The IMechE Professional Review Interview – Myths and Truths.

1
The IMechE Professional Review Interview Myths
and Truths.

• Henry Fullerton
• Professional Devt Consultant, IMechE

2
Whats your current impression?

• Gruelling?
• A test of your engineering skills?
• An uncomfortable grilling by some real ogres?
• Hours long?
• A presentation by you?
• A large interview panel?

3
The Learning Outcome

• At the end of this session the participants will
  be able to prepare in an informed manner for
  their PRI, without wasting time preparing for the
  Myths

4
Todays Agenda

• Competence Based Interviewing
• The Competences
• What the Interview IS about
• What the Interview IS NOT about
• The Interview Process
• How you should prepare
• Who is involved
• Summary
• Sources of Further Information

5
Competence based Interviews

• Where the interviewers are looking for evidence
  of specific competences, which are very relevant
  to the purpose of the interview.

6
The UK-SPEC Competences

• Chartered Engineer
• A Use a combination of general and specialist
  engineering knowledge and understanding to
  optimise the application of existing and emerging
  technology
• B Apply appropriate theoretical and practical
  methods to the analysis and solution of
  engineering problems
• C Provide technical and commercial leadership.
  
• D Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills
• E Demonstrate a personal commitment to
  professional standards, recognising obligations
  to society, the profession and the environment

• Incorporated Engineer
• A Use a combination of general and specialist
  engineering knowledge and understanding to apply
  existing and emerging technology
• B Apply appropriate theoretical and practical
  methods to design, develop, manufacture,
  construct, commission, operate and maintain
  engineering products, processes, systems and
  services
• C Provide technical and commercial management.
• D Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills
• E Demonstrate a personal commitment to
  professional standards, recognising obligations
  to society, the profession and the environment

7
What the Interview IS about

• It should be viewed as a discussion between
  practising professional engineers there will be
  no trick questions, and the interview will be
  conducted in a courteous and friendly manner.
• The Interviewers will have reviewed your
  documentary application in advance, and will have
  derived questions to help them map your evidence
  to the 5 competences.
• The Interviewers will use the interview to
  validate the evidence you have provided.
• It is acceptable to bring concise evidence
  (drawings, photographs) to the Interview to
  illustrate a point.
• The Interviewers, once they have completed their
  questions will give you the opportunity to
  briefly mention any point you wished to bring
  out, which they hadnt given you the opportunity
  to discuss.
• At the end of the Interview, the Interviewers
  will score you against each of the competencies,
  from levels of competence 0 to 4
• For explanation of these levels of competence,
  see http//www.imeche.org.uk/membership/pdf/1420P
  rofessional20ReviewGuidance.pdf Page 6.
• For CEng and IEng, you must score a minimum of 3
  x 3 and 2 x 2 to be successful

8
What the Interview IS NOT about

• A test of your Engineering skills like FE
  analysis, Calculus, Nuclear fission.
• An opportunity for you to give a presentation.
• An opportunity for you to give long-winded or
  rambling answers. You must be concise.

9
The Interview Process

• A date and venue will be offered to you, which
  you can accept or decline. Most people choose the
  centre closest to their home or workplace.
• The process is overseen by an Interviews
  Consultant on behalf of the Institution, who
  ensures that the interviews are conducted fairly
  and consistently, but who does not participate in
  the Interviews. He or she will meet you just
  before the interview, and again just afterwards.
• The interview will last a maximum of 45 Minutes.
• The Panel will make recommendations to the
  Professional Review Committee Recommend for
  Membership, Defer 1 year, Defer 2 years, Reject.
• The result will be communicated by IMechE HQ.

10
How you should prepare

• Re-read your application, make sure you are
  familiar with all of it.
• Practise giving concise answers, always in the
  first person use I rather than we.
• Make sure that you are familiar with the 5
  Competences as defined in UK-Spec.
• Make sure you have examples ready to discuss for
  each one. Expect the Interviewers to drill down
  on some of your examples and also to investigate
  pertinent career aspects not specifically
  mentioned in the application. Anticipate their
  questions and have your answers ready.
• TIP
• Use STAR
• S describe the situation
• T describe your task
• A describe your actions
• R describe the results
• Read the preparation help, especially items 9 and
  10 located at http//www.imeche.org.uk/membership/
  mapd_bulletin_ref_docs.asp
• Read the IMechE Code of Conduct, and be prepared
  to abide by it.
• Make sure you know where the venue is, how to get
  there, and arrive early. Allow for delays.

11
Who is involved?

• You its all about you. Make sure you do
  yourself justice. Remember to talk in the first
  person to highlight your individual contribution
• An Interviews Consultant, on behalf of the
  Institution, to oversee and manage the process.
• A Panel Chair, who is a Fellow of the IMechE
• A co-panellist, who can be either a Member or a
  Fellow.
• Your Mentor, if you have one may attend, but may
  not participate in the interview. He or she can
  make comments to the Panel after the candidate
  has left the room.

12
Summary

• Competence Based Interviewing
• The UK-SPEC Competences
• What the Interview IS about
• What the Interview IS NOT about
• The Interview Process
• How you should prepare
• Who is involved
• Have we successfully established the Truths and
  banished the Myths?

13
Open Group Discussion

• Sorry, no individual conversations
• Feedback on this presentation?

14
Still need further information?

• Email to membership_at_imeche.org.uk
• Membership Hotline [phone]
• Remember that there is very good information on
  the Membership drop-down menu on
  www.imeche.org.uk

15
Finally,

• My best wishes for your PRI, and for your career
  in Engineering.
• Thanks for attending.