Careers
Search and Survive - Part 3
4. Interviews
In this section:
- Preparation
- First Impressions
- Questions
- Provocation
- Silence
- Asking Questions
- Departure
- Prepared Answers
- Prepared Questions
- Follow Up
- Interview Practice
- Administration
Preparation
- Revise previous sections of this document
- Write out answers on interests, ambitions, views on your own and the company's future, progression, current affairs
- You will be asked, during the interview, whether you have any questions. Prepare several concerning the organisation and the training it provides.
- Prepare your 'attitude' to tricky matters such as workload, promotion, job security and (especially) management roles
- Practise interview situations
First Impressions
- Smile.
- Shake hands warmly.
- Move calmly to seat
- Sit alertly, look confident and don't fidget
- Have good eye contact when speaking to the interviewer
Questions
- Listen carefully
- Keep calm and don't rush answers
- Avoid abruptness, e.g. words like no, yes, watch TV. etc.
- Expand and develop a little, concentrating on strengths
- Avoid inflexibility, words like never, no way, not me
- Look at the interviewer and react to body language!
- Take one thing at a time and ask for clarification if needed
- Be positive, optimistic, but still be honest
- Sparkle when you can, but don't over-enthuse
Provocation (Hopefully rare)
- Smile more, take as a challenge and keep cool
- If pushed, turn the question back: Why do you ask?
Silence (Very rare)
- Smile (of course) but do not stretch out your reply or repeat yourself
- Take the lead for a while, but watch for change of mood.
- Ask one of the questions you had previously prepared.
Asking Questions
- Challenge the interviewer with prepared questions but phrase them carefully, avoiding offence or abruptness
- Take responses seriously and build on them
Departure
- If appropriate, express a real interest in the job, but do not appear to be in a rush to accept just any job
- Express warm thanks and enthusiasm and leave confidently with a smile (shake hands, where appropriate)
- Listen for the next move (e.g. enquire within a week)
Prepared Answers
Use these prompts to prepare answers for interview:
- Interests and Hobbies
- Ambitions
- Views on your own and the company's future
Prepared Questions
Think up questions to ask at interview on the following subjects:
- When will they make a decision?
- Organisation/General
- Training/Preparation
- Future opportunities
- Possibilities of travel or secondments
Follow Up
You should have found out at the interview when a decision will be made. Should it be negative, write to the company and ask them for feedback on your performance. Do this in a friendly manner, as it could help you succeed at your next interview.
Interview Practice
You know you have a chance of getting the job if you are invited for an interview, but that chance can be improved by practice. Ensure that you learn from each interview, and get progressively better. You can speed up the process by enlisting the help of mature friends who are prepared to act out the role of interviewer for you. Some university careers staff offer this service. This section is designed to make the most of your interview experience.
Step 1
Agree a realistic job description with the 'interviewer' and write it down in as much detail as possible. It may make sense to use a newspaper job advert which closely matches a job you have already, or will soon, apply for.
Step 2
Prepare for the interview using the 'Search and Survive' kit to the full. Even though you are only practising, it is important to take this seriously and research the position to the extent of your abilities.
Step 3
Ask the 'interviewer' to respond frankly, using the sample questionnaire below as a basis for the interview.
Step 4
Discuss the interviewer's comments and advice, and formulate agreed actions for improvement. Start with your top priority action and list three more.
Interview Practice Session
During your practice interview, ask for interviewers comments on each of the following points and any advice that they may have to offer (it may be easier to put these in a table with a column for comments and a column for advice).
- First Impression
- Appearance
- Attitude
- Personality
- Motivation
- Interests
- Maturity
- Alertness
- Clarity
- Effectiveness
- Reaction to Pressure
- Worldliness
- Preparation
- Questions
- Departure
- Overall Impression
Applying for several jobs at the same time (which you must do) calls for efficiency in dealing with correspondence and planning your diary. Good records are essential: do not rely on memory alone, as companies are not impressed when you confuse a competitor with a member of their staff. Keep a job file with a section for each firm/organisation you deal with, and place the letters in date order. It is important to retain a copy of the original advert and any letters or forms you send them. Answer letters quickly and insert prompts in your diary (yes, you must have one) to ensure that all deadlines are met.
You are advised to keep track of your job-seeking correspondence using the Administration Summary below as a model. When an interview justifies extended notes, keep these in your job file with a reference to this document in your Summary.
Administration Summary
- Organisation:
Institute of Physics - Initiation:
Advert in 'Physics World' 26th June (copy on file) - First Contact:
Letter & CV sent 30th June - Application Form Received:
8th July - Application Form:
Returned 10th July - Interview Venue and Date:
London, 28th July - Interview Remarks:
Interview by Alex Byrne and Joseph Hines;
3 other candidates on short list - Key topics:
Communication skills, attitude to teamwork - Result:
Offer dated 8th August - Follow Up:
Accepted
^ To the top ^