19: Applying and Interviewing for Employment 19-1
Chapter 19: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
This final chapter completes the discussion of employment communication, addressing the written
communications needed before and after interviewing, along with the interviewing process.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Submitting Your Résumé
Writing Application Letters
Getting Attention
Building Interest and Increasing Desire
Motivating Action
Following Up After Submitting a Résumé
Understanding the Interviewing Process
The Typical Sequence of Interviews
Common Types of Interviews
Structured Versus Unstructured Interviews
Panel and Group Interviews
Behavioral, Situational, Working, and Stress Interviews
Interview Media
What Employers Look for in an Interview
Preemployment Testing and Background Checks
Preparing for a Job Interview
Learning About the Organization and Your Interviewers
Thinking Ahead About Questions
Planning for the Employer’s Questions
Planning Questions of Your Own
Bolstering Your Confidence
Polishing Your Interview Style
Presenting a Professional Image
Being Ready When You Arrive
Interviewing for Success
The Warm-Up
The Question-and-Answer Stage
Answering and Asking Questions
Listening to the Interviewer
Handling Potentially Discriminatory Questions
The Close
Concluding Gracefully
Discussing Salary
Interview Notes
Following Up After the Interview
Follow-Up Message
Message of Inquiry
Request for a Time Extension
Letter of Acceptance
Letter Declining a Job Offer
Letter of Resignation
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Learning Catalytics is a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom
intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real-time diagnostics. Students
can use any modern, web-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more
information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.
LECTURE NOTES
Section 1: Submitting Your Résumé
Learning Objective 1: Explain the purposes of application letters, and describe how to apply the AIDA
organizational approach to them.
Your résumé needs support from several other employment messages before, during, and after the
interview process.
These can include application letters, job-inquiry letters, application forms, and follow-up notes.
Writing Application Letters
Whenever you mail, email, hand-deliver, or upload your résumé, you should include an application
letter, also known as a cover letter, to let readers know:
Take the same care with your application letter that you took with your résumé. A poorly written
application letter can prompt employers to skip over your résumé, even if you are a good fit for a job.
The best approach for an application letter depends on whether you are sending one of two types:
Search for news items that involve the company, its customers, the profession, or the individual
manager to whom you are writing. Using this information in your application letter helps you
establish common ground with your reader.
For either type of letter, follow these tips to be more effective:
• Resist the temptation to stand out with gimmicks.
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Search for management names using:
• LinkedIn
• The company’s website
In the application letter, clearly identify the opportunity you are applying for or expressing interest in
by taking these steps:
• Show that you understand the company and its marketplace.
• Keep it short—no more than three paragraphs.
Getting Attention
The opening paragraph of your application letter has two important tasks to accomplish:
• Clearly stating your reason for writing
• Giving the recipient a reason to keep reading
Promising applicants show some immediate potential for meeting the company’s needs by using
these methods:
• Research the company and the position.
• Know something about the industry and its current challenges.
All these openings demonstrate the “you” attitude, and many indicate how you can benefit the
employer.
Building Interest and Increasing Desire
The middle section of the application letter presents your strongest selling points in terms of their
potential benefit to the organization, thereby building interest in you and creating a desire to
interview you.
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The more specific you can be in the middle section of the letter, the better. And back up your
assertions with some convincing evidence of your ability to perform.
When writing a solicited letter:
• Discuss each requirement specified in the advertisement.
Toward the end of this section, refer the reader to your résumé by citing a specific fact or general
point covered there.
Motivating Action
The final paragraph of your application letter has two important functions:
• Ask the reader for a specific action (usually an interview).
• Facilitate a reply.
Also include options in the final paragraph by making these offers:
• Go to the employer’s office at a convenient time.
• Meet with its nearest representative.
After editing and proofreading your application letter, give it a final quality check.
Class discussion question: You’ve been on the receiving end of advertising for most of your life; what
can you apply from your experience to the task of applying for jobs? What works, and what doesn’t
work?
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Following Up After Submitting a Résumé
Deciding if, when, and how to follow up after submitting your résumé and application letter is one of
the trickiest parts of a job search. Keep these tips in mind:
• Employers continue to evaluate your communication efforts and professionalism during this
phase, so don’t say or do anything to leave a negative impression.
A single instance of poor etiquette or clumsy communication can undo all your hard work in a job
search.
When you do follow up, you can share an additional piece of information linking your qualifications
to the position and ask a question about the hiring process as a way to gather some information about
your status.
Good questions to ask include:
• Has a hiring decision been made yet?
• Can you tell me what to expect next in terms of the hiring process?
Whatever the circumstances, follow-up messages can demonstrate that you’re sincerely interested in
working for the organization, persistent in pursuing your goals, and committed to upgrading your
skills.
Section 2: Understanding the Interviewing Process
Learning Objective 2: Describe the typical sequence of job interviews, the major types of interviews, and
what employers look for during an interview.
An employment interview is a formal meeting during which both you and the prospective employer ask
questions and exchange information:
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The Typical Sequence of Interviews
Most employers interview an applicant multiple times before deciding to make a job offer.
Depending on the company and the position, the process may stretch out over many weeks, or it may
be completed in a matter of days.
Employers start with the screening stage, in which they filter out applicants who are unqualified or
otherwise not a good fit for the position. Screening can take place in these ways:
Time is limited in screening interviews, so keep answers short while providing a few key points that
differentiate you from other candidates.
The next stage of interviews, the selection stage, helps the organization identify the top candidates
from all those who qualify. During these interviews follow these tips:
• Show keen interest in the job.
If the interviewers agree that you’re a good candidate, you may receive a job offer, or be invited back
for a final evaluation.
The objective of the final stage is to sell you on the advantages of joining the organization.
Common Types of Interviews
Employers use a variety of interviewing methods throughout the interviewing process, and you need
to recognize the different types and be prepared for each one.
Structured Versus Unstructured Interviews
In a structured interview, the interviewer asks a series of questions in a predetermined order.
Structured interviews help employers identify candidates who don’t meet basic job criteria and
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Panel and Group Interviews
In a panel interview, you meet with several interviewers at once. Try to:
In a group interview, one or more interviewers meet with several candidates simultaneously. A key
purpose of a group interview is to observe how candidates interact with potential peers.
Behavioral, Situational, Working, and Stress Interviews
In the behavioral interview, you are asked to relate specific incidents and experiences from your past.
Behavioral questions require candidates to use their own experiences and attributes to craft answers.
To prepare for a behavioral interview, take time to prepare the following:
A situational interview is similar to a behavioral interview except that the questions focus on how you
would handle various hypothetical situations on the job. The more you know about the position, the
better prepared you’ll be.
Interview Media
Expect to be interviewed through a variety of media. Employers interview candidates via these
methods:
• Telephone
• Email
• Instant Messaging
• Online systems
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To succeed at a telephone interview, follow these steps:
• Treat it as seriously as an in-person interview.
• Be prepared with a copy of all the materials you have sent to the employer.
Email and IM are also sometimes used in the screening stage and have major advantages in
communicating:
• Review and edit each response before you send it.
Many employers use video technology for both live and recorded interviews. With recorded video
interviews, an online system asks a set of questions and records the respondent’s answers.
Prepare for a video interview as you would for an in-person interview:
• Take care with dressing and grooming.
What Employers Look for in an Interview
Interviews give employers the chance to go beyond the basic data of your résumé to get to know you
and to answer two essential questions:
• Can you handle the responsibilities of the position? The more you know about the demands
All good employers want people who are:
• Confident
• Dedicated
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Preemployment Testing and Background Checks
Many employers conduct a variety of preemployment evaluations and investigations. Here are types
of assessments you are likely to encounter during your job search:
• Integrity tests attempt to measure how truthful and trustworthy a candidate is likely to be.
• Personality tests are designed to gauge such aspects as attitudes toward work, interests,
managerial potential, dependability, commitment, and motivation.
You should also assume that every employer will conduct a general online search on you. To help
prevent a background check from tripping you up:
• Verify that your college transcripts are current.
Section 3: Preparing for a Job Interview
Learning Objective 3: List six tasks you need to complete to prepare for a successful job interview.
Preparation for interviewing will help you feel more confident and perform better under pressure, and
preparation starts with learning about the organization.
Learning About the Organization and Your Interviewers
Employers expect serious candidates to demonstrate an understanding of the company’s operations,
its markets, and its strategic and tactical challenges.
In addition to learning about the company and the job opening, learn as much as you can about the
managers who will be interviewing you:
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Thinking Ahead About Questions
Planning ahead for the interviewer’s questions will help you handle them more confidently and
successfully. In addition, you will want to prepare insightful questions of your own.
Planning for the Employer’s Questions
Many general interview questions are “stock” queries that you can expect to hear again and again
during your interviews. Get ready to face these five at the very least:
• What is the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Be prepared with a good example
(that isn’t too personal), explaining why the decision was difficult, how you made the
choice you made, and what you learned from the experience.
• What is your greatest weakness? One good strategy is to mention a skill or attribute you
haven’t had the opportunity to develop yet but would like to in your next position.
• Where do you want to be five years from now? This question tests (1) whether you’re
merely using this job as a stopover until something better comes along and (2) whether
you’ve given thought to your long-term goals.
Try to frame your responses as brief stories rather than simple declarative answers. Cohesive
stories tend to stick in the listener’s mind more effectively than disconnected facts and
statements.
Planning Questions of Your Own
Bolstering Your Confidence
You can take steps to feel more confident in the interviewing process by following these steps:
• Remind yourself that you have value to offer the employer.
• Remember the employer already thinks highly enough of you to invite you to an interview.
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Polishing Your Interview Style
Competence and confidence are the foundation of your interviewing style, and you can enhance them
by giving the interviewer a positive impression by showing these attributes:
Stage mock interviews and review your answers. Pay close attention to your speaking voice and
evaluate your nonverbal behavior, including:
• Posture
Presenting a Professional Image
Clothing and grooming are important elements of preparation because they reveal something about a
candidate’s sense of self, including:
Inappropriate dress is a common criticism leveled at interviewees, so stand out by looking
professional.
The following conservative look will serve you well in most business interview situations:
• Neat, “adult” hairstyle
• Conservative business suit in a dark solid color or a subtle pattern such as pinstripes
• Solid color shirt for men; coordinated blouse for women
• Conservative tie (classic stripes or subtle patterns) for men
• Limited jewelry (men, especially, should wear very little jewelry)
Send a clear signal that you understand the business world and know how to adapt to it. You won’t be
taken seriously otherwise.
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Being Ready When You Arrive
When you go to your interview, consider taking the following items:
• A small notebook and pen
• A list of the questions you want to ask
• Several copies of your résumé (protected in a folder)
Be sure to avoid these awkward situations:
• If planning to use a tablet computer or other device for note taking, don’t waste the
When you arrive, remind yourself that anything you do or say while you wait may well get back to
the interviewer, so make sure your best qualities show from the moment you enter the premises.
Class discussion question: Is appearing nervous in a job interview necessarily a bad sign? Why or why
not? What might a seasoned interviewer conclude about candidates who appear to be nervous?
Section 4: Interviewing for Success
Learning Objective 4: Explain how to succeed in all three stages of an interview.
It’s now time to become familiar with the three stages that occur in some form in all interviews:
The Warm-Up
Of the three stages, the warm-up is the most important, even though it may account for only a small
fraction of the time you spend in the interview.
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Body language is crucial at this point. Remember these tips:
• Stand or sit up straight.
• Maintain regular but natural eye contact.
• Don’t fidget.
The following are some common opening questions:
• Why do you want to work here?
• What do you know about us?
• Tell me a little about yourself.
The Question-And-Answer Stage
Questions and answers usually consume the greatest part of the interview. Depending on the type of
interview, the interviewer will likely ask you to discuss the following:
• Your qualifications
Answering and Asking Questions
Handling questions effectively takes skill. These tips will make for a smooth interview:
• Let the interviewer lead the conversation.
• Never answer a question before the interviewer has finished asking it.
• Use the opportunity to expand on a positive response or explain a negative response.
• Think through the implications before responding to a difficult question.
Listening to the Interviewer
Paying attention when the interviewer speaks can be as important as giving good answers or
asking good questions.
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Take close notice of these nonverbal messages:
• Facial expressions
• Eye movements
Handling Potentially Discriminatory Questions
A variety of federal, state, and local laws prohibit employment discrimination in these critical
areas:
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Gender
Interview questions designed to elicit information on these topics are potentially illegal. If an
interviewer asks a potentially unlawful question, consider your options carefully before you
respond:
Even if you do answer the question as it was asked, think hard before accepting a job offer from
this company if you have alternatives—would you want to work for an organization that
condones illegal or discriminatory questions or that doesn’t train its employees to avoid them?
The Close
The end of the interview is more important than its brief duration would indicate.