Will it be easy? No. Will it be Worth it Absolutely!

A job interview should not be viewed as a easy task. It requires preparation, hard work and most of all dedication.

I treated this exercise professionally by viewing the simulated interview in the same way I would a real interview. I began by researching a suitable job application for my chosen career, this was the first preparational stage of the process, the class was then separated into specific categories within their chosen careers and I was placed within the teaching group. This was a crucial aspect within the preparation for the interviews as it allowed me to focus on my specific academic qualifications as well as my past experiences within the chosen job field. This meant that when it came to the interview, I had a wealth of knowledge and information to answer the interview questions effectively. This was important as my interview was conducted by my fellow classmates, not professionals. Therefore, it was essential that I understood the job application fully and the requirements it needed, in order to get the best experience overall.

The job application I acquired full title was ‘Drama Graduates wanted as Teaching Assistants’ which I found on the popular job platform ‘Indeed’. The job application stated that they were looking for enthusiastic drama graduates who had a vibrant and confident personality. It also stated that this job was perfect for gaining crucial experience within the teaching field. Therefore, this job application was the most suited to me personally as a drama student, as it was the most realistic in terms of its requirements; presenting it as a job I would apply for after graduation.

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Before anything else preparation is the key to success~ Alexander Graham Bell

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In preparation for the job interview I researched the ‘STAR’ technique which is an “interview method is a technique you can use to prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions. STAR stands for: situation, task, action, and result.”[1] This was crucial as my chosen job application of a Teaching assistant, which relies heavily on my ability to “read the room” which means “to be or become aware of the opinions and attitudes of a group of people that you are talking to.”[2] This is a behavioral technique, so I specifically researched how the ‘STAR’ technique could help me in preparation for my interview and I discovered that “most behavioral interviews will focus on various work-related challenges that demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving, and situations that showcase leadership skills, conflict resolution and performance under pressure.”[3] This information was beneficial and helped with my preparation for the interview in regards to how I would address behavioral questions by addressing the situation, task, action and therefore the result.

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Hard work is the formula for success~ Lailah Akita

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Hard work requires consideration of everything, including what to wear. I had to create on an appropriate outfit to wear that would make me look professional and like the ideal candidate for the job. This is important because, “Getting this right increases your chances of getting hired, as the person interviewing you is going to evaluate your appearance and include their assessment of your clothing in their recommendation.”[4] I wanted to look the part of an enthusiastic drama graduate who was ready to enter the professional world of work. Therefore, I decided to dress in business casual wear, which is, “defined generally as wearing professional clothes that aren’t tailored or formal.”[5] My chosen outfit consisted of a black turtle neck top, white shirt and black and white patterned trousers keeping the outfit monochrome and professional with a hint of personality to represent me as fun and approachable which was vital for my chosen job application. I also avoided wearing distracting jewelry such as large earrings and removed my nose piercing so that the interviewer could focus on me as a candidate and not be distracted by my appearance.

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Dedication, absolute dedication is what keeps one ahead~ Bruce Lee

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Dedicated I arrived at the interview and although it was being conducted by my classmates, I started to feel anxious, just as I would before an actual interview. Anxiety before a job interview is common however it is vital that it is kept under control as, “Considerable research has found that candidates who are anxious in the job interview receive significantly lower ratings of interview performance and are less likely to be hired for the job (Ayres and Crosby 1995; Cook et al. 2000; Feiler and Powell 2013; McCarthy and Goffin 2004).”[6] In order to counteract this I transferred my anxiety into enthusiasm to appear confident and calm within my interview. I put this into practice by entering the interview confidentially with good posture, maintaining eye contact with the interviewers. As well as sitting formally within my chair, avoiding fidgeting and swaying. This was important because in a study about interview anxiety conducted by DeGroot and Gooty in 2009 their “findings demonstrated that both interview and job performance raters show high agreement on the usage of nonverbal cues to make personality attributions.”[7]

With this knowledge I conducted myself professionally within the simulated interview listening and answering all the questions asked fully and effectively and I was pleased with my overall performance. However it can be argued that I found it easier to relax and perform within the interview because it was conducted by my fellow classmates. Therefore, I didn’t experience the same pressure that I would within an actual interview. This is my only criticism of the exercise because I strongly believe that if they were conducted by someone of a professional status such as a lecture, that the experience would be more enriching overall.

To conclude if you put these 3 steps into practice; Preparation, Hard Work and Dedication. Then Consider yourself Hired!

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References:

[1] Indeed Editorial Team, How To Use the STAR Interview Response Technique, 2021 [Online] Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-use-the-star-interview-response-technique#:~:text=The%20STAR%20interview%20method%20is%20a%20technique%20you,prepare%20clear%20and%20concise%20responses%20using%20real-life%20examples. [ accessed 17^th Feb 2022]

[2] Cambridge Dictionary, definition of ‘Read the Room’, 2022  [Online] Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/read-the-room [accessed 17th Feb 2022]

[3] Indeed Editorial Team, How To Use the STAR Interview Response Technique, 2021 [Online] Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-use-the-star-interview-response-technique#:~:text=The%20STAR%20interview%20method%20is%20a%20technique%20you,prepare%20clear%20and%20concise%20responses%20using%20real-life%20examples . [ accessed 17th Feb 2022]

[4] Indeed Editorial Team, What to Wear to an Interview, 2021 [Online] available at: https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/what-to-wear-to-an-interview [accessed 17th Feb 2022]

[5] Indeed Editorial Team, What to Wear to an Interview, 2021 [Online] available at: https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/what-to-wear-to-an-interview [accessed 17th Feb 2022]

[6] Amanda R. Feiler & Deborah M. Powell, Behavioural Expression of Job Interview Anxiety, 2015, [Online] available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10869-015-9403-z [accessed 18th Feb 2022]

[7] Amanda R. Feiler & Deborah M. Powell, Behavioural Expression of Job Interview Anxiety, 2015, [Online] available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10869-015-9403-z [accessed 18th Feb 2022]