COMM 202 Tutorial 8T23 & T30
Agenda
1. Resume/CL assignment debrief2. Employment interview3. Interview Q&A4. My take5. Action items
Course timeline
Week 12 Week 13 Week 14
• Tutorial: interviews• Employment
interview signup March 27th to 29th if you applied on time (otherwise, March 30th signup)
• Lecture: when you get the job!
• Interviews: April 3rd, 4th and 6th
• Optional InterviewStream available until April 7th at 11:59pm
• Information interview due April 14th at 11:59pm via Turnitin
Resume/CL Assignment Debrief
• Formatting consistency• Integration• Accomplishment statements• Branding
* Cover letter is about the company* Resume is about you
Employment Interview
Employment interview
• April 3, 4 and 6• Bring: resume, cover letter, job description (mandatory)• Optional: padfolio, pen, notes
25%
Employment interview
The interview:
• Check in with “reception” in Birmingham (your job not to get lost!)• BE EARLY – ideally about 10 minutes, if you’re not there at your
scheduled interview time, you will receive an automatic zero• Interview is approximately 20 minutes long with one COMM 202 team
member, BCC coach or external consultant (allot 30 minutes total)• You can sign up for timeslots (Tues) / You should have already!
(Thurs)• Interview will consist of behavioural questions
Employment interview
Look good
Feel great
Interview Q&A
Interview Q&A
Q1: Tell me about yourself
Interview Q&A
Q1: Tell me about yourself• Keep it under 2 minutes• Brand yourself – give them something to remember you by• Sound natural – not like you’re reading off a script!• Speak to your skills and accomplishments• Show passion• Provide a well-rounded picture
The Beginning The Spark Growing
InterestYour
FutureWhy you are here?
Interview Q&A
Q1: Tell me about yourself• Find a common theme
The goal is to tell a story that no one else can replicate and impress them in the first 2 minutes
Interview Q&A
Introduction
Realization that this is the right career for you
Your formula and how it has helped lead you to this role
Where you see yourself
How this position ties into it all
Growing interest
The spark
Your future
The beginning
Why you are here
Q1: Tell me about yourself
Q1: Tell me about yourself – my formula
Interview Q&A
+ Why I chose business and accounting, and why I decided to move to Vancouver to attend UBC
Upcoming goals and what’s next for me: why I want to return to Calgary, new goals coming up
Born and raised in Calgary, super shy until a particular job experience
+
Q1: Tell me about yourself – rubric
Interview Q&A
Q1: Tell me about yourself – activity
• Grab a partner and swap “tell me about yourself stories”• 2.5 minutes story telling; 1 minute feedback
* Goal: convey the elements of the story in a logical way* Experiment with finding your formula
Interview Q&A
Q2: What are your strengths?
Interview Q&A
Q3: What are your strengths?
• To tell if you know yourself and that you know you have what it takes to do the job
• Can also be asked in different ways• Prepare multiple strengths!• There is no right answer – just good answers and bad
answers
Interview Q&A
Q2: What are your strengths? – rubric
Interview Q&A
Q3: What are your weaknesses?
Interview Q&A
Q3: What are your weaknesses?
• To see if you are able to identify weaknesses and have a plan in place to improve them
• Talk about weaknesses that would not impair you from doing the job you are applying for well
• Prepare multiple!
* Do not flip weaknesses into strengths!
Interview Q&A
Q3: What are your weaknesses? Avoid:
✘ “I’m such a perfectionist”✘ “Too detail-oriented”✘ “Over-achiever”✘ “I work too hard sometimes”
Interview Q&A
Q3: What are your weaknesses? – rubric:
Interview Q&A
Q4: Tell me about a time when…
Interview Q&A
STARSITUATION ACTIONTASK RESULT
what position and where were you?
what was the challenge you
faced?
what did YOU do and how
did you do it?
what was the accomplishment and the impact?
+ LINK back to job and why the story is relevant
Q4: Tell me about a time when… – rubric
Interview Q&A
Q5: Wildcard question
Interview Q&A
Q5: Wildcard question
• Industry or job specific or… a surprise!• Way for the interviewer to gauge your interest and
knowledge of the position and industry• Tests your ability to communicate clearly• Shows the interviewer how you think
Interview Q&A
Interview Q&AFINANCEWHAT ARE THE THREE WAYS TO VALUE A COMPANY?PITCH ME A STOCKSO MANY CURVEBALLS…
ACCOUNTINGWHY DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE YOUR CPA?WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR X FIRM?WALK ME THROUGH AN ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CYCLE?
MANAGEMENT CONSULTINGHOW MANY WORDS ARE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES?WHAT ARE YOUR 5 WEAKNESSES? … TELL ME ANOTHER … AND ANOTHERCASES
MARKETING HOW WOULD YOU INCREASE SALES OF X PRODUCT BY X%?SELL ME THIS PEN
TLOG WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO INCREASE OUR PRODUCTIVITY?HOW MANY CHAIRS ARE IN SAUDER?
HUMAN RESOURCES HOW SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR HIRING PROCESS?HOW WOULD YOU FIRE ME IF YOU HAD TO DO IT RIGHT NOW?
RANDOM QUESTIONS OR SCENARIOS
WOULD YOU RATHER GO SKY DIVING OR SCUBA DIVING AND WHY?HOW WOULD YOU DIVIDE A CAKE INTO 8 EQUAL PIECES WITH ONLY 3 KNIFE CUTS? [ROLE PLAYING A DECISION MAKING SITUATION]TELL ME ABOUT SOME NEWS YOU HAVE READ RECENTLY AND HOW IT RELATES TO THIS JOB?
Q5: Wildcard questions – rubric:
Interview Q&A
Do you have any questions for me?
Interview Q&A
Do you have any questions for me?
• Always have at least 2 questions!• Avoid asking questions you could Google• Do not ask something already been addressed in the interview• Always safe to get them talking about themselves – maybe ask
something directly related to their job/industry
Interview Q&A
Closing the interview
Interview Q&A
THANK them
Reiterate your INTEREST
End with a HANDSHAKE
Ask for their BUSINESS CARD
Ask if you can CALL to follow-up
Follow-up:
send an email or handwritten card
reference the interview – something you want to emphasize or something unsaid that you want them to know
reiterate your interest in the position
thank them for the opportunity again
reference an answer they gave you to one of your end of interview questions
if you interviewed with multiple people make sure the follow-up is personalized to each person
Interview Q&A
Tips!
1. Listen to the question2. Take time to think!3. Answer the question asked4. Use your Skills Matrix5. Guide the conversation to where you are comfortable6. Smile, nod, maintain eye contact7. Bring energy and differentiate yourself
* My strategy: preparation and emotional intelligence
Interview Q&A
My Take
Remember this document?
My Take
CL error: addressingCL error: position not tailored
-40%
Hook: 0Personal touch: 0Branding: 0
My Take
Q&A!
Action items
Action items
1. Optional Interview stream available until April 7, 11:59pm (no marks, just practice)
2. Employment interviews are on April 3, 4, and 6 (sign up sign up sign up!)
3. Informational interview due April 14 at 11:59pm via Turnitin
4. Next week is final 202 lecture! Only happening Tuesday and Wednesday – check video lecture online if you can’t make it
THANK YOU!FINAL 202 LECTURE next week!