Employment: INTERVIEWS
After the selectors have looked at all the applications for a job, they will usually draw up a short list of candidates for interview.
How should I prepare for a job interview?
Preparation is the key to successful job interviews. You will approach the interview with a lot more confidence if you are well prepared:
- Gather as much information as you can about the job, the company, and the person who is likely to interview you.
- If you are not confident about handling an interview, ask your Careers Service to arrange a mock interview. You may get some interesting feedback as a result of this exercise.
- Ask yourself what qualifications the employer thinks you need. Make a list of these.
- Ask yourself what experience the employer thinks you need. Make a matching list of your own experience.
- Ask yourself what skills the employer thinks you need.
- Make a list of achievements that show you have these skills.
- Ask yourself what kind of person the employer is looking for. List examples to show you are that kind of person.
- Jot down the answers to any other questions you think might come up in the interview.
- Sort out well in advance what you will be wearing and what you need to take with you. Make sure the clothes you plan to wear are clean and ironed.
- Check the date and time and work out travel arrangements well in advance.
- Get to the interview in plenty of time. Use the time before the interview to run over the points you want to get across.
What should I expect when I get to the interview?
Your letter of invitation should give you some idea of the format of the interview. An interview can take one of several forms:
- An informal meeting to find out about the company.
- A one-to-one interview.
- A formal interview with a panel of interviewers.
- A group interview.
- A residential course.
- A series of tests.
- A combination of two or more of these.
Formal interviews
Most interviews follow a certain pattern:
- Greetings and introduction: You will probably shake hands with the interviewer(s). Listen out for the names of the people to whom you are introduced, and make sure that you sit in a comfortable position.
If you have brought a briefcase or handbag into the interview, place it on the floor at your side, but make sure no one is likely to trip over it.
- Breaking the ice: You may be asked about the journey or the weather to give you time to settle down.
Answer politely and briefly. Don't be tempted to give a lengthy account of the journey, however
nightmarish it may have been.
- Checking the facts: You may be asked about the information on your CV. Again be polite and brief.
- Principal question-and-answer session: You will be asked questions to find out how suitable you are
for the job.
- Questions from the interviewee: You will be asked if you have any questions of your own.
- Close of interview: You will be told what happens next and when to expect a decision. You should
thank the interviewer for showing interest in your application, but do not drag this part of the
interview out for too long.
How should I approach interview questions?
- Look at the person who is asking you the question, and direct your answer to him or her.
- Before you answer a question, pause for a moment to collect your thoughts. Speaking before you have
worked out your answer in your head could be disastrous.
- Consider whether you have been asked a simple question about the facts, which requires a brief
answer, or an open-ended question which requires you to answer the question and then elaborate.
- When answering more open-ended questions, try to elaborate your answers with one or two pieces of
evidence, but avoid lengthy anecdotes.
- Stick to the point. Do not try to bring in material you have rehearsed if the question does not
warrant it.
- Try to avoid speaking for more than two minutes on any individual question.
- Show that you are a good listener. In general, you should speak only for a little more than half the
time.
- If you do not understand a question that is put to you, say that you do not understand, and ask for
the question to be repeated.
- Do not be distracted if the interviewer takes notes while you are speaking.
- Do not be put off by long pauses after you have finished speaking. It is up to the interviewer to
break the silence.
What will I get asked?
There are many angles from which interviewers can ask questions. However, you are always likely to be
asked something you had not envisaged. Yet there are certain questions for which you should be prepared.
Think how you would answer these questions:
- What do you know about this company?
- What in particular do you feel you have to offer this company?
- What do you know about the job on offer?
- What made you apply for this particular job?
- What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses to be?
- What do you see yourself doing in five years' time?
- Why did you choose the subjects you studied at school and college?
- What did you enjoy about your college life?
- Which of your achievements has given you the greatest pleasure?
- What do you think are the most important qualities for a person taking up this position?
- What skills and experiences do you think you would be able to bring to this company?
- Do you consider yourself to be a good team member or do you prefer to work alone?
- You lack experience. How do you think you will make up for that?
- Is there any part of the job on offer that you would feel worried about doing?
- What do you think is the most effective way of motivating people?
- How do you spend your spare time?
Remember that interviewers are usually trying to find out the same information: Can you do the job?
How interested are you in the job? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Would you fit into the
company? What sort of a person are you?
What questions should I ask?
Before the end of the interview you should be asked if you have any questions. Have some questions for
the interviewer worked out in advance. Here are some ideas:
- Ask for further information about something that is mentioned in the job advertisement.
- Pick up on something you have found out about the company in your own research. Ask how this will
affect the job.
- Pick up on something that was said in the interview that you would like to be explained further.
- Ask about the company's procedures concerning assessment and promotion.
- Add any information in support of your application that you feel you have not been given the
opportunity to bring out in the interview.
- Say that you did have some questions, but these were covered in the course of the interview.
Don't ask too many questions at this stage. The interviewer may well already be running late, or may
be hoping to grab a cup of coffee, and could be annoyed if the interview drags on for longer than is
necessary. Don't ask about holiday entitlement and pay rises. This may make you seem grasping and
uninterested in doing the job for its own sake.
Group interviews
In some interviews you will be invited to take part in a discussion or activity with a group of other
candidates. On such occasions you are being assessed for your ability to cooperate as much as to lead, so
act accordingly:
- Don't try to dominate the discussion.
- Don't get angry or dismissive if people offer opposing views.
- Make your point clearly and then let the other candidates have their say.
- If you can't think of anything new to add, simply say that you agree with one of the previous
speakers and repeat his or her point.
How do I create a good impression at interview?
- Knock before entering the interview room.
- Do not sit down before you are invited to do so.
- Sit in a comfortable and upright position.
- Avoid scratching, tapping your feet, or any other irritating habit.
- Make eye contact with the interviewer.
- Smile.
- Nod to express agreement or enthusiasm.
- Vary the tone of your voice to make it more expressive.
- Stay polite and attentive.
- Do not smoke.
- Do not accept offers of hot drinks or alcohol during the interview.
- Do not swear, even if the interviewer does.
- Do not let any informality on the part of the interviewer lull you into a false sense of security.
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