Interview Workshop

1. David Bulmer Employability Service Interview Workshop

2. Interviews Aims: • Raise the level of your confidence in preparing for interviews • Equip you with skills to perform well in interview situations

3. Ice Breaker Talk to one other person & find out: • one thing they find difficult about interviews or • one thing that concerns them about going for an interview

4. Types of Interview • One to One • Panel • Telephone: • Assessment Centre

5. Exercise 1– Preparing for Interviews • In groups of 2 (or 3) discuss how you would prepare for an interview • You could consider: • appearance, • questions you might be asked and • information you might need etc. • You have 10 minutes, then feedback to the group

6. Preparing for Interviews 1 • Re-read your application form/CV and letter • Find out about the organisation and the job itself – use the internet and any details provided by the employer • Decide what to wear – smart, conventional is safest • Personal Hygiene • Check location, route and timing of travel • If possible, find out who is interviewing you

7. Preparing for Interviews 2 • Ask if you need to take course work, portfolio or project • Predict what questions they are likely to ask • Prepare your selling points – skills, strengths, achievements, work experience etc • If there are any problems in your career history, prepare explanations • Draw up a few questions to ask them but be careful

8. Communication Styles / Body Language

9. Exercise 2: What Do Employers Look For? In a group of 3 or 4: • Look at the person specification & decide what qualities/skills the employer is looking for. • Prepare a list to feed back to the whole group

10. What Do Employers Look For?The most frequently requested skills and attributes are: • Communication • Team Work • Enthusiasm • Motivation/Commitment • Business Awareness • Leadership • Flexibility • Confident with IT • Organisational skills

11. Evidence - 1 Quality/Skill • Good communicator • Good organiser Evidence • Worked well with customers in sales jobs • Arranged holiday for 6 students; organised fund raising event for children’s school.

12. Evidence - 2 Quality/Skill • Effective leader • Good time manager Evidence • Led project team on final year group project • Always meet course work deadlines; manage part-time job and study effectively

13. Types of question - 1 Biographical • Tell me about yourself • Tell me about your course • Tell me about your job at X • Tell me about your hobbies Motivational • Why do you want to work for us? • What do you know about our company? • What have you got to offer?

14. Types of question - 2 Competency • Describe a time when you have worked in a team • Describe a time when you have led a group • Describe a time when you have had to make a difficult decision in your life • Describe a time when you have had to be innovative or creative

15. Answering Competency Based Questions The CARTechnique: • Context- Describe the situation and the specific task you were faced with, when, where, with whom? • Action - Describe what you did - focus on your role and your input. • Result - Tell the interviewer what the outcome was, and what skills you developed as a result.

16. Using CAR to analyse a situation dealing with a difficult customer

17. Exercise 3 • In groups of two or three look at the sample interview questions • Pick a question from 3 or 4 sections • Discuss how you would go about answering each of these questions

18. Interview Tips - 1 • First impressions count (smile ) • Be positive about the job and positive about yourself • Always sound interested and enthusiastic • Be honest – but don’t put yourself down. Avoid expressions like “it was only” or “I just did this” or “I am quite good at” • Maintain reasonable eye contact and remember that body language and tone of voice are important

19. Interview Tips - 2 • Illustrate answers with concrete examples, but don’t waffle • It is acceptable to say “I don’t know” or ask for a moment to consider your answer • Be natural. How you come across can be as important as what you say • Good interviews don’t just happen. Practice and preparation are the keys to success • Summary: prepare on paper & link to evidence, rehearse in front of a mirror or with a friend, book a mock interview if you are very nervous

20. After the Interview - 1 • If you have been offered feedback, do take this up • Try to review your own performance carefully and objectively • If there are areas that you feel were weak, do some more preparation on these topics

21. After the Interview - 2 • Remember that getting an interview is an achievement in itself • An employer’s final choice at interview is often very difficult; being unsuccessful does not mean you were a disaster • Remember how valuable the interview was as a practice session and try to improve at the next one

22. Interview Resources • www.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews • https://my.lsbu.ac.uk/page/employability-how-to - Interviews booklet • DVDs: ’Why Ask Me That’? and ‘Selection Success in One’ • Book a Mock Interview

23. Further Help Employability and Careers: • Student Life Centre • www.lsbu.ac.uk/careers • Quick query, careers interview, e-guidance • Workshops • Guidance/advice/information • Support you for up to 2 years after graduation