The Interviewing Process illustrates all of the components necessary to be successful in this crucial stage of the job search. This video is divided into two segments, roughly 20 minutes in length each. Segment One introduces the viewer to two principle characters: Mark, a recent college graduate, and Elizabeth, an adult learner who has recently completed her degree. We follow Mark and Elizabeth as they work through the preparation involved beforehand, as they go in for their interviews, and then evaluate their experience and plan for their follow-up.

Throughout the video, our Career Counselor, Susan Loffredo, of Northeastern University, Boston, MA, provides key insight and strategies that lead to a successful interview. This information is vital to getting a job, and will give students a tested foundation from which they can practice their own interviewing techniques.

Segment Two shows three new characters as they participate in their own interviews. This portion of the video shows the interviews only, with additional comments by Susan Loffredo. The scenarios used throughout the video are designed to illustrate that there is a variety of interviewing situations likely to be encountered. By watching the various interviewing types, students can see the commonalities in all interviews, as well as the differences in strategies to be employed in different situations.

The interviews shown throughout the video are simulations of situations your students are likely to face in their own job exploration. The managers that you see are real professionals who frequently interview applicants for positions in their companies. The reactions from both manager and interviewee are real, the answers to questions are real, and the feedback given by the managers at the close of each interview are real. At times, the actions and responses of the interviewees may illustrate the wrong strategy, just as at times the managers may act inappropriately. The inclusion of these actions that might not be the best strategies is done intentionally to stimulate discussion within your classroom.

Here is a brief outline of the video, with time codes in parentheses:

Segment One: The Interview

Before (to 03:43)
The Before Segment of this video introduces us to Mark and Elizabeth as they prepare for their interviews. Topics covered include:

• Researching the Company
• Studying Your Resume
• Preparing for Questions
• Knowing Your Transferable Skills
• Preparing the Night Before

The Behavioral Interview (03:51-09:20)
Here we see Mark go in for his interview. He is given a behavioral interview, an increasingly more popular form of interviewing in which interviewers ask questions directed at past experience and behaviors as an indication of future performance. Questions tend to be specific and probing, and require the candidate to explain past situations, actions and results.

The Non-Directed Interview (10:15-17:01)
Next we see Elizabeth's interview. Less structured and less formal than other interview, the non-directed interview that Elizabeth goes through allows more room for expression and creativity. Questions tend to be open ended and spontaneous.

After (17:08-20:23)
How do Mark and Elizabeth feel about their experience? What do they do now? One of the keys to a successful interview is how you conduct yourself when it is finished. The close of Segment One shows students how to evaluate themselves constructively, and how to decide whether the job and company is right for them. They will learn about:

• Assessing Your Performance
• Assessing the Company
• Using Your Experience to Prepare for the Future
• Handling Illegal Questions
• Following up on Your Interview

Segment Two: Additional Interviews

The Directed Interview (20:38-25:08)
Here we meet Julie, who is going in for a directed interview. In this interview, the interviewer will follow a strict, pre-determined set of questions in order to gage the candidate's level of experience. The interviewer will usually use a checklist. Often these interviews are used in a pre-screening process.

The Informational Interview (25:11-31:34)
In this portion of the video, we meet Steve, who has arranged an information interview. This interview is used by the job hunter to find out more information about a company and an industry, as well as to make a contact for the future. The intention is not to seek employment, but rather to conduct research for a future job search. In this case, the interviewee needs to be most prepared with a set of questions.

The Board Interview (31:40-39:22)
In the final interview, Maxwell goes through a board interview, an interview in which more than one interviewer participates in the process. These interviews require special preparation and forethought, as the interviewee will be required to field questions coming from more than one person.