High School How To Do Well On An Interview?

[Fierceforever <3]

Okay, Well first off I searched if there were any threads about interviews and nothing showed up so I decided to create one (: My highschool cheer coach is having interviews for whoever wants to become captain. I've never done an interview before and I need some advice and it will also help me when I apply for my cheer gym's teacher assitant job in a few years. If anyone has any advice on stuff to say or interview questions so I can quiz myself than please please please post it!!! I really want Captain and I'm already on a good start! Thanks <3

 

[cheerforeverever]

This goes for all interviews, but typically there are different kinds of questions they ask. Sometimes you get asked multiple types and other times you only get asked one....it just depends on the interview.
Examples:

1. Credential verification questions
   Example: What is your GPA? and How long were you at . . . Its purpose is to place objective measurements on features of your background.
2. Experience verification questions
   This type of question includes What did you learn in that class? and What were your responsibilities in that position? Its purpose is to subjectively evaluate features of your background.
3. Opinion questions
   This type of question includes What would you do in this situation? and What are your strengths and weaknesses? Their purpose is to subjectively analyze how you would respond in a series of scenarios. The reality is that you play back a pre-programmed answer.
4. Dumb questions
   This type of question includes What kind of animal would you like to be? and What color best describes you? Their purpose is to get past your pre-programmed answers to find out if you are capable of an original thought. There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer, since it is used primarily to test your ability to think on your feet.
5. Behavioral questions
   This type of question includes Can you give me a specific example of how you did that? and What were the steps you followed to accomplish that task? Its purpose is to anticipate future behaviors based upon past behaviors.
6. Competency questions
   This type of question includes "Can you give me a specific example of your leadership skills?" or "Explain a way in which you sought a creative solution to a problem." Its purpose is to align your past behaviors with specific competencies which are required for the position.

For the captain position, I'd bet a couple of the things you'll be asked about will be something like: "When is a time that you have shown leadership?" or "what is your definition of leadership/ a captain's responsibilities?", "why you want to be captain?", "how you can improve the captain position/team/program, etc. this year?" or "what are your personal/team/program goals for this year?", at least 1 situational question such as "What would you do if a member of your team had a very bad attitude problem?", and "What are your strengths and weaknesses?".

To practice additionally, google search Cheer Captain Application or Cheer Captain Interview Questions and then have a friend or family member ask you some questions from other schools' captain tryout questions that pop up to get used to thinking on your feet and answering clearly.

 

[Fierceforever <3]

Thanks!!!

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Make sure to have good eye contact and a strong handshake, but not like hand breaking hard. Just don't be the dead fish! Also, be confident when you go in for your interviewer. I've only done one interview in my life and it was this thing all the seniors had to do for school and then we got rated on it. My interviewer loved me because I was confident with all my answers. Whatever you say, do not lie. I know it sounds like a no brainier but people sometimes do that and it comes back to haunt them. Don't chew gum and dress nice! I think that's about all for now(:

 

[cheerforeverever]

Remember that an interview is just like having a conversation with someone, so as long as you are confident in your answers and don't respond wishywashy then it will go fine. I've been on both the interviewer and interviewee side of things, and nothing is worse than when you (as the interviewer) ask a question and the interviewee goes "uhhhhhh.....*silence*......" or mumbles of"well....maybe kind of somewhat...." . As an interviewer, we'll be chanting in our heads "come on, just say something!".

 

[canttouchthis]

confidence in yourself is key. keep good eye contact and a smile on your face.

dont:
wear a lot of makeup or perfume
cover yourself modestly, but dont over dress

 

[armywifecheercoach]

This goes for all interviews, but typically there are different kinds of questions they ask. Sometimes you get asked multiple types and other times you only get asked one....it just depends on the interview.
Examples:

1. Credential verification questions
   Example: What is your GPA? and How long were you at . . . Its purpose is to place objective measurements on features of your background.
2. Experience verification questions
   This type of question includes What did you learn in that class? and What were your responsibilities in that position? Its purpose is to subjectively evaluate features of your background.
3. Opinion questions
   This type of question includes What would you do in this situation? and What are your strengths and weaknesses? Their purpose is to subjectively analyze how you would respond in a series of scenarios. The reality is that you play back a pre-programmed answer.
4. Dumb questions
   This type of question includes What kind of animal would you like to be? and What color best describes you? Their purpose is to get past your pre-programmed answers to find out if you are capable of an original thought. There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer, since it is used primarily to test your ability to think on your feet.
5. Behavioral questions
   This type of question includes Can you give me a specific example of how you did that? and What were the steps you followed to accomplish that task? Its purpose is to anticipate future behaviors based upon past behaviors.
6. Competency questions
   This type of question includes "Can you give me a specific example of your leadership skills?" or "Explain a way in which you sought a creative solution to a problem." Its purpose is to align your past behaviors with specific competencies which are required for the position.

For the captain position, I'd bet a couple of the things you'll be asked about will be something like: "When is a time that you have shown leadership?" or "what is your definition of leadership/ a captain's responsibilities?", "why you want to be captain?", "how you can improve the captain position/team/program, etc. this year?" or "what are your personal/team/program goals for this year?", at least 1 situational question such as "What would you do if a member of your team had a very bad attitude problem?", and "What are your strengths and weaknesses?".

To practice additionally, google search Cheer Captain Application or Cheer Captain Interview Questions and then have a friend or family member ask you some questions from other schools' captain tryout questions that pop up to get used to thinking on your feet and answering clearly.

This is amazing advice. I work in HR and also coach but I think these questions are excellent and very helpful. Good Luck

 

[INeverStopCheering]

Try to avoid words like "uhhhh", "ummm", and "like". I am part of the Leadership specialty center in my county and we interview rising freshmen each year. Here are some of the questions we ask (some have been changed to relate to cheer)

• What kind of leadership roles have you had before?
• If you could change or improve one thing about this squad what would it be? What steps would you take to accomplish this?
• Describe your best and worst quality
• Explain how you would settle an argument between two team mates. OR Explain how you would convince someone with an attitude problem to work with the team.
• Wild Card: If you could be a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?
• Do you have any personal goals in cheerleading?
• What would you do if you knew a team mate had broken the rules (was using drugs, failing a class etc. etc.)? What would you do if you saw a team mate being bullied? What would you do if another team mate was calling cheers?

If it were me, I would also ask questions to make sure my captain knew about football i.e. when we were on offense/defense, what a 1st down is etc. etc.

 

[Fierceforever <3]

This goes for all interviews, but typically there are different kinds of questions they ask. Sometimes you get asked multiple types and other times you only get asked one....it just depends on the interview.
Examples:

1. Credential verification questions
   Example: What is your GPA? and How long were you at . . . Its purpose is to place objective measurements on features of your background.
2. Experience verification questions
   This type of question includes What did you learn in that class? and What were your responsibilities in that position? Its purpose is to subjectively evaluate features of your background.
3. Opinion questions
   This type of question includes What would you do in this situation? and What are your strengths and weaknesses? Their purpose is to subjectively analyze how you would respond in a series of scenarios. The reality is that you play back a pre-programmed answer.
4. Dumb questions
   This type of question includes What kind of animal would you like to be? and What color best describes you? Their purpose is to get past your pre-programmed answers to find out if you are capable of an original thought. There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer, since it is used primarily to test your ability to think on your feet.
5. Behavioral questions
   This type of question includes Can you give me a specific example of how you did that? and What were the steps you followed to accomplish that task? Its purpose is to anticipate future behaviors based upon past behaviors.
6. Competency questions
   This type of question includes "Can you give me a specific example of your leadership skills?" or "Explain a way in which you sought a creative solution to a problem." Its purpose is to align your past behaviors with specific competencies which are required for the position.

For the captain position, I'd bet a couple of the things you'll be asked about will be something like: "When is a time that you have shown leadership?" or "what is your definition of leadership/ a captain's responsibilities?", "why you want to be captain?", "how you can improve the captain position/team/program, etc. this year?" or "what are your personal/team/program goals for this year?", at least 1 situational question such as "What would you do if a member of your team had a very bad attitude problem?", and "What are your strengths and weaknesses?".

To practice additionally, google search Cheer Captain Application or Cheer Captain Interview Questions and then have a friend or family member ask you some questions from other schools' captain tryout questions that pop up to get used to thinking on your feet and answering clearly.

Wow!!! Thanks!!! (: This is great advice.

 

[xomckenzieee]

The biggest thing I've been taught... ask questions to the asker. If you engage them in the conversation as well, it becomes less like you're being interrogated and trust me, people LOVE to talk about themselves and it takes the pressure off you a little bit too.

 

[Emily Jane]

• Wild Card: If you could be a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?

Off topic, but a friend of mine was once asked at an interview if she'd more rather be an apple or a banana, and why.

 

[cupieqt]

• Wild Card: If you could be a kitchen appliance, which one would you be?

• 
  
  A toaster.
  
  BowCat

 

[INeverStopCheering]

Off topic, but a friend of mine was once asked at an interview if she'd more rather be an apple or a banana, and why.

Still off topic, but another one of the questions we use is "If we gave you a brick, how would you use it to better your community?" We save that one for the really cocky kids