2. Types of Interview:
• HR Interview
• Technical
• Others
• Panel
• Telephone/video
• Combination, e.g. 1st
interview on telephone,
then 2nd face to face.
3. Interviewers’ Objectives:
•
•
•
•
Find the most suitable person for the job
Look for specific skills or expertise
Encourage you to express yourself fully
Assess whether you would ‘fit in’ to the
organisation/team
• Assess whether you would be a good representative for
the company
• Sell the company
6. The Employer and “U”
• KNOW THE EMPLOYER:
- Product, turnover, core areas, departments
- Website, brochure, company annual reports,
business plan, newspaper articles, friends
• WHERE DO “I” FIT IN??
• Believe in yourself and your abilities
7. Interview Preparation
• Draw up a list of skills/competencies you think the
company is looking for, and think of examples how you
can demonstrate these
• Consider your ‘Unique Selling Points’ – i.e. what makes
YOU the ideal candidate—SWOT Analysis
• Find out who will be interviewing you
8. Types of Questions:
• Biographical : Tell me about your education/ career/
experience to date
• Motivation/Commitment : Why are you interested in
this job? Why have you applied to us ?
• Competence : What are the key skills for this job ?
What are your strengths ? What can you bring to this job
?
• Scenario : What would you do if…?
• Opinion : What do you think about…?
9. Types of Questions:
• Current Issues : e.g. the state of Indian politics
• Business Awareness : What experience do you have
of the business world ?
• Off The Wall : Who would you like to be stuck in a lift
with and why?
• Ethical : Should the generating companies be sued if
there are high flue gas emissions?
• Worst Question!!!
Beware of trick/ what if/ difficult questions!
11. Questions That Test These Skills:
• Commitment : Tell me about a time when you have
perhaps doubted your decision to study engineering?
• Team work : Have you been involved in a project where
a colleague was not pulling their weight ? What did you
do about it ?
• Organised approach : Tell us about a deadline you have
had to meet which you found challenging/ what did you
do ? How did you resolve any problems ?
12. Skills Based Questions cont...
• Initiative : Tell me about a recent situation where you
have been really thrown in at the deep end ?
• Drive and ambition : Can you give me an example of an
occasion or task when you felt you had stretched
yourself ? How did you react ? What was the outcome ?
13. Preparation
Practicalities :
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•
•
•
•
•
Check timetables/route; overnight stay if necessary.
Allow extra time for delays
Plan what to wear : dress code - formal
Need to feel comfortable
Techniques for dealing with nerves
Confirm your attendance in advance
15. General
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reach at least 15-20 min early
Read company magazines, circulars if get one
Re-read application form/CV
Feel Confident
Feel great!
RELAXXXX!!!!!
17. Handling Questions :
• Allow yourself thinking time : Not too long or employer
may conclude you cant think on your feet
• Seek clarification : “Would you like me to continue?”,
“Would you mind repeating the question?”, “Can you rephrase that ?”
• Answers to open ended questions should avoid
rambling/ going off at a tangent
• Think of body language – open/confident; eye contact;
expansive gestures;
• SMILE!!!!
18. Your Questions :
• The Organisation : strategic goals; challenges they are
facing; which markets/clients are most important to them
and why
• Training : Explore training/development opportunities,
• Working Conditions : line management, assessment of
performance; growth
• Avoid questions on salary, holidays, bonuses until you
have been offered the job. Avoid questions that could be
seen as a criticism.
20. The Aptitude Test
• FORMAT
• ENGLISH, QUANTITIVE APTITUDE, MATHS,
TECHNICAL
• THINK ON YOUR HEELS
• MOVE ON!
• BOOKS
21. Common Mistakes :
• Poor/lack of preparation
• Lack of knowledge about job/ employer/ current industry
issues
• Negative about self
• Using “We” instead of “I”
• Not giving examples to back up statements
• Not relating answers back to the job
• Lack of motivation and enthusiasm
22. Post Interview :
• Reflect on performance : were you positive; were your
answers full enough
• Note down questions asked for future reference
• Request feedback on your performance from employer
• If unsuccessful, learn from your mistakes
• Stay positive!
23. REMEMBER
If you can conceive it,
and if you can believe in it,
then you can achieve it!
Skills and competencies should be in job details/ personal spec.
Questions – leave question about salary/benefits to the end of the interview
Biographical – May not have had an OU student before so may want more info about study. How have you benefitted from this ?
Motivation/Commitment – why should we offer YOU the job ?
Open question – Tell me about yourself!
Compe
Difficult/trick : Have you any weaknesses ?
Answers :
People would say I am…
My boss/tutor remarked that…
Mt experience proves that…
A recent survey found that 80% of candidates did NO research prior to interview!
Aim to get there 15 mins in advance of interview
Thinking time – not too quick – may be designed to catch you out! Don’t look like you have prepared a ‘stock’ answer
Want to come across as confident , but not arrogant!
Again – be positive BUT NOT arrogant
BE enthusiastic
Professioanl
Reflect on performance after I/V
Get some feedback from employer if not positive outcome – discuss with CA & learn form experience.