Interview Techniques guidance from careers service 1

Aims for Today Understanding the interview process Exploring how to conduct successful interviews Some useful resources 2

Interviews: your experiences What happened? Which organisations? What job role? What do you recall from the experience? Types of questions asked? 3

Types of interview 1:1 interview Panel interview Telephone interview Technical or competency based interview Formal/informal Can be followed by or be part of an assessment centre An objective evaluation against set criteria or a person specification 4

The Interview An opportunity to: Prove you can do the job! Present evidence that you have relevant knowledge, skills and experience Show that you will 'fit' into the organisation ie your personality and values match those of the organisation Find out more about the role, organisation and that you want the job! 5

What is a person specification? A person specification careerscentral.shu.ac.uk/ps/ is a profile of the ideal candidate for the post. careerscentral.shu.ac.uk/ps/ Lists the essential and desirable criteria necessary to carry out the job. Skills, knowledge, aptitudes Experience Qualifications, education, training Personal characteristics Source: DIUS

Questions Questions will typically focus upon: You The job role The company/industry sector Questions may be asked in different ways i.e. open/closed open/closed 7

Typical Questions – about You Your skills, studies, experience.... "Tell me about a time when you have….. managed a project?” "I see on your CV you have done this.....tell me more.” "What is your greatest achievement?” "Why do you want this job?" 8

Typical Questions - about the Role Situation based questions: "How would you handle the following scenario…?" Technical questions: "What experience do you have of analytical techniques?" "What do you know about high performance liquid chromatography?" 9

Typical Questions - about the Sector Questions about the organisation/industry.. "What do you think the greatest challenge to this industry will be in the next 5 years?" "How do you think this event (eg a topical news story) may affect the bioscience sector?" 10

Answers Relate what you have done to what employers will be seeking Some questions Bioscience graduates have been asked in the pastBioscience 11

Evidence your skills: using the STAR system SSituation TTask AActions RResults Example of how this system Example of how this system can be used for CVs, job applications as well as job interviews 12

Handling questions – summary Be positive Can't predict all the questions, but can prepare the information you want to present Give specific examples not generic statements Expand but don’t waffle Listen carefully to the question – you can ask for it to be rephrased if it's not clear Stay calm and take your time to answer...remember to breathe! There may not be a right or wrong answer 13

Body Language Q: How much of what we communicate is non-verbal? A: Mehrabian (1972) suggested that when talking about feelings/attitudes only 7% of communication is verbal, 38% is vocal, while 55% is nonverbal. Is this plausible? First impressions count! Be professional & engaged in the process Keep eye contact, smile & interact appropriately Use active listening techniques; Business clothes can create a 'business' frame of mind Some more Do's and Don'ts: CareersCentral/bodylanguage CareersCentral/bodylanguage 14

On the day Careers Central Present yourself well Present yourself well Simon Reichwald, CEO, Graduate Success 15

Questions you might want to ask the panel… Questions that focus on your needs Induction, training and development Work life balance Questions about the company/sector An opportunity to show your research/insights Questions about what comes next What are the next steps in the process? When will a decision be made? …don’t ask what you could've easily researched 16

After the interview Waiting for the result Reflecting on the process Self evaluation Seeking feedback from the Employer Careers Central/the day-after interview 17

Essential Preparation - summary About the job role: – Job description/person specification – Job profiles e.g. Prospects; Explore types of jobsExplore types of jobs About the company: – Company website – Recruitment literature About the job sector: – Sector profiles on Prospects; Sectors – Newspapers/professional journals – Adsetts information databases eg Mintel ReportsSectors 18

Essential Preparation AGCAS Making an ImpactAGCAS Making an Impact SHU video on demand via library catalogue The Interviewer interactive virtual interview (available only in the Resource Centre) Careers Central Topics/interviews/preparing Peter Mann, Assistant Head of Transport, Oxfordshire County Council Topics/interviews/preparing Read Interview preparation guidance, part of the Interviews topicInterview preparation Interviews Check the Biosciences subject pages and the STARS link Biosciences STARS 19

Resources Visit the Careers Resource Centre, pick up Interview guides or book in to use: The Interviewer: Interactive computer package for real-time interview practice, with PC & webcamResource Centre Prospects and Biomedical sciences: Options with your subjectwww.prospects.ac.uk/links/appsinterviews Biomedical sciences: Options with your subject Going for Interviews AGCAS (2009), available from the Careers Resource Centre, Owen Level 5 20

Accessing your Careers and Employment Service Student & Learning Services: City Campus Tel: Tel: Heart of the Campus, Collegiate Crescent Tel: Web: shuspace > careers (type careers in shuspace search box)shuspace > careers