careerskillsorg.uk

Resources for each step

• Step 1 Getting Started
• Step 2 Your Personal Sales “Tool Kit”
• Step 3 Searching for Opportunities
• Step 4 Your interview "Tool Kit"
• Step 5 Communication Tools
• Step 6 The Interview
• Step 7 & 8 After the Interview; Into the Future …

Career Skills - Step 6 in some ways is the culmination of the preceding Steps. The interview is the goal of the preparation work; to achieve an interview in itself is success.Obviously the intention is for each student to secure a job but actually getting into a position to offer themselves to employers is the initial achievement. Step 6 goes through the interview process in detail, looking at the sort of situation that may be faced and offers advice and insights into the processes. As much interview practice as possible is recommended

Aims

Students will know how to prepare, present and conduct themselves in a professional manner, understand the research required and what can influence an interviewer – positively and negatively.

Learning outcomes

It is expected that students will:

• be aware of the preparations necessary prior to and on the day of the interview (reference pages 80 to 84)
• understand the code of behaviour of an interview (reference page 81)
• recognise different questioning techniques and how to deal with them in a variety of interview situations (reference pages 83 to 86)
• know how to prepare and handle telephone interviews (reference pages 94 to 95)
• appreciate the techniques used in assessment centres (reference pages 87 to 91)
• know how to prepare for second or shortlist interviews (reference pages 95 to 96)

Resources needed

Student copies of Career Skills allowing personal notes to be made.Other resources could include:

• Room set up for interview rehearsals
• Briefs for candidates and interviewers in role plays
• Video camera and/or tape recorder (if available)
• Telephone/s for telephone interview practice
• Sample psychometric and personality tests a variety of possible websites links are given on this page>
• Text of case studies for discussion sessions (reference pages 97 to 100)
• Flip chart/OHP/data projector for presentations
• Downloaded Interview Assessment form (Appendix 4)
• A candidate assessment form for use in role plays/peer assessments (reference page 92)

Tutorial structure for group or individual support

The detailed content of Step 6 in Career Skills goes through the interview process and gives extensive pointers to the protocol, influences and practices involved; in conjunction with Step 4 (Your interview “tool kit”) this Step provides extensive opportunities for group and individual tuition:

• group discussion on preparation for the interview – prior and on the day;
• role play, followed by group work to discuss performance in mock interviews;
• ask all students to prepare their answer to the “tell me about yourself” question;
• ask all students to prepare answers to the “what are your strengths” and “…your weaknesses” questions
• students could present their answers in small groups (2/3) and get each group to comment on answers generally in feedback session;
• group discussion on what would impress/annoy you if “you were an interviewer”;
• practise panel interviews in role play scenario - ask ‘interviewers’ to complete candidate assessment forms / candidates to complete their Interview Assessment forms – peer group assessment possibilities also;
• students practise one-to-one interviews using colleagues own CVs- ask ‘interviewers’ to complete candidate assessment forms / candidates to complete Interview Assessment forms - peer group assessment possibilities also;
• familiarize students with psychometric test materials, e.g. verbal, spatial, numerical reasoning – advise students to answer all questions rather than leaving blanks;
• review personality questionnaires –advise students to go with their first instincts rather than trying to ‘double guess’ answers;
• role play on a business situation - setting a strategy for expansion of, say, a small manufacturing business producing innovative white goods;
• students to prepare and present a 5 minute selling pitch on an abstract concept, say, their favourite colour – reinforce relaxation techniques;
• practise telephone interviews - - ask ‘interviewers’ to complete Candidate assessment forms / candidates to complete Interview Assessment forms
• group discussions on Case Studies (see pages 97 to 100);
• develop answers to second interview questions (see pages 95 to 96) – encourage suggestions for additional questions.