2nd Blog Post
Simulated Interviews
The process of job interviews is nerve racking enough never mind being interviewed by the people you see every day, the same people who will be applying and interviewing for similar jobs in the future. So when I heard that…
Overcoming barriers to interview success
This Blog will touch on the experiences of the simulated interview and offer an in depth perspective on accessibility barriers to success. I will be using the Gibbs reflective cycle to examine and reflect on my experience, my thoughts and…
Reach for the STAR
How do you feel about interviews? Nervous? Brimming with adrenaline? Are you the sort who brings in 60 notecards, or the person who swaggers in with ease? For me, treating interviews like a conversation relaxes and calms me. But how…
The Interview and the Introvert
For someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, ‘ simulated interviews’ equates to my version of ‘simulated hell’. Yet despite my initial feelings, this experience has provided me with useful, constructive feedback in preparation for real job interviews and helped…
“So how are you fitted for this role “
There is nothing worse than not being able to answer an interview question or not knowing what to say in response. The classic “How are you fitted for the role?” or “What can you bring to the team?”. These questions…
Preparing for the rest of my life!
As a final year student studying music at university, I am about to enter a new stage in my life that will inevitably involve searching for a job and therefore interviews. Dreaded interviews. In preparation for these anxiety inducing job interviews in…
Simulated Hell
Job interviews, everyone will have to do them at some point in their life, some are better at them than others, but all dread them. Recently as part of my Work-Based module I had a simulated job interview to help…
NO PAIN – BUT A LITTLE GAIN
Well technically in terms of this assignment I had no pain as unfortunately I couldn’t take part in the stimulated interviews. However, I feel I have gained a lot from this module and the advice given within it. Therefore, I…
Simulated Interviews – Self doubt and hiding nerves
The interview process, the ultimate ‘pick me’ experience, part self-obsessed crippling doubt, and part being both the product and the salesman rolled into one. What’s not to love? “Yes Mr/Mrs interviewer, I am in fact shaking violently on the inside,…
The interview may have been simulated, but the anxiety was real!
To me, interviews have always been a daunting experience. No matter how much I have prepared, somehow the moment I sit in front of a panel of professionals my anxiety will always get the best of me. You can imagine…
2nd Blog Post
Interviews are all about Confidence! The Scary Stage In my 1st post I mentioned how “I like to view my CVs the same way I would view my dating profile page. How can I advertise myself to sound interesting? stand…
Face to Face-Nowhere to hide
The “Good Book” the Bible, says that it is not what enters a man that makes him unclean, but rather what comes out of his mouth (Matthew 15:11, paraphrased). To know what a person is made of and the thoughts…
I’m better than the rest! Promise!
There is no room for modesty in an interview. You must get in there, take a deep breath, and sell sell sell! This was true for our work-based learning module’s simulated interviews, the pressure was on to convince our peers…
Facing the Fear of Interviewing
Interviews can be the most important part of getting a job and because of this, it is often the most stressful. Employers being able to meet directly with potential candidates for job openings can incite fear and dread in the…
A Stimulating Simulation
Interviews huh… Nobody likes them, at least I don’t think anybody sane actually likes doing them. Even when you’re at the top of your game, prepared and ready, there is ALWAYS some sort of curveball that is thrown your way…
Interviewing: On Perspective, Control and Outcome
Interviewing As I sat to begin writing this blog post, Douglas Heyes’ 1966 adaption of P.C. Wren’s Beau Geste was running on TCM. The titles rolled and my attention oscillated between the Technicolor picture and the task at hand. As…
Improving my approach to interviews.
The idea of being interviewed by my course mates was far from appealing to me to begin with. However, having been through the experience I can definitely see its value as it has given me excellent experience and better prepared…
Sixty versus One Hundred
Job interviews. I’m not sure which is worse, the preparation; cramming key words and technical jargon into your brain the week leading up to it, or agonising over every word you said to the panel as soon as you walk…
Your Key To Success: THE MOCK INTERVIEW PROCESS!
Whether you love them or hate them, Job interviews are a massive part of the professional working world. The interview process is a method used by employers to analyse and assess candidates who have applied for the role in their…
“So…Tell Us About Yourself!”
And just like that every thought that has ever possessed my brain magically disappears… What is it about facing multiple strangers in a professional environment that forces any ounce of common sense to depart from our minds? Surely talking about…
Big Dreams in Ripped Jeans
To put it simply, bluntly, and honestly; there is nothing worse, and I mean nothing worse, than an interview. The judging eyes of professionals staring through your quivering soul, as you sit across sweating through your mums borrowed work blazer,…
“Where do you see yourself in five years?”
”Many people avoid thinking about interviews until the last possible moment, as if walking through the recruiter’s door is tantamount to entering a lion’s den.”1 It was the morning of the simulated interviews and I was extremely nervous getting ready in…
Reflecting on my Simulated Interview
Using ‘The Guardian Jobs’ website, I found an advertisement looking for a Year 4 primary teacher to work at Ark Academy, a mixed all-through school located in north-west London. My interview preparation involved preparing answers to possible questions and reading…
In The Hot Seat: The Tale of a Simulated Interview
The mere thought of a job interview is enough to send a shiver down the spine of even the most competent and confident candidate. However, with the right preparation, it can become not so much of a daunting task, but…
Job Interviews- The Final Frontier
Interviews! What more do I need to say. I can’t say I’ve ever been put on trial but the sheer pressure you feel going into a job interview is what I imagine defending yourself against a a judge and jury…
Simulated Interviews: 16/02/2022
We know the old saying of failure to prepare, prepare to fail. You can apply for a job that you’re qualified for, suited to, and have passion for; but, without preparation, you will never get past the meeting room. This…
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.…
FAIL TO PREPARE IS PREPARING TO FAIL
Interviews really force you to ask yourself, ‘what have I actually done with my life?’ or more formally, ‘What experience and qualifications have I gained that sets me apart from others? or Why do I deserve to get the job?’…
Show, Don’t Tell!
The daunting anticipation of Interviews has always triggered my nerves. Although it seems as if I can never release the butterflies in my stomach for this specific situation, I have discovered methods on how to control them through a simulated…
Becoming the STAR of Your Own Interview
A blog on interviews, simulated and otherwise Theory and Practice When it comes to interviews, my first thought wouldn’t usually be to look for academic texts on the subject, or even to take a step back and apply something like…
Starting on a Positive Note!
So, what are your plans after graduation? Have you started thinking about your plan for next year? What are you going to do with your degree? Some of the many, daunting but ever exciting questions spiralling around my head the…
Shocker, Tom also sucks at interviews!
My previous blog post was about my inability to sell myself, it is therefore perhaps unsurprising that I am fairly unable to perform in an interview environment, on either side of the table. Certainly both being interviewed and interviewing are…
I GOT THE JOB!
This week in class we each undertook a stimulated interview to strengthen our interview skills and our understanding of the qualities that create a great interviewee. In this blog post, I will reflect on my experiences in preparing for the…
Fake it till you Make it
You may look good on paper, but what about in person? Many people apply for jobs with their shiny CV filled with qualifications and skills but when it comes to selling themselves in person, it can all go downhill. Getting…
Simulated Job Interview
One of the most intimidating experiences in a professional setting is the job interview. The job interview is stressful and hard as you are tasked to show a person in a more established state than you are why you matter…
“Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”
As we come closer to the end of our undergraduate studies at Queen’s, it’s now time to look at what’s coming next. As part of our Work Based Learning module, we had been set the task of completing simulated interviews…
The Dreaded Simulated Interview
Job Interviews. We all love them, right? I mean what is there not to love about undergoing interrogation in front of a panel of industry professionals that ask you dreaded questions like ‘Tell us about yourself.’ Job Interviews are undoubtedly…
The Pressure Cooker
Now we’re getting to the business end of the process. This 2nd blog details how I didn’t think that a ‘simple’ conversation with my classmates would be more nerve wrecking than carrying out the actual work placement. Well, I was…
Overcoming one of my biggest professional fears- Job Interviews
Job interviews- by far the most stressful part of looking for a new job. What are they going to ask? Do I know the answers? What if I forget how to speak? These are just some of the terrifying thoughts…
Simulated Hell
The idea of an interview has always terrified me, so the thought of a simulated interview was no better. Personally, I did not have much previous experience to draw upon for this task, which is why, despite my fears going…
“Tell Us About Yourself”
That dreaded question – What do you want to know? What do you want me to say? Is there a right answer? Suddenly you can’t think of one interesting fact about yourself and you end up talking about your favourite…
Simulated Interrogation
The moments leading up to my interview were filled with anxiety and the urge to run or jump out of the nearest window. To calm myself, I recalled the training I have received on the AEL3001 module… I will be…
AEL 3001 Blog Post 2
Getting ready for a job interview can undoubtedly be a rather intense time in any professional’s life: whether it is the question preparation or the willingness to create a good rapport with your potential future employer, a lot is arguably…
It Just Has to be Done
I am sure we all share a mutual feeling toward job interviews, a feeling of dread or even fear. Despite this, it is one of the many hurdles in life that at some point must be crossed (even though we…
Under the Microscope: Simulated Interview
“The moment we set eyes on someone, our minds make evaluations and judgements with lightning speed. The same is true for potential employers who must assess us.” (Yate, 2008) Since our week 1 class there has been one thing on…
Surprisingly Worthwhile
Interviews have never been my favourite. If I were pressed to determine why, I think it’s probably something to do with the PTSD of sitting in the manager’s office in McDonald’s, hoping to get a handy summer job, only for…
The Interview: Inside Out
‘If you stop to think about it, all you are doing is sitting in front of people who work for a firm, who wish you no harm and want to see you succeed’ [1]. Well, what about in front of…
“How did that Sound?”: My Simulated Interview
On the third week of our second semester, we all took part in simulated interviews as part of our placement module. We prepared and conducted interviews based around a chosen job description, I decided to base my interview around an…
The Hot Seat
Everyone feels the same way going into an interview, butterflies in the stomach and the fear of a sudden mind blank. However, this semester my workplace learning module provided me with the opportunity to prepare for a simulated interview, applying…
Simulated Interviews- A New Perspective
In my previous blog post I discussed the process that I went through to secure a work placement for the academic year. A large component of this was the interview phase that I went through with my placement company. Some…
Shine like a STAR
I will use Boud’s model of reflection to describe my experience of the simulated interviews: exploring my behaviour, ideas, and feelings towards the interviews, followed by a reflection and re-evaluation of the experience, and finally the outcomes of this, including…
The Simulated Interview
Over the years I would like to think I have become more confident when it comes to interviews, I’ll never forgot the worst interview of my life was for the local Poundland, I was not expecting them to ask my…
Sounds Negative But I’ll Take It As A Positive
Ok, so I have finally come to terms with the fact that I may need professional help sooner rather than later for my interview skills. And that’s ok. I have struggled to put myself in the spotlight for as long…
Mock Interviews
From applying for my first retail job at sixteen to almost pursuing a career in dentistry having obtained three offers in 2017, I have had a fairly reasonable amount of experience taking part in interviews during may adult life so…
So you think you’re a S.T.A.R?
So, 2nd blog post. This time, it’s interview time. The questions start running through my head on the walk up to the interview room. Have I prepared enough? What sort of questions are these lot going to ask me? Am…
The Mind Blank
A job interview is when an employer ‘asks you questions about your career, personality and life and you answer honestly while trying to impress them.’[1] Seems easy, doesn’t it? Not when your mind goes completely blank second question in! I was…
Reflective Essay 2 – Conor Meharg
What, Me Worry? (Or, How I failed to stop worrying and trust the interview process.)
Ciaran Coyle – 40304722, Blog Post 2 SITUATION – Fail to prepare, Prepare to Fail. When looking through the available job listings posted on Canvas, I was absolutely delighted to find the Beggars Music Co. job Production description. Beggars music…
A ‘Real’ Interview…
In preparing for my simulated interview, I found it difficult to relate this task to my experiences applying for work in music production. I have not experienced a formal interview, instead securing gigs has been done by presenting examples of…
SIMULATED INTERVIEWS: A Lesson in Confidence, Clarity and Preparedness
When I heard that we were to have simulated interviews in Week 3 my feelings were mixed. I saw the value in the exercise and appreciated the chance we would get to practice our interview skills in an interview environment…
When the BBC thinks you live in the Atlantic – My Simulated Interview
It is rare you get the opportunity to sit a job interview without the fear of rejection. The BBC Storyworks Creative Director role I chose for my simulated interview was one I had been rejected from for a very unusual…
Interviews Fake and Real (or) Try to Remember these People are not your Friends, they might be your Boss.
In the run-up to the mock interviews I wasn’t quite sure what I expected. I had questions prepared and was equally prepared for questions that may be asked of me, given the role for which I had chosen to be…
It’s all a simulation
Out of all the assignments required to complete the Work-based Learning module, the simulated interview was the scariest. Talking publicly is hard enough without having to answer questions about myself in a compelling and eloquent manner. I will once again…
Stumbling through an Interview…A Guide.
Job interviews are one of the most nerve wracking portions of the job application process. Having only done a handful of interviews in my life, I was not well versed on how to maximise my chances at acing one. As…
Confidence is key.
The nerves started to kick in as soon as we were told we had to prepare and undergo stimulated interviews in week 3. People would tend to see me as a talkative and outgoing person. However, in some situations that…
Think before you speak
To think before you speak seems like an obvious concept when approaching an interview. This blog will reflect upon my simulated interview experience for the work-based placement module. It will think about the importance of this phrase and the lessons…
So You Want To Be A Teacher?
“In most cases, the best strategy for a job interview is to be fairly honest, because the worst thing that can happen is that you won’t get the job and will spend the rest of your life foraging for food…
Flashcards…The Key to Success?
Job interviews: a near graduate’s biggest fear (that near graduate being me). We all have an image in our minds of what an interview looks like- don’t we? For me, it’s an early morning start (9am to be exact), handshakes,…
Interviewing for a Clean Break
Introduction I’m going to be completely honest here- I do NOT interview well. I have never interviewed well, even though every job interview I’ve done from the time I was eighteen, I’ve managed to somehow do great in and land…
Interviews – A Blessing or a Curse?
Interviews. An essential aspect of personal and career growth. So how come no-one likes them? Looking at the bare-boned structure of them, what actually is an interview? It is a conversation. It is a question and answering session. It is…
Job Interviews are like First Dates: Good impressions count, Awkwardness can occur and Outcomes are unpredictable.
Interviews scream stress, anxiety and a considerable lack of sleep the night before. Personally, interviews are just not for me as I’ve had very little experiences with them. In fact, the only possible interview I can remember was for a…
S.T.A.R. Quality Interviews!
Picture it; your dream job, your calling, nothing more you could want. You’ve put in the work, you’ve got the grades, ability, drive. All you must do is prove it. Simple… Isn’t it? However, unfortunately for me, and perhaps many…
I’m a Drama Student in Japan. / わたしはドラマ学生日本で。/ watashi wa dorama gakusei nihon de.
To Ponder… This blog post will include the use of Boud et al’s Model of reflection to evaluate and reflect upon the simulated interviews (see figure 1). I will use this reflective model to investigate my behaviour, ideas and feelings,…
Teaching in Hong Kong: The Simulated Interview
“Using the reflective processes – we come to understand our experiences differently and take action as a result,” (Jasper, 1) Too relaxed? Gibbs’ reflective cycle helped me reflect back on my simulated interview experience. I was placed in a group…
Tell Me About Yourself… Who Me?!
How I survived a simulated interview For years I have been told to always be myself. Be true to myself and don’t change for anybody. Does this rule still apply when going for a job interview? My first every job…
Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You.
Stare at the clock, check your phone, notice the glaringly obvious sweat patches forming under your blazer jacket, glare at your feet, rinse and repeat. The tried and true cycle of the waiting room is alive and well and no…
Simulated Interviews
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been delving into some research on future employment opportunities alongside my peers. This has been a great educational experience overall as I feel like I have a much better understanding of where my degree…
Hired Or Fired?
Employing the best candidate for a job is always the end goal for any employer, therefore, the interview process is always a great way for both the employer and the applicant to acquire more information about each other, ultimately determining…
The Big Day
As a child, I have always dreamed of becoming a teacher, having my own classroom, and being a role model for young students. However, what I didn’t dream of was the interview for the job, stuck in a waiting room…
Blowing Your Own Trumpet 101
“I don’t mean to brag…” Or, maybe I do. This is the troubling enigma faced by every candidate in a job interview, fearing the dreaded phrase, “you’re fired“, before they’ve even been hired. With every painful interview experienced, the one…
Simulated Interviews: A Pointless Exercise?
Simulated Interviews = Hell. When I first heard that I would be expected to do simulated interviews as part of my course, I panicked. I thought, this will be a nightmare, what could be worse than simulated interviews with your…
the dreaded interview.
The worst part about applying to a job? The dreaded interview. How do I look? Did I prepare enough? God, I hope they like my answers…I hope they like me. Even though this was a fake interview with course mates,…
Interview with a film student
Introduction: Writing this reflective work will be difficult, as reflective essays receive the best marks when significant mistakes are made and analysed however in the case of this task (well aware of the risk of coming across as immensely…
Finding the Right Balance: My Simulated Interview Experience
Despite having a range of valuable interview skills from past experiences, the AEL3001 simulated interview was the first time I was verily consulted about a job within my chosen career path and a sector which I am not only passionate…
The Donegal International Rally and It’s Lessons On Interview Skills (Bap Bap)
Intro: Starting Line Week 12 and 13 gave me the opportunity to get a glimpse into a world I had little to no experience in and will be the topic of this 2nd blog post: the job interview. Don’t get…
How does a Drama Student approach a stimulated interview? With almost any job opportunity, there is one trial you will be met with. This trial comes in the form of a conversation between you and your potential employer – it…