978-0073403267 Chapter 29 Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises

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Solution Manual

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Business Communication: Building Critical Skills 6th Edition

ISBN 13

978-0073403267

978-0073403267 Chapter 29 Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises

April 6, 2019

Module 29 - Job Interviews

Module 29

Job Interviews

LO 29-1 Apply strategies for job interviews.

LO 29-2 Know details for consideration before job interviews.

LO 29-3 Know techniques for practice before job interviews.

LO 29-4 Apply strategies for traditional interview question responses.

LO 29-5 Apply strategies for salary and benefits negotiations.

LO 29-6 Apply strategies for behavioral and situational interview preparation.

LO 29-7 Apply strategies for phone and video interview preparation.

Module Overview

For all the hard work students put into writing résumés and job application letters, they must

understand that their efforts to land that great job are not over. As Module 29 shows, the next

step in the process is the job interview.

The job interview is where the applicant gets his or her best chance to shine. At the interview,

the applicant can put a “face” on the information established in the job application package. The

interviewer can experience the applicant’s personality and determine the applicant’s suitability

for working in the organization. The applicant also can expand on what he or she wrote in the

job application, as well as ask questions that show his or her interest in working for the company.

Because so much is at stake, applicants may be intimidated by the process. After all, meeting a

stranger who will assess one’s skills and abilities can be a humbling experience. Tell your

students to take heart! If they’ve made it to the interview process, that’s a good indication the

organization is interested in them as employees. In addition, the more prepared the applicant is

for the interview, the more likely he or she will find the experience to be positive.

 Teaching Tip: Reassure students that making it to the interview stage is a good sign.

However, also remind them that the interview process may involve several

interviews conducted over weeks or even months. Though the process can be

lengthy and, perhaps, nerve-wracking, applicants should keep a positive outlook.

Even if they don’t get a job offer, getting the interview is an accomplishment, and

the experience of being interviewed can prepare them for future interviews.

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

As PP 29-4 shows, companies expect employees to be proactive in

getting interviews. In particular, they want applicants to

Be more aggressive.

Follow instructions to the letter.

Participate in many interviews.

Have one or more interviews by phone, computer, or

video.

Take one or more tests, including drug and aptitude tests.

 Teaching Tip: Remind students that being aggressive is not the same thing as being

rude or refusing to take “no” for an answer. In the business world, tenacity is a

valuable asset, demonstrated by hard work and positive efforts to overcome

obstacles. However, being inflexible and threatening are behaviors not valued in any

business organization. The basic concepts of etiquette in society still apply.

What’s in This Supplement

This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 29. It covers

Part 1: Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 491

Part 2: Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 504

Part 3: Appendix of Handout/Transparency Master Page 506

PowerPoint presentations can be found at our Web page at www.mhhe.com/bcs6e.

Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank. For student

practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

Part 1: Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises

Why do I need an interview strategy? LO 29-1

So that you can be proactive!

Let students know that going to an interview without a strategy is akin to holding a meeting with

no agenda—while it’s possible they’ll succeed, students are more likely to have difficulties

because of the lack of preparation.

As PP 29-5 shows, the answers to three questions can help students

form their strategies:

1. What about yourself do you want the interviewer to know?

2. What disadvantages or weaknesses do you need to minimize?

3. What do you need to know about the job and the organization

to decide whether to accept this job if it is offered to you?

In-Class Exercise: Give students 10-15 minutes to reflect on the answers to these

three questions. Then have them partner up and share the results. What are the

similarities in their answers? Differences? For weaknesses they’ve reported, have

the pairs brainstorm ways to improve, including using campus and other resources

that may be available to help.

 Teaching Tip: Many college placement offices offer opportunities to participate in

mock interviews (sometimes with representatives from the business world).

Consider having students attend a mock interview and write a 1- to 2-page report on

the results. If possible, have the mock interviews recorded so each student can

critique his or her performance.

What details should I think about? LO 29-2

What you’ll wear, what you’ll take with you, and how to get there.

For some students, concepts of fashion are no problem, but for others, understanding what is

appropriate attire in the workplace is another matter. Once again, students should use their skills

at analyzing audiences (covered in Module 2) to best prepare for how to dress. Applicants

should dress at least as formally as the person interviewing them.

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

 Teaching Tip: What qualifies as proper business attire differs according to

organization and field. Whenever possible, students should try to visit the workplace

prior to the interview and see what people typically wear on the job—setting up an

information interview is an excellent way to accomplish this (see Module 26).

 Teaching Tip: Many students are on a budget. Have the class share tips on where to

find clothing at a reasonable price to stretch their dollars. In particular, students

should pay attention to details—shoes, belts, socks or hose, and ties or scarves—to

make sure they match and are in good repair.

As PP 29-6 through PP 29-8 show, students should be concerned about

What to Bring to the Interview

What to Write Down

How to Get There

 Teaching Tip: Tell students that a couple days before their

interviews, they should make a “dry run” to the organization at

the same time as the interview is scheduled. They should

gauge the flow of traffic, as well as locate parking and how

much it will cost (when they set up the interview, they can also

verify where to park and whether a cost is involved). If

students use public transportation, they should plan on taking

a bus or train earlier than the one that would get them there on

time (to offset any possible traffic or mechanical problems).

Where possible, they might take a cab instead.

 Teaching Tip: Sometimes students borrow briefcases or other

items from friends or relatives for an interview. Tell them to

practice using these items prior to the interview. For instance,

they should carry the briefcase around to get used to its weight and feel. They

should also open and close it a few times to make sure it works properly, as well as

get a sense of how to do so smoothly. At the very least, they should inspect its

contents prior to the interview to make certain everything inside is appropriate for

the interview!

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

Should I practice before the interview? LO 29-3

Absolutely!

Where possible, encourage students to use your campus video facility

or speech lab to practice some of their interviewing strategies. Perhaps

assign as homework mock interviews, where one student takes the role

of the interviewer, and then have the students switch. Afterward,

students can review their performances and critique each other.

To practice, students should address the areas listed on PP 29-9

through PP 29-12:

How to Act

Parts of the Interview

Stress Interviews

 Teaching Tip: Arrange students in three groups and assign

one of these areas to each. Give them 15-20 minutes to

confer, and then have them give a “mini-lesson” on each to

the rest of the class. Encourage them to use examples in

this section to show the class appropriate behaviors.

Remind students that they should plan on being positive throughout the

interview! Even if they sense that the interview is not going well,

showing signs of stress or negativity can lead to problems. In the case

of stress interviews, the interviewer may even be trying to “rattle the

applicant’s cage” to see how he or she responds to pressure.

 Teaching Tip: To better prepare to be positive, students

should read the Building a Critical Skill box in Module

30 on being enthusiastic (p. 510). As is explained, enthusiasm can be expressed

through such simple behaviors as smiling or letting comments show interest.

How should I answer traditional interview questions? LO 29-4

Choose answers that fit your qualifications and your interview strategy.

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

The interviewer can ask just about any question he or she wants, though some questions may

affect issues that are illegal to use against the interviewee (e.g., marital status or religious

affiliation).

In this section, Kitty and Steve have assembled 16 of the more common questions interviewers

may ask. These are listed in part on PP 29-14 and PP 29-15, as well as in Appendix 29-A:

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. What makes you think you’re qualified to work for this compa-

ny?

3. What two or three accomplishments have given you the greatest

satisfaction?

4. Why do you want to work for us? What is your ideal job?

5. What college courses did you like best and least? Why?

6. Why are your grades so low?

7. What have you read recently? What movies have you seen

recently?

8. Show me some samples of your writing.

9. Where do you see yourself in five years?

10. What are your interests outside work? What campus or

community activities have you been involved in?

11. What have you done to learn about this company?

12. What adjectives would you use to describe yourself?

13. What is your greatest strength?

14. What is your greatest weakness?

15. Why are you looking for another job?

16. What questions do you have?

In-Class Exercise: Go through each question, asking students how they might

answer it—have a scribe record each answer. Remind students they should use

positive emphasis when answering the questions and try to be succinct without being

curt. Afterward, have the class critique the responses. Which seem appropriate?

Why? For those that aren’t, how could they be rephrased?

In-Class Exercise: For 5-10 minutes, have students brainstorm answers to Exercise

29.12 (p. 505). Afterward, have the class critique the answers. Which questions

seem most appropriate? Which don’t? For those that don’t, could they be rephrased

to make them more appropriate? How?

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

 Teaching Tip: Make sure students review the Building a Critical Skill box on

negotiating salary and benefits (p. 501). While many students are focused on

salaries, raising the issue at the first interview is generally a bad idea.

 Teaching Tip: Figure 29.1 (p. 497) shows how the behaviors of successful and

unsuccessful interviewees compare. Ask the class to brainstorm why they think the

unsuccessful behaviors failed. What does this information suggest about what the

interviewer truly wants to know? How could students use this information to create

stronger you-attitude in their responses?

Negotiating salary and benefits LO 29-5

The best time to negotiate for salary and benefits is after a job seeker has the job offer. They

should try to delay discussing salary early in the interview process, when you’re still competing

against other applicants.

They should prepare for salary negotiations by finding out what the going rate is for the kind of

work they hope to do. They can cultivate friends in the workforce to find out what they’re

making. If the campus has a placement office, they should ask what last year’s graduates got, as

well as check websites and trade journals for salaries, often segmented into entry-level, median,

and high salaries and even by city.

Research is crucial. Budgets for salaries among large companies may be stagnant or growing

feebly. Consulting firm Mercer expects salary increases to average 2.9% in 2013, up slightly

from 2.7% in both 2011 and 2012 but still below inflation.

As PP 29-18 suggests,

¨The best time to negotiate is after you have a job offer.

Prepare by finding out the going rate

Ask friends and professionals what they

know about salaries in the field.

Check with your campus placement office,

websites, and trade journals.

Seek a win-win situation

What is a fair package, including benefits, for what you can offer?

Be prepared to reject offers.

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

How can I prepare for behavioral and situational interviews? LO 29-6

Think about skills you’ve used that could transfer to other jobs.

Learn as much as you can about the culture of the company you hope to join.

Behavioral and situational interviews are becoming more commonplace in

business, as this section explains. Both allow the interviewer to learn

about the applicant in ways that explanations of plans, principles, and

accomplishments may not (PP 29-19).

 Teaching Tip: Divide the class into two groups and have each

give a “mini-lesson” on one of these types of interviews. In

particular, have them refer to the concepts in this section to use as examples.

 Teaching Tip: Ask students who may have participated in behavioral or situational

interviews to share with the class their experiences. What advice can they give on

how to prepare for such interviews? What pitfalls can people avoid? How?

Alternatively, ask someone from your career services office or someone you know in

the business world to visit the class and share tips on handling information

interviews.

Situational interviews may also be conducted using traditional questions but evaluating

behaviors other than the answers. Greyhound hired applicants for its customer-assistance center

who made eye contact with the interviewer and smiled at least five times during a fifteen-minute

interview.

 Teaching Tip: Have students review information on nonverbal behaviors in Module

3 to better understand how gestures and other behaviors can communicate

information.

In-Class Exercise: Give students 10-15 minutes to complete Exercise 29.11 (p.

505). Afterward, have student volunteers share results with the rest of the class.

How can I prepare for phone or video interviews? LO 29-7

Practice short answers. Retape until you look good.

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Module 29 - Job Interviews

While phone or video interviews are still not the norm, many companies are using them, at least

in the first round of interviewing. As Internet use increases and technology becomes more

advanced, it’s likely we’ll also see an increase in the number of interviews conducted through

web cameras and teleconferencing equipment.

Preparing for a phone or video interview requires some special

preparation. As PP 29-21 through PP 29-23 show, this includes:

To prepare for a phone interview,

Tape yourself so you can make any adjustments in

pronunciation and voice qualities.

Practice short answers to questions.

After giving a short answer in the interview, say,

“Would you like more information?”

Without a visual channel, you can’t see the body

language that tells you someone else wants to

speak.

For teleconference interviews, use the same guidelines for a phone

interview.

To prepare for a video interview.

Practice your answers.

Tape the interview as many times as necessary to get a

tape that presents you at your best.

Be specific. Since the employer can’t ask follow-up

questions, you need to be detailed about how your

credentials could help the employer.

 Teaching Tip: Where possible, have your students practice their interviewing

strategies with your college video facility or speech lab. Afterward, tell students to

critique their performance for strengths and weaknesses and report their findings to

you in a 1- to 2-page memo.

Last Word: A large part of learning interviewing strategies is to practice the

principles. Try to work in opportunities to mock interview or use technology, such as

videotaping, to let your students practice. Consider having them wear the appropriate

attire while doing so, as many people tend to be “on their best behavior” when

dressed well.

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Business Communication: Building Critical Skills 6th Edition