Interview Technique

Why Interview? Interviews give you the chance to tell someone about yourself – your strengths, your achievements and your personal qualities

Why do we need to Practice? Most people are nervous about selection interviews for jobs and courses. One way to reduce anxiety and perform better at interviews is to get some practice.

Why are they important? It could be the most important 20 minutes of your life

Key Information for Interviews PREPARATION – Decide what to wear, be clean and tidy. – Find out about the company. – Plan the journey including how long the journey will take. – Prepare some questions. – Prepare some answers – Take your Personal Education Plan and plan how you might use it. PREPARATION – Decide what to wear, be clean and tidy. – Find out about the company. – Plan the journey including how long the journey will take. – Prepare some questions. – Prepare some answers – Take your Personal Education Plan and plan how you might use it.

Key Information for Interviews THE INTERVIEW – Arrive 10 minutes early. – Be friendly and cheerful to the secretary or receptionist who greets you. – Look neat and clean. – Be prepared to shake hands. – Dont sit until you are offered a chair. – Try to relax and listen to the questions carefully. – Look at the person asking the question. – Think before you answer. – Speak clearly and in a strong voice. – Show interest and enthusiasm. – Be honest. THE INTERVIEW – Arrive 10 minutes early. – Be friendly and cheerful to the secretary or receptionist who greets you. – Look neat and clean. – Be prepared to shake hands. – Dont sit until you are offered a chair. – Try to relax and listen to the questions carefully. – Look at the person asking the question. – Think before you answer. – Speak clearly and in a strong voice. – Show interest and enthusiasm. – Be honest.

Key Information for Interviews QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED – Tell me about yourself. – Why do you want the job? – What makes you think you would be good at the job? – What do you do in your spare time? – What qualities do you think you have to offer? – How did you like school? – What are your strengths and weaknesses? QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED – Tell me about yourself. – Why do you want the job? – What makes you think you would be good at the job? – What do you do in your spare time? – What qualities do you think you have to offer? – How did you like school? – What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Key Information for Interviews QUESTIONS WHICH YOU MAY ASK – During the interview the details of the job will probably be explained to you, but there may be gaps and you may wish to ask your own questions. Wait until the end of the interview to ask questions and dont ask too many. – What are the normal hours of work? – What training will I get? – Are there any opportunities for promotion? – Who will I be working with? – Who will I be directly responsible TO? QUESTIONS WHICH YOU MAY ASK – During the interview the details of the job will probably be explained to you, but there may be gaps and you may wish to ask your own questions. Wait until the end of the interview to ask questions and dont ask too many. – What are the normal hours of work? – What training will I get? – Are there any opportunities for promotion? – Who will I be working with? – Who will I be directly responsible TO?

Key Information for Interviews WHAT WILL THE EMPLOYER NEED TO KNOW? – What qualifications you have to offer. – What experience you have including work experience. – The standard of your health. – Whether you are keen, interested and willing to work. – Whether you have the skills, abilities and personal qualities for the job. – Whether you have found out about the company beforehand. WHAT WILL THE EMPLOYER NEED TO KNOW? – What qualifications you have to offer. – What experience you have including work experience. – The standard of your health. – Whether you are keen, interested and willing to work. – Whether you have the skills, abilities and personal qualities for the job. – Whether you have found out about the company beforehand.

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA THE INTERVIEWER WOULD USE IN THE SELECTION PROCESS? – Qualifications. – Work experience. – Health. – Home circumstances (e.g. distance from home to work). – Skills/abilities. – Personality. – Interest and willingness to work. – Knowledge of the company. – Questions the candidate asks. WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA THE INTERVIEWER WOULD USE IN THE SELECTION PROCESS? – Qualifications. – Work experience. – Health. – Home circumstances (e.g. distance from home to work). – Skills/abilities. – Personality. – Interest and willingness to work. – Knowledge of the company. – Questions the candidate asks.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE INTERVIEWEE? – What they would be expected to do, who they would be responsible to. – Wages, hours, holidays, lunch arrangements. – Training offered. – Future prospects. – Pension funds. – Trade unions. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE INTERVIEWEE? – What they would be expected to do, who they would be responsible to. – Wages, hours, holidays, lunch arrangements. – Training offered. – Future prospects. – Pension funds. – Trade unions.