How to Become an Actor

How to Become an ActorHow to Become an Actor

How to Prepare for Different Types of Interviews

How to Prepare for Different Types of bewerbungsgesprchsHow to Prepare for Different Types of InterviewsInterviewing is often just as stressful for the einstellungsgesprcher as it is for the job seeker. If you understand the different types of interviews, including why and when theyre successful, you can make your interviews mora comfortable for both parties. When you conduct an interview, be sure that you dont come across as unprepared, short on time, hurried, distracted, or unskilled at interviewing. Its your job to ask the appropriate questions to determine if a candidate can perform successfully in the position. Screening Interviews Interviews ding into two categories the screening interview and the hiring or selection interview. Screening interviews qualify a candidate before he meets with a hiring manager for possible selection and serve to weed out candidates. Theyre usually quick, efficient and low-cost strategies that result in a short list of qualified candidates. The h iring or selection interview can take on many different forms. A third-party recruiter or someone from the Human Resources department usually conducts screening interviews. These experienced and professional interviewers are skilled at interviewing and screening candidates. They should be effective at judging character and intelligence and determining if the candidate is a good fit for the company culture. They also should be good at identifying profil red flags or problem areas in the candidates work background and general qualifications. Some interview questions relate to ethics. Examples of screening interviews include the telephone interview, the computer interview, and the video conference interview. Telephone Interviews The telephone interview is the most common way to perform an initial screening. This helps the interviewer and the candidate get a general sense if they are mutually interested in pursuing a discussion beyond the first interview. Telephone interviews also save time and money. The interviews may be tape-recorded for the review of other interviewers. During a phone interview, the candidates goal is to arrange a face-to-face meeting. Computer Interviews The computer interview involves answering a series of multiple-choice questions for a potential job interview or simply submitting a resume. Some of these interviews are done through the telephone or by accessing a website. Candidates might be asked to push appropriate buttons on a telephone to answer questions, or they might undertake the interviewonline. Video Interviews More than half of the largest U.S. companies already utilize online video conferencing as an alternative to the more costly face-to-face meetings. Its continual drop in cost is making it a popular resource for businesses as well as for home use. Hiring Interviews One-on-One Interviews This is the traditional interview where candidates meet with employers in person, one-on-one. Both the candidate and employer usually wal k away from this interview with a sense of whether or not the fit is right. Serial interviews Serial interviewsoccur when candidates are passed from one interviewer to another throughout the course of a day. No decision is made untilthe final interviewhas taken place and all the interviewers have had a chance to discuss each others interview. Since candidates have only one chance to make the right first impression, they should be energized and ready for the next interview. Sequential Interviews Ina sequential interview, the candidate meets with one or more interviewers on a one-on-one basis over the course of several days, weeks, or even months. Each interview is intended to move a candidate progressively towards learning more details about the position, the company, and hopefully, a job offer. Panel Interviews In apanel interview, the candidate appears before a committee or panel of interviewers. Candidates are evaluated oninterpersonal skills, qualifications, and their ability to think on their feet. This type of interview can be intimidating for a candidate. Ina panel interview, the candidate should makeeye contactand communicate individually with each member of the group or panel. Group Interviews In agroup interview, a company interviews a group of candidates for the same position at the same time. As a result, the company gets a sense of a candidates leadership potential, style, and persuasive skills. This type of interview can be overwhelming for a candidate, who needs to understand the dynamics the interviewer establishes and determine the rules of the game. He must avoid overt power conflicts, as they make the candidate look uncooperative and immature. The interviewee needs to treat other candidates with respect while exerting influence over them. Simultaneously, he needs to keep his eyes on the interviewer so he doesnt miss important cues. Situation or Performance Interview Insituation or wertmiger zuwachs interviews, candidates may be asked to role- play one of the job functions to assessspecific skills. After being given a specific, hypothetical situation or problem, theyre asked how theyd handle it or to describe a potential solution. This can be difficult if the interviewer fails to provide enough information for the candidate to recommend a solution or a course of action. This type of interview is often used to select candidates for acustomer service representative positionin a department or discount store. Audition Interview Audition interviewswork well for positions in which companies want to see a candidate in action before they make a hiring decision. Interviewers may take the candidate through a simulation or brief exercise to evaluate the candidates skills. This allows a candidate to demonstrate his abilities in interactive ways familiar to the candidate. This type of interview works well forcomputer programmers, trainers, welders, and mechanics. Stress Interview Astress interviewis generally intended to put the candi date under stress and assess her reactions under pressure or in difficult situations. A candidate may be held in the waiting room for an hour before the interviewer greets her. The candidate may face long silences or cold stares. The interviewer may openly challenge the interviewees beliefs or judgment. The candidate may also be asked to perform an impossible task on the fly, such as convincing the interviewer to exchange shoes with the candidate. Insults, rudeness, and miscommunication are very common. All of this is supposed to be designed to see whether or not the candidate has what it takes to withstand thecompany culture, the companys clients, or any other possible stress. Behavioral Interview Many companies are increasingly using thebehavioral interview. Depending on the responsibilities of the position and the working conditions, a candidate may be asked to describe a situation that requires problem-solving skills, adaptability, leadership,conflict resolution, multi-tasking, initiative orstress management. The interviewer wants to know how the candidate handles these types of situations to indicate future performance. There are several types ofbehavioral interviews Structured interview with layered questions Skilled interviewers commonly use this, asking a series of behavioral questions and non-behavioral questions. The questions often overlap and are designed to gather information about each of the major employer concerns.Informal interview This type is casual and relaxed. It is intended to get the candidate talking and too friendly. The candidate may reveal more information than he might otherwise. Too much information, too soon, can eliminate him.Assessment instruments/testingVarious types of tests are used to determine if a candidate is a good fit for the company.Personality inventoriesassesspersonality types.Aptitude inventoriesassess aptitudes in certain skill areas.Interest inventoriesassess interests in various occupational categories. Combinati on instruments can be a combination of any of these. Combination interviewThis type of interview combines two or more types of the above interviews. This could occur within the same interview, on subsequent interviews, or both. Directive or Structured Style Interview In adirective orstructured interview, the interviewer has a clearagendaand follows it unflinchingly. Companies use this rigid format to ensure parity between interviews. Interviewers ask each candidate the same series of questions so they can compare the results. Tag-Team Interview Thetag-kollektiv interviewis often attractive to companies that rely heavily on team cooperation. A candidate may be expecting to meet one-on-one with an interviewer, but find himself in a room with several other people. Employers want to gain the insights of various people when interviewing candidates. They want to know if a candidates skills balance the needs of the company and whether the candidate can get along with other workers. Candida tes should use this opportunity to gain as much information about the company as they can. Each interviewer has a different function in the company with a unique perspective about the business. Meandering Style Interview Themeandering style interviewis, unfortunately, often used by inexperienced interviewers. The interviewer relies on the candidate to lead the discussion. The interviewer might begin with a statement such as, Tell me about yourself. Candidates can use this to their advantage. This type of interview style allows a candidate to guide the interview in the way that best serves the candidate. But a candidate must remember to remain respectful of the interviewer and not dominate the interview. Mealtime Interviews Themealtime interviewis used to determine what a candidate is like in a social setting. But interviewing over a meal can be a candidates worst nightmare or challenge. The interviewers want to not only know how you handle a abspaltung but how you treat your host, a ny guests, and the serving staff. A candidate must take cues from the interviewer and always remembershe isthe guest. The applicant should sit after her host, display proper etiquette, and thank the host for his time. Follow-up Interviews Companies bring candidates back for second and sometimes third or fourthfollow-up interviews. Sometimes they just want to confirm youre their ideal candidate. Sometimes theyre having a difficult time deciding among a short list of candidates. Other times, other decision-makers in the company want to gain a sense of who the candidate is before ahiring decisionis made. Additional interviews may go in a variety of directions. When meeting with the same interviewer, a candidate can focus on cementing rapport, understanding where the company is going and how his skills mesh with the companyvisionand their culture. Candidates may find themselves negotiating a compensation package, or they may end up starting from the beginning with a new interviewer. Informational Interview Theinformational interviewis underutilized by job seekers. Job seekers secure informational meetings to seek the advice of someone in their current or desired field. They also want to gain further references to other people who can advise them. Since employers like to stay on top of a list of available talent, even when they dont have any job openings, theyre often open to these types of interviews. The job seeker and employer exchange information and get to know each other better without reference to a job opening. Conclusion Interviews are time-consuming, and training is needed to do them well. They are a flexible method for assessing and selecting candidates for all levels and types of positions. By generating insights, they enable the interviewer to judge whethera candidate is a good fit for the company. However, information from different interviews can be potentially difficult to manage. For example It can be hard to orchestrate these insights toge ther effectively so they provide a clear picture of the candidate.The insights assembled can be open to potential interviewer bias.Interviewers may miss certain areas of knowledge, skills, and ability.An interviewer may stress one area and neglect others.Since interviewers observations are subjective, they can be inaccurate. It is imperative that companies find interviewing styles and formats beneficial to the needs of both the company and its potential employees. If they can accomplish that goal, they can build bench strength and place the right people in the right positions. Nita Wilmott (nitawilmottvalornet.com) is currently a full-time student, majoring inHuman Resources, at Tulsa Community College in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has previously owned two businesses and worked in manycorporationsin a variety of industries.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Internship

How to Get the Most Out of Your InternshipHow to Get the Most Out of Your InternshipFor many college students and recent graduates, an internship is a near-requirement for future full-time employment. Without an internship, even entry-level positions are out of reach. So it can be easy to fall into the mentality that an internship is merely a stepping-stone on the path to a real job- something to endure, not enjoy. But internships can offers all sorts of benefits beyond post-college employment. Sometimes, an internship can expose that a planned career path or industry is not, in fact, the best one for you. Internships can help you build a network of colleagues- and friends- who may last a lifetime, offering countless opportunities (both career-focused and personal). And, internships can help make you comfortable and confident in the office environment. You wont get all those benefits if youre just showing up and counting down the days until your internship is over, though Heres how t o maximize your internship experience, and keep the focus on your whole career- and not just an initial job placement. Seek Opportunities to Gain Company and Industry Knowledge During your internship, try to learn about a range of things. If youre interning with the marketing department, seek out employees on the editorial team, or the programming department, and try to learn how their work differs from your own. Aim to learn about the company as a whole- How is it organized? Whats the company culture? Which employees are considered stars? What makes a good worker?- as well as the overall industry. Keep your future in mind Would you want to work at a company like the one youre interning, or would you prefer a different management or organizational structure? During interviews, youll get questions about how you like to work, and what environments suit you. The knowledge gained during your internship helps inform your response. You may discover during your internship that the comp any or industry is not for you. Dont look at the internship as wasted time if thats the case- its far preferable to discover which paths arent for you early on in your career. Become Confident in Workplace Practices If youve always been in school and worked part-time jobs in retail or food services, an internship may be your first exposure to office culture. Its different. The more youre exposed to how offices function, from the pre-meeting small talk to knowing who to CC on emails (and when), the more comfortable it will feel once your training wheels are off, and you have a staff position. And, keep in mind that knowing industry-focused jargon is hugely helpful when it comes to decoding job postings, writing effective cover letters, and sounding like a knowledgeable pro during interviews. (Heres what all those buzzwords using in job postings actually mean.) So keep track of the tools used in the office and the buzzwords that come up during meetings. Broaden Your Skills and Track What You Do During your internship, maybe youll write your first newsletter or computer program, create a schedule, or run a project (if youre lucky). But some internship programs reserve tedious grunt work for interns. Rest assured, no matter what work you do, you are gaining knowledge and skills that are different than the ones learned in the classroom. Even simple tasks- reaching out to staffers for the information to include in a daily email, say- can mucksmuschenstill look powerful on your resume. To that end, keep track of everything you learn and do during your internship. It may be helpful to keep a journal. Or, just have a draft email, and note in it every time you do a new task with the date. For instance, 11/9, learned new Excel formula 11/22 attended conference and presented key points in staff-wide meeting. Later, when youre writing up a description for your resume, these notes will be invaluable. Finally, remember that the purpose of the internship isnt just for you to do work to help the company- its for you to learn. To that end, take notes during meetings, and if something is unclear, ask questions to clarify later. If colleagues mention interesting, relevant news stories, resources, or tips, follow up and learn more. All of this research and follow-through will make you a better, more informed candidate during interviews. Ask for Feedback As an intern, youve practically got newbie in your title. That may be frustrating, and sometimes limit you from more exciting projects, but it also means that youre expected to not know everything. So feel free to ask questions, always. You can also ask for feedback from managers and colleagues. Find out what you can be doing better. While its hard to hear negative feedback, knowing your weak points can help you improve. Better to find out now, then during a full-time job where poor performance may mean youd lose the job. (Plus, youll have something to say when interviewers ask, Whats your biggest weakness?) Finally, know that if theres any time in your career that a mistake isnt a huge problem, its now. Ideally, of course, you wont make mistakes, but if you do, just acknowledge the error in a forthright way, and ask your manager what you can do to fix the situation. Give It Your All The best internships offer challenging, interesting work. But sadly, thats not always the case. Here are a few things to keep in mind if youre struggling to stay engaged You can ask for more Volunteer for additional work and projects if youve completed your assigned tasks. Or, better still, generate a list of helpful projects or tasks, and ask your manager if its OK to move forward with them.Be assertive Meet with your manager early on, if possible, to try to get a sense of expectations. Remember, this internship is a two-way street If you know youre interested in meeting with certain people or achieving certain resume-worthy tasks, mention it your manager- part of a managers job is to ensur e you have a meaningful experience. (Do be aware, however, that people in the office are generally over-worked, not under. So be respectful about how much time you take up.) Dont look bored Depending on your responsibilities, this may be a challenge. No matter how tedious the work may be, dont let that show on your face or in your attitude. Dont check your phone during meetings (unless thats part of your job responsibilities) or social media at your desk. Form Connections- And Maybe Even Find a berater If youre part of a group of interns, know that you might form relationships that will last a lifetime. So do socialize with your peers (but not at the cost of your work- use lunch time and coffee breaks for conversations, not cubicle-time). Go beyond the interns for your social circle, too. Ask co-workers to coffee, or try to sit with co-workers at lunch. Attend work-wide social events, and mingle. (Warning If theres booze served, even if you are of age, partake sparingly. Being t he intoxicated intern at a work event is not a good look.) Finally, be on the lookout for mentors, who can give you advice, write recommendations, and help you make important connections. (Here are some ideas for how to find career mentors.) If you have a co-worker who is helpful answering questions about on-the-job tasks or works with your regularly, ask how they got to where they are, what advice theyd give you, and so on. Having these kinds of conversations is the start to a mentor-type relationship, which can be a powerful force throughout your career.