COMM 202 - Final Tutorial

1. COMM 202 Tutorial: Farewell
& Employment Interviews
Ingrid Bakke
T27 & T29

2. Agenda
1.Mock Interview
Details
2.Interview Questions
3.Interview Prep
Resources
4.Reflection + Final
Messages

3. It’s our last tutorial
together!

4. What’s coming up in the next
few weeks?
Week 12 Week 13 Exam Period
Tutorial:
Employment Interview
Questions
What’s Due:
Networking Reflection
and Informational
Interview – due Friday,
April 5th @11:59PM on
Canvas
Lecture:
Offer Negotiations
What’s Due:
Mock Interviews – April 1st,
2nd & 4th

5. Mock Interview Details

6. What to expect
When: April 1st, 2nd, and 4th (as per
your time slot)
Mandatory items to print:
• Resume (PRINT)
• Cover Letter (PRINT)
• Job Posting (PRINT)
Optional items:
• Padfolio (keep it simple)
• Pen
• Research notes
*We have a seating area to put your
bags, but do so at your own risk*
20% of Grade
No print-outs of the
mandatory items
= Automatic 0

7. What to expect
Be EARLY! – Ideally by about 10 minutes. If
you’re not there by your scheduled interview time,
you will receive an automatic 0!
• Check in with the ”reception” in Birmingham (It is the
student’s responsibility to find the check-in desk. There
will be signs everywhere so it will be very obvious)
• Interview will be exactly 20 minutes with one BCC
coach/external consultant/COMM 202 TA
(15 minutes interview time + 5 minutes feedback)
• Make sure you have your PRINTED documents (resume,
cover letter, job posting)

8. • Inappropriate physical
contact
• Inappropriate
questions
• Late for interview
• Missing documents
(resume, cover letter
and job posting)
Ways to Automatically Fail

9. Dress Code:
Business
Formal
*We’ve seen students wear
fancy sneakers - this is
NOT acceptable

10. Interview Q&A

11. What to cover? Five categories
of questions.
1. Tell me about yourself
2. Strengths
3. Weaknesses
4. Tell me about a time…
5. Wild cards

12. What’s first? Tell me about
yourself!
• Most common question you’ll get asked during an
interview
• Can be asked in several different ways
-“Tell me about yourself”
-“What’s your story?”
-“Walk me through your resume”
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! (with Interview Stream)
• Keep it between 90 - 120 sec
• Brand yourself – give them something to remember you
by
• Sound natural – don’t sound like you’re reading off a
script
• Skills & accomplishments – briefly touch on these
aspects
• Show your passion & authenticity
• Provide a well-rounded picture of who you are as a

13. Telling YOUR story
A common theme to try:
The
Beginning The Spark
Growing
Interest
The Future Why Are
You Here?
Introduction Realization
that this is the
right career
for you
Your formula
and how it
has helped
lead you to
this role
Where do you
see yourself
in the future
(in 5 years, in
10 years, etc.)
How this
position ties
into it all
GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and
impress them in the first 2 minutes

14. How do you best tell your story?
Structure it!
P
A
W
S
ERSONAL
CADEMICS
ORK EXPERIENCE
KILLS

15. What’s Ingrid’s formula?
1. Journey through life
• Ever since I was young...
always admired the
leaders and teachers in
my life
• UBC has introduced my
to fantastic professors,
and I would love to
impact students the
same way my previous
professors and
teachers have impacted
me
2. Key milestones
• Volunteering at camps
• Working as a ringette
instructor
• Being a team captain
during my ringette
career
• Participating in theatre
3. Scaling impact
further
• With my previous
experience in
leadership positions,
whether that be in
sports or camps, I
believe that my
enthusiast energy,
strong leadership
skills, as well as my
clear communication
skills would make me
the perfect candidate
Hook… …Line …Sinker!

16. Grading Rubric:
Tell me about yourself
• Remember to tailor your TMAY to the job
• This is one of my least favourite questions, and it will take you
time to come up with a TMAY that you’re happy with!
Keep working at it

17. 1. Grab a partner and
swap TMAY stories
2. Allocate 2.5 minutes
for story-telling & 1
min feedback
3. Goal is to convey the
story’s elements in a
logical way and
experiment with
finding your formula
Activity
Time!

18. Question #2:
What are your strengths?
What’s the point?
• A way to see if you really know yourself
• May also be asked in different ways (listen carefully)
• “What can you bring to the table?”
• ”Why should I pick you over other candidates?”
• “What would your colleagues/friends say about you?”
• Around 90 sec
• Mention 2-3
(but prep 4-5 in case)
• Provide a bit of proof but don’t
go too much into detail
• Tactfully relevant to the job
you’re applying for
(look at the job description!)

19. Grading Rubric:
What are your strengths?
• Look for a blend of quantitative and qualitative traits
(refer to your skills matrix and/or StrengthsFinder if you need to)

20. Question #3:
What are your weaknesses?
What’s the point?
• A way for the interviewer to see if you are able to identify
weaknesses and have a plan in place to improve them
• Assess self-awareness and spot red flags
• Around 90 sec – 120 sec
• Mention 1 (but prep 2-3 in case)
• Best to give an example
• Talk about weaknesses that would
not hugely impair you from doing
the job you are applying for

21. PSA!!!!!!
Avoid clichés
“I work too much”
“I’m such a perfectionist”
Flipping strengths
into weaknesses
“I’m TOO detail-oriented”

22. Grading Rubric:
What are your weaknesses?

23. Question #4:
Behavioural Question: “Tell me
about a time when…”
What’s the point?
• To test if you have the necessary skills/experience for the job
• To look for your thought process in given situations
• Around 2 mins
• Demonstrates the skill with the
right answer
• Doesn’t re-use the same
experience too many times
• Clear & concise
Review Skills Matrix
Examine job posting

24. Use the STARL format!
S
T
A
R
L
What position and where were you?
What was the challenge you faced?
What did YOU do and HOW did you solve
the problem?
What was the accomplishment and the impact?
Link back to the job and why the story is relevant!
Another PSA: BE QUICK BUT ANSWER WELL
Some interviewers will cut you off.

25. Acing behavioural questions?
Grading criteria.
Use your Skills Matrix as a practice tool!

26. Question #5:
Wild card questions
What’s the point?
• Could be industry/job specific… or a surprise!
• Random questions that you cannot prepare for
• To test how you react under pressure & deal with uncertainty
• To see how you think your way through a problem
• Tell them what you’re going to do,
do it, then tell them what you just
did
• If it’s a joke question, take it easy
and be personable
• Stay professional
• Don’t panic!

27. Questions that we’ve been asked!

28. Dealing with wild cards? Grading
criteria.

29. Last part:
“Do you have any questions?”
Always prepare at least 2 questions!
• Avoid asking questions that can easily be found on Google
• Do not asking something that has already been addressed in the
interview – unless it’s a specific follow-up questions
• Always safe to get them talking about themselves – maybe ask
something directly related to their job/industry
• Example: “What specific traits and qualities do you look for in a
successful candidate?”
• Another example: “What do you think about the xyz trends in the
industry? Do you think they’re just a fad?”
*Expected in the employment interviews
next week!

30. • Thank them for their time
• Reiterate your interest
• End with a FIRM
handshake
(NO FLOPPY FISH!)
• Ask how you can best
follow up
• Use their name
Closing the interview

31. 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
• Reference an answer or insight
they gave you during the question
period
• If you interviewed with multiple
people, make sure the follow-up is
personalized to each person
* Remember the 24 hour rule!
****On the day of the mock interviews:
We will give you ‘fake’ thank-you
cards AFTER your interview. DO NOT
expect this in real life!
DO NOT send a real email to your mock
interviewer

32. General Tips
• Listen to they’re asking
Stay alert, don’t be afraid to ask them to clarify
• Answer the question
Do not beat around the bush
• Take your time if you need to
“That’s a good question – may I have a quick minute to collect my
thoughts?”
• Smile & keep up the energy – they’re human too 
They want you to do well, so show your personality!
• Use a spreadsheet to write down your answers, practice with your
friends, utilize Interview Stream
• Interview ends when the interviewer says “thank you” and wraps it up.
Mock interview ends when you send in your thank-you card!

33. Pop quiz: what are the five ways to
automatically fail the mock interview?

34. How to crush the interview?
General tips.
If you don’t bring your printed
documents (resume, cover letter, job
posting)
If you are late (try to arrive 10 minutes
early)
If you don’t check in at reception
(before your interview!)
Inappropriate behaviour
Inappropriate questions

35. Interview Prep Resources
The available tools to help you ace the interview
interview process.

36. Where can I get extra interview
help from?
• DLam Library – company profiles, reports,
SWOTs, etc.
• Company annual report
• Glassdoor
• Interviews: can find tips or interview
experiences of past candidates
• Company review: get a better sense of
workplace culture
• Your network
• Look on LinkedIn to see if any UBC alumni
work there or have worked there (potential
2nd degree connection) or anyone else you
know who you can reach out to for an
informational interview

37. What are some interview prep
tips? PRACTICE!
• Practice, practice, practice, practice!
• Do mock interviews with a friend, a BCC
coach, etc
• Get their feedback and keep working on it!
• BCC: Interview Stream, Interview Toolkit,
Coaching
• Leverage your Skills Matrix
• Practice in front of a mirror or film yourself to
watch for any distracting body language
• Prepare multiple stories for each skill that the job
description is looking for
• Always good to have a variety of experiences +
stories to pull from as it is possible for
interviewers to ask questions about the same
skill multiple times

38. 1. Employment Interview April
1st, 2nd & 4th – prep and show
up!
2. Informational Interview &
Networking Reflection due
Friday, April 5th @11:59PM on
Canvas
Action Items

39. Final
Messages

40. yalls were so great
#crying #tears
#jksomeofyouweremeh
#youcanaddmeonfbnow
#sorryifyoufailedresume
&cl #yourfaultnotmine