Employment Interview Assignment

CASD 2623
Employment Interview Assignment
(100 points)
For the purpose of this assignment, you will seek a real position in an organization that you would like to
work for in the near future. It can be a corporation, a non-profit organization, an educational institution
such as a university, a high school or an elementary school.
Besides choosing an organization and an actual position, you would also need to produce a cover letter
and a resume applying for this position. In addition, you would need to prepare responses for four (4)
interview questions. Responses should demonstrate your knowledge of the STAR/PAR technique. For
extra credit, you may choose to upload a video resume.
SPECIFIC REQUIRMENTS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT
1. Job description (no points; required for evaluation of resume and cover letter)
2. Cover Letter (30 points)
3. Resume (30 points)
4. Interview questions responses (40 points)
5. Video Resume (optional)
Preparation Documents
1. Job Description
Search any online employment search engine or organization’s website for a job in your area of
interest which you may look for upon graduation. The job description should include the title of the
position, qualifications required, the major job responsibilities, contact information and other
relevant information. Save the job description with all of the detail it provides to upload to
Blackboard along with the URL link. Make sure the job requirements are listed as well as the contact
information. Your resume and cover letter will not be evaluated if this document is not submitted.
2. Resume
Create a professional resume based on your actual qualifications and experiences to submit as if
applying for that particular job. Use the information that you learned during the career workshop, inclass, and from the Magner Center Quick Reference Guide to help you create a professional resume.
This document will be evaluated based on measurable results (quantifying what you do), appropriate
action verbs, consistency of grammar and format. (30 points)
3. Cover Letter
Using the job description that you discovered produce a cover letter as if you were applying for that
particular job. Employ the information that you learned during the career workshop, in-class, and the
Magner Center Quick Reference Guide to aid in the creation of your cover letter. A cover letter molds
your prospective employer’s first impression of you. Be sure you are establishing an impression of
professional competence. Along with consistency of grammar and format, this document will be
evaluated for specific measurable results (3 or more) that sells you as a candidate based on the
responsibilities/requirements for the position. Refer to the section on cover letter overview in the
guide. (30 points)
4. Interview Questions
Respond to four questions below using the STAR/PAR technique techniques discuss in class, in the
text and at the career workshop. Your responses should not be similar to the one used in your journal
submission. (40 points)
Respond to both questions below:
1. What is your greateststrength?
2. What is your biggest weakness?
Choose two from the following:
1. Give me an example of a time when you did not meet a client’s expectation. What happened,
and how did you attempt to rectify the situation?
2. Tell me about a time when you made sure a customer was pleased with yourservice.
3. Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you
handle that?
4. Describe a time when you struggled to build a relationship with someone important. How
did you eventually overcome that?
5. Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure. What was going on, and how did you
get through it?
6. Describe a time when your team or company was undergoing some change. How did that
impact you, and how did you adapt?
7. Sometimes it’s just not possible to get everything on your to-do list done. Tell me about a
time your responsibilities got a little overwhelming. What did you do?
8. Give me an example of a time when you had to explain something fairly complex to a
frustrated client. How did you handle this delicate situation?
9. Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see
things your way at work.
10. Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than
waiting for someone else to do it.
Extra Credit Assignment (30 points)
Video Resume: This is a way for candidates to creatively share additional information about their job
qualifications, beyond what can be explained by a cover letter or standard resume.
Requirements: Present a 60-90 second video resume that is applicable to your field of interest.
1. Content:
a.
b.
Introduce yourself
Include content like your cover letter but more informal and showing more
personality
c.
d.
Highlight your major skills and experience
Include one personal anecdote that illustrates your personality as it relates to the
job description
2. Appearance:
a. Professional attire
b. Background must not be distracting
c. Neither too close or too far from the camera
d. No distracting touching of face/hair/clothing/jewelry/accessories
e. Hair should not be covering your face or moving a lot (distracting)
f. Static camera (no movement or shakey “selfie” mode)
3. Optional:
a. Embedded text or animated graphics
b. Video editing to creatively cut clips of video together
c. Music (make sure it is not louder than your voice’s audio)
d. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2RrqP6qM