Hello everyone I hope you all had a great spring break! This posting will be about interviewing as you probably already know from the title. We will have you practice an interview by clicking the fist link I provided below. I did an interview myself and that is the second link that I posted for you. Some of these questions are tough to answer because they may be vague or not really apply to you. Answer them to the best of your ability anyways and try to act as if this is for a job you really want. My interview went pretty well I think as I said some of the questions did not really apply to me but it made me think how I would react if it was a real interview and I learned that I need to maybe work on coming up with my answers a bit quicker.
We would like for you to practice an interview, and tell us how it went. Where are some of your strong points, where are your weaker points? How would you handle a phone interview differently? And finally when do you think is the appropriate time to talk about your salary? I hope the interview goes well for you. When you post in response to this don't be afraid to ask us any other questions you may have as well.
http://www.perfectinterview.com/ucf/
http://www.perfectinterview.com/online/review_gateway.asp?id=3024724&type=standard
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Hello,
ReplyDeleteMy browser says that www.perfectinterview.com/ucf cannot be found, does anyone have the same problem?
thanks,
Paloma Peraza
Hi Paloma,
ReplyDeleteI connected to the website when i copied and pasted the link.
Dora Peters
Paloma,
ReplyDeleteTry Dora's suggestion of copying and pasting the link first, but if you have any more trouble, let us know and we'll see if we can find you a better link.
Kadie
Wow, what a great resource! I have to say I was a little bit intimidated by the "recruiter" (so silly, I know!) and I got nervous. I think I have to practice on answering the questions quicker as well as preparing for questions that I haven't thought about, for example the mission statement. That was a very good question and one that can reflect a lot about the candidate.
ReplyDeletePaloma Peraza
Are there any more people that are having trouble getting to the website? Keep any postings and questions coming. Good luck everyone.
ReplyDeletePeter
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI having a phone interview will have its benefits but will also have its disadvantages. I think it would be nice because this way you don't have to worry about dressing correctly and you don't have to worry about your body language. Now, that can also be a disadvantage because if you get to comfortable that can bew translated in to the way you talk or the tone of the voice. also I think that face to face gives an opportunity to be judge buy ones expression and I like that.
Paloma Peraza
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteI have heard that the salary shouldn't be discussed until a position is offered and if you are interviewed by someone who is not HR you shouldn't discussed the topic. I don't know if that is truth. For one part t makes sense because at the time of the interview you or the interviewer should be focusing on you strengths and on what you have to offer. I think that discussing the salary on the interview would be weird.
Since we are talking about salary and interviews, let me ask you guys one question. I hate when they ask about how much did you used to make on a previous job, I think that's non of their business. So, when asked a question like that, do you have to answer it?
Paloma Peraza
I have to agree with Paloma, I was a bit nervous as silly as that sounds. Also I think I spent a lot more time thinking about how I would answer the questions than I would normally be able to. I chose to do the short interview so that I could see what I was expected to know. Its interesting to be on the other side. I have never asked about how much people make at their last job. I plan to pay them what I am able to pay them based on their qualifications. I think its important if you are hiring for management to make sure that they would be happy making what you are going to pay them. In that case it might be ok to ask how much they made.
ReplyDelete-Dora Peters
With the state, they often will tell you how much you will make during the interview. Actually, it starts before that; it's put in the job announcement. Then, during interviews, either the preliminary written questions or during the actual verbal interview, they tell you how much you'll make, how you will receive it (direct deposit) and ask if you understand and are ok with that; this is before you are ever offered the job.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't like talking about pay until it becomes a little more serious; the job is on the table.
What other questions did you find strange, difficult or something of interest?
Definitely a good resource. The funny thing is though, i've been to this site before. I dont remember when i've seen it, it may have been as recently as last year, but I've definitely been here before. I've used it a couple of times just to play around and practice some stuff, but nothing serious. If I were planning on going to a job interview, I would definitely practice using this tool prior to showing up.
ReplyDelete-Totiro N. Clark II
Paloma,
ReplyDeleteIts not really silly that you found yourself a little intimidating. All that means is that the creators of the material did very well and made it all that much more realistic. If you were practicing for an interview, wouldn't you want a partner who could make you feel like you were in the interview room? The fact that this resource is here and free and available for the world to use is astonishing.
-Totiro N. Clark II
Dora,
ReplyDeleteI'm going to say to you the same thing I said to Paloma, dont feel it is silly that you were a tad nervous. If the interviewer made you that way, then the content creators did a good job. The fact that it was being done online was a great bonus for many of us I'm sure, because it gave us time to think about our answers. We needn't worry that we would say something that would discredit us. The interviewer was not in the room and they were not staring us down, lol. It was just a very realistic simulation. As for Pay and when it should be discussed....I had thought the appropriate time was never. You should have done your research and figured out how much people were paid by what they wore, or ate, or how they smelled...etc.
-Totiro N. Clark II
It always nice when you are able to build a flowing conversation with the interviewer. I find it very easy to talk to some of the people i meet. Now this does not necessarily mean that I would have hired them based on that fact. But its just nicer to feel engaged in the interview. Totiro, I agree that the simulation was very realistic. Did anyone try the webcam version? I was curious to see how that experience differs from just typing out answers.
ReplyDelete-Dora Peters
I was also wondering if this is something that I can inform my peers and/or other UCF students about? This is a great resource and I would like to expose a few people to it. Does anyone know if i can refer them to this site or if there is another one like it? I am sure other colleges expose their students to something like this, but if they do not I know my friends will be greatly appreciative of this. Also, I know some people who are not in school but are looking for jobs who might like this tool so that they do not feel lost since they have not done this in a while.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help!
-Dora Peters
Before I took the interview assessment I thought I was going to do well with the interview. The first question, “What are some things you learned about yourself at your previous job,” was not a hard question for me. I just said I realized that I am a strong leader. I have the ability to understand people who I interact with which is vital when duties must be delegated and I am the one who is giving the orders. I know how to ask people to do things without giving the impression that I am bossing them around. Also if they cannot or do not want to do something I show compassion and reassign duties if I deem it necessary. I also learned that I am an excellent follower as well. I do like being the leader but if I am not I will give anyone else the same respect, attention, and hard work I would want if I was leading. But as the interview progressed I realized I could not develop an answer to the question as well as I had before. Like with the “Give me an example of when you used practical knowledge to accomplish something important,” question I could not think of an answer I think it took me probably thirty seconds to think of an answer, and even that answer was weak. I think I need to work on my quick thinking and responses more. I do not think I would have gotten the job if this was an actual interview for a job.
ReplyDelete- Lawatha L. CherRenfro
The best way to answer the question, “What do you look for in a good supervisor,” would probably be something along the lines of; I think he or she would have to be a strong leader, someone people would want to follow, knowledgeable of their job and also of the job of those who they supervise and someone who has a good balance of sternness and leniency. A strong leader takes care of their people no matter what. They always have the best interest for their employees. They know what the job expects and they are able to plan accordingly do minimize delays, injuries to anyone, and maximizing the best quality of work. If a supervisor is as hard a worker as the people who work for him or her and they take care of their people then they would be a person people would not mind following. If a supervisor knows the job of their subordinates they will understand what their subordinates endure and will know not to give them unrealistic task and the supervisor would also appreciate what their workers accomplish and should be more willing to formally recognize those who excel to boost morale in the workplace. The best way I think to respond to the question about if the previous employer were in the room, what you would say to him or her would be to keep positive thoughts. The following response would probably be something the employer is looking for. I appreciate the opportunity you gave me to be an employee of yours. I developed in many ways while working and learning in that atmosphere. I am sure I added something to your company that was not there before I worked here and with my resignation I am hopeful you will find someone else to fill my position and be as great of an asset to you as I was. If the question that was brought up in the interview about being told to do something that was unethical or dishonest were asked to me I would try to relay the message that I would not complete that task under any circumstances. I would first bring it up to the person who was telling me to do the dishonest or unethical thing and let them know that I feel it is wrong, why it is wrong, and the ramifications of completing the task. If they still insisted I needed to do it anyway I would take the issue his or her supervisor. And I would continue to take my concerns up the chain until the issue was resolved.
ReplyDelete- Lawatha L. CherRenfro
I am unsure of the proper answer to this question but I will say what I think is best and what I have done in the past. I think it is best to allow the interviewer to bring it up. I feel that if you allow yourself to bring up salary in the interview the interviewer may wonder if money is you only motivation for working with them, which is not something you want them to think. If the interviewer does ask you about salary I would think the best way to answer it would be to express to them that salary is not your main focus. With that said you would want a fair wage that is comparable to your peers but as you progress and continue to excel you would like that salary to increase. I always waited for the interviewers to ask me what I expected to earn. I researched what their wages were for different positions and told them the wage that was average respective to the position I was applying for. My best suggestion is to not bring up the question in the interview. If it is asked answer accordingly but never initiate the question.
ReplyDelete- Lawatha L. CherRenfro
I have never dealt with phone interviews so I cannot give tips from experience about how to handle these. I will give some tips that I think may be important though. Call the appropriate person(s) on time. You never want to be late; you may even want to call ten minutes in advance. Speak clearly when answering questions. Speaking with clarity and minimizing “umms” and “aaaas” are key to showing you are confident in what you are saying and will positively influence the results of your interview. Make sure you are in an area where you are sure there will be no outside noise and you will be able to give the interviewer you full attention. There is nothing worse than talking to someone and the background noise is so distracting you do not pay attention to who you are speaking with. If the interviewer senses you are not completely engaged in the interview then they may cut the interview short and you will most likely not receive a favorable result. I have had two panel interviews for previous jobs I had. My advice would be to not only focus on one interviewer at a time, but address all members of the panel even if they are not the one who asked the question. Eye contact with all of the members of the panel is very important also. It shows confidence and interviewers want to see that. I would also suggest shaking every member of the panel’s hand before and after the interview.
ReplyDelete- Lawatha L. CherRenfro
Like a few of the other people I was a bit nervous. I feel like my body language is a bit off when I go on interviews so a phone interview might be more convenient. I am very fidgety by nature, when you add nerves from an interviews my hands simply do not stay in one place. Funny enough, I feel like this website might be the interview format of the future!
ReplyDelete~Ana Zuniga
So body language is my weakness, my strength is speaking. Sometimes I do not know what to answer on an interview but when I do answer I feel like I am very fluid in answering so it conveys confidence. Interview questions can be so tricky though! So, this interview practice is really great and like Dora I would love to share this with some of my friends.
ReplyDelete~Ana Zuniga
I think a phone interview would be much better for me, because you really have to depend on your verbal abilities and this is something I am really good with.
ReplyDeleteIf a job has a recruiting process where there are multiple interviews, salary is probably not discussed in the first one. Really, I think both parties are very much aware that there is going to be a salary so the perceived taboo of not discussing salary is ridiculous. If you wait to discuss it until you are offered the job then you might have wasted both your time and the employer's. Fortunately, most job listings provide at least a salary range.
~Ana Zuniga