Interviews & Assessment Centres Karen Barnard UCL Careers Service

What Do Employers Look For? 1.Will you be able to do the job well? 2.Are you really motivated to do the job? 3.Will you fit into the organisation

Three ‘P’s for Successful Interviews  Preparation  Practicalities  Presentation

Preparation is the Key  re-read your application  familiarise yourself with job description  research the company and the sector  talk to people working in related fields, find out about the interviews they’ve had  if you’re invited to, call for more information  Prepare some answers to questions

Be polite to EVERYONE! Don’t be thrown by unexpected questions Stay calm – speak slowly and clearly Be succinct, and be willing to elaborate Leave a good final impression Be yourself Make a strong first impression: confident body language, smile, handshake…

What are the interview questions that keep you awake at night?

Types of Questions  Can you do the job?  Competency based questions  Hypothetical (situational) questions  Technical questions  Surprise questions  Do you want to do the job?  Biographical questions  Motivational questions  Will you fit in?  Personality and interest based questions

 S - Situation – brief outline of what you faced  T - Task – what you decided to do  A - Activity – Detailed description the process  R - Result and Reflection – The positive outcome and what you learned from the experience How to Answer Competency Questions

Give an example of when you have had to work under pressure

Tricky Questions  Tell me about yourself  What would you say has been your greatest achievement / failure?  What makes you angry?  What is your greatest weakness?  If you were an animal, what would you be?  Who else are you applying to?  Why should we employ you?

Your Questions.....  Can you give me a fuller picture of your training programme?  What would be the key objectives in the first six months of the job?  What is the general progression of graduate trainees after their training?  How will my performance be measured?  What training/support can I expect?  What are the possibilities of using my.... skills?  I have spoken to X about Y but I do have a further question…  In your annual report I notice that...

Cultural Difference…  Eye contact is expected; don’t look down.  Interviewer may extend a handshake  Smiling is good  Tone of voice can help project enthusiasm  You don’t always have to dress formally  Interviews are a two way process Take cue from the interviewer. If in doubt obtain clarification.

Assessment Centre Activities  Group discussion  Presentation  Written exercise  Psychometric assessment eg: written and numerical reasoning

Group Discussion Types:  Leaderless discussions  Role plays  Practical group tasks Possible content:  Current affairs  Negotiation exercise  Contentious issues  Job-related topics/exercises  Used to assess your inter-personal skills eg: verbal communication, team-working, listening, facilitating, leadership, understanding, persuasiveness, negotiation, confidence

Safety Nets…  Ask others what they think  Bring in quieter members of the group  Summarise  Act as a timekeeper  Ensure that the group keeps to the subject

Presentations  Given subject/ free choice  Prepared/ unprepared  May be based on a previous session e.g. case study

Written Exercises  Case Study  analysis of complex topic  lots of complex information  Drafting exercise  given facts about a sensitive issue  express them in a clear, tactful way  In-Tray exercise  given lots of memos, s phone and fax messages, reports and correspondence to prioritise, delegate, reply

Psychometric Tests  Aptitude tests  Verbal reasoning  Numerical reasoning  Diagramatic reasoning  Personality questionnaires  No right or wrong answer  Can form a basis for the interview

After the Interview Take stock  What went well?  What did not go well?  What could you have done better? Unsuccessful?  Seek feedback from the employer  Don’t get discouraged, strengthen from the experience  Do more reading and research. Study ‘interview’ videos and practice

What Can the Careers Service Do for You?  Short Guidance session  CV and application form checking  Recruitment events, presentations, careers fairs  Practise psychometric tests  Careers discussions  Practice interviews 4th floor ULU Building Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY telephone: Opening times: Mon - Thurs 9:30am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm