Maximum Impact at Interview Preparation and Delivery

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Maximum Impact at Interview Preparation and
Delivery

• December 2007
• David.j.mackay_at_strath.ac.uk
• Room 504.D
• 0141 548 2834

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Purpose and Objectives

• Purpose To describe how to prepare effectively
  for an interview and how to make the best
  impression when you get there.
• Objectives
• Describe the interview preparation process
• Describe how to make the best impact when you get
  there
• Raise awareness of tricks and pitfalls
• Standards
• Open, honest communication feel free to voice
  disproval at any given stage
• Questions at any time

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Where do you start?
Career Planning
CV Cover Letter
Ideal Job or placement
Interview Preparation
Effectively Answer Three (and a half) Key
Questions

• What do you want to do?
• What kind of person are you?
• What have you done and why did you do it?

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Interview Preparation

• Makes the process as easy as possible
• Make the most of your time in interview
• Answer ANY question which is asked of you
• Prepares relevant INSIGHTFUL
• Leave the interviewers with the most accurate and
  impressive perception of you

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What we will cover

• When you have received notification of the
  interview, how should you prepare
• On the day, how do you make the right impression
• Being ready for all types of interview and
  assessment

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Where are we so far

• We have a rough idea of what kind of company we
  want to work for and maybe even a rough idea of
  the kind of role that interests us
• We have made an application to a number of
  companies and received a delightful letter from
  one of them inviting us for interview
• We need to get prepared for interview!

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STOP!

• Check the details!
• Where, when, who any information missing? Find
  out
• What do you have to do to confirm the interview?
  Do you have to book any transport? Take action
  now
• Do they expect you to prepare a presentation?
  What is the format for the day?
• Step one is that you will have to communicate/
  confirm with the organisation. This is an ideal
  way to find out more information about the day in
  a professional manner

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Interviews are not natural

• What other terms do you associate with the word
  interview?
• Fear?
• Anxiety?
• False?
• Nae Bother?

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Preparation is the key

• A similar proposition to interviews is getting up
  on stage
• You are talking but not in a natural/relaxed way
• You have an audience who are scrutinising what
  you say, the way you say it and how you move
• Feedback on your performance might emerge
  throughout but equally might not be given until
  the end, if at all
• Most people can act well with sufficient practice
• Few people can improvise scenes on stage

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Making best use of your time

• Think of an interview as a time challenge
• You have 30 minutes to-
• Say as many good things as you can about yourself
• Make sure that the interviewer hears the answers
  to their questions
• How well you do this will determine if you get
  the job or not

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The three key questions

• What do you want to do?
• What kind of person are you?
• What have you done and why did you do it?
• Preparing for these will allow you to answer ALL
  non-technical questions asked by the interviewer

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The Interviewers Perspective

• The interviewer is
• seeking to identify the most appropriate
  candidate from the pool of interviewees.
• interested in choosing the individual with
• the right way of working
• the right personality to fit in with their
  business and
• aspirations that match the opportunities
  presented by the organisation.

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Consider this a process

• Need Efficiency
• Give high quality information rather than
  background information
• Give concise, well worded and ordered examples
• Need Effectiveness
• Have the most relevant examples handy to tick the
  boxes
• Have links and explanations worked out in advance
  so that you join the dots this point alone will
  set you apart from the majority of candidates.

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What have you done and why have you done it?

• What is the employer interested in?
• Your transferable skills as demonstrated by
  previous achievements/activities.
• Your suitability versus the job description/
  specification
• Why is the employer interested in this?
• They will want you to fulfil a particular role
  and succeed in it. Having demonstrated the right
  sort of approach to working in the past suggests
  that you will be able to do it in the future
  that is why it is important to explain
  achievements and how you delivered them

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How do you prepare this?

• If your c.v. has been prepared in a structured
  manner, then this section should be easy to
  prepare. For all the information contained in
  your c.v. be prepared to discuss it in depths
  outlining
• What you did (succinctly)
• What you achieved (quantified where possible)
• Why you adopted this approach
• Be sure to line up examples against each of the
  requirements from the job description.
• Examples can come from work experience, hobbies,
  academic activities it is good to mix up the
  sources

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What kind of person are you?

• What is the employer interested in?
• Would you fit into both their culture and the
  role for which you have applied?
• Why is the employer interested in this?
• The employer will be aware of the character
  traits required to succeed in their own unique
  culture and also against the particular demands
  of the role they need to see these demonstrated
  by the interviewee

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How do you prepare this?

• Write down your-
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Preferences
• Get other peoples opinions as to their
  perception of you (and capture why they think so)
• For each point written above, get two or three
  examples from part 1, what youve done, to back
  up your opinion.
• THIS IS ESSENTIAL! THIS IS ALSO THE PART THAT IS
  TYPICALLY DONE REALLY BADLY

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What do you want to do?

• What is the employer interested in?
• Do your aspirations match what they can offer you
  in terms of the role and future opportunities?
• Why is the employer interested in this?
• They will invest time, effort and money in
  developing the successful candidate. They will
  only want to do this with someone who is likely
  to stay with the organisation. This is unlikely
  if the ambitions of the candidate do not match
  the opportunities offered by the organisation

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How do you prepare this?

• List your goals for the next five to ten years
  (or as far ahead as you can see!)
• Consider your professional aims e.g.
• Chartership
• Management responsibilities
• Technical development
• Budget management
• salary
• Consider also your personal goals
• Location/travel
• Work/life balance
• Family

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The Grid
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The Links
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What does this approach do?

• Loads your mind with relevant evidence (what
  youve done!)
• Figures out in advance the best points to be put
  forward
• Creates the links to allow you to respond quickly
  and convincingly
• Creates a chain of reasoning to explain what you
  want to do in the future
• For any personal question you are asked, you will
  be able to offer an answer which is at least 90
  in line with what is being asked

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Know the company

• Have read the literature on the website and have
  done a media search (e.g. BBC website for news
  stories)
• Know the name of the CEO, the location of
  headquarters and a little bit of history (when
  founded, core products etc.). For corporations,
  have a rough idea of the share price
• Understand what are their vision, mission and
  values
• Know any literature (e.g. job descriptions) they
  have sent you absolutely inside out

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Question Time

• Prepare 3 or 4 questions to ask the interviewer
• DONT ASK QUESTIONS-
• Where the information is easily obtainable
  through company documentation/website
• Just because you have prepared them in advance if
  the answer has been given through the interview
  process
• DO ASK QUESTIONS-
• Which engage the interviewer on a personal level
  elicit their opinion
• Which relate specifically to the future prospects
  for the job, division, function etc. to which you
  are applying
• E.g. Given your experience within the
  organisation, what do you anticipate being the
  future prospects for someone with my
  qualifications who delivers results in this
  initial role?

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Types of Interview

• Competency based will focus on the big three
  and a half questions
• Technical / Professional will focus on
  technical ability typically through worked
  examples
• Assessment Centre will employ a variety of
  techniques to understand how you work
  individually and as part of a group

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Assessment Centre Preparation

• Prepare for interview as normal
• Practice psychometric testing (careers service)
• Practice numeracy/literacy testing (careers
  service)
• For group and individual exercises
• Follow instructions to the letter
• Be aware of time
• Be prepared to fail (common challenge is to set
  impossible exercises)
• Be respectful of others - be sure to demonstrate
  listening skills
• Gain control of instructions if possible

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Making an impression

• How do we communicate with people?
• Words the words we speak
• Music the intonation that we use
• Dance the body language we display

Impact 60 30
10
Dance
Music
Words
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Effective Communication
Your words
Intonation
Body Language
You What You Mean
Interviewer What They Hear
100
Miscommunication
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First Impressions

• Dress smartly
• Be clean and well groomed
• Have any materials organised and in 1 bag or
  folder
• Be standing, hands behind your back or seated
  poised to stand up as soon as the interviewer
  appears
• Let them offer to shake hands first
• Take direction as to where to sit
• Adopt a neutral position

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Engaging the Interviewer

• Remember the importance of words, music and dance
• If you have prepared in a structured manner, you
  will be able to align these as best as possible
• Mirror the mood of the interviewer (e.g. do not
  be too jovial if they are serious and vice versa)
• Listen carefully to questions and seek
  clarification if you are not sure of what is
  being asked
• Use positive body language without being scary!

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Tricks and Pitfalls

• Be prepared for good cop, bad cop
• Dont worry if you cant answer a question a
  graceful acceptance is better than an ugly lie
• If you feel you have been talking too long, you
  probably have!
• Be brief, if the interviewer wants more
  information, they will ask for it
• Dont be put off your stride just because an
  interviewer is aggressive or impassive it does
  not mean the interview is going badly. They could
  be testing you.

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Summary

• Structured preparation gives you the best chance
  of success at interview
• You need to do your homework about the company as
  well
• Being aware of your body language, intonation and
  words will help maximise your impact
• Engaging the interviewer is the final piece of
  the jigsaw
• For practice interviews, contact me!