Mock Interviews

1. COMM 202: Career Fundamentals: Last Tutorial!
Theo Guevara
T08 & T15

2. 1. Mock Interview Details
2. Interview Prep
3. Debrief/Chat
Agenda

3. THE FINAL TUTORIAL
How do you feel?

4. THE FINAL TUTORIAL
Like this?
How do you feel?

5. THE FINAL TUTORIAL
Or like this?
How do you feel?

6. Course Timeline
Week 12 Week 13 Week 15
Tutorial (LAST ONE):
Employment Interview
Questions
What’s Due:
Networking Reflection
– due Thurs. Nov. 22nd
11:59 pm on Turnitin
Interview Stream –
Nov. 26th for bonus 1%
Lecture:
Offer Negotiations
What’s Due:
Mock Interviews – Nov.
26th, Nov. 27th, and Nov.
29th
N/A
What’s Due:
Informational Interview
Assignment – Friday, Dec.
14th 11:59 pm on Turnitin

7. Mock Interview Details
The run-down on the last scary
COMM 202 hurdle.

8. What to expect from the mock interview?
When: November 26th, 27th, and 29th (as per your time slot)
Mandatory items to print:
• Resume (PRINT)
• Cover Letter (PRINT)
• Job Posting (PRINT)
Optional items:
• Padfolio (keep it simple)
• Pen
• Research notes
20% of your grade
*NO PRINT-OUTS OF MANDATORY
ITEMS = AUTOMATIC 0
*We have a seating area to put your bags, but do so at your own risk*

9. What to expect from the mock interview?
Be EARLY! – Ideally by about 10 minutes. If you’re not there by
your scheduled interview time, you will receive an automatic 0!
• Check in with the ”reception” in Birmingham (It is the student’s responsibility to
find the check-in desk. There will be signs everywhere so it will be very obvious)
• Interview will be exactly 20 minutes with one BCC coach or external consultant
or COMM 202 TA = 15 minutes interview time + 5 minutes feedback
• Make sure you have your PRINTED documents (resume, cover letter, job
posting)

10. What not to do? Ways to automatically fail.
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Inappropriate questions
• Late for interview
• Not checking in at reception
• Missing documents (resume, cover letter and
job posing)

11. How about dress code? Business formal.
Note: We’ve seen students wear fancy sneakers
– this is NOT acceptable
Dress Code:
Business Formal

12. Interview Questions
Toolbelt for nailing the interview

13. What to cover? Five categories of questions.
1. Tell me about yourself
2. Strengths
3. Weaknesses
4. Tell me about a time…
5. Wild cards

14. What’s first? Tell me about yourself!
• Most common question you’ll get asked during an
interview
• Can be asked in several different ways
-“Tell me about yourself”
-“What’s your story?”
-“Walk me through your resume”
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! (with Interview Stream)
• Keep it between 90 - 120 sec
• Brand yourself – give them something to remember you by
• Sound natural – don’t sound like you’re reading off a script
• Skills & accomplishments – briefly touch on these aspects
• Show your passion & authenticity
• Provide a well-rounded picture of who you are as a person

15. How do you best tell your story? Structure it!
The
Beginning
The Spark Growing
Interest
The Future Why Are You
Here?
Introduction –
Who you are,
your values
An event or
experience
sparked your
interest
How you
became
more
interested in
this field
Where do you
see yourself in
the future
(in 5 years, in 10
years, etc.)
How this
position ties
into it all
GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and impress them in the first 2
minutes

16. How do you best tell your story? Structure it!
P
A
W
S
ERSONAL
CADEMICS
ORK EXPERIENCE
KILLS

17. What’s Theo’s story?
1. Business is a force for good!
• Learned about global issues
growing up in the
Philippines
• Coming to Sauder made me
realize businesses’ role in
society
• Experiences like COMM 101
grew my interest in
innovation and global
impact
2. Growing Interest
• Academic: Innovation
Jam, Impact Investing
Fund
• Professional: Working
with Startups +
Accounting Firm
• Integration: Finance and
accounting are necessary
for social enterprises
3. Scaling impact further
• Professional: globally-
focused, thought-
leader in the business
world
• Personal: Working on
the issues I care
about
Hook… Experiences Long-term goals

18. What’s Theo’s story?
LINK: Through my experiences, I’ve learned the importance of finance
and accounting in managing large organizations, and I believe I can
get this professional and technical experience as a financial analyst for
TELUS.
HOOK EXPERIENCES LONG-TERM GOALS

19. What’s your special TMAY? Grading criteria.
• Remember to tailor your TMAY to the job
• This particular question will always be changing and it will
take you time to come up with a TMAY that you’re happy
with!
Keep working at it!

20. Your turn! Tell me about yourself.
Your turn to try! Pair up with a buddy.
Tell me about yourself.

21. What are your strengths? You’re good at __!
What’s the point?
• A way to see if you really know yourself
• May also be asked in different ways (listen carefully)
• “What can you bring to the table?”
• ”Why should I pick you over other candidates?”
• “What would your colleagues/friends say about
you?”
• Around 90 sec
• Mention 2-3 (but prep 4-5 in case)
• Provide a bit of proof but don’t go too much into
detail
• Tactfully relevant to the job you’re applying for
(look at the job description!)

22. What are your strengths? Grading criteria.
• Look for a blend of quantitative and qualitative traits
(refer to your Skills Matrix and/or Strengths Quest if you need
to)

23. What are your weaknesses? You’re not as__!
What’s the point?
• A way for the interviewer to see if you are able to
identify weaknesses and have a plan in place to
improve them
• Assess self-awareness and spot red flags
• Around 90 sec – 120 sec
• Mention 1 (but prep 2-3 in case)
• Best to give an example
• Talk about weaknesses that would not hugely
impair you from doing the job you are applying
for
• E.g. not the strongest quant – for investment
banking

24. What won’t work as good weaknesses?
PSA: Avoid clichés!!
“I work too much”
“I’m such a perfectionist”
Flipping strengths into weaknesses
“I’m TOO detail-oriented”

25. What are your weaknesses? Grading criteria.

26. Behaviourals? Tell me about a time when…
What’s the point?
• To test if you have the necessary skills/experience for the
job
• To look for your thought process in given situations
• Around 2 mins
• Demonstrates the skill with the right answer
• Doesn’t re-use the same experience too
many times
• Clear & concise
Tips:
Review Skills Matrix
Examine job posting

27. What’s the structure? Apply STARL!
S
T
A
R
L
What position and where were you?
What was the challenge you faced?
What did YOU do and HOW did you solve the problem?
What was the accomplishment and the impact?
Another PSA: BE SUCCINCT.
Some interviewers will cut you off.
Link back to the job and why the story is relevant!

28. Acing behavioural questions? Grading
criteria.
Use your Skills Matrix as a practice tool!

29. What else to expect? Wild card questions.
What’s the point?
• Could be industry/job specific… or a surprise!
• Random questions that you cannot prepare for
• To test how you react under pressure & deal with uncertainty
• To see how you think your way through a problem
• Tell them what you’re going to do,
do it, then tell them what you just did
• If it’s a joke question, take it easy and
be personable
• Stay professional
• Don’t panic!

30. Wild cards? Questions we’ve been asked.

31. Dealing with wild cards? Grading criteria.

32. Closing: do you have any questions for me?
Always prepare at least 2 questions!
• Avoid asking questions that can easily be found on
Google
• Do not asking something that has already been
addressed in the interview – unless it’s a specific follow-
up question
• Always safe to get them talking about themselves – e.g.
ask something directly related to their job/industry
• Example: “What specific traits and qualities do you look
for in a successful candidate?”
• Another example: “What do you think about the xyz
trends in the industry? Do you think they’re just a fad?”
*Expected in the employment interviews next week!

33. Closing: how do you wrap up the
conversation?
• Thank them for their time
• Reiterate your interest
• End with a FIRM handshake
• Ask how you can best follow up
• Use their name
PSA: No floppy fish handshakes

34. Then what? Following up with your interviewer.
• Send an email or handwritten card
• Reference the interview – something
you want to emphasize or something
unsaid that you want them to know
• Reiterate your interest in the position
• Thank them for the opportunity
• Reference an answer or insight they
gave you during the question period
• If you interviewed with multiple
people, make sure the follow-up is
personalized to each person
*On the day of the mock
interviews:
We will give you ‘fake’ thank-
you
cards AFTER your interview.
DO NOT expect this in real life!
DO NOT send a real email to
your mock interviewer
* Remember the 24 hour rule!

35. How to crush the interview? General tips.
• Listen to what they’re asking
Stay alert, don’t be afraid to ask them to clarify
• Answer the question
Do not beat around the bush
• Take your time if you need to
“Great question– may I have a quick minute to collect my thoughts?”
• Smile & keep up the energy – they’re human too ☺
They want you to do well, so show your personality!
• Use a spreadsheet to write down your answers - (don’t take these to the actual interview),
practice with your friends, utilize Interview Stream
• Interview ends when the interviewer says “thank you” and wraps it up. Mock interview
ends when you send in your thank-you card!

36. Your turn! Tell me about yourself.
Pop quiz: what are the five ways to
automatically fail the mock interview?

37. Ways to FAIL the interview
If you don’t bring your printed documents (resume, cover letter, job
posting)
If you are late (try to arrive 10 minutes early)
If you don’t check in at reception (before your interview!)
Inappropriate behaviour
Inappropriate questions

38. Interview Prep Resources
The available tools to help you ace the
interview process.

39. Where can I get extra interview help from?
• DLam Library – company profiles, reports, SWOTs, etc.
• Company annual report
• Glassdoor
• Interviews: can find tips or interview experiences of
past candidates
• Company review: get a better sense of workplace
culture
• Your network
• Look on LinkedIn to see if any UBC alumni work
there or have worked there (potential 2nd degree
connection) or anyone else you know who you can
reach out to for an informational interview

40. What are some interview prep tips? PRACTICE!
• Practice, practice, practice, practice!
• Do mock interviews with a friend, a BCC coach, etc
• Get their feedback and keep working on it!
• BCC: Interview Stream, Interview Toolkit, Coaching
• Leverage your Skills Matrix
• Practice in front of a mirror or film yourself to watch for
any distracting body language
• Prepare multiple stories for each skill that the job
description is looking for
• Always good to have a variety of experiences +
stories to pull from as it is possible for interviewers
to ask questions about the same skill multiple times

41. Let’s Chat
#realtalk

42. COMM 202 Debrief
1. What are your main takeaways?
Something interesting you learned or something useful you gained?
2. What would you have liked to see more/less of in the course?
3. How confident do you feel going out in the real world and snagging your dream
job?

43. Anything else you want to ask? ☺
Career? School? Life?
I’m all ears!

44. Announcements: what’s on the radar?
1. Employment Interview on Nov. 26th, 27th, 29th – prep and show up!
2. Informational Interview due Friday, Dec. 14th 11:59 pm on Turnitin.
3. BCC Coaching Appointment by Dec. 14th
4. Optional Bonus Marks – Interview Stream by Nov. 26th; SEAT by Dec.
14th
See you in lecture next week!

45. How to reach out or stay in touch? Many
ways!
1. Email:
comm202.10@sauder.ubc.ca
2. LinkedIn: for all things good
and professional
3. Facebook: Gonna get to those
friend requests real soon!
Call me
maybe?

46. “It’s not the days in your life, but
the life in your days that counts.”
(Brian White)