Interview skills/Weekly agenda

Pre-Work / Course
The Interview Skills class is designed to be practical, experiential, applied, hands-on....and fun!

In the week leading up to the class, please start looking at the job ads on Indeed.com or company websites, and identify a job posting / advertisement that you are interested in AND believe that you could do. (i.e., you've got 7/10 of the criteria / requirements) and/or the transferable skills.

Bring to Class
Please bring a copy of the job ad to class - and also take a picture of it for safekeeping.

Bring along the most recent copy of your resume. (Don't worry if it is not up-to-date - we will simply be using it to refresh your memory!)

Pen and paper to take notes. (If you need an electronic version, you can take a photo afterwards.)

Review

 * Course intro, about instructor, syllabus review
 * Course simulates the interview experience
 * Experiential, APPLIED, interactive
 * High quality participation expected + rewarded (in-person & online)
 * Interviewing is a Job Skill + Life Skill
 * Direct feedback (Professor), practice (mock interviews)
 * Reduce stress - for interviews
 * Review assignments & instructions; blog posting themes; grading
 * Importance of Planning Ahead - especially to find Interviewers for Videos
 * It is Student's Responsibility to Be Up to Date
 * Explain Rationale: No Computers / Electronic Devices in Class

New Learning

 * Interviewing as "muscle memory"
 * Background, Skills, Experience & Transferable Skills
 * Behavioral Interviews & CAR Stories - how / why to use them
 * Importance of ACCOUNTABILITY, FOLLOW-THROUGH, CONSEQUENCES, BIG PICTURE
 * Simulation of Interview in-class

Activities

 * Plenary: Objective of Interview
 * Complete Email Address & Contact Info (via Google Drive Sign-up Sheet) - you will be provided this link via Canvas LMS


 * Who Are You (Introduce Yourself) & What Is the Job You Want to Do - (tables)
 * Transferable Skills - Identify 10 skills, then 3 skills, then discuss in groups giving an example of the "transferable skills". Report in plenary (i.e., large group)

Readings

 * Read this week's readings - Content and readings

Prepare for Class

 * Complete Mini-Bio
 * Review ALL ASSIGNMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS for course
 * Find Advertised Job Description -
 * Write three (3) CAR Stories FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE - THAT MATCHES this Job Description - pay attention to Job Requirements & Roles and Responsibilities.
 * Create blog on Sakai
 * Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)
 * See: Blog posting themes
 * Bring pen and paper to next class - to take notes (you can take a picture of them when you're finished)

Review

 * Why Am I Taking this Course? Purpose?
 * Blog Posts - What Did I Learn - Self, Others?
 * What is the Objective of the Interview
 * What is a Behavioral Interview?
 * What is a CAR Story? Transferable Skills? Competencies?
 * Why are CAR Stories Important?

New Learning

 * Handshake U
 * When does Interview Start?
 * CAR Stories (for professional job): Specific information of value, interest to prospective employer
 * Job Description, Roles & Responsibilities
 * Knowledge + Experience & Transferable Skills (70 / 30)
 * Researching Employers (Organizations, Hiring Managers, Decision-Makers)

Activities

 * Handshake U - (walk in)
 * Self - Revise Your CAR Stories - for your Professional Job
 * Tighten up Delivery, Language & Body Language
 * Integrate Transferable Skills
 * Pairs - CAR Stories - Peer Review/Practice (in pairs, 5 min)
 * Suggest How Peer can Improve Their CAR Story
 * Plenary: Call on Individuals - Share CAR Story (on-the-spot)
 * Lecturette: Researching Organizations & Desired Job / Role
 * Job Role
 * Organization
 * Hiring Manager / Decision-Maker
 * "The Business" - customers, markets, competitors, revenues, profitability, etc.
 * Pain, Problems, Challenges
 * Info Sources - Library, LinkedIn, Website,
 * Organization "Burn" Rate
 * Connect the Dots
 * Connect the Dots


 * Research Employers (pairs OR groups, 4-5 people)
 * What is the business, products, services, industry, growing / declining, issues / "Pain"
 * Present/Plenary

Readings

 * Read this week's readings - Content and readings

Prepare for Class

 * Stand Up and Vocally Practice Three (3) CAR Stories - in Response to Behavioral Interview Questions
 * Rehearse Out Loud to Friend, Colleague and/or in front of Mirror
 * Integrate CAR Stories into Your Cover Letters, Resumes & LinkedIn Profile
 * Be sure to add the LinkedIn URL to the Class Email Sign Up Sheet (Google Docs)
 * Research Your Desired / Target Employer
 * Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)
 * See: Blog posting themes
 * Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)
 * See: Blog posting themes

Review

 * Blog Posts - what did I learn? Self, Others?
 * Integrating CAR Stories & Transferable Skills into Responses to Behavioral Interview Questions
 * Strategies for Researching Employers
 * Attunement - Importance of
 * Self-Awareness, Presentation, Delivery
 * Assignment Review
 * Video Interviews 1 + 2, Final Paper

New Learning

 * Information Interviews
 * Nonverbal & Cultural Situations & Strategies & Voice Tone & Pace
 * Grooming, Team Colors,
 * Organization / Cultural Fit
 * Appropriate / Legal Questions
 * HR + Employer's Perspective (POSS. GUEST SPEAKER OR VIDEO)

Mini-Intros for Networking - for Practice / Conciseness

 * Networking - Mini-Intros (30 secs, timed, per person)
 * (1) Write your responses by self (3-4 min); (2); then choose one (1) person per table (about 8 tables) to stand up and model response and receive feedback (30 secs, timed); then everyone at each table per table has opportunity to present mini-intro (30 secs each, activity is approx. 5 min.)
 * 1) Full Name (or nickname)
 * 2) Field of Study / Interest
 * 3) Desired Role & Company (professional)
 * 4) What I Bring to Employer / Role - (Hint: Transferable Skills)

Appropriate - Legal & Illegal Questions

 * Ask Questions from ICTC HR Management Handbook - pp. 45-46:
 * Candidate Evaluation Chart / Selection Interview Chart (Instructor: Call and Response - walkabout)
 * Respond and Pivot - Like a Politican

CAR Story Practice (if there's time)

 * Make Your Pitch: Explain Your CAR Story - in Response to a Behavioral Interview Question
 * The CAR story is a way of aligning and mapping your experience to the behavior and requirements for your desired job / employer

Readings

 * Read this week's readings - Content and readings

Prepare for Class

 * Prepare for Mock Interviews / Oral Presentation (draft)
 * Ten Tough Questions & Ten Tough Answers]
 * 50 Standard Interview Questions
 * Conduct information interview(s) - off-campus / in-person is best
 * Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)
 * See: Blog posting themes
 * See: Blog posting themes

Assignment DUE Next Class

 * Video 1 - Introduction / Interview (submit URL to Sakai) in a Microsoft Word document (with your name - i.e., Shawn Fisher, Video 1)

Review

 * Blog Posts - what did I learn? Self, Others?
 * Assignment Feedback
 * Preparing for Interviews / Employer Research
 * Body Language

New Learning

 * Integrating Job Role / Major Responsibilities into Answers (i.e., "Program Coordinator)
 * Challenging Questions - Acknowledge, Pivot, Return to CAR Stories & Transferable Skills
 * Managing Stress & Intro to Yoga (see Resources in Content & Readings)
 * Managing Your Electronic Profile & Digital Portfolio
 * Interview Clock / Time Management (10, 40, 15, 5)
 * References


 * Follow-up: Getting In Touch, Self / Negotiation vs. Team Player (optics)

Activities

 * Lecture: New learning (above)
 * Challenge / Pivot Answers -
 * Oral Presentations of Final Paper (optional)
 * SIRS Course Evaluation

Readings

 * Read this week's readings - Content and readings

Prepare for Class

 * Conduct Information Interviews with target employer / competitor (as per advertised job description)


 * Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)
 * See: Blog posting themes

Assignment DUE Next Class

 * Final Paper
 * Video 2

Review

 * Assignment Review - Video 1, Video 2, Final Paper
 * Blog - Learning and Takeways

New Learning

 * Getting Noticed / Visibility (Job Search Today)
 * Negotiating Salary, Compensation
 * The Interview Process (& when does interview end) - Trump Middle Finger Lady
 * Contracts / Contracting
 * Information & Mock Interviews(revisited) - in pairs
 * 1) Information Interviews - to get inside information OR learn about about a person's experience in a job / in a company (based on their past experience) -  (pairs)
 * 2) Mock Interviews (revisited)
 * OPTIONAL: The Road Ahead: Adobe VOCO; and Facebook: Grail (Telepresence / Hologram Technology) / puppetry / manipulation?

Activities
Networking
 * Conduct Information Interviews (pairs) - (i.e., share your knowledge about previous OR prospective employer - 10 min. (5/5)
 * Optional: Mock Interviews (pairs) - (i.e., simulate interview based on your experience in a previous job) - 10 min. (5/5)
 * Listen to Audio: Future Trends (podcast - RadioLab - Podcast - http://www.radiolab.org/story/breaking-news/ (26:00) - Originally aired, July 2017
 * Listen to Audio: Why humans ditched the mono brow for two eyebrows, CBC Radio, Quirks and Quarks, April 14, 2018

Readings

 * Read this week's readings - Content and readings

Prepare for Class

 * Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)
 * See: Blog posting themes

Course Evaluation

 * SIRS - emailed directly to you (previous week)

Follow Prof. Fisher on Facebook

 * https://www.facebook.com/DigiWiseCareerServices/