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pharmacist-interview-prep
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INTERVIEW
PREPARATION GENERALS: 2.
Check Nails 3.
Polish Shoes 4.
Tone down colognes and perfumes 5.
Calm yourself before the interview; arrive
10 minutes early. 6.
Greet with confidence: Enthusiasm,
together with a self-confident smile, will go a long way toward establishing the
best first impression. Give a firm
handshake. Make eye contact. 7. Do your homework! Little things can set you apart from other candidates. Research the company you will be interviewing with. Visit the company web site and read up on the company history, structure, products and services. 8.
It’s All in the Attitude: Managers
want to work with people who are interested in working at their companies and in
their departments – people who have a positive and upbeat attitude and who ask
good questions. QUESTIONS
TO EXPECT: Keep responses to the point. Be a good listener and be interested. Stay on track, and be direct and concise with each answer. Then stop. Most interviewers have a number of pre-set questions they wish to cover in a limited amount of time. Don’t over-explain. 1. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. Hit the highlights, be concise, avoid extreme
details and tangents. 2.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. Be sure to tell how you are correcting the
weakness if possible. 3.
WHY ARE YOU LOOKING? As a matter of fact, (recruiter’s name) called me.
OR give a reason w/o "dogging" company. 4.
HOW MUCH $ DO YOU WANT? Do not give an amount!! You say, I am
currently making $< your current salary>;
however, what is most important to me is the opportunity and the company.
Based on what you have shared with me so far, I am really interested in
this opportunity. If you are
interested in me, I would like to entertain your strongest offer.” 5.
WHY DID YOU LEAVE SPECIFIC JOBS? 6.
5 YEAR PLAN QUESTION 7.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPANY? – DO
YOUR HOMEWORK! 8.
ANY JOB SPECIFIC QUESTIONS 9.
PROBLEM RESOLUTION SCENARIO QUESTIONS THE CANDIDATE SHOULD ASK: Make sure you get any questions you may have about the position, responsibilities, or company answered during the interview so that you can fully assess the opportunity. Asking informed, open-ended questions shows your interest in the company and the position. Here are a few suggestions: 1.
WHERE DO YOU SEE THE COMPANY GOING? 2.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR YOUR TEAM/OR THIS DEPARTMENT? 3.
WHAT IS YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE? MOST IMPORTANT! 4. BASED ON MY BACKGROUND AND
EXPERIENCE, DO YOU HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT I COULDN'T HANDLE THIS
POSITION? 5. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? OR
WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? WHAT
NOT TO DO DURING THE INTERVIEW: 1. Don’t
Ask the Wrong Questions: Don’t
ask about vacation or sick time. Don’t
ask about benefits. This
information will be provided to you later and is not appropriate during the
first interview. Asking these
questions gives the impression that those issues are the most important to you. Don’t ask specific questions as to how quickly you will
advance out of this position. Such
questions can lead the interviewer to feel you are seeking this position only as
a brief “stepping stone”. A
better question would be “What is the career track someone might expect
beginning in this position?”. 2.
Avoid
Negative Comments: If you have any negative feelings or concerns, discuss them
with your recruiter after the interview. Keep
an open mind during the interview, and wait until after the visit to make a
decision about the opportunity. Do
not make negative comments about your present or former employers.
This is a major “turn-off”. GET A
BUSINESS CARD, WRITE AND MAIL FOLLOW-UP LETTER WHEN YOU GET
HOME!
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ANSWER What
are you proudest of in terms of your accomplishments at you present position or
former position? What
was your schedule of goals to accomplish at your present position for the next
year, for next two or three years? What would you have liked to accomplish in
your present position that you did not accomplish, in whole or in part? What
prevented you from accomplishing these things? What
do you think will be the toughest aspects of the job if you were to accept the
position? What will be the most enjoyable aspects and the least enjoyable? What
do you think your greatest contribution will be or what aspects of the job or
the company do you think you would be able to make your greatest contribution
to? From
whom and/or what have you learned the most in your career and why? How
do your spouse and children feel about the change of position and/or the relocation
of your home? If you were promoted to the next higher position in the company, how would you select your successor and what would you be looking for? If
you are selected for this position, how would you deal with the situation of
individuals in the company who were competitors for the job for which you are
being interviewed and who may feel that they are better qualified? (Some of them
may be your subordinates.) What
philosophy and techniques do you use in motivating subordinates and energizing
them and, when necessary, in disciplining them? Do you vary your approach for
subordinates who are outstanding, good, satisfactory, mediocre? If so, how? What
criteria would you use in measuring your own performance over the next year and
the following years; like your performance measured by; use in measuring your
superior's performance and your relationship to him or her? What
criteria would you use in evaluating your subordinates performance? How would
you conduct an evaluation process? Academically,
what were your best subjects? Your worst? Ten Interview Mistakes That Can Cost You the Job Goodrich
& Sherwood, a management consulting firm specializing in executive search,
has put together a list of ten common interview mistakes to be avoided. THE
INTERVIEWEE IS UNPREPARED
Do your homework. Visit the library and read the annual reports,
brochures and news articles to understand the company and its products and
services. THE
INTERVIEWEE TALKS TOO MUCH
Most responses should be kept to one‑to‑three sentences. If
the interviewer probes for more information, respond accordingly but keep it
brief, and directed. Control the interview by listening and asking direct
questions. THE
INTERVIEWEE DOESN'T ASK QUESTIONS
A good rule of thumb is to interview the interviewer. Your questions
should convey interest and initiative. THE
INTERVIEWEE FAILS TO LISTEN
Carefully listen to every question and then respond. Often an interviewee
is preparing a response before the question has been completed and therefore
cannot answer completely or might miss the subtle intent of the question
altogether. THE
INTERVIEWEE DOESN'T LOOK AT THE NEEDS OF THE HIRING ORGANIZATION
It is important to match your qualifications with those sought by the
employer. Search beyond the position itself and determine why the position is
available and what needs to be accomplished. THE
INTERVIEWEE PRESENTS A NEGATIVE IMPRESSION
Dress appropriately for the job. Conservative is always the best approach
until you have landed the job and are secure in the position. THE
INTERVIEWEE IS NOT OBSERVANT
Be alert. Pay careful attention to the objects and people in the office. THE
INTERVIEWEE ARRIVES LATE Always arrive
5 minutes early. Arriving late only increases stress and reflects
negatively on how responsible you are. THE INTERVIEWEE FAILS TO WRITE A FOLLOW‑UP LETTER ‑ The follow‑up note presents the opportunity to re‑emphasize the information discussed during the interview. It reminds the interviewer again of who you are and allows you to present those specifics that you feel are most likely to impact positively on getting you hired
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COMMON MISTAKES MADE DURING INTERVIEWING (Based
on Reports from 153 firms) 1.
Poor personal appearance. 2.
Lack of interest and enthusiasm; passive and indifferent. 3.
Over emphasis on money; interested only in best dollar offer. 4.
Condemnation of past employers. 5.
Failure to look at the interviewer when conversing. 6.
Limp, fishy handshake. 7.
Unwillingness to go where sent. 8.
Late to interview. 9.
Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time. 10.
Asks no questions about job. 11.
Indefinite response to questions. 12.
Overbearing, over aggressive, conceited with superiority or "know it all
complex." 13.
Inability to express self clearly: Poor voice diction, grammar. 14.
Lack of planning for career; no purpose and goals. 15.
Lack of confidence and poise; nervous ill at ease. 16.
Failure to participate in activities. 17.
Unwilling to start at the bottom- expects too much too soon. 18.
Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavorable factors in record. 19.
Lack of tact. 20.
Lack of courtesy; ill mannered 21.
Lack of Maturity. 22.
Lack of vitality. 23.
Indecision. 24.
Sloppy application blank. 25.
Merely shopping around. 26.
Wants job for short time. 27.
No interest in company or industry. 28.
Low moral standards. 29.
Cynical. 30.
Lazy. 31.
Intolerant: strong prejudices. 32.
Narrow interests. 33.
Inability to take criticism 34.
High pressure type. |