COM 417Mairead McFadden

http://careers.ulster.ac.uk

Learning Outcomes Prepare for interviews Prepare for assessment centres

Interview Session

Preparing for Interviews

The purpose of an interviewFor the Interviewer To see if candidate matches application To assess candidates interpersonal skills To assess if candidate meets core requirements To check for team and organisational fit

For the Interviewee To find out more about the company and the job To demonstrate the key skills required for the job

Types of Interviews

Face to face “Pop in” for a chat Panel Interviews Second Interviews Telephone Group

Preparation Confirm attendance, understand the selection process,

plan your journey and what to wear.

Do your homework on the employerTheir aims and mission statementNumber of employees, locations?Products, services, turnover, plans, recent news?What the company offers placement students

Sources of information: visit website, company literature (annual report), Kompass Directory, ABI Inform http://bbc.co.uk, http://uk.news.yahoo.com www.reuters.co.uk

Clip: Peter Mann, Assistant Head of Transport, Oxfordshire County Council

Preparation cont.dDo your homework on the job. Ask yourself What are the main duties & responsibilities? Is there a

job description I can read? What skills and qualities are required – essential and

desirable? Could I talk to someone with a similar job? Can I identify questions that might be asked?

Against the job: What have I to offer What examples do I have that show evidence

Factors Assessed During Interview

Appearance Qualifications Poise Skills (ie Team work)Conversational ability Knowledge of Org &FriendlinessKnowledge of JobPersonality ExperienceDrive & Initiative

Overall Impression!

Answering Interview Questions

Identify the key skills being asked for

Reflect on your own experiences to find a suitable scenario which highlights these skills/competencies

Good approach - is to use STAR- Situation - describe the situation- Task - what did you do- Action - what steps did you take to complete the task- Result - what was the outcome

Try to draw on a range of experiences

EXAMPLE OF STAR TECHNIQUE

Remember Listen carefully to the whole question

Answer the question asked - provide relevant evidence and outcomes

If you need to - ask for clarification

If you are stumped – ask for a few moments

Telephone interviews http://gradnav.ulster.ac.uk/units/unit-int036.shtml

Employers and interviews http://gradnav.ulster.ac.uk/units/unit-int040.shtml

Body Language Messages

GRADNAV: Non-Verbal Communication Exercise

Positive Body LanguageSmiling, nodding, eye contact, sitting upright

Negative Body LanguageFidgeting, frowning, crossed arms, slouching

Questions to ask the interviewer The Organisation

What are the likely future developments? The work and training

What projects you would be involved in? Colleagues

Who would you be working with? Salary and prospects

Salary best discussed at second interview or when offer the postWhat career paths have other graduates taken in the organisation?

TimingHow long will you have to wait before

Unsuccessful Candidates Failed to prepare

Did not display a reasonable knowledge of the job/area applied for

Did not give direct answers to questions

Did not transfer their learning between contexts

Thought a good degree would be enough

Summary: Prep is Key

1. Know what you are offering

2. Identify key skills being asked for and have two examples for each

3. Find out some original things about the organisation

4. Identify questions you would like answered

5. Practise and get feedback

Be positive, enthusiastic, natural & honest

Special instructions You may receive special instructions with

your invitation to the second interview. Make sure you are happy with all the

arrangements and check anything you are unsure about.

For example, do you need to arrive early to sit any tests?

Are you required to give a presentation?

Application Forms

Employer applied to Preferred Functions Education – note prior to HR “List date /qualification/grade subjects A,

AS, Irish LC etc. Include all examination taken at this level Employment and Work Experience – do not confuse achievements with

responsibilities Personal Interests/Achievements – “describe with dates …Include

organising, lead or group activities. Those requiring creativity, initiative, or giving intellectual development are also of interest”

Notice each of the Specific Evidence questions has 4 or 5 subquestions. Specific Skills – notice that q1 asks ”list languages indicating level of

proficiency etc” Career Choice Why have you applied ? Evidence of Suitability and why

you are to be considered a strong candidate. Referees 1 academic, 1 work if possible Availability and declaration

CV

CVs are one of the primary means of submitting an application to an employer.

They are often your first chance to makea good impression.

A focused, well presented CV will grab the reader's attention and make them want to find out more about you.

A poor CV could mean no interview and no further chance for you to impress anyone.

Be sure you are doing the right CV for your faculty –

CV and application forms are the main routes to getting shortlisted for an interview. Make sure yours are presented well.

Targeting Use the language and competencies on

their website in your covering letter and on career choice

What do employers want?

Someone who can do the jobThey need someone with the right set of skills, attributes and experience to handle successfully the duties and responsibilities of the post.

Someone who will do the jobThey want someone who appears keen and committed and worth the investment in their training and development. An employer will not want to replace someone six months into the job because they couldn’t do it or they left to do something else.

Someone who will fit inThey need someone that they can picture doing the job, working within the team, meeting clients, if appropriate, and fitting into the culture of their organisation. This means complementing rather than replicating existing staff.

Demonstrate that you can be this person

How can you persuade employers that you can tick all three boxes?

Think about the skills and examples you would include in your CV or application form and the words you would use to describe yourself.

Employers will make their final decision at the interview stage, but keeping these three areas in mind when completing applications should improve your chances of getting there.

The Employer’s Perspective on the Recruitment Process

Job and Person Specification

Application (CV) Scan

Close Match Little/No Match

Shortlisted Rejected

The Interview:Commonly asked Questions Why are you applying for this job What do you know about our company?

Commonly asked questions

Why did you choose to study your university course?

Apart from your academic knowledge, what skills have you gained from being at university?

What would you say is your greatest strength? What would you say is your area of weakness?

LABOUR MARKET TRENDS

20 YEARS AGO Job for life with its planned careers

structure and company training scheme Clear functional identity and progressive

rise in income and security Large recruiters would take on 300

graduates through the national Milkround Process

Most graduate jobs would have been from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday

LABOUR MARKET TRENDS

PRESENT AND FUTURE World of customers and clients Life Long Learning Portfolio careers Self Development An overwhelming need to stay employable Organisations have far larger and more

influential networks, many of them on a global scale

LABOUR MARKET TRENDS Today’s market is open 24 hours a

day, straddles a number of different time zones and recognises no geographical boundaries

Extended customer services to include banking, loans and insurance

Expanding use of IT Growing concern for environmental

issues

Why Bother with Placement?POSITIVE ASPECTS

Relevant /real life experience Develop the skills employers are

looking for Provide career insight Paid a salary Made sense of what had been

already learned Challenges/new opportunities Help with project

NEGATIVE ASPECTS No time off during the day Deadlines had to be met Had to report in every day Thought I would have

been paid more It was hard coming back to

university Starting something new Missing friends from

university

What we’re looking for….

You’ll understand the importance of great customer care You’ll need to have the ability to grasp new ideas and technological

concepts You’ll be able to learn fast and to adapt easily to changing

environments You’ll be motivated and enthusiastic, with a great sense of humour You’ll also be a genuine team player happy to lend support and

take advice

ReferencesIt’s a small world but when it comes to IT

professionals in NI, it is very small indeed!

WHERE TO LOOK Career Development Service website

http://workexperience.ulster.ac.uk Your Faculty

vacancies notified to you on PDSystem COMPANY

check their websites NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES

Local/National LOCAL CONTACTS/ NETWORKS

Family/Friends/Part-time Job

Microsoft job

 http://microsoftirishjobs.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2F13761BB2121A86!206.entry

Seminar Group Please come to MF226 E at 11.15.

Evaluation Forms Please complete and pass back to me