How to perform well in interviews

Anne Clinton

Getting started

• Work in twos

• One is candidate; one is interviewer

• One minute to answer the question “What is your greatest achievement”

• Swap roles

Your experience How did you

find the question?

Anecdotes

Concerns

Goals for the session

Today

• Review purpose and different types of recruitment interviews

• Think about skills needed

• Understand importance of effective preparation and how to structure articulate and persuasive responses

• Practice

Employers want to know 3 things:

• Can you do the job?

– Qualifications, knowledge, skills, ability, experience

• Will you do the job?

– Motivation, drive, enthusiasm

• Will you fit?

– Culture, people, values

• The employer has decided:

– You meet the essential criteria for the job

– To give you the opportunity to show who you are/what you can do

• It’s up to you to convince:

1. You want the job

2. You can do the job

You have been invited to interview

What does that mean?

Know yourself

• Be ready to illustrate your skills – Education, work experience, extra curricular,

volunteering

– Include feedback from others

Match yourself to the role

• Do your research – Organisation, role, profile

– Understand stage in process

What do you need to prepare

• Understand process and stage

• Skills you will use in the interview

• Knowledge about: – Organisation

– The role

– Yourself

• Your own questions

• Logistics

Where does the interview fit? Application

• Initial screen: CV, cover letter, application form

Screening interview

• Telephone/face-to-face/video

2nd interview

• Assessment centre/face to face

Final interview

Interview Format

• In person:

– One-to-one

– Panel

• Telephone

• Skype

• Video

Skills you will use

• Research

• Analysis

• Learning & Memory

• Listening

• Oral communication

• Interpersonal/ Rapport building

Organisational knowledge

• Applying for a job at…

LSE Careers

What information do you need before going to interview there?

Organisational knowledge

• How does LSE Careers fit into wider school

• What are its goals and objectives?

• What kinds of activities does the Careers Office undertake?

• Why do I want to work there?

• How does it compare with similar services elsewhere?

Organisational knowledge

• Good information sources:

– LSE website

– Publications

– Contacts

• Other university sites

• Professional bodies

• Newspapers/internet

Occupational knowledge

• Applying for a job as…

Careers Consultant

What information do you need before going to interview there?

Occupational knowledge

• What do I know about this type of work?

• What attracts me to the work?

• What relevant work experience do I have?

• What kind of training/additional skills am I hoping to gain?

• How is the role different from similar roles elsewhere?

• What are the key challenges facing this profession?

• What have I done to find out more about the work?

Occupational knowledge

• Job description/personal specification

• Professional institute websites

• Contacts doing job elsewhere

• Careers publications: Target, Prospects

• Occupational information LSE Careers

Last but not least: Self knowledge

• Why do I want the job? • Why am I a suitable candidate and what evidence

do I have? • What have I gained from academic / employment

/ extra-curricular activities? • What was my best/worst decision, greatest

achievement? • When did I…work in a team, solve a problem,

etc.? • What are my main strengths and weaknesses?

Understand the requirements

Organisation

Environment

Job Description

Person profile

Stage in process

Know yourself

Knowledge

Skills

Values

Motivations

Find the evidence

Education

Work experience

Extra curricular activities

Volunteering

Interests

Work Studies Extra

Curricular Other

Economics knowledge

BSc Economics, specific example from dissertation

Wider reading: name book/periodicals

Creativity Waiter, creative solution for booking system when computer failed

Economics society treasurer, designed new budget sheet. Suggested creative money saving ideas

Drama club, stage director, creative solution for effects in 39 steps

Communication skills

Enquiring mind Internship; given new project from questions asked and further research done

Took extra classes

Analytical Dissertation;

group work project in BSc

Education volunteer- solved logistics problems

Report writing Internship - presented research in report form

Dissertation! Eco society, write end of year financial reports

Question types

• Focus on you or the role • Competency

– Tell me about a time…

• Motivation – Why do you want to work for us?

• Strength-based – What energises you more, starting or finishing a task?

• Situational judgement – What would you do if…?

• Other: Commercial awareness, technical, case study, ‘typical’

Criteria used to assess answers

• Does it address all parts of the question?

• Does it demonstrate the quality, competency, skill asked for?

• Is it relevant, clear, succinct, detailed enough, persuasive, genuine…about YOU?

• Does it sound over-rehearsed

Competency Framework - Star

• Situation – 10%

• Task – 10%

• Action – 70%

• Result – 10%

How to tackle a STAR answer

Tell me about a time when you handled a difficult customer

• Situation – As part of my volunteering at LSE, I worked at Hackney Children’s Home and often had to deal with difficult parents who wanted unauthorised access to their children

• Task – One of my responsibilities was answering the phone and one day a particularly hostile father called and screamed at me when I told him that he could only visit his son on the next scheduled time which was 3 weeks away

• Action – I explained the rules to the gentleman and managed to stay calm, simply repeating the clear legislation. I realised that while his anger was directed at me, it was not personal, and that he was probably genuinely sad and worried about his child. So I also reassured him that his child was happy and healthy and being well cared for.

• Result – The father managed to calm down and we talked about when he would be able to visit and how nice it would be for both him and his son.

Motivation

• Tell me about a project or essay you have worked on, and what you learnt from it?

• What do you see as your personal strengths? • How would your friends describe you? • What do you do in your spare time? • Why do you want to work for x company? • Why have you applied for this role? • Why do you want to work in this sector? • What are the main challenges facing the business • Tell me about a recent story in the press – what impact

might it have on our work

Job Description

• Work in pairs

• Part 1:

– Review criteria and suggest 6 relevant questions

– Feedback

Job Description

• Part 2

– Devise answer to one question

– Share with group

– Discuss, review, improve

As the intern working in Media Events you’ll be supporting the Corporate Communications team

throughout the year with the numerous events and activities that they run for the UK media. The

successful intern will be expected to take a supporting role, coordinating and organising a variety of

events throughout the year alongside the wider team. The successful intern will also get sound exposure

to both the BMW and MINI Press Offices.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

Assist in development of BMW/MINI launches for the UK Media

•Assist at BMW/MINI launches for the UK Media

•Coordinate and organise the Press Fleet with guidance from the Press Fleet Manager

•Review and analyse budget expenditure for events and activities

•Review and analyse media coverage following on from key events

•Build relationships with internal departments and external agencies

•Manage administration of international events for the UK Media

Qualifications and Skills

• Minimum 2(i) in any discipline

• Experienced user of Microsoft Office, including Outlook

• Strong relationship building skills and a professional level of customer service

• An excellent team player who possesses solid interpersonal and organisational skills

• Excellent communicator in both oral and written settings

• Comfortable and capable at working across all levels of the BMW Group

• An interest in, and basic understanding of media relations and events

• Experience in PR and/or event management would be advantageous

• Knowledge of the BMW Group, the company and its products is desirable

• Excellent attention to detail

• High energy level; strong work ethic

• Self-driven; independent thinker

• Results-oriented

The Interview

• Think about what interviewer is looking for

• Know the job, the organisation, who is interviewing

• Re-read your application/CV before interview

• Do not learn answers off by heart

• Focus on providing evidence from your experiences

• Think of what differentiates you

Some key logistics

• Know name and role of interviewer?

• How do you get there?

• What should you wear?

• Know what to expect: will there be tests, written work?

• Should you take out your nose ring, cover your tattoo?

First impressions count…

7% from WORDS

38% from VOICE

55% from BODY LANGUAGE

and

Decisions made within first 4 minutes

• Arrive: on time, organised, polite • Dress – get it right

– Company norm+ (more rather than less formal) – Refer to invitation – do what you have been asked! – Personal hygiene (deodorant, aftershave, perfume) – Logos/designer names – Clean/polished shoes, no missing buttons – Inappropriate jewellery – Long sleeved shirts; gimmicky ties, socks (dark) – Short skirts/high heels – Make-up discreet – Jacket

First impressions count…

Impressions…

• Body language: – Handshake: firm not limp – Rapport: active listening/interest – Posture: nervous or comfortable and

confident? – Emotional signals – Voice: pace, intonation, pause, silence – Seating position: alert/spacing – Fiddling – Eye contact: use natural gaze, avoid

starting

• Smile!

Interview practice

• Groups of 3 – Interviewer/interviewee/observer (ABC)

• 2-3 Questions – 1-2 competency

– 1 other

• A interviews B, C observes – 5 minutes

• B interviews C, A observes – 5 minutes

• C interviews A, B observes – 5 minutes

• Share feedback: 10 minutes

Feedback

• Confirm what candidate would like to focus on

• Take notes

• Constructive: positives as well as recommendations

• Specific

• Think about: – Body language, eye contact, fidgeting

• Well constructed response which answers question – Does it address all parts of the question?

– Does it demonstrate the quality/ competency asked for?

– Is it clear, succinct, persuasive, genuine, well expressed?

Interview practice debrief

Your questions

• Prepare a couple in advance; show your listening skills to pick up on points during interview

• Avoid the meaningless or obvious

• Leave salary and benefits till later on (unless you have to decide between several offers)

• Avoid questions which have been answered already or where answer is easily available

• If your questions have been covered, say so

• Watch your time – know when to stop

What should I be asking?

• What are your key challenges right now? And what do you anticipate them being in the future?

• How would you describe a typical week/day in this position?

• How does this team interact with the rest of the organisation?

• Is there any further information I can provide you with?

• Why is the role available? What did the previous employee go on to do?

What should I be asking?

• Why did you join • How would you describe the culture • What do you like or dislike in your job? • What do you wish you had known before you

joined? • Ask something that demonstrates your real

interest and enthusiasm in the position • Clarification and next steps • Thanks: a good exit can compensate for a woolly

moment

Difficult moments

• Ask the interviewer to repeat the question - I’m sorry, I’m afraid I didn’t quite catch that.

• Ask for clarification - I’m sorry, but I’m not too sure what you mean by…

• I’m sorry, I lost the thread, would you mind if I started that again

• Would you like me to elaborate on that • Play for time - That’s an interesting/unusual question.

Let me see…That isn’t something I’ve really thought about before

• Disclosure

After each interview

• Review your performance critically:

– What went well/badly

• Make some notes to help next time

• Ask for feedback

• Each interview is a chance to develop skills; practice makes perfect

Recap

• Prepare!

• Reread your application

– What areas might an interviewer want to explore?

• What have you got to offer?

• Try to anticipate questions

• Practice

Some key competencies

• Teamwork

• Analytical ability

• Communication skills

• Leadership

• Flexibility

• Commercial awareness/entrepreneurial approach

Some example questions

Analytical • Describe a time when you have analysed a situation, how did you

go about improving it? Creativity • Describe when you have utilised a creative or innovative solution to

a problem you faced Flexibility • How do you respond to unexpected change? Teamwork • Describe a time when you contributed significantly to a team

project Entrepreneurial • When have you been entrepreneurial?

Other typical Interview questions

• What is your greatest achievement?

• Why should we pick you over other candidates?

• What are your three greatest strengths?

• What is your greatest weakness?

Good answer?