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Crack Job Interviews

Contents

Preparation................................................... p.1The Interview............................................... p.1Structuring your Answers......................... p.3Feedback........................................................ p.4Disability........................................................ p.4Contact Us..................................................... p.4Useful Links................................................... p.5Telephone Interviews................................. p.6Video Interviews.......................................... p.7

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PREPARATION

• If you have been shortlisted for an interview, well done! It is likely that the prospective employer feels you have the necessary skills, experience and/or qualifications to do the job. The hard part is demonstrating this at interview and making sure that you perform better than the other candidates. For this, preparation is vital.

• Before your interview, make sure you re-read your application and the job description/person specification. This includes any supporting documents you may have included in it, such as your CV. It is likely that any interview questions will be linked to these.

• Research the company by looking on their website and at their social media activity.

• It is recommended to dress formally for an interview (even if the dress code in your industry tends to be informal).

• Arrive on time. Plan your journey so you are familiar with the route.

• Think about why you want the job and make sure you say what attracts you to both the role and the company itself.

• Have a positive mind-set. It is normal to feel nervous, but reminding yourself of your achievements and skills will help to give confidence and reduce nerves

• Employers will expect you to have the following skills (even if they are not mentioned in the vacancy):

time management, customer service, problem solving, creativity, adaptability, communication skills, leadership, I.T skills, a self-motivated and professional approach to the role, and the ability to work well in a team These are all useful skills and many of them are gained through your university studies, work experience or from extra-curricular activities

• You might want to think about: Who are the company’s customers? What is their history? What main markets to do they work in? What are their opportunities/challenges? What are the core values/ethos of the organisation? e values / ethos of th

• Being polite and professional in the interview process is important. The person who greeted you when you entered the building (e.g. the receptionist) may be asked what impression they had of you. Act as though the interview starts as soon as you enter the building.

• Effective body language can have a positive effect at interview. Good eye contact and a firm handshake when meeting the interviewer/s is very important.

• Maintaining eye-contact, smiling (and occasionally nodding) throughout the interview will show the interviewer that you are engaged and want the job.

• Make sure you sit upright in the chair and try not to fidget too much with your hands or swing on your chair. If you naturally move your hands when you talk, that is fine.

• A confident speaking voice can be achieved by not speaking too quickly, speaking clearly and at an appropriate volume. When nervous, we tend to rush, so it may be worth trying to speak slightly slower than you usually would.

• During the interview, if you do not understand a question, it is fine to ask the interviewer to repeat or rephrase the question.

THE INTERVIEW

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• In some interviews, a few questions can come up that you did not expect and interviewers sometimes like to test your ability to think of an answer quickly and effectively. If you are unsure about how to reply, take a few seconds to think before answering.

Likely questions ...

• The types of questions you will be asked and the length of interview can depend on the role, sector and style the interviewer adopts.

• It is essential that you listen to the question carefully and evidence your answers.

• Tell me about yourself. How would your friends describe you? Employers tend to ask these types of questions because they are interested in you as a person and want to see how you would fit in to their organisation.

• Give me an impression of what you have been doing in your most recent job role. If asked this question, give a summary of your present/last job, using a couple of clear examples. It would also be helpful to select some skills/experiences that you have gained in that job that are relevant for the role you are being interviewed for.

• Tell me about a time you have delivered excellent customer service. What would you do if a customer complained to you about the service they received? A good approach to answering this would be to give a reply that covers listening to the customer, empathising and summarising the issue –this demonstrates to the customer you understand the situation. Explain what action you would take and why. Then say what the positive result was/would be.

• Communication skills are a vital part of this job. Give me an example of when you have shown outstanding communication skills. Throughout the interview, the interviewer will be able to see your communication skills; your ability to listen and respond to questions. Here, they will be looking for a specific example of when you have displayed strong communication skills. You can use examples from both previous employment and university.

• What are your strengths? Give an answer that shows your character and demonstrates skills/ strengths that will be needed in the position. Tell me about an achievement you are most proud of. Here, you can describe an achievement you are pleased with, but make sure you explain why you are proud of it.

• Describe a time you have either led or worked in a team successfully. They will be looking for evidence that you can work well with others and are a team player.

• What are your weaknesses? It is best to answer this by giving a weakness but choose one that isn’t a vital skill or quality that will be needed in the role. Pick a weakness that perhaps you had at the start of your career or in a previous job. Explain how you overcame that weakness and what you learnt from it.

• The types of questions you will be asked and the length of interview can depend on the role, sector and style the interviewer adopts. Listen to the question carefully and take your time to provide a clear answer that is easy to follow. It is fine to give more than one example or a longer answer to certain questions as long as it is relevant and coherent. Using facts and figures, and avoiding clichés and jargon will also help to give impressive interview answers.

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STRUCTURING YOUR ANSWERS• You cannot rely on your interviewer having read your application form/CV thoroughly so it is important that you describe and re-emphasise key experiences, skills and achievements in clear examples. A way to do this is using the STAR approach to structure your answers:SituationTaskActionResult

This can be used both on application forms and at interview. If the interviewer starts a question with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Can you give me an example of..” using STAR is a really effective way to arrange your answer. These types of questions tend to be called ‘competency-based questions’, designed to test your skills and competencies and explore your experience.

Here is an example of how to use STAR:

Q. Can you give me an example of when you have handled conflict at work?

A. I was working as a waiter in a busy restaurant and had been working there for about a year. A customer was very unhappy with one of the new members of staff, also a waiter, who had got their order wrong. The customer was with friends celebrating a special occasion. I recognised the customer and knew that they had dined at the restaurant before. I could see that the situation was escalating. I asked the new member of staff if they needed some help with this situation and they said they did. I apologised to the customer and spoke in a calm and clear manner, explaining how I would rectify the situation. I then went to the Head Chef to get the correct dishes made as soon as possible. I also offered the customer some free drinks. The result was that my actions diffused the situation and the customer was happy. At the end of my shift, I spoke to my manager and suggested that the new member of staff be supported by being given the same induction I was given. The manager agreed this was a good idea.

Try and use a variety of examples throughout your interview, as opposed to using the same one or two examples. Avoid using abbreviations or acronyms and try not to speak in long, unstructured sentences. Really focus on what you did, how and why you did it and what the outcome was.

• Try to use a variety of examples throughout your interview, as opposed to using the same one or two examples. Avoid using abbreviations or acronyms and try not to speak in long, unstructured sentences. Focus on what you did, how and why you did it and what the outcome was.

• Employers will also be interested in you as a person and want to see evidence of your motivation, strengths and qualities, ability to reflect, capability in dealing with stress/failure and your commitment. For this, interviewers ask ‘strength-based questions’. They sound like: “How do you stay motivated?”, “What are your weaknesses?”

• Providing examples is the best approach; these can come from extra-curricular activities or other aspects of your life. Try to provide positive answers that give a genuine insight into the type of person you are.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

• At interview, you may be asked to clarify an aspect of your application (e.g. a qualification) or asked about information not included on your application form / CV.

• Most people find that they don’t have every single one of the skills or specific experience listed in the application. Others feel that a certain part of their application is not particularly strong or find they are worried about the employer bringing something up that they are not all that confident in. It is possible to overcome this by anticipating this and by turning apparent weaknesses into positives. Here’s an example of an IT position where experience of using a certain database is a desirable criteria. If asked about the said database at interview, an answer might be:

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“It is true that I have not had direct experience of using this particular database. However, I feel a fairreflectionofmyI.Tskillswouldbemysoundknowledgeofsimilardatabases,myproficiencyin MicrosoftOfficeandmygoodunderstandingofvarioussocialmediaplatforms.Mydegreecourse also requires me to use various IT programmes on a daily basis. (I would be very happy to undertake any training to become familiar with the database). ”

• Typically, you would not ask questions about pay, annual leave entitlements or other employment terms during the interview, unless asked a question about it by the interviewer. These are things that can be discussed and clarified if you are offered the job.

• At the end of the interview, you are often given the chance to ask questions about the job role. Prepare at least one question to ask the employer at the end as it can reinforce your interest in the It is also an opportunity to find out more about the role or company. Example questions to ask: What type of training opportunities do you offer? Are there opportunities for progression in the company? What is a typical day like working here?

• Try to avoid questions that put the employer on the spot like: What kind of person are you looking for in this role? What’s the plan for the company over the next 1, 3 and 5 years?

• Some people can feel nervous before an interview and this is normal but preparing answers in advance to expected questions ensures that you are not having to think on the spot for every answer

• Clearly what you will be asked at interview will depend on the role and sector, but giving a variety of confident, clear and evidenced examples is the key.

FEEDBACK

• Preparation is key and hopefully if you use the techniques and tips in this handbook, then this will increase your chances of succeeding at interview. However, with competitive job markets, a really important aspect of being successful is receiving feedback from the prospective employer in the event you aren’t offered the job.

• Employers don’t tend to offer any feedback if you have not gotten past the application stage (i.e. if you have not been shortlisted for interview). However, if you have had an interview and not been successful, you can politely request feedback from the employer

• Reflecting on the feedback can help you to realise what went well and give you confidence as well as highlight aspects of the interview that you can improve in the future.

• It may be that you disagree with the feedback given. You don’t have to take it all on-board, but thinking about what you can improve on will mean that you are better placed to be successful at future interviews.

DISABILITY

If you have a disability and would like to find out more information about disclosing this during the interview process, please do meet with one of our friendly and supportive Careers Consultants. Disclosing is an individual decision but, together, we can talk through how, when and why you might choose to disclose your disability to a prospective employer. See Contact Us section below.

CONTACT US

For more interview tips or to arrange a mock interview with a qualified and experienced Careers Consultant, email: careers@uwl.ac.uk or call us on 020 8231 2701. Alternatively, feel free to come to a Careers drop-in session: Mondays-Thursdays, 11.30am -3.30pm at: The Street (booth 6), St Mary’s Road or at Paragon House (by appointment only, or email: careers@uwl.ac.uk

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USEFUL LINKS

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tipshttps://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/interview-questionshttps://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/get-a-job/top-10-interview-questions https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/interview-questionshttps://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/strength-based-interviews

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TELEPHONE INTERVIEW AND VIDEO INTERVIEW TIPS

TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS

• Telephone interviews are sometimes used for a number of reasons: the employer may have many candidates and wishes to carry out an initial screening, the position could be based far away or perhaps the employer wants to gain some more information before inviting to you to the next stage of the process.

• You may find that when an employer asks for a telephone interview, you arrange a specific time for this to take place.

• For employers, telephone interviews are a good way of checking your verbal communication skills particularly if the role involves regularly speaking with customers/clients.

• Telephone interviews can be time and cost effective for employers and can last around 25 minutes, but this time frame can vary.

• If so, make sure you are free to speak at the agreed time, choose a quiet place with a good phone signal where you will not be disturbed. Sitting at a chair/at a desk may help you to feel like it is a professional call.

• When answering the call, it is good to smile as you would do when meeting someone for the first time. Answer in a professional manner.

• If an employer calls you and you are not in a suitable place to have a conversation, answer the call and explain that you would like to rearrange a time to speak to them. Suggest a specific time and day you will be available to rearrange the call.

• Before the call, make sure you have details of the job and your CV to hand. Have a pen and paper ready so that you can write down notes such as details about the next stage of the application. It is useful to make a reminder of the interviewer’s name, this will show you have listened and help to make the conversation personable.

• You may wish to mention at the start of the call that you have good signal but that if for any reason the call gets cut off, could they kindly call back.

• Sound enthusiastic, an employer cannot see you but they will be able to tell if you are distracted. The employer will not be able to see you nodding, so you may wish to interject occasionally by saying ‘OK’, ‘Yes’, ‘I understand’ etc.

• Given this is a telephone interview, you will be able to refer to notes you may have made in advance, however, it might sound unnatural if you read from them word for word.

• Research the company like you would for a face-to-face interview.

• Take your time when answering questions and speak clearly; ask the employer to repeat the question if you did not hear what they asked. Some people find that telephone interviews seem to go quite quickly so it is important you prepare well so that you get your skills, experience and qualifications across to the employer.

• Asking a question at the end of the telephone interview will show that you are interested in the position. Asking an additional question, about when the next stage will be, is also sensible.

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VIDEO INTERVIEWS

• Skype and Facetime are commonly used for video interviews.

• Video interviews enable employers to connect to candidates, no matter their location, and can reduce the recruitment time as they can screen applicants.

• A video interview can be a live video call or one where you record something and upload it, meaning you are not actually speaking to anyone.

• For both live and recorded video interviews, good lightning, reducing background noise and ensuring technology works are important. Sometimes there can be a lag (delay) in video interviews because of the internet connection.

• Treat the video interview like a real interview. Dress appropriately (full smart outfit, not just the bit of you they can see) and try not to speak over the interviewer which can happen when there is a slight lag.

• Ensure the background (what the employer will see behind you) is appropriate e.g. not a wall full of shelves and pictures, as this may be distracting. If you are having the interview in a location where other people are, shut the door or make them aware you are having an interview so as not to disturb you.

• Prepare well, think about the examples you will give for the questions and how you will evidence them (this is the same for face-to-face and telephone interviews).

• Ensure you have a strong connection for the video interview by testing it in advance.

• Put your computer on a flat surface and ensure that whatever recording device you are using stays still during the interview.

• Look at the camera as this is the equivalent of good eye contact in a face-to-face interview, do not read from notes or fiddle with papers, this would not be advisable.

• You may see an image of yourself on the screen so you might want to turn this off to avoid distraction.

• Other windows/programs/notifications should be closed to avoid distraction e.g. pop-ups appearing or new emails coming through.

• Although it is a slightly unnatural situation, try and be yourself.

• The employer wants to get an impression of you as a person as well as your suitability to the role and your understanding of the company / industry.

The following links have useful information on telephone and video interview skills:

• https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/tips-for-telephone-interviews• https://social.hays.com/2017/09/19/top-tips-telephone-interview/• http://blog.gradconsult.co.uk/our-video-interview-tips• https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/interview-types/323749-expert-performance-tips-for-skype-and-

video-interviews• https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/video-interview-tips

University of West London Careers Service Last updated: August 2019, Chi Hung Liu