Interpersonal skills

• With what kind of persons do you most enjoy working? Why?

• When confronted with an angry person, what do you do?

• If someone id critical of you and appears not to like you, what do you do?

• Which of your skills would you rate higher: technical skills , interpersonal skills? Why?

• Do you feel it is more important to be well-liked by others or be admired for your effectiveness? Why?

Planning and organizing skills

• Describe your planning process.

• What is your planning schedule?

• How often do you do planning? Why?

• Tell me about your daily work routine. How do you start the day? What do you do next? What determines where you will spend your time?

• Tell me about a time when good panning really paid of for you.

Communication skills

• On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate your overall communication skills? Why?

• Using the same scale, where would you rate your verbal communication skills? Why?

• Likewise, on the same scales, how would you rate your writtenl communication skills? Why?

• How well do you write?

(Arnold B. Kanter (1995), Essential Book of Interviewing, Random House USA)

6. Exercises

Ex. 1. Decide which of the following questions you want to answer and fill in any gaps with your own personal information. Then discuss how you would answer them.

1. I notice that your university \ higher education course was in __________________ A. which part of the course did you enjoy most? Why did you like that subject? B. Did you do a project in the final year? Can you tell me about that?

2. I see that after university \ higher education you worked in several jobs. One of your first jobs (training position) was as a ______________________________ in _____________ (company). A. Can you tell me about that?

3. I see that in your previous job (training position) you worked as a _______________ in _______________ (company). A. Can you tell me about that? What exactly did you do there? B. What did you learn from that job (training position)? C. Why did you stay so long \ so little in that company? D. Why did you leave?

4. So, your current job (training position) is as _________________________ in ____________________ (company. A. Can you tell me a little about the company? What exactly do you do there? B. What have you learnt in your current job (training position)? C. How have you kept up to date with new techniques? D. What personal ad professional skills have you developed? E. What experience do you have ________________ technology? F. How would you describe your management style? G. Why do you want to leave your current job (training position)?

5. I see that you are currently unemployed. A. Why are you not working? How have you spent your time while you’ve been unemployed? B. Have you had other interviews? Why do you think you weren’t successful?

6. Tell me something about yourself. A. What do you do in your free time? What hobbies and interests do you have? B. What are your strong points? C. What are your weak points? D. Can you work under pressure? Can you give me an example? E. Are you a persistent and determined person? Can you give me an example? F. What have been you greatest achievements? G. Can you describe an important challenge in your life? H. Can you describe an important change in your life? I. What are your career objectives? Where do you see yourself thrfee years from now?

Ex. 2 **Teamwork Activities - teamworking, leadership activities training resources, training games www.mta-international.com

Ex. 3 Before an interview, make up a list of questions with ready-made answers. When you have prepared the questions, interview one of the students.

Ex. 4 Assume you are in an actual job interview. You are asked to answer the following questions, and keyboard your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

• Use five different words to describe you.

• Think of your last training position or job. Give a specific example of how you were successful on that training position \ job.

Ex. 5 Interview Assignment

Your task is to interview someone who will better allow you and your group to produce a more complete final project. The results of your interview will be presented to the members of the class in the form of a two to three page memo. Our purpose, as a group, is to see what people really think about our topic area. Consider this as a complement to any library research that you must perform to prepare your section of the final project. The most important thing is that you have some sense of focus in your interview; you might want to start with a few general questions, but then you might follow up with questions aimed to a more specific end. You need to work with your group to figure out just how your interview will best complement their interviews.

Please consider these points when planning, conducting, and writing up your interview:

• The interviewee must not be a relative of yours.

• Two group members cannot interview the same person.

• Prepare your questions in advance and arrange them logically. This will help the interviewee answer your questions and will help you organize your memo. This does not mean that you march on with your questions if the answers your interviewee offers do not warrant this.

• Keep you group members in mind when you write your report. List them on the memo that you submit to me. Since they know the general subject area, think of them at the technical executive level of audience.

• You cannot tell us everything in a two or three page memo; focus your report on the most significant points and save the rest for class discussion and/or your own benefit. However, don’t rely entirely on the arrangement of your questions to determine the order and emphasis of your report. Allow the interview itself to direct your report. Choose those areas that you feel ought to be emphasized. Turn in your list of questions with your interview memo.