Ace That Interview How to prepare and perform successfully

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Ace That Interview!How to prepare and perform
successfully
Peter Fox peter.fox_at_durham.ac.uk
Careers Advisory Service www.durham.ac.uk/ca
reers-advice
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Or.. How not to make a mess of your interview!
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Why do companies interview?

• To assess the knowledge and skills that you have
  indicated in your initial application
• To evaluate your skills and competencies under
  pressure
• To judge how you would fit in
• To create a positive impression (on both sides!)
• Ultimately, the interview will determine
• Can you do the job? Will you fit in?

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Effective Preparation

• Think about
• Practical
• How will I get there? What shall I wear?
  Interview panel size?
• Intellectual
• Which questions will they ask me and how should I
  answer them?
• Psychological
• I am very nervous, but I really want to succeed

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Practical Preparation

• How will I get there?
• Plan ahead to arrive early
• Use company website for directions
• What shall I wear?
• Depends on industry
• Smart professional
• Interview panel?
• How many people?
• Who are they?

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The interview begins before the questions..as
soon as you enter the building

• First impressions last
• Think about
• Shaking hands
• Body language
• Eye contact
• Nodding and smiling
• A positive start to the interview makes a big
  difference

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Intellectual Preparation

• If only I could have the questions before the
  interview.....
• Questions will be focussed around
• Role
• Use person specification and job description to
  predict questions
• Company
• See website, annual reports
• Sector
• Read industry journals, business pages, FT

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Intellectual Preparation

• Examples of key skills employers seek are
• Flexibility -Team work
• Self awareness -Time management
• Motivation to learn -Problem solving
• Interpersonal skills -Decision making
• Numeracy -Business acumen
• Communication -Leadership
• So questions are based around these employability
  skills plus job specific skills

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Intellectual Preparation

• Examples of questions
• Describe a situation where your planning and
  organisation
• resulted in the successful achievement of a
  task.
• What did you learn at university that you can
  bring to this job?
• Give an example of when you worked well in a
  team.
• Why do you want this job?
• What problem solving skills could you bring to
  this company?
• Who are our main competitors?
• More questions and information on DUO file

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Intellectual Preparation

• Preparing your answers
• Use the STAR system
• Situation - describe with clarity
• Task - outline what needed doing
• Actions - your actions taken
• Result - a successful outcome?
• Your evidence can be from
• Achievements at university
• Work experience / outside interests
• College activities eg sport/societies
• Family commitments
• Travel
• Practice your answers - talk about your
  achievements sell yourself and emphasise your
  positive qualities!

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Your Questions

• Ask questions that you genuinely want answered
• The interview may have covered everything you
  need to know. If thats the case say so. Dont
  ask a question for the sake of it!
• It's OK to take a short list of questions with
  you to use in the interview

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Psychological Preparation

• Practice and preparation will help you to succeed
• At this stage they are looking for reasons to
  appoint rather than reject you
• You are there to secure the position use
  opportunities to make your points
• Its a chance for you to see if the company
  matches your expectations ?
• Positive attitude They liked your application
  and on paper you are suitable Its up to you to
  show your suitability in person!

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Top Tips

• Listen carefully to the question
• Dont just give yes/no answers
• Avoid going off the subject stay focussed
• Volunteer relevant information about yourself
• Be flexible in your preparation. Eg evidence of
  good communication could come from a question
  about working with clients, in teams or problem
  solving
• Dont be negative about former colleagues
• Dont lie about achievements and experiences
• If you need to think about an answer dont be
  afraid to say so

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Sources of Information

• Videos/ DVDs
• The assessment centre video
• AGCAS Selection Success in One
• AGCAS Why ask me that
• AGCAS Can I have a few minutes of your time
• The 70 solution
• Books
• Great answers to tough interview questions pub.
  Kogan Page
• Mike Bryon, how to pass graduate recruitment
  tests pub. Kogan page
• How to suceed at interviews and other selection
  methods. University of London Careers Service
• Websites
• www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice/appointmentsonline
  
• www.shldirect.com
• www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• www.targetjobs.co.uk

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Sources of Information

• Leaflets
• Preparing for an assessment centre
• Preparing for a job interview
• Psychometric tests available from the Careers
  Service (1)
• Tests
• Go to www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice/password/eve
  nts_menu/ for information about
• Graduate Aptitude Tests
• MBTI Personality Inventory
• Assessment Centre Workshops
• Additional slides on interview questions and
  answers will be on the slides on DUO

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• Questions?

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Additional Information
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Questions about Working with others

• Skills you should try to demonstrate
• Working in a team- motivating and supporting
  others, forming productive working relationships
• Influencing people- without domineering
• Dealing with the public- providing a service,
  answering queries
• Persuading- listening or informing others
• Managing- Being in charge of others
• Negotiating-or selling
• Sharing- ideas, information/abilities/
  experiences for common goals
• Dealing sensitively to the priorities, needs
  behaviours and feelings of others
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Working With Others

• Examples
• Academic Life
• Group projects, seminar discussions
• Work Experience
• Part-time/ vacation work
• Group work tasks/ any leading roles
• Family commitments
• Community roles
• Leisure Activities
• Clubs and societies
• Society Committee Posts
• Voluntary/ community activities
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Communication

• Skills you should try to demonstrate
• Explaining
• Discussing problems
• Listening accurately
• Understanding individuals behaviours and
  motivations from body language/ verbal clues
• Writing reports and letters
• Reading, understanding and summarising
• Persuading people
• Debating and using well structured arguments
• Language skills
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Communication Skills

• Examples
• Written Think of all the different styles of
  writing (creative, formal, factual..)
• Essays, reports, memos and letters
• Articles for student publications
• Oral Include responding to the views of others,
  expressing your own ideas and negotiating to
  reach group solution)
• Tutorials, seminars
• Presenting papers
• Participating in committees
• Speaking at club or society meetings
• Presentations
• Preparation of material/ oral presentation
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Problem Solving

• Skills you should try to demonstrate
• Practically employing your degree expertise
• Diagnosing and rectifying faults in procedures
• Adapting to change
• Logical or methodical approaches
• Identifying new/ improved ways of work
• Creative, lateral thinking to devise new
  solutions
• Dealing with unknown factors in a situation
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Problem Solving

• Examples
• Academic and Intellectual Challenges on course
• Resolving difficulties between flatmates
• Doing crosswords or other intellectual puzzles
• Showing a logical approach to tackling a
  difficulty (childcare responsibilities toddler
  with a tantrum!)
• Overcoming unexpected obstacles during foreign
  travel
• Thinking of a new way to tackle an assignment
• Identification of new ways to promote/ develop
  clubs or societies
• Overcoming difficulties when organising event/
  party
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Business/ Commercial Awareness

• Skills you should try to demonstrate
• Knowledge of the company you are applying for/
  its market
• Competition- Aware of market forces in business
  decisions
• Strategic Thinking- Clarity of vision in knowing
  where to go and how to get there
• Customer Focus- Understanding the needs and
  concerns of the customer
• Innovative approach- Continually seeking and
  encouraging alternative and fresh courses
• Creativity, bringing insights and original ideas
• Analysis- Breaking problems down into manageable
  components and solving them
• Conceptualising- Identifying and connecting
  underlying assumptions and patterns
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Business/ Commercial Awareness

• Examples
• Read the financial times/ business pages/ company
  literature/ University information
• Interest in the financial market
• Run your own shadow/ fantasy equity investment
  portfolio
• Successfully take a commercial risk e.g. buy
  goods and sell at profit at car boot sale/ EBAY
• Raise money (How much?)/ keep accounts for
  charity/ club
• Gain work experience in commercial/ customer care
  role
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Organising/ Prioritising

• Skills you should try to demonstrate
• Take responsibility for a project
• Set objectives
• Plan resources and activities towards a goal
• Anticipate and avoid difficulties
• Juggle several projects simultaneously
• Use time effectively to meet deadlines and time
  manage
• Cope when things go wrong
• See the big picture but also have an eye for
  detail
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about Organising/ Prioritising

• Examples
• Show how you plan work for any projects
• Show how you organise work to fit in with other
  people
• How do you organise your time between classes
  (clubs/ family/ work experience)
• Responsibilities you have been given in vacation/
  work experience and how you dealt with these
• Organisation of society/ club events what did
  YOU do
• Arranging holidays/ travel
• Paying of rent/ bills/ buying joint items in
  shared house
• Bringing up children
• The Careers Group University of London

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Questions about you

• Tell us about yourself
• Clarify your
• Skills
• Knowledge
• Experience
• With reference to
• Academic achievements
• Work experience
• Outside interests
• Your philosophy on life
• Ask yourself, what are the top five things I
  want this person to know about me?
• Emphasize the most relevant topics
• http//www.datsi.fi.upm.es/frosal/docs/25mdq.html
  
• http//www.collegegrad.com/jobsearch/

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Questions About Leadership

• Would you say you were a follower or a leader?
• Describe aspects of both
• Follower
• How you are capable of following directions.
• Realise the importance of listening well and
  being part of a team effort.
• Leader
• Demonstrate leadership skills
• Leading by example
• Passion
• Organisation
• Delegation
• Ownership and responsibility
• Communication
• Honesty
• Provide examples of these using the STAR system

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Questions about you

• Can you tell us about a weakness?
• The interviewer is seeing if you can reflect on
  your own
• development and express it sensibly.
• This question is designed to show interviewer you
  are aware of your faults and can deal with them.
• Identify your possible weaknesses and prepare
  positive explanations of them.
• Talk about a weakness that you can prove you have
  improved on/ can be corrected
• Choose examples that show you are realistic about
  your capabilities.
• Avoid false modesty e.g. I work too hard. It
  sounds phoney.
• (http//www.personalandfinanceconfidential.co.uk)

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Questions about you

• Im impatient but Ive learnt that you can get
  more out of people if you can give them a bit of
  space to do something you have asked
• Im not familiar with Microsoft Word but I have
  used other word processing packages and I am a
  quick learner
• At University I initially found it difficult to
  write reports - but am now producing top quality
  reports.
• I can forget things, so I overcome this by being
  very organised, keeping a comprehensive diary,
  wall chart and notes

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Questions about you

• What are your greatest strengths?
• Dont just talk about your strengthrelate it to
  the position
• Let them know you are a qualified candidate with
  the skills THEY require
• Think of the skills required for the position you
  have applied for
• Give examples of where you have shown these
  strengths

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Questions about you

• How are your studies going?
• Keep positive
• Can mention it is hard work but say you are
  enjoying it
• Discuss how you have prioritised your work
• Discuss a schedule
• Mention achieving deadlines, good results,
  meeting targets
• Try to incorporate in outside interests/ work
  experience you have managed to fit into your
  spare time.

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Questions about your commitment to the industry,
employer and job

• Are you applying for other jobs?
• You need to show that you are interested in their
  industry or field of work.
• You need to show that you have not just been
  applying for any 'graduate' job..
• Only mention jobs that are closely related to the
  one you're at an interview for.
• You should demonstrate a particular interest and
  commitment to their company/ their area of work.

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Questions about your commitment to the industry/
employer and job

• What are your long-term goals?
• The interviewer wants to know if you have any
  career goals (in general), if you have ambition
  and if you have thought about where you are going
• Refer back to the planning phase of your job
  search.
• Think about the career structure of the
  organisation/ career area
• Relate your goals to the company you are
  interviewing 'in a firm like yours, I would like
  to..."
• http//www.datsi.fi.upm.es/frosal/docs/25mdq.html
  

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Questions about the industry, employer and job

• What do you know about our organisation/ Why this
  Company?
• Discuss products or services, revenues,
  reputation, image, goals, awards, management
  style, people, history and philosophy.
• Show you have researched, but make it clear that
  you wish to learn more.
• You might start your answer in this manner "In
  my job search, I've investigated a number of
  companies.
• Yours is one of the few that interests me, for
  these reasons..."
• The company is doing things you would like to be
  involved with, and that it's doing them in ways
  that greatly interest you.
• Discuss how your skills and previous experiences
  relate to the company
• http//www.datsi.fi.upm.es/frosal/docs/25mdq.html
  

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Questions about the industry, employer and job

• What can you do for us that someone else can't?/
  Why should we hire you ?
• Use your employer research to identify the skills
  the employer requires
• Talk about your key skills relevant to the
  position
• Mention specifics from your CV or list of career
  accomplishments using STAR.
• http//www.datsi.fi.upm.es/frosal/docs/25mdq.h
  tml

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Questions about your career decision making

• What do you look for in a job?
• Keep your answer oriented to opportunities at the
  organization.
• Talk about your desire to perform and be
  recognized for your contributions.
• Focus on the requirements and challenges
  presented in the position
• Make your answer oriented toward opportunity
  rather than personal security.
• http//www.datsi.fi.upm.es/frosal/docs/25mdq.html

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Surprise Questions

• Some interviewers incorporate original
  questions
• Handle these calmly and methodically
• They are to see how you react under pressure
• Examples
• When did you last lose your temper?
• If I asked you to get me a tiger by tomorrow what
  would you do?
• You see this pen in my hand? Sell it to me.
• Why didnt you achieve better A Level grades?
• If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?

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Technical Questions

• Read the competencies required for the job
• Read your application and make sure you can talk
  about the technical abilities you have mentioned
• Think of examples of where you have implemented
  these

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Your Questions

• Good questions are specific, concise and easily
  understood
• When could I be expect to be given responsibility
  in this job?
• What do you like about working here?
• What training or career development opportunities
  are there?
• How do you let me know if Ive got the job?
• Are there any opportunities to work overseas?
• What do you make of the recent news that.?
• Will I be working in a team and who will the team
  comprise of?
• I understand your firm operates performance
  appraisals. How do they operate?
• How do you define the training period for
  graduates?
• What would be the typical career pattern for a
  graduate entering.?
• (Some examples taken from the University of
  Nottingham Centre for Career Development)

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Additional Questions

• How well do you work under pressure?
• Emphasise that you work as well under pressure as
  you do at any other time
• Discuss how you prioritise tasks so that your
  workload is manageable

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Questions about you

• Have you ever had a bad experience with an
  employer?
• This is to test whether you can be discreet and
  tactful.
• Never talk negatively about a former employer
  even if you hated the sight of each other.
• Try to explain, generally the methods you use to
  deal with difficult people.
• Emphasise the importance of flexibility,
  perseverance and good communication.