How to survive job interviews

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How to survive job interviews
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First impressions

• First impressions are critical!
• Give the interviewer a smile.
• Appeal to their subconscious.
• Look them in the eye
• but don't stare them down!
• Depends on size of interview panel.
• Shake their hand with confidence.
• Again, depends on size of interview panel.
• Be aware of your and their body language.

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Todays Session

• What do graduate employers look for?
• Demonstrating key competencies
• Youre a STARR!
• Questions, questions, questions
• Questions for the employer
• Back to basics
• Additional Resources

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Youve been invited to an interview in 2 weeks!

• What next?
• Discuss in groups of 3-4
• Feedback
• What do the employers say?

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What do graduate recruiters look for?

• Know yourself
• What do you have to offer?
• Transferable skills
• Communication
• Teamworking
• Organisation
• Problem-solving and initiative
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Customer Care
• Your selling points
• Work experience
• Business skills
• Research and analysis
• Time management
• Academic expertise

• Find out about what you're applying for
• Know about the job
• What will you be doing?
• Know about the company
• What is their core business/service/activity?
• Who are their customers/stakeholders?
• Recent developments?
• Main competitors?
• Know about the sector
• Current and future developments/issues?
• Have opinions!!

Make the match How do you fit in?
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Some examples
Aker Kvaerner
Brodies
Ernst Young
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Job Analysis

• Identify in groups (3-4) most important skills or
  qualities
• Choose top two for questions discussion
• Discuss kinds of things you could say in response
  to one question from each set
• STARR Explanation (give handout)
• Apply the STARR structure to one of your answers
• Examples for STARR cards
• 2-3 different examples for each competency card
• Identify those most difficult for discussion

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Questions, questions, questions

• Common Questions
• Why do you want to train as a x?
• Why do you want to train with us?
• Tell me your weaknesses
• Different Questions
• Tell me of three famous people you would invite
  to a dinner party and why
• Dreaded Questions

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Asking questions

• Is there a mentoring scheme, how does it work?
• What is the organisations attitude to training
  and developing staff?
• Where could I be in 5 years time?
• What do you think will be the main areas of
  expansion for the firm in the next 10 years?
• Why do you like working here?
• NOT
• What will I be paid?
• What holiday entitlement would I get?

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On the day

• Think about what youre going to wear
• Leave with plenty of time to spare
• Know where you are going
• Know how you will get there (take your letter,
  map, mobile phone...)
• Take a copy of your CV or application form with
  you
• Take a list of your key points and your questions

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To sum up

• Getting an interview means that you are more than
  half way to getting a job.
• Interviews are a two-way process a conversation,
  not an interrogation.
• How you come across is as important as what you
  say.
• Help the interviewer by guiding them towards your
  strengths.
• If you are asked difficult questions, dont try
  to answer them immediately. Think before you
  speak.
• Ask some sensible questions.

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What else can I do?

• Use our information
• Booklet on Going for interviews
• Selection of lending library titles
• Information on our website law interview video
  clips
• Watch the DVD Why ask me that?
• Book a practice interview with a Careers Adviser

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Any Questions?
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Skills Audit Grid
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Questions

• Education
• Why did you choose to study x? Which modules have
  you enjoyed most and which have you not enjoyed
  much? Which courses did you find most difficult?
  Do you feel your results are fair? Why was your
  result in x lower than your other courses? Tell
  me about your honours dissertation/project?
• Employment/Work Experience
• Tell me about your most recent related work
  experience, Why dont you have any relevant work
  experience? How is your part-time job relevant
  to your application for this post? Which of all
  your jobs have you found the most interesting and
  why? What were the most satisfying and most
  frustrating aspects of your last job? Could you
  tell me about a problem you solved at work? Have
  you done any volunteering?
• Career Motivation
• Why are you pursuing a career in x? What other
  career options have you considered? Why have you
  applied for this organisation? What do you see
  yourself doing in five years time?
• Competencies and Qualities
• What are your strengths? What are your
  weaknesses? How do you cope with disappointment?
  Give an example of overcoming rejection/adversity
  /setback.
• Business Awareness - Have you recently done
  anything to raise, save or make money? What
  would you do to increase the profitability of the
  last organisation you worked for if you were made
  the CEO? What do you think are the biggest
  challenges facing the legal sector in the next
  five years?
• Team Work - Tell me about your contribution to
  (select an activity from the application form
  or CV). How were any conflicts within the team
  resolved? What kind of people do you like to
  work with and what kind of people do you find it
  hard to work with? How would you make a team
  work successfully if it was made up primarily of
  the latter types?
• Communication Tell me of an occasion when you
  have persuaded and individual or a group to your
  way of thinking.

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Business
Communication
Team Work
Judgement
Drive
Leadership
Interpersonal