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14: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
14-11
Following Up After an Interview
Following up after an interview:
Shows that you really want the job and are determined to get it
Express your thanks within two days of the interview.
In a thank-you message (whether it’s a phone call, an email message, or a letter), you should:
Acknowledge the interviewer’s time and courtesy.
Reinforce the reasons that you are a good fit for the position.
Send a message of inquiry when you:
Haven’t been advised of the interviewer’s decision by the promised date or within two
When requesting a time extension, be sure to:
Open with a strong statement of your continued interest in the job.
When you want to accept an offer, send a letter of acceptance within five days that:
Covers any necessary details
Concludes by saying that you look forward to reporting to work
Remember that your written acceptance can be legally binding.
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State the reasons for refusing the offer.
When writing a letter of resignation:
Use the techniques for negative messages.
Make the letter sound positive.
State your intention to leave.
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OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES STUDENTS OFTEN FACE
students present themselves effectively.
Students may have some misconceptions about the number of interviews that are required for
some jobs, so discuss the screening, selection, and final stages of interviews, and point out what
each stage is designed to do.
If students have not previously researched an organization, review how to find important
information about a company, and perhaps assign a related exercise from the Practice Your
Knowledge activities at the end of the chapter. Encourage students to outline the information
they gather to refer to as they prepare for an interview.
Students often need assistance in determining what information they should not reveal during an
interview. Caution them about revealing too much personal information such as marital status,
childcare needs, and so forth, when responding to a question such as “tell me about yourself.”
negative into a positive.
Students may express concern about asking their own questions during an interview. Stress the
need for the applicant to prepare a list of questions to take to the interview. Emphasize that
interviewers expect questions from interested candidates. Remind students that the questions
Discuss what constitutes an effective interview style, as well as effective nonverbal
communication. Encourage students to practice interviews with someone they trust so that they
14: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
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Discuss Table 14.5 to help students understand what employers don’t like to see in candidates.
What students should not do is often as important to discuss as what students should do during
an interview.
Students often have misconceptions about how much time interviewers take to form opinions
and how important the applicant’s style and nonverbal communication can be in the opening
Students frequently question how to deal with the issue of salary. Encourage them to research
SUGGESTED CLASSROOM EXERCISES
1. Gathering opinions of human resource managers. Invite two or three employers to address
question-and-answer session, and the close. This panel presentation should generate many
2. Dressing for a successful interview. Assign students the task of researching appropriate
interview attire. Once their research is completed, ask students to apply what they have
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Students typically enjoy this exercise and appreciate a diplomatic critique.
3. Planning effective answers to interview questions. Assign students to work in teams to
During the next class session, invite students to share their responses and ask the class to give
4. Participating in mock interviews. Arrange for each student to be interviewed by
businesspersons from the community as a class exercise. Your school’s Internship and Career
interview skills. Students should change roles until all in the team have been interviewed and
critiqued. If possible, videotape the interviews so that applicants can view and critique their
5. Preparing and critiquing follow-up messages. As class exercises, assign case scenarios in
Knowledge activities at the end of the chapter. Students should work at computers (if
available) to facilitate writing,
6. Rewriting and editing. Require students to go through the planning step before composing.
While students are working, move around the room and provide individual constructive
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
14-1. When you follow up, you can share an additional piece of information that links your
yet?” or “What is the company’s timeframe for filling this position?” (LO 14.1; AACSB
Tag: Written and oral communication)
14-2. During a selection interview, try to show interest in the job, relating your skills and
experience to the organization’s needs. Broaden your discussion of skills, touching briefly
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14-3. In a structured interview, the employer maintains control by asking a series of preset
14-4. The three stages of every interview are the warm-up, the question-and-answer stage, and
and oral communication)
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
14-5. Being familiar with the company and with the jobs that you are interviewing for will give
communication)
14-6. Group interviews can be tricky, because you want to stand out while coming across as a
14-7. The best approach in this situation is to demonstrate that you have conducted extensive
obvious connections between your skills and background and the position you are seeking.
(LO 14.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
14-8. Interviewers expect you to ask questions and look negatively on candidates who don’t have
that allow you to present your qualifications to the best advantage, and you can verify for
communication)
14-9. Unlawful interview questions have been used in the past to discriminate against job
candidates. If you choose to answer an unlawful question because you really want the job
(LO 14.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
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PRACTICE YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Activities
14-10. Here is the revised version of the document:
During my undergraduate studies at Penn State, I achieved a 3.8 GPA in my business
courses and received my BA earlier this month. While in business school, I concentrated
In 2014, I received the Lamar Franklin Award for Leadership in Penn State’s business
school. You can see from the community and university activities listed on the enclosed
I will call early next week to see whether we can meet to discuss my experience and
qualifications.
(LO 14.1; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
14-11. Here is a revised version of the message:
Also, congratulations on your customer-service rating (reported in the latest issue of Your Health
magazine). Ranking in the top five companies industry-wide is no small feat. As a stockholder,
I will call in a few weeks to see whether any new positions have opened up, and at that time, I’ll
try to arrange an informational interview. In addition, as I add to my experience and training, I’ll
14-12. This exercise provides a good opportunity to discuss the need for care when it comes to
communication)
14-13. Encourage students to move beyond Google in their search for company information.
Resources such as Mergent Online, for example, can provide far more specialized
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14-14. The questions in Table 14.3 (“Twenty-Five Common Interview Questions”) are so
questions they may not have considered in preparing for the interview. (LO 14.3;
AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
14-15. This exercise encourages students to take a critical perspective on their strengths and
students to describe their strengths in ways that they think will help employers
communication)
14-16. This exercise is designed to show students the difficulty of substantiating an intangible
assume the roles of interviewers assessing these attributes. (LO 14.4; AACSB Tag:
Written and oral communication)
14-17. Here is a revised version of the message:
was most enjoyable.
After reconsidering the job requirements, I am even more convinced that my skills,
the Navy.
You have an impressive organization, and I would like to put my experience and
forward to hearing from you soon.
(LO 14.5; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
14-18. Here is a revised version of the message:
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Yesterday, another firm offered me a comparable position and gave me two weeks to
accept or reject the offer. However, I would like to hear from you before I make a
14-19. Here is a revision of the message:
from your staff.
Because of the exceptional atmosphere and the beautiful surroundings, I think I would
Best wishes for success in finding the right person for the purchasing position. Your
14-20. The question students must resolve is whether to mention that they will be accepting a
job with a competitor. Since the resignation will not be good news, students should use
decision personally and use the letter to document the resignation. (LO 14.5; AACSB
Tag: Ethical understanding and reasoning)
EXPAND YOUR SKILLS
available to them. (LO 14.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
particular medium should be observed, and the summary should clearly and effectively convey
the information that was learned. (LO 14.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
