Careers & Employability Centre

Interview Success

What we want to achieve

By the end of the workshop you will be able to:• Describe how best to prepare for an interview• Understand the different types of interviews and questions• Feel more confident about interviews

Why interview candidates?

Interviews are designed to find out :

•Can you do the job – experience and skills

•Will you do the job – motivation

•Do you fit in – culture and team

Types of interviewAsk what sort of interview to expect!

First interview Second interview

Telephone interview 1 to 1 or panel interviewCV or Application Form based Competency basedCase study Academic or technicalSelection tests Assessment centre

Before the interview

Be prepared!

• Find out about the organisation and the interviewer

• Rehearse your answers to typical questions with examples

• Know your CV inside out

PreparationPractical preparation – how to get there, what to wear

Research preparation – research the job, the organisation, think ofexamples to illustrate your suitability

Psychological preparation – positive mindset, dealing with nerves

Research the company• Who are their main competitors?• Who are their customers/clients?• Who are the key players in the industry?• What are the hot topics at the moment?

WebsiteSpeak to people who work there – careers fairs, events, alumniLinkedInTwitter feedGoogle alert

Types of questions

• Motivational questions• Competency based questions• Strength based questions• Technical questions• General questions

Motivational questions

Examples:

•Why are you interested in this role?•What interests you about this company?•What interests you about this career?

Competency based questions

•Use ‘past behaviour indicates future success’•Objective way of comparing you to others•Relate to skills and behaviour needed for the role•Interviewers decide beforehand which type of answers score positive points•They look for structure•Use real scenarios

Competency questions

• Identify competencies for the job you are seeking

•Company website

•Advert

•Job descriptions• Compare these against your background • Find your best example and prepare this in advance• Keep the answer concise

Competency questionsExamples:

•How would you deal with a team member who is underperforming? •Describe a time when you had to find a solution to a problem

Technical questions

Designed to test your technical knowledge - engineering, IT…

May be asked to solve a particular technical problem eg:

• How much reuse do you get out of the code that you develop, and how?

• Which do you prefer; service oriented or batch oriented solutions?

Strength based questionsCompetencies can be defined as “what you CAN do”, while

strengths are “what you really ENJOY doing”

What are you good at?What comes easily to you?What do you learn quickly?What did you find easiest to learn at school or university?What subjects do you most enjoy studying?

More strength based questionsWhat things give you energy?Describe a successful day you have had.When did you achieve something you were really proud of?Do you prefer to start tasks or to finish them?Do you find you have enough hours in the day to complete all the

things you want to do?

Answer the question

• Give answers structure – don’t ramble

• Define the context

• Be prepared with specific answers

• Your chance to paint your own portrait

STAR model

Situation: give a context by describing the situation

Task: what was your goal?

Action: tell the interviewer your specific actions

Result: shows yourself in a good light, even if the overall project was not a success

Initial impressions are critical

You make an impression as soon as you meet someone:

The impact you make

•50% Body language

•40% Voice

•10% Words

Initial impressions

• Walk tall and straight• Be grounded before you speak • Make eye contact and smile• Shake hands• Say who you are clearly• Remember to breathe

During the interview What you say:Use examplesBe informative – 5 points you want to tell themBoast modestlyTake time over difficult questions - ask for clarification if necessary

How you say it:Think about the words you useTalk about I rather than we

During the interview

Sit reasonably uprightKeep hands on showMaintain good eye contactKeep an open postureMinimise things you do when nervousSpeak clearlyRemember to breathe

Further help

Short interview with a careers adviser10 – 5 Mon – Fri Book through CareerhubEventsWebsite www.sussex.ac.uk/careers www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/jobs/applyingforjobs/interviews

Examples of questions..1. What has been your greatest achievement?2. Describe a situation where you have dealt with confrontation

(for example a difficult customer).3. What do you look for in a job?4. Why did you choose your university and degree subject?5. Tell me about yourself.6. Describe a situation in which you led a team?7. Is a jaffa cake a cake or a biscuit?

Your questions………What would an average day be like?How would my work be monitored and how often would I be appraised?What career paths have other graduates followed in this company?Will I have any opportunity to use my foreign language skills?Will I be working in a team? What is the make-up of these teams?What are the company’s development plans and targets over the next five years?When am I likely to hear back from you?Do you support study for external qualifications?