1. COMM 202
welcome to
LAST TUTORIAL! Ÿ TA: Laura Wong Ÿ Thursday, mar 20
Introduction to Interviews

2. Where are we NOW?

4. Questions from past interviews?

5. You will ALWAYS get this
question – so practice your
answer!
This is the most classic
interview ICEBREAKER…
BUT it can be asked in
different ways!
Tell me about yourself

7. Tell me about yourself
• Keep it under 2 minutes
• Give a well-rounded view of yourself
• Individualize it!
• Relate everything back to the job
o CAN – WANT – FIT
• Speak in terms of skills/successes
• Show motivation behind everything you
say

9. Rubric: Tell me about yourself
Question
Types
I would hire you
on the spot.
(2pts)
I would like to
interview you
again.
(1pt)
I would not hire
you.
(0 pts)
Tell me about
yourself
Does the student
provides an overview
of their skills, fit and
desire for the role?
The student provides
a relevant,
chronological “story”
highlighting their
beginning, spark,
growing interest,
goals and fit to the
organization in a
concise manner;
(2mins or less);
The student provides
a chronological
“story” highlighting
most but not all of
the 5 aspects listed
in the first column in
a concise manner
and/or answer was
longer than 2 mins;
Student provided a
“story” that is
neither concise
(more than 2
minutes) nor
chronological/
logical;

10. R
OUTLINE YOUR “TELL ME
ABOUT YOURSELF” STORY
Interview activity:
5 minutes

11. Strengths
Why do they ask?
How to structure your answer?
What is a good strength?

12. Rubric: Strengths
Question
Types
I would hire you
on the spot.
(2pts)
I would like to
interview you
again.
(1pt)
I would not hire
you.
(0 pts)
Strengths
Is the student able to
convey their brand
and relevant skills/
strengths for the
role?
Student is able to
choose strengths
relevant to the
position, give a
strong example with
proof of execution
and links the
experience to the
job opportunity;
Student is able to
choose strengths
relevant to the
position give a
strong example of
execution but may
lack link to the
position;
Student’s strength
may be irrelevant to
the position and/or
lacks proof of
execution or link to
the job opportunity;

13. Weaknesses
Why do they ask?
How to structure your answer?
What is a “good” weakness?

14. Rubric: Weaknesses
Question
Types
I would hire you
on the spot.
(2pts)
I would like to
interview you
again.
(1pt)
I would not hire
you.
(0 pts)
Weaknesses
Is the able to exhibit
self-awareness and
resilience in discussing
past failures/
weaknesses?
Student is able to
choose a
developmental area not
key to the function of
the position and share
how they overcame the
situation, the lesson
learned and action plan
moving forward while
demonstrating self-
reflection and
resilience;
Student is able to
choose a
developmental area not
key to the function of
the position and share
how they overcame the
situation however is not
able to articulate the
lesson learned or action
plan moving forward
and/or student choose
cliché answer. “My
greatest weakness is my
greatest strength”;
Student either chose a
skill essential to the
position or was not able
to clearly convey the
lesson and/or their
action plan for moving
forward; student was
unable to provide a
weakness;

15. Review of CArl
Answers the question
Same skillset
Same type of environment
Context Action Result Link
• Why is this
RELEVANT?
• IMPACT of
what you did
• WHAT did
you do?
• HOW did
you do it?
• WHERE
was this?
• WHICH
position
were you in?

16. Stumper questions
Newspapers
Academic journals
Blogs
Associations
Keep up to date with news in your
industry
Business
Acumen

17. Rubric: Stumper questions
Question
Types
I would hire you on
the spot.
(2pts)
I would like to
interview you again.
(1pt)
I would not hire you.
(0 pts)
Creative /
Stumper questions…
Student “aces” every
opportunity to
differentiate themselves
during the interview:
e.g., the offer a credible,
logically-organized, and
concise answer for every
question. If on the rare
occasion, they don’t
know the answer, they
then respond by asking
clarifying questions
and /or outlining the
problem-solving
approach they would
use. Maintains
composure.
Student “handles” some
opportunities to
differentiate themselves
during the interview:
e.g., they offer credible
and/or logically-
organized and/or
concise answers for
many questions. They
sometimes respond by
asking clarifying
questions and/or
outlining the problem-
solving approach they
would use.
They “miss” too many
opportunities to
differentiate themselves
during interview:, e.g.,
they offer widely varying
answers in terms of
credibility and/or logical
organization and/or
conciseness. If they
don’t know the answer,
they often don’t seem to
know how to respond by
asking clarifying
questions and/or
outlining a problem-
solving approach.

18. Closing the
interview:
THINCC
THANK
them
End with
HAND-
SHAKE
State your
INTEREST
in the
position
Use their
NAME
Ask for a
business
CARD
Ask to
CALL if
appropriate
for follow
up

19. Follow Up
ü Send email or handwritten card
ü Reference the interview – something you
want to emphasize or something unsaid
you want to get across
ü Personalize them – if you had multiple
interviewers, write them different cards
ü Reaffirm interest in position/company

20. Follow up

21. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Return to your skills matrix to prep for your interview. Use your skill-based
stories to practice answers for behavioural questions, as well as the strengths
& weaknesses questions.

22. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Answer
the Q
The most common (and easy) mistake I’ve observed is when students get lost
in their answer and forget to answer the question. Keep your answers as
concise and clear as possible (less than 2 minutes) so that the interviewer
doesn’t lose attention.

23. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Answer
the Q
Practice
Practice. Grab a friend and practice interviewing with each other. No one is
born a natural interviewer. The best way to overcome your nerves is to
practice – and simulate the real environment as much as possible. Practice!

24. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Answer
the Q
Practice
Relax
Arrive EARLY (10-15 minutes) to Birmingham before your interview so you can
calm your nerves and collect your thoughts. Take deep breaths and relax –
the TAs/interviewers are not out to rattle you.

25. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Answer
the Q
Practice
Relax Smile!
Remember to smile during your interview! (I have definitely gotten this
feedback before.)

26. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Answer
the Q
Practice
Relax Smile!
Practice
Practice as much as possible. Programs like the BMMP and SCMP put you
through tens to hundreds of hours of interview practice because that is the
best way to improve and prepare yourself.

27. Interview Tips
Skills Matrix
Answer
the Q
Practice
Ask for a moment
Relax Smile!
Practice
If you can’t think of an answer right away,
it’s okay to ask them to repeat, rephrase,
or clarify the question. Don’t be afraid to
ask for ten seconds (though not too
long) to collect your thoughts.

28. Action Items
þ Resume & Cover Letter, due TOMORROW
Ø Submit through Turnitin.com before 2:00pm
Ø Submit through COOL before 11:59:00pm
þ Interview stream, due Mar. 28th @ 11:59pm
þ Employment Interviews, Mar. 31st-Apr. 3rd
Ø Sign up by next Tuesday
þ Informational Interview
Ø Writeup due Apr. 11th @ 2pm
Ø Contact someone NOW!!!!!
Next week: Lecture

29. Travel now, when you are young and mobile.
Once you get a full-time job, you won’t get six
months off to drop everything and travel. Go
on exchange!
Case comps, case comps, case comps. They
are a great opportunity to get real analytical
experience, not to mention to travel and make
new friends! Seriously.
Re: choosing your option. The only way you’ll
know if something is not for you is if you try it,
but you won’t be able to try everything, so
learn to live with some uncertainty.
If you take someone out for a coffee meeting,
PAY FOR THEIR COFFEE!
202 = template; take what we taught you and
adapt it to what works best and feels right for
you
Work to make your grades impressive, and then
work harder to make them the least impressive
thing about you.
Club (executive positions) are the easiest way
to get experience on your resume right now
that can then pave the way to getting “real”
jobs.
To international students: I commend you! But
the uphill battle doesn’t stop here. Keep
perspective about your competition and put
yourself in uncomfortable situations to grow.
You may have heard diff feedback during office
hours vs. the comments I leave. In life, you will
get diff feedback and it will be up to YOU to
decide what to listen to – and then you will
have to take responsibility for the outcome.
Reality check: most of your lack job experience.
Use this summer (and beyond) to fill your gaps.
LastWordsofWisdom

30. Keep in touch
facebook.com/lothwe
@lothwe
laura@alumni.ubc.ca