
the question
 Try to change the topic
 Refuse to answer the question
How To Handle An Illegal Question

23. Preparing for the Interview
 Practice your body language
 Posture
 Positioning
 Eye contact
 Facial expressions

24. Preparing for the Interview
 Assess yourself
 How do I come across to other people?
 Do I act self assured?
 Am I confident?
 Do I give the impression that I want the
job?

25. Remember
 Be prepared to explain your past
successes, accomplishments
 Restate your interest in the
position at the close of the
interview

26. Interview Do’s
Be on time - arrive 15 minutes
early
Offer a firm handshake
Listen to the question
before you answer

27. Interview Do’s
Turn off cell phone/beeper
Give interviewer your full
attention

28. The Interview
It is OK to be nervous
It is OK for your heart to palpitate
It is OK for your mouth to go dry
But stay focused