How to prepare for applications, Interview Questions & meeting an employer
How to prepare for applications, Interview Questions & meeting an employer
Useful links
Useful links
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/interview-advice
https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/most-common-interview-questions
https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/common-interview-questions-and-answers/
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/interview-questions
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/strength-based-interviews
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/competency-based-interviews
Click here for interview help videos:
Meeting the employer
Meeting the employer
Research the company
Research the company
You want to go into the interview feeling ready and confident, and you don’t want to embarrass yourself.
You want to go into the interview feeling ready and confident, and you don’t want to embarrass yourself.
That’s what good pre-interview research can do for you.
That’s what good pre-interview research can do for you.
But what’s the fastest and easiest way to get enough information about a company to avoid interview mistakes and make a great first impression? And what exactly should you be researching?
But what’s the fastest and easiest way to get enough information about a company to avoid interview mistakes and make a great first impression? And what exactly should you be researching?
Keep reading for everything you need to know…
Keep reading for everything you need to know…
Make a good first impression
Make a good first impression
Learn how to put your best foot forward at a new job, interview for an apprenticeship visit to an employer, work placement or internship.
Learn how to put your best foot forward at a new job, interview for an apprenticeship visit to an employer, work placement or internship.
You've probably heard that first impressions are important. But what does it mean to make a good first impression at work
You've probably heard that first impressions are important. But what does it mean to make a good first impression at work
—and how do you do it? We've outlined a step-by-step guide for you to get your new job or internship off to a great start.
—and how do you do it? We've outlined a step-by-step guide for you to get your new job or internship off to a great start.
Consider what you will need to prepare for interview
Consider what you will need to prepare for interview
Interview questions may vary but in essence they are all trying to establish the following:
Interview questions may vary but in essence they are all trying to establish the following:
1. Your skills and experience to do the job
2. Your enthusiasm and interest for the job
3. Whether you will fit in
If you can answer these questions, using real-life examples to illustrate your points, then you should be able to answer most of the questions that arise.
Preparing examples for interviews
Preparing examples for interviews
Examples are the way in which, at the minimum, you can provide reassurance to the recruiter and the employer that you really have the experience and/or ability to excel in the role you are interviewing for. If chosen and delivered effectively they can also be a key differentiator enabling you to get the job offer.
Examples should reflect real life situations where you have completed a series of tasks to get you to the right outcome. Linking examples to competency based outcomes supports you in an interview. Try writing down examples that show the following:
Describe a situation in which you led a team.
Give an example of a time you handled conflict in the workplace.
Tell me a time when you needed to communicate with others
How do you maintain good working relationships with your colleagues?
Tell me about a big decision you've made recently. How did you go about it?
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
Describe a project where you had to use different leadership styles to reach your goal.
Tell me about a time when your communication skills improved a situation.
How do you cope in adversity?
Give me an example of a challenge you faced in the workplace and tell me how you overcame it.
Tell me about a time when you showed integrity and professionalism.
How do you influence people in a situation with conflicting agendas?
Give an example of a situation where you solved a problem in a creative way.
Tell me about a time that you made a decision and then changed your mind.
Describe a situation where you were asked to do something that you'd never attempted previously.
Tell me about a time when you achieved success even when the odds were stacked against you.
(Full list of example questions can be found below.)
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/competency-based-interviews
Linking relevant transferable skills to your examples.
Linking relevant transferable skills to your examples.
Being able to link your transferable skills to skills of the potential job helps the employer visualise you working in that position. It also shows that you have researched the position which portrays enthusiasm for the role.
Practice chatting over examples you have set out and blending skills that are linked to the job into the discussion.
Use the STAR technique is an effective way to answer competency based questions.
Use the STAR technique is an effective way to answer competency based questions.
The STAR method is a technique of answering behavioral interview questions in a structured manner by describing a specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are discussing. The STAR method helps you explain in a simple yet powerful way how you handled specific work situations and challenges.
The STAR format stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result:
Situation: An event, project, or challenge faced
Task: Your responsibilities and assignments for the situation
Action: Steps or procedure taken to relieve or rectify situation
Result: Results of actions taken.
Competency-based interview questions often start in similar ways, such as:
“Tell me about a time when...”
“Give me an example of...”
“Have you ever...”
“Describe an instance where you’ve had to...”
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/competency-based-interviews
STAR Technique examples:
STAR Technique examples:
“Tell me about a time that you solved a problem to a tight timescale.”
“Tell me about a time that you solved a problem to a tight timescale.”
• Situation – set the context for your story.
“We were due to be delivering a presentation to a group of 30 interested industry players on our new product and Stuart, the guy due to deliver it, got stuck on a train from Birmingham.”
• Task – what was required of you.
“It was my responsibility to find an alternative so it didn’t reflect badly on the company and we didn’t waste the opportunity.”
• Action– what you actually did.
I spoke to the event organisers to find out if they could change the running order. They agreed so we bought ourselves some time. I contacted Susan, another member of the team, who at a push could step in. She agreed to drop what she was doing and head to the event.”
• Result – how well the situation played out.
“Stuart didn’t make the meeting on time but we explained the problem to the delegates and Susan’s presentation went well – a bit rough around the edges but it was warmly received. Stuart managed to get there for the last 15 minutes to answer questions. As a result we gained some good contacts, at least two of which we converted into paying clients.”
“Describe a situation when you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint”
“Describe a situation when you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint”
• Situation:
“A customer rang up complaining that they’d waited more than two weeks for a reply from our sales team regarding a product query.”
• Task:
“I needed to address the client’s immediate query and find out what went wrong in the normal process.”
• Action:
“I apologised, got the details and passed them to our head salesperson, who contacted the client within the hour. I investigated why the query hadn’t been answered. I discovered that it was a combination of a wrong mobile number and a generic email address that wasn’t being checked. I let the client know and we offered a goodwill discount on her next order.”
• Result:
“The client not only continued to order from us but posted a positive customer service tweet.”
The CARLI Method
The CARLI Method
The CARLI model is adapted from a job interview technique where you structure each of your answers according to the different aspect of the model. This model can easily be used in general to guide your reflective process on experiences.
CARLI stands for:
Context: Briefly describe the context of you experience
Action: Explain what actions you took
Results: Explain what happened as a result of your actions
Learning: Identify what you have learned
Improvement: Explain what improvements you have made following this experience
For more information :
https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/carl
https://crowjack.com/blog/strategy/reflection-models/carl-framework-of-reflection
Example Competency questions
Example Competency questions
Describe a situation in which you led a team.
Give an example of a time you handled conflict in the workplace.
How do you maintain good working relationships with your colleagues?
Tell me about a big decision you've made recently. How did you go about it?
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
Describe a project where you had to use different leadership styles to reach your goal.
Tell me about a time when your communication skills improved a situation.
How do you cope in adversity?
Give me an example of a challenge you faced in the workplace and tell me how you overcame it.
Tell me about a time when you showed integrity and professionalism.
How do you influence people in a situation with conflicting agendas?
Give an example of a situation where you solved a problem in a creative way.
Tell me about a time that you made a decision and then changed your mind.
Describe a situation where you were asked to do something that you'd never attempted previously.
Tell me about a time when you achieved success even when the odds were stacked against you.
Taken from prospects 2023
Top ten interview questions and how to answer them...
Top ten interview questions and how to answer them...
1. Tell me about yourself?
1. Tell me about yourself?
This question or something similar usually starts every interview.
Your answer should be confidently delivered, well-practised and should last between 3 to 5 minutes long. It should also do the following:
Focus on specific areas which are most relevant to the job in question
Include some achievements that are impressive e.g. improvements you have made/challenges overcome
Convey your enthusiasm and eagerness for the job
2. What are your key strengths/skills?
2. What are your key strengths/skills?
Focus on what you know they are looking for, even if it has been a smaller part of what you have been doing to date. The job advert or person specification form will give you the information you need about their requirements.
3. What are your weaknesses?
3. What are your weaknesses?
Choose a weakness that: Doesn’t matter for the job e.g. languages for a UK firm. Is a positive e.g. “I like to make things happen and get frustrated if too long is spent sitting around discussing it without action”
Used to be a weakness but which you have improved upon e.g. presentations
4. Why did you leave your last job?
4. Why did you leave your last job?
Your answer should be positive and enthusiastic (upbeat) even if you know the
circumstances were difficult. If In the case that you left your last job due to
redundancy, then talk about how the company had to restructure rather than focus on your individual circumstance as this will depersonalise it. What you should never do is criticise a previous employer no matter how tempting it may be.
5. Why do you want this job?
5. Why do you want this job?
Your answer should reinforce why you are such a good fit for the job and then convey your enthusiasm for the role e.g.
Good match between your skills and their requirements
Interested in the job sector/evolving market/product
Company’s excellent recognition and reputation, exciting challenge etc.
Do not say that you just need a job (even if it’s true) , or you need the job because it’s local.
6. Tell me about a difficult situation or scenario at work and how you dealt with it
6. Tell me about a difficult situation or scenario at work and how you dealt with it
They are testing how you cope under pressure as well as your problem-solving and communication skills.
USE THE STAR TECHNIQUE - SEE ABOVE
Good examples are where you:
Improved a difficult situation or assisted in resolving it
Were resilient in adverse conditions
Showed cool-headedness and emotional intelligence
Avoid any examples which still feel sensitive, as in a high-pressure interview situation those old emotions can easily resurface and throw you off balance.
7. Tell me about an achievement that you are proud of?
7. Tell me about an achievement that you are proud of?
Choose work-related examples that shows a tangible benefit to the business. Personal achievements should only be included if they are very impressive or prestigious. More experienced candidates looking for higher level roles eg Sales Director Jobs should focus on closely related areas, for example driving an increase in sales or building a successful sales team.
8. What are your career goals?
8. What are your career goals?
They are checking if you are likely to stay and if so, for how long. Reassure the employer that the role you are applying for fits your career plan and your longer term commitment to the company.
9. What are your expectations of salary?
9. What are your expectations of salary?
At the job offer stage salary negotiations are best handled, so do try to avoid this at interview if you can. If you are cornered and forced to name a price then give a realistic but wide salary range and say that you feel that salary won’t be an issue if you decide to work together, you are happy to negotiate.
10. What do you know about our organisation?
10. What do you know about our organisation?
You need to know the following:
Company structure, finances, products and services, key staff
Customers and competitors
Market trends and challenges
Interview help videos
Interview help videos
Using the STAR technique when applying for jobs.mp4Interview process tutorial 2020.mp4Report abuse