Interview Research and Preparation: communicate your brand

Interview Research and Preparation: communicate your brand

Late assignments are not accepted

Introduction Once your brand is created, you need to communicate it in writing and verbally. An interview is a prime example of verbally communicating your brand to the employer you are following. In this assignment, compose responses to some popular first interview questions. The effort it takes to consider and formulate responses, and then compose them, pays off in our ability to articulate them clearly in a face-to-face interview.

Directions

1. Reflect upon and apply what you learned about researching a company in weeks two and three of class.

2. Drawing from the information you have researched through business databases, company websites, and other resources, you will compose informed, branded responses to the first round interview questions listed below. (Questions 1 through 11 replicate the questions you will respond to for the Mock Interview assignment).

3. Use the tips located under each question as you consider and compose your responses for the company and job vacancy you submitted the first week of class.

4. Once completed and proofread, you will submit the Microsoft Word document in the Blackboard Assignment Drop Box by Sunday, February 5, 11:59 p.m.

Ensure that you observe the Blackboard verification for submission. An assignment that you think was submitted, yet is not in the Grade Center, will not be considered. Take a screen shot of the verification message and save it to ensure there are no questions regarding the validity of the submission.

Interview Research and Preparation Questions (55 points—5 points for each response)

Compose written responses to the questions below as if you were interviewing for the position you selected for your Job Vacancy assignment. Each response will be given a value of 0 through 5 points (0-2=Needs Improvement, 3-4=Acceptable, 5=Excellent). Please be specific, not general! Use the Sample Submission on pages 3 through 6 as a guide.

1. Tell me about yourself.

· This introduces you to the employer and allows him or her to see the potential fit between brands.

· Consider your motivation for pursuing the company and how your brand aligns with its.

· Focus on the skills that you possess that you know are required.

· Remember to use “SEAT:”

· Skills

· Examples

· Achievements

· Tie it back to employer

2. What most interests you about working for this company?

· This question can go many ways emanating from personal desire to facts and financials. Prepare to respond in a manner that presents you as a knowledgeable, qualified, valued candidate.

· Access Carlson Library Business Databases including Business Insights Global and Business Source Complete

· What are the strengths or opportunities of the company?

· What do you like about the product or industry?

· What is appealing about the size of the company?

· What is appealing about the location of the company?

· Why this company and not one of its competitors?

· Review the company website for its values, vision, priorities, principles. What “speaks” to you that drives you to represent them?

· Draw from the company’s LinkedIn presence. What’s happening there that captures your attention?

3. Describe a time when you had to handle multiple, competing priorities. What did you do? Provide specifics.

· Apply the STAR Technique

· Situation or

· Task

· Action

· Result

· Make sure you tie your answer back to the relevance of this experience and how it can impact your performance with the company.

4. You are competing with a lot of other business school applicants. Why should we pick you?

· Identify what is unique about you over all your class colleagues. Is it:

· Internship/s?

· Grades?

· Personal qualities unique to you?

· Involvement in organizations, professional associations, athletic teams?

· Achievements?

· Consider this your competitive advantage

5. What are some qualities that an individual possesses that makes it difficult to work with them?

· The employer wants to know what types of individuals may not gel with you. If you want to stay positive, speak to personality types the complement yours.

· If you have not had difficulty working with someone, say so. Be prepared to project what you may do if confronted with a situation where there may be a conflict.

· Go back to your personality blend on Woofound (Use that resource to develop a response if necessary.

6. What is your greatest weakness? What have you done so far to try to improve in this area?

· The employer is looking for learning and progress. Identify a quality or practice you have or are trying to improve.

7. What would you consider to be your one greatest strength?

· This will likely be one of the skills identified in the job vacancy. Be prepared to back up this strength with specific examples of how you have built it.

8. Where do you want your career to go in the next 5 or 10 years?

· The employer is looking for loyalty and commitment. S/he does not want to hear that you intend to build some skills and savings and leave them for another opportunity.

9. Have you ever faced an ethical or value conflict in your job? Explain the situation and how you handled it?

· There is rarely one “right” answer here. The employer is looking for you to walk through the steps you would take to handle this.

10. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem with very little guidance or direction.

· Apply the STAR Technique

· Situation or

· Task

· Action

· Result

· Make sure you tie your answer back to the relevance of this experience and how it can impact your performance with the company.

11. What additional questions can I answer for you? (compose at least two additional questions worth 5 points total)

Need help? Try these:

Crush your Next Job Interview with These 12 Questions

Must-ask Questions at the Interview

51 Interview Questions You Should be Asking

Remember, once completed and proofread, you will submit the Microsoft Word document in the Blackboard Assignment Drop Box by Sunday, February 5, 11:59 p.m. An additional 10 points are available for spelling and grammar.

Ensure that you observe the Blackboard verification for submission. An assignment that you think was submitted, yet is not in the Grade Center, will not be considered. Take a screen shot of the verification message and save it to ensure there are no questions regarding the validity of the submission.

Sample Submission

1. Tell me about yourself.

All of my life I have enjoyed participating in team sports. Whether I was on an organized team or playing in the backyard, I always wanted to be the captain, because I could select, encourage, develop, and inspire my teammates. This desire has transferred to all areas of my life, including involvement in organizations and at work. When I made the decision to come to UT, I figured HR would be a likely major for me. Now, after two-and-a-half years of study, I am confident I am in the right major; however, I want to test my interests and interpersonal, teaming, and communication skills as an HR intern with Dana. The project-based internship focus is appealing to me, and I am prepared to apply what I have learned in my classes, work, and involvement in Corporate HR, Benefits, or Global Compensation.

2. What most interests you about working for this company?

I suppose I could say that I really want to work for Dana Corporation because they want to be the global leader in efficient power movement and energy solutions, but it’s really more than that. Revenues nearing $7 billion and status in the top 10 companies in their industry are impressive; however, after researching Dana’s web page and speaking with former Dana interns, I appreciate learning about Dana’s commitment to being a good corporate citizen, something that is woven throughout its Standards of Business Conduct. Dana does “the right thing” for the company, its people, and the community. There are a lot of opportunities for engaging in community events. In fact, I discovered that some Dana employees volunteer at Josina Lott, where I have volunteered for years. I feel like we already are connected by our mutual interest in serving others.

3. Describe a time when you had to handle multiple, competing priorities. What did you do? Provide specifics.

Fall semester was challenging for me because I was taking 18 credit hours, working 20 hours a week, serving in a leadership role in two on-campus organizations, and volunteering with a youth membership drive at my church at home. All of my time was consumed by my commitments and none of it was going to my own personal wellness. I was tired, stressed, and on the verge of snapping. After talking with some of my trusted friends, I decided I really needed to start dedicating more time to myself so that I could be successful in the future. So, I reevaluated all of my involvement and decided I needed to cut back. I am continuing to take 18 credits and to block off specific time blocks for studying and completing assignments, and working out; declining officer roles within my organizations, in favor of taking on a specific project in SHRM, which is directly related to my major; maintaining my work schedule; and, as much as I dislike doing so, stepping away from the church youth drive. Now, a month into the semester, I am feeling more focused, energized, and enthusiastic. If I were confronted with a similar situation at Dana, I would take the same kind of steps to analyze my priorities in order to meet the objectives of my role.

4. You are competing with a lot of other business school applicants. Why should we pick you?

I recognize that my HR major colleagues are all competitive, and certainly, more competitive than students from other universities; however, I do believe there are some considerations that set me apart from my competition. Firstly, I know Dana. Having grown up in Northwest Ohio, I am familiar with the impact Dana has made on this community. It is a stronghold, and I enjoy knowing the community and the company benefit from one another. Secondly, I have conducted research, not just online, but with people who work or have worked at Dana. I have interviewed other UT students who have interned with Dana, as well as my aunt, who recently retired from an IT role. Everyone with whom I’ve spoken raves about the value Dana places on its employees. Knowing the I have served as a leader all my life and have helped to develop my teammates, I believe this is a good fit. Lastly, I am able to accept a task and run with it. While I am confident that I know how to prioritize objectives to meet the expectations of my supervisor, I am also humble enough to know when to ask timely, specific questions and to ensure I am completing the assignment correctly. These things combined make me a competitive candidate for the HR Intern role.

5. What are some qualities that an individual possesses that makes it difficult to work with them?

Because I pride myself on fostering positive relationships, this has not been a problem for me so far; however, I am aware I will encounter this at some point. In sports or in group projects at UT, I always survey all the members to see what they believe their greatest strengths are to try to harness those for the benefit of the group. For example, someone may be better at researching articles using library resources instead of making the PowerPoint for the presentation. Or, if someone’s availability is more limited than others, I try to see what the group can do to accommodate. Everyone needs to recognize their value and also the expectations of the group. This approach has been successful in the past, so I am hopeful for continued success.

6. What is your greatest weakness? What have you done so far to try to improve in this area.

I used to really struggle with focus when I was reading my text books. More than anything, I was looking at highlighting words, without really taking anything away from the reading. My performance on quizzes and tests suffered as a result. Before my grades tanked, I remembered hearing about the Learning Enhancement Center on campus. I visited with them and picked up some great study skills tips that have improved my ability to focus on my readings; digest the content; and then, study it regularly. Since then, my quiz and test performance has improved greatly.

7. What would you consider to be your one greatest strength?

My ability to employ my interpersonal skills to establish and foster my relationships is really my greatest strength. From the time I was young, my family always role-modeled respectful, individualized communication with everyone. Just following simple manners in conversation, and occasionally reaching out to someone shows you value you them. For example, before each semester, I introduce myself to all of my faculty; ask them a few questions about their courses; and then, follow up with a thank-you email. You would be amazed to know how many remember me on the first day of classes! I believe this attention to building relationships fosters appreciation and positive communication. Given the people focus in HR, I am confident this ability will make a positive impact within the department and the company.

8. Where do you want your career to go in the next 5 or 10 years?

As a lifelong resident of Northwest Ohio, I am committed to dedicating my efforts to support a company that is headquartered here in my desired field of human resources. I’ve done enough research on HR careers and companies to know that I need to be flexible with opportunities and locations. I am open to relocation and to trusting the corporation to place me in roles that will challenge me and fulfill their greatest needs. As I progress through the ranks, I want to experience a full range of HR roles from recruiting, to benefits and compensation, to negotiation, all in an effort to prepare me for a director level or beyond role. In short, my hope is to prove my worth to Dana so I may continue to grow with it, wherever that may be.

9. Have you ever faced an ethical or value conflict in your job? Explain the situation and how you handled it?

When I was in high school, I worked at Walgreen’s stocking shelves. One day a group of my friends came in to pick up snacks on their way to a movie. We saw one another and started a brief conversation. One of the guys with them continued to look at the candy while the others talked to me. As I turned to get back to work, I noticed the other guy took a bag of M&Ms he was looking at and stuck it in his pocket. At the time I let it go, thinking, “It’s just a bag of M&Ms.” Then, the more I thought about it, I figured the cashier, and possibly, I, could get in serious trouble if the general manager thought I had knowledge of the incident. Before my “friends” left, I confronted them about the candy. At first they denied it, but then one of them said they knew the other guy had taken them, but really didn’t think a $.75 bag of candy was going to make a difference. I just stared at them, and tried to talk them out of it. I even offered to pay for the candy myself. They ended up returning the candy. I told them that I was aware of businesses prosecuting for shoplifting, no matter the cost. They dismissed my comments. To be honest, our relationship after that wasn’t great; however, I knew I’d done the right, ethical thing. I want to be valued for my ethics and integrity no matter where I work.

10. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem with very little guidance or direction.

In my student organization, I created the role of “Personnel Chair,” because no one seemed to be in charge of matters that related to recruiting, interviewing, and developing members. As a fairly new organization, everyone seemed to be sharing the load. I suggested we start dividing tasks so that we could specialize a bit more and have greater controls over who was responsible for what. We divided our leadership into five different positions. Taking what I’ve learned in classes and observing the leadership in SHRM, I identified what I thought needed to happen with our membership and presented it to my colleagues. After one year in operation, increased our membership by 100%.

11. What additional questions can I answer for you?

Tell me what you enjoy working for Dana?

How would you describe the profile of a successful candidate for this position?

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