New Year, New Start
28 May 2023I entered into my placement after Christmas with a great deal of enthusiasm, as the first event of the new year was with the band ‘Gojira’, supported by two other bands; ‘Alien Weaponry’ and ‘Employed To Serve’. My physical involvement in this show was unfortunately minimal as the aforementioned bands had their own equipment, stage crew and roadies. It is worth mentioning however, despite the vast amount of bodies working on this event, I still found ways to offer my assistance, e.g. some of the band’s team members asking for pipe and draping in order to obscure various pieces…
From Soundcheck to Showtime.
“To the average listener: no matter how great the band, if the sound engineer sucks, the band sucks.” Have you ever found yourself in a situation where everything had to be perfect? As part of the team at the Sonic…
Mashed up Memories
“My mammy is going to make the best mashed potatoes this Christmas and I’m going to get a beautiful doll with a red velvet dress”. This was the sentence that broke me. Using Gibbs reflective module, I will explain why.…
Practical is best
The aspect of my placement which I enjoyed the most was undoubtedly the practical shoots. Over the course of my placement I attended a number real life shoots for a range of projects. This included creation of a sizzle reel,…
A Ghost In The Room
Reflecting on past experiences is a powerful way to learn and grow in both our personal and professional lives. In this blog post, I will share one of the most challenging experiences from my work as a streaming engineer for…
Anxiety in the Workplace
Introduction While searching for a placement I was thrilled to be given a role as a member of the SARC media team. However, I quickly realised that because I had no prior experience in media, my new role would be…
“In Theory”: Not in Practice.
Please use the buttons below to navigate between sections: Introduction Going into my placement I had a keen interest in understanding the inner workings of a small production company with the hopes of one day creating my own. After undertaking…
If Opportunity Does Not knock, Build A Door! – Blog Post 3
For my work placement with Liam McMullan in GBL Productions, I was often working alone. Initially, I was tasked with general office work. I normally organised and categorised financial documents, as well as previous productions’ scripts, dance routines (in written…
From Pajamas to Productivity: The Challenge of Working at Home
“Ready Steady Off You Go”
Last semester I joined the Junior Academy of Music (JAM) at QUB, a place to teach young people to study music. It is easy to be a “Big student” sitting with children, helping teachers build the atmosphere, or checking test…
Skill Transfer
Reflecting near the end of my work placement I have learned a lot through recording and mixing sessions and had a few challenges along the way. For the most part, it has been the ability to transfer all my Digital…
The Harsh Reality of Being a Runner on Set
‘Working as a Runner gives you a look at the many different departments in the film industry, you will be able to see how these departments interacted together and perhaps feel drawn towards one.’ [1] As any film student learns,…
My Dance, Dance Revelation
Struggling with ‘imposter syndrome’
YES…finally. I have just finished editing the video I’ve been working on for the last few days and now I’m finally finished. I send the final cut to the head of the department, pack up my things and head home…
ERROR: Proceed with Caution.
Description WHAT HAPPENED? I found the charity Hourglass, which is the only UK Charity solely dedicated to supporting and preventing the abuse and exploitation of older people, they offered a true insight into the functioning of a third sector. Asked…
Editing My Time
Introduction My opportunity with my placement provider, Sean, was twofold. I assisted Sean with video and sound material for Youth Action NI but mostly assisted with his own independent podcast productions for several Belfast based comedians. Throughout the placement he…
The Final Blog Post: Being a small fish in a big pond can knock your confidence.
Throughout my final blog post, I will once again use Gibbs’s reflective model to analyse my performance from the past year. On this occasion, I will discuss something that challenged me greatly during my work-related learning experience, independence. I have…
The View from the Control Room: Humble Beginnings
As I was approaching the end of my placement with Amps studio, I had undergone much training and professional practice in sound recording, editing, and mixing, and was ready to take on my first independent recording session with a full…
Practice makes Perfect
“Practice makes perfect. After a long time of practicing, our work will become natural, skilful, swift, and steady.” – Bruce Lee. One of the hardest parts of being a musician is having dedicated practice time and sticking to it to see…
Communication is Key… I had always thought of myself as an organised individual, which is most of the reason I would consider myself a pretty good (if I do say so myself) producer. So, when I turned up to one…
Entering a New Reality
This year I took on a placement with Belfast’s Extended Reality Festival, a new addition to the annual Belfast Film Festival, which introduced the public to a selection of works utilising virtual and augmented reality. I was brought on to…
I promise I’m not lying… I’m 21!
Ah, the sweet joys of being mistaken as a fourth year in high school even though you are legally allowed to drink in the states (responsibly of course). At 21 years old, you probably still don’t get asked for date…
From Volunteer Videographer to Lead Graphic Designer: My Reflective Journey at Larne FC
Last year I joined Larne FC to give myself something to do over the summer, planning to leave once university started up again. I initially joined the club looking to expand upon my videography and photography skillset, and now, ten…
THE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS
Throughout my work with CineMagic, I have been able to sample many facets of the film industry. Ranging from being present on a professional film set and lending a hand to taking photos and videos for their social media pages…
Navigating High-Pressure Work Environments: Reflections on Using OKRs at ByteDances
Networking as a Student
For collaboration led industries such as, film, VFX, costume and set design, the importance of networking cannot be understated. ’Chatting and being friendly with the right people can catapult you and your career opportunities’(www.creativelivesinprogress.com ). Networking refers to the act…
Establishing your place and believing you belong there!
In a work experience environment, is there a difference between learning by shadowing and learning by doing? Throughout my experience within the Stage Management Team at The Lyric Theatre, I found that there was so much to learn from watching…
Teachers are Learners too !
In this blog, I’ll discuss how I overcome these challenges using the Gibbs Reflective Model to show how I adapted my approach to teaching for the benefit of my students. According to Gibbs, teachers ought to evaluate themselves in order to…
Finding the balance: Friendship and Professionalism in the workplace
What do you want to be when you grow up? “A Princess” – Four-year-old me. Working for a dress-up company may sound like a fairy tale dream come true, but it’s not all fun and magic. The reality is that…
Confidence is key
I have thoroughly enjoyed my work placement so far, it has taught me many new skills and given me a lot of experience in an area that I hope to one day work in. But it has not been without…
Outgrowing Your Role
‘Patience is a virtue’
Even though I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Forge Integrated Primary school as a classroom assistant, I would be lying if I said at times, it didn’t have it’s challenges. I have learnt that working with children is the most…
Finding My Feet Sitting in a meeting with a bunch of professionals can be daunting, and incredibly intimidating when you’re a student who is still trying to find her feet in this new workplace. 3..2..1..and its my turn to speak,…
Challenge Accepted Sir!
When I chose to take up my work placement as a teaching assistant, I thought, “How bad could it be? They’re children!” Little did I know how wrong I was. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that teaching was…
Lots of plates spinning… and they are all wobbling… and on fire…
When I reflect on my placement, I have many memories of familiarity. Being back in my old secondary school, doing studio recording and mixing work, it was all stuff I’d become well adjusted to over the last 3 years as…
Inconsistency is Key… Right?
“Miss McConvey, we’re going to move you to a different class now”. A sentence I heard most days during my placement. I entered the school thinking I would be focussing on one pupil each day; I couldn’t have been more…
Dazed and Confused
The very first task I had to do for my placement turned out to be the most stressful. I learned a lot from this experience, both about editing in general and also the company; Lamb Films, which I was to…
The ‘Public’
There is a word that, when uttered, everyone who has had the chance to work with them will understand. It is a universal experience, whether it be in retail, customer service or even festivals. The Public. Majority of them are…
Overcoming Obstacles
Closed Session
During my time at Kabosh, I was primarily production assistant on Rosemary’s Jenkinson’s Silent Trade. In her review of this production Bronagh Lawson (2023) highlights that “although the subject is difficult you leave better informed”. Something that I feel is…
A Bit of Courage Goes a Long Way
“Then, if you don’t mind, I’ll go with you,” said the Lion, “for my life is simply unbearable without a bit of courage.” The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum According to CPP’s Global Human Capital Report, “the average…
Where Does the Future Lie?
I have chosen to make use of Borton’s (1970) model of reflection when considering the experience I have gained through my continued placement with National Museums Northern Ireland (NMNI). I have chosen Borton’s (1970) model of reflection as I think…
How I Lightened the Load
The Challenge Prior to my undertaking of AEL 3001, I have been working as an in-house lighting technician for the Limelight Belfast. Whilst I knew going from this to working at Forfey would definitely provide a different set of challenges…
Setting sail to Fiji
My Overall Experience from the Internship I gained valuable life skills as I expanded my cultural knowledge of the Fiijain culture through the fantastic and plentiful resources that Think Pacific offered during my 4-week internship. I did my action project…
“Do we have to do this?”
I can confidently say that my time as a teaching assistant in Banbridge Academy has been extremely positive and enjoyable apart from one incident. Whilst undertaking the role of choir assistant during preparations for the Christmas Carol service I was…
Attention, Attention: Learning To Command It
I have always been aware that I look young for my age. “You’ll be glad of that when you’re older” was always the response of those around me. Well, now I am older, and honestly, going into a teaching placement,…
Future of Broadcasting
Radio Ga Ga
I have to admit that if you had told me at any point in my life before this year of university that I was going to help run an online radio station for the better part of a year, I…
The last hurrah!
As my final weeks at Queens sadly come to an end, I am going to reflect back on a challenging experience that sticks out to me, from the past eight months completing my work experience at the Lyric Theatre Belfast.…
Burn in my Light: One Bad Experience to Rule Them All
Pre-Reflective Reflection As the semester draws to a close, the necessity to invest in critical reflection toward certain areas becomes increasingly paramount. With my degree having a focus in the studio environment of music and audio production, I had never…
BRINGING THEATRE INTO THE DIGITAL AGE
STUCK IN THE PAST Shamefully I must admit that I’m somewhat of a dinosaur when it comes to technology. So, you can imagine my horror, when I was asked on placement to help create digital content to advertise Big Telly’s…
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Zamott The Labour of Teaching It’s no secret that a placement in teaching is one of the most challenging, time-consuming and horror story-inducing…
Finding my voice on radio
All began so well in my work placement on the radio. In the first few weeks, I was living my dream, chatting away and mainly just introducing myself. But then I began speaking less, really struggling to have my say…
Priceless Proactivity
As a child, W5 in Belfast was a place of wonder. It had always held a special place in my heart, so returning many years later to complete work experience left me struck with confusing feelings of nostalgia mixed with…
Logistical Miracle
Reflecting on a challenge I faced on my placement, I will use Gibb’s reflection model to assess my behaviour and communication (1998). Description Throughout my time as a Festival Assistant with the Open House Festival, I had the opportunity to…
Dealing With Rejection
Introduction When I began my placement at Humanity Cosmetics I had no prior experience in content creation for companies, meaning I was being thrown into the deep end. In addition, during my time with the company I have dealt with…
Challenges throughout my placement
Description The placement I undertook and was working was one involved in broadcasting live streams from Queen’s SARC building and music rooms. Concerts and conferences that would happen weekly would be recorded and directly broadcast on Youtube and other platforms.…
MATH MAESTRO OR NUMERACY NOVICE?
Undeniably, numeracy is a critical subject in the primary school curriculum, and “prospective teachers should know the mathematics they are expected to teach deeply” (Norton 2017: 47). However, many trainee teachers “have low levels of mathematical confidence” (Norton 2017: 48).…
Flunk or float? My stressful experience of conducting a lesson for mature students
You clear your throat, you shakily hold the lesson plan you have formulated in your hand, it feels like you are giving a speech in front of the United Nations. Will you flunk it? Will you float? Only time would…
The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men…
..Often go awry.” (Steinbeck, 1937) This was a lesson I learned all too well whilst recently completing my work placement at a local school. Though I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at St. John’s, the best experiences are those that teach…
It’s simple, but not that easy
Introduction: In recent years, live streaming has become increasingly popular, particularly in industries such as music, gaming, and education. It allows content creators to broadcast their work in real-time and enables their audience to interact with them using chat rooms.…
Keep On Keeping On – Bouncing Back From Disappointment
I am a strong believer that perseverance is an invaluable trait, and by refusing to give up you prove your character is strong and can withstand hardship. Rather than falling off the career ladder when faced with a setback in…
The Biggest Challenge within my work placement: Lack of work
Reflective module I will be using the 2001 Rolfe Et Al’s model of reflection to evaluate my biggest challenge throughout my experience in my work placement. There are 3 simple steps all of which have a broad scope of meaning,…
Protected: Lights, Camera, Where’s the Engineer?
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Ewww… couldn’t be Worse
Challenges on the Way!
The last year of my graduation in the university gave me the opportunity to take steps towards fulfilling my goal of becoming a teacher. I started my work placement in the Rosetta Primary School, Belfast as a part of my…
Bridging The Gap – Blog 3
Challenges and learning outcomes from my work placement.
“The educated [person] is one who has learned to changed.” Karl Rogers In this essay, I use Gibbs reflective model to discuss a challenging aspect of my work placement. I outline the challenge addressed and my learning outcome. This model…
Working from Home: The Creative Challenges of Solo Videography
I have always considered filmmaking to be a collaborative process. In my freelance work, solo projects are very rare as I am usually working with a second shooter. However, my work with Humanity Cosmetics has been entirely independent. The style…
I Was Just… A Voice.
University. Work experience. Independence. Oh, isn’t it so exciting!? But, does that mean it didn’t have its challenges? The answer is simple, everything has its challenges, even the job you love will have hurdles you need to jump! Having finished…
The show must go on!
Pressure… responsibility… networking… what happened to the old days of interns getting coffee? My time at The MAC Belfast has enabled me to grow as a well-rounded creative professional. However, I have also experienced challenges and one in particular was…
Becoming a Film Teacher
Do you know that saying when “life gives you lemons, make lemonade”? Well, I think I embraced this saying after getting my work placement sorted after many months of trying. I ended up working with Larry Cowan at his production…
My Name Is… Never Mind.
Have you ever tried to speak to someone who does not know the same language? During my placement when I was working as a classroom assistant, one of my tasks was to work alongside a pupil that only knew how…
Conquering Challenges: Navigating A Difficult Event at Work Placement
As I made my way into the city centre, excited for another day of placement at Start Together studios, I was thinking about what a fantastic learning experience it all had been. My confidence in my abilities had grown vastly…
Never Give Up
Editing feels almost like sculpting or a form of continuing the writing process. Sydney Pollak For ten years, editing has been my passion. I enjoy juxtaposing images together and combining sound with the visuals to transform the story through an…
The Importance of Personalised Lesson Plans – Learnt the Hard Way
By Kathryn Collins Reflecting on my work placement in Laurelhill Community College, there has been many challenges I have had to overcome. From learning new technology I had no prior knowledge of, learning how to manage behaviour within the…
SINK OR SWIM
Challenges – The Road to Learning
Throughout my placement, I learned an eternity of lessons; from how to plan a lesson, to how to present yourself in front of a class. Like all, with learning came the challenges. How else do we learn without challenges?Over the…
Learn by Doing? More Like, Learn by Failing
SEQUEL* and I agreed that the videos you put together didn’t match the brand aesthetic. Christopher, Humanity Cosmetics CEO * PR Company Practitioners and intelligentsia often claim that mistakes can be regarded as “a learning opportunity”. However, this maxim has…
Orchestrated Chaos.
My time at the BBC has been a relatively relaxed experience, each day was much more of a learning curve than an over exertion of physical or mental labour. However, utilising the ERA cycle I will observe and reflect one…
Cinematographer an Intimidating Role
My Role My placement provider asked me to be the cinematographer for a short film he was making with a class he teaches. This was a dark comedy based in rural a bar near Belfast. Within this role I filmed…
Lights! Camera! Action!, My Experience Filming a Stock Music Video On Placement
I have to admit, filming is always a daunting experience. However, filming a stock music video that could be bought and consumed by thousands globally is at another level entirely. ‘Reflective practice can give strategies to bring things out into…
Trying to escape the 67%…
‘67% of employers suggest recent graduates need to improve their interview performance’ (Chronicle of Higher Education, 2013) Description What happened? The process required us to begin by finding a job description similar to one we are looking at for future…
The “Nervous” Cliché
To avoid falling for the all-too-common cliché of people feeling “nervous” before attending an interview, I will instead tell you the truth! Or at least my truth. I love talking to people, I do so with such passion! Often times…
Selective Skills – The art of cracking the interview
Preparing for the simulated interviews my mind was cast back to my first ever interview, over 14 years ago for the retail store NEXT. I was reminded of the nerves and excitement I had going into it, my preparation on…
Simulated Interview Reflection
Description For this simulated interview I applied to a freelance studio assistant in London, doing various jobs around studios assisting with whatever tasks needed. I applied to this job through Mandy, a website that presents job opportunities that are posted…
What If You Are Late At Interview?
“I’m sorry, this is not ordinarily how I conduct myself.” [1] My story is different from everyone else’s. A few weeks ago, I have a chance to attend a Simulate Interview. Because of some reason, when I go to the…
Fake it ’till You Make it: Reflections of a Simulated interview
By Olivia Peden In this blog post, I would like to reflect upon my experience of my simulated interview, taking into account both my self- reflection and peer reviews. I plan on employing Gibbs’ reflective cycle in order to discuss…
A Wandering Eye
I doubt anyone can say they enjoy the interview process, and if there are people out there that do, I am definitely not one of them. Throughout my 21 years of life, I can say I’ve had my fair share…
In Interviews, Grammar Matters…But So Does Confidence: Reflections from a Non-Native English Speaker
A High-Pressure Simulation
In this blog, I will be applying the model of reflection proposed by Boud, et al., (1985) to systematically reflect on my experience of the simulated interview session. Model of Reflection in the Learning Process (Boud et al., 1985) A…
The Blabber Mouth…
Entering The Lions Den… Although this simulated interview process was not going to make or break anything major, I still felt anxious as the day rolled around. I tried to convince myself ‘this doesn’t matter, it’s just my classmates, I…
“Failure to Prepare is Preparing to Fail”
Reflective Analysis Journal Live Sound Engineer Interview Simulation The purpose of this reflective analysis journal is to evaluate my performance during a simulated interview for a live sound engineer position, using Boud’s method of reflection. This method involves examining the…
LESSONS LEARNED by Luke Darby
Interview Ready!
My chosen job description for the simulated interviews was for a position as an audio engineer in a studio-based work environment, a career I am very passionate to pursue when I graduate from university and in the future, complete a…
Evaluating Anxiety
While working with director Paula McFetridge on the new writing piece ‘Not On Our Watch’ by Louise Matthews, the prejudice homeless women in our society face was an undeniable and constantly pervading theme. As one of the leading supporters of…
GETTING HIRED FOR YOUR DREAM JOB 101
THE FIRST HURDLE Whilst being on Placement has taught me many things about working in the theatre industry, it has yet to teach me one of the biggest fights of working in the industry… That of course being getting into…
Mastering Preparation
“Miss Hannah Wasson, we are ready to see you”. Just like that, in a few words, my peers had become my interviewing panel. Their once friendly faces now peered at me with straight, stern looks, curious to find out how…
We’ll be in touch
Ah, the joys of an interview! You’d think the fact you get offered an interview for a job you are clearly somewhat interested in, you would be flattered! Excited! Optimistic! Sadly, that’s not the case and believe it or not…
What I never knew about Interviews
Reflecting on my life and the job interviews I have had and ‘prepared’ for up to now, I realised just how unprepared I am for the world of graduate job interviews. The lecture on interview skills at the start of…
Not Another Interview!
Simulated Interviews: Overcome the Nerves
The dreaded interview. From applying to part time jobs and places on programmes to assist my academic and working skills, I have had to participate in many. My interview experiences in the past have ranged from abysmal to good. I’ve…
‘So tell us a bit about yourself’- The Interview Stage.
The daunting task ahead. The interview stage is arguably the most difficult stage when applying for any job. It is usually the final piece of the employment puzzle in many workplaces across the world and a fantastic opportunity for any…
The dreaded job interview…
What am I going to do? At the beginning of this module, I decided to read the module outline and stumbled upon the overview for week 3. It was a description on how I would partake in a simulated interview…
Stuck in Simulation
Interviews require you to sell yourself as an asset; you must make the company you’re applying with believe that you are the single most suited person for a position over any other applicant. Interviews, simulated or not, are something I…
Interviews: The Dreaded Conversation
On Thursday 2nd February 2023, we conducted stimulated interviews where classmates acted as a panel for a job of your choice. As I want to pursue a career in teaching, I found a job advertisement for a teacher of English in…
FAIL TO PREPARE. PREPARE TO FAIL.
The interview is a conversation with a purpose’ – Bingham W.V Many people despise the thought of job interviews, and this is understandable. It’s scary to think that in a survey of 2,000 hiring managers, 33% claimed to know whether they would hire someone…
AEL Blog Post 2 – Simulated Interviews
Let me set the scene, it’s the last Friday of May. You’ve just woken up to the smell of freshly cut grass, the sun is peaking through your blinds, the air is warm. You cannot wait to go to school…
STAR CANDIDATE
For this blog entry I will express my thoughts, feelings and behaviour towards the simulated interviews, through the use of Boud’s model of reflection[1]. I will also reflect and re-evaluate on my interview experience, reviewing the outcomes as well as…
Talking Against Time
There is no stress that can quite compare to that of a job interview. Are you able to talk against the clock in a way that proves to the person opposite the desk, that there is no need to even…
INTERVIEW IMPROVEMENTS
How Things Are Going After having spent nearly 6 months with Cinemagic, I am able to reflect on how far it has taken me. Not only was I given a great opportunity to work with a well-known Belfast-based company and…
An Over Prepared Interview
The key to any successful interview is preparation, applicants must be prepared to recite their relevant skills, qualities and experience, as well as taking time to research the company, arrange reliable transport and prepare a suitable outfit. An applicant that…
Use Your Time Wisely
What is the most uncomfortable feeling you can have? For me, it’s attending a job interview. The butterflies in your stomach, the uncomfortable introductions, and the constant overthinking that occurs after the interview. I was granted the opportunity to experience…
Laugh out loud has a whole different meaning in an interview: a reflection on combatting nerves
In the fourth week of our new semester, we took simulated interviews for our work-based learning module. I was really excited to practice my interview skills as I know approaching graduation, I will be taking interviews for important job opportunities.…
Interview worries
Source: https://www.simplilearn.com/job-interview-statistics-article “I’m so nervous” I thought to myself as I walked towards the Peter Froggatt building on the morning of my simulated interview. I do not like interviews (who does?) as they make me very nervous as I’m always…
The Overcoming of Irish Humility in an Interview
The Overcoming of Irish Humility in an Interview.pdf
My second interview
Job interviews are not something I would consider myself well versed in, as this mock interview between myself and my peers was to be my second job interview to that of an interview for a EuroSpar. This had left me…
Weight of the Word
You never remember how hard it is to talk about yourself until you’re sat in front of a row of strangers and asked what makes you so special compared to that guy who was just in before you. Interviews, dreaded,…
Simulated Interviews
“It takes off the rose-tinted spectacle about the whole process and makes insider knowledge available to a wider audience” (Baptiste 8). In this reflective essay I consider my learning during the simulated interview process which took place in the AEL3001…
Eighty Percent Of Success Is Showing Up…
So where is the other twenty? American filmmaker, actor and comedian Woody Allen once stated that “eighty percent of success is showing up”, so is this the same for job interviews? This blog aims to look at how showing up…
Job Interviews: Selling Yourself For A Pay Cheque
Job interviews, torturous overly stressful conversations. Conversations which have a massive impact on your future. They are sales pitches where the product you’re trying to sell is yourself (Muir, 2005). However, in their most basic form, they are a conversation…
Simulated Job Interviews – Disengage the Simulator
What do I want to be when I grow up? Nothing quite compares to the angst and apprehensiveness faced when staring down the barrel of an impending job interview. Will I mess this up? Will they like me? Will I…
To be interviewed or not to be interviewed…that is the question.
In my experience, interviews for any job, no matter the field, function very much like auditions do. Hours of preparation, nerves as you wait outside the room (potentially sizing up fellow interviewees), and often only being given a small amount…
‘Interview’ : [noun] the terrifying gateway to post-graduation employment
There’s something about the word interview that immediately sends a shock of panic into a person. Although I have had a few interviews in my life, the prospect of having one, particularly for an entry-level position, a post-graduation job, was…
Job Interviews – The Plight of the Workplace
Just relax, they’re people too you know Job interviews are the last step in the recruitment process that I’m convinced is only a formality to make sure the application or CV matches the candidate. Having said this however, it’s clear…
Interview a New You! – Becoming an Interview Guru
With the recent emergence of so many innovative interview tactics, ranging from spontaneous testing of situational awareness and technical skills to an inquisition of one’s morals- can you ever truly be prepared? Despite a surge of research on employers over…
PREPARE AND PRACTICE!
MY INTERVIEW SIMULATION EXPERIENCE Job interviews are some of the most daunting situations a young adult can face, the anxiety and panic can sometimes get the better of us and we miss out on what might have been a…
The big bad Simulated World
The Search When searching for a job within the media industry, I tried multiple sources but ultimately found my ideal job on NI Jobs with the production company Farm Flix. This was the stepping stone to further research into the…
Nerves are a good sign…or are they?
As I stand outside the door before going into my mock interview, I only ask myself one question – “Why did I agree to go first?” At the time it seemed like a good idea, go first, and get it over…
They like you on paper.
“If they’ve asked for an interview, they already like you on paper. If they’ve asked for an interview, they already like you on paper…” I repeated this phrase to myself on the morning of the simulated interview session, dressed in…
The Harsh Reality for an International Student
From being confident to being humbled, the reality of the working field and finding a job in a foreign country is not what I expected at all. I’ve always prepared my future step by step, and studying Drama is a…
Do you want the real answer or the answer I have been preparing for weeks?
That question runs through my mind in every interview. It’s like a performance, I turn into a different character and pretend that everything is fine. This façade emerges through rigorous coaching, research, and a lot of coffee. Of course, I…
Blog Post 2 – Simulated Interviews
Preparation For our simulated interviews with our peers, we were required to research and decide on a real-world job opportunity specific to our chosen career paths. I aim to become a Costume Designer for various theatre companies after university so…
Practice Makes Perfect: My Simulated Interview Experience
Escape the simulation: Take the red pill – Simulated Job Interviews
Standing there waiting to be called in. It’s the most nerve-wracking experience anyone can go through, the anxiety can quickly swell up and consume you. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I was going to ace this interview. I’d…
‘The Interview’ behind the scenes.
Heart racing. Pulse rushing. Leg shaking. This is how I’ve felt sitting outside every interview room I’ve ever been in. I always assumed I’d find interviews easy. Growing up in the arts I had ample experience auditioning in new, scary…
ACTING MY WAY TO SUCCESS: DIRECTING SIMULATED JOB INTERVIEWS LIKE A DRAMA PERFORMANCE
As William Shakespeare famously declared, we all have a part to play in life’s grand performance. This could not ring truer than in the context of a job interview, where the scene is set with a script of questions, and…
Frequently Asked Questions
I will use Gibb’s reflection model to evaluate my experience of completing a simulated interview for Impact Manager at the BBC by analysing my actions throughout the process (1998). Description After many hours of researching jobs in the charity, community,…
SIMULATED INTERVIEWS
Martin John Yate (2015, 24) describes an interview as, ‘a two-way discussion designed to help the interviewer learn more about you, your background, and your abilities, and to help you learn more about the company and the job you are…
To Be Or Not To Be – That Is The Interview Question
The whole premise of an interview can be extremely daunting. From the lead-up and preparation beforehand, right until the day I sat down and faced the questions being asked to me, it’s fair to say that nerves were rife and…
You’re Hired… I hope!
Although studying theatre prepares you for the arts industry, this simulation taught me that gaining employment in this competitive environment is a challenging task! The adrenaline… the intensity… the first impression can make or break any application! Anxiously waiting for a…
If All The World’s Indeed A Stage, It Sure Explains The Nerves
The Bard was right – and interviewers are a tough crowd! As someone who grew up performing on stage, I’m well acquainted with stage fright. While I’m no longer a performer, I feel the same nerves in more mundane situations…
Reflection of Simulated Interviews
Utilising the ERA cycle, I will now self-assess the simulated interviews and my situational awareness when I was employer and employee. “Reflective practice takes its starting point from our experiences and assumes that we can learn from them for our…
How much Interview Can a Simulated Interview Simulate?
A few weeks ago I partook in a simulated interview as a part of my Work-Based Learning module. In our class we split up into groups of five people and prepared questions to ask each other in our interviews. In…
“Fake it ‘til you make it!”: Finding Success in a Simulated Interview
This blog post’s title self-admittedly became my personal mantra regarding confidence in an interview. If any obstacle stood between me and a job offer it was my desire to curl up in a ball and avoid the process altogether. However,…
Tell me about yourself….oh no!
“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail” is something my dad has said to me my whole life and something I believe in and follow for pretty much everything I do, including when it comes to job interviews. When I heard…
PLAN, PRACTICE, PERFORM: SIMULATED JOB INTERVIEWS
“Can you tell us a bit about yourself?” Fluttering stomachs, sweaty palms, and scattered thoughts are common symptoms experienced by job interview candidates. However, failure to plan and practice dramatically exacerbates such anxiety. Since “interviews are one of the most widely used hiring methods” (Brosy,…
Be Prepared!!
Interviews– even typing the word makes my stomach feel like it is flipping upside down. However, interviews are a part of life and most of us will have to do serval of them in our lifetime. “If someone is sufficiently…
CONFIDENCE IS KEY, BUT IT WILL ONLY GET ME SO FAR.
In my second blog post, I will once again use Gibbs model of reflective practice. This time I will use it to analyse my performance in mock interviews held for a job that we each selected before the session. As…
Use Deep Thinking to Improve Your Interview
Introduction As my graduation approaches, I have been feeling more and more anxious about my future jobs. Apart from the worry of leaving the university, the fear of future job interviews also bothers me a lot. I had many failed interviews before…
Preparing for an Interview with Little Experience.
My looming graduation has sparked a spell of anxiety regarding my employable skills. On surveying job opportunities, I have identified gaps in my skillset which I plan to develop through voluntary work and freelancing. The job I chose to mock…
Grey Hairs At Twenty? A Reflection On My Simulated Interview
Chills running up your spine, sweat growing in your palms and knots forming in your stomach. You walk into a boxy room filled with people who are already staring into your soul. Was this an interrogation? No, it was a…
Interview simulation
In today’s simulated interview I was applying for the role of a technician at the guildhall school of Music and Drama in London. My job roles being Head of Department and Technical Supervisor with specific requirements revolving around teamwork, management,…
Situation + Task + Action + Result… How hard can that be?
Naturally, I am composed of feelings that range from passion to doubt and like Wordsworth, I often struggle with aspiration as it is becomes flooded with anxiety. As part of my Work-Based Learning module I have been challenged to develop…
Interview? Interview!
“Sitting in front of the desk, sweat beaded on your forehead, uncontrollable shaking in your legs.” This is a common sentiment of those who dread going to job interviews. Going to a job interview is definitely nerve-wracking, especially if it’s your first time. I recently…
Boo! It’s an interview!
Sweaty palms. Racing heart. Interviews are a nightmare. This month, I took part in a simulated interview with my peers where I was able to analyze my skills in interview-taking. I learned that interviews are largely about placing the candidate…
The Best Person You can be at the Interview is Yourself… or is it?
Nervous, fearful, anxious, on edge, etc. These are the words that I’ve always heard from people around me when work interview discussions came about but I’ve never understood why? I’ve had my fair share of work interviews, more informal than…
Simulated Interviews
An interview is often seen as a stressful situation, prompting anxiety and nervousness. Martin John Yate defines an interview as “a two-way discussion designed to help the interviewer learn more about you, your background, and your abilities, and to help…
Internal Interview Issues: The Complete Journey of My Mock Interview Experience
“So, can you tell us why you want to work for our company?” “Uhhhhh…” Awkward silence commences. And it was going so well too. This was my great fear going into this interview… The source of all my nerves… The…
Why Should We Hire You? UMMMM… I hate interviews. From the first question to the last question. Do you think every interviewer knows that majority of candidates have to cover their anxious sweat patches with a blazer or do they…
Stressed: The Blog Post
I had been dreading my simulated interview since I heard about it. In the end, and as somewhat expected, the lead-up turned out to be more stress-inducing than the interview itself. Though the interview was a blur, the value of…
D-DAY
“D-DAY” or The Day in the life of a person who is looking for jobs and has applied for jobs is the day of interview, the most important day. The term “interview” is frequently associated with nervousness and fear, but…
Presenting Yourself, The Interview Process
Preparation In order to prepare for the simulated interview for a job with the BBC show ‘Countryfile’ I researched into other shows of similar genre to help demonstrate my interest in the company and this production. In their advert the…
The Interview Before the Big Interview
Teaching has always been my goal after my Bachelor of Music, and to achieve this it requires me to study a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE). This work experience module is an opportunity for me to see what…
Calming The Nerves
Introduction In the third week of our AEL work placement module, our cohort undertook simulated interviews. These were done to give us the experience of partaking in a dry run of a job interview where we could better understand what…
Protected: Do You Have Any Questions?
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BE A S.T.A.R 🌟
It’s safe to say that most people get clammy in the palms when they discover they have to do a job interview, but the best way to ace them is to practise and prepare! That is why we have mock interviews.…
A Warm Welcome and Good Start
When I first took on the challenge of finding a placement, I didn’t think of some difficulties I would encounter. As I went about this journey, I had to think up solutions to continue forward. A lot of challenges popped…
Expectations and Reality
In preparation for my work placement, I researched the film industry in detail. I knew I had chosen a difficult industry to break into. As Gregory writes, ‘It’s estimated that 60,000 people try to break into the audio-visual industries in…
Under Pressure (Pushing Down On Me)
Securing a work placement – what a joyful experience. From the stress of waiting on responses from employers, the rejections, and my personal favourite, the ‘oh, what if I do not get a placement in time?’ narrative constantly running through…
Syncing Myself to the Music, My Initial Experience at Budget Music Videos
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel anxious when starting this module. The obstacles I faced when I began my journey to find a placement was something that I hadn’t prepared for. Indeed, I was either rejected or…
Subject : Meet the Team
Subject: Meet the Team Why meeting your co-workers can be so intimidating I refuse to believe I am the only one these words fill with dread. Don’t get me wrong I like to view myself as extroverted and friendly at…
BLOG ENTRY:1
What comes first, porridge or milk? It seems to be quite a mundane dilemma. Surely porridge comes first, right? Then you pour the milk into the bowl just like you would with a cereal. Truly a rookie mistake! When microwaving…
Working with a Production House
When applying for my placement I knew I wanted to take the opportunity to gain experience in the field of cinematography. Therefore, I applied to a number of production houses in Belfast. The first (and only) email response I received…
The World of Theatre upon Reflection
‘Why?’ I have found there is no more adequate a question to ask when you are in a new world of knowledge. I was first involved in office work, mainly doing administration assistance and often shadowing Liam McMullan (GBL Productions)…
About my experience in drafting CV
Making a CV was an enriching experience for me, as I needed to look into myself and write my skills and abilities creatively in order to grab the attention of prospective employers. To reflect on this experience, I will use Gibb’s…
Communication is Key
After developing an interest in broadcast journalism over the summer in anticipation of beginning a placement in my third year of university I decided that a placement with the SARC Media team would be the best way to first introduce…
Pushy Parents Vs Student Teachers
What is there not to love about parents? If you mention this to any teacher, they will likely come up with a very long list for you … As a student teacher, you will be under a lot of pressure…
Work Based Learning: The first step into your career
The most important step in your career, is the first. As Neil Armstrong said “One small step for man; a giant leap for mankind” shows that by taking the initiative and getting the earliest start possible into your career can…
Another String to your Bow
Walking through the doors of a building I had grown very familiarwith over the course of three years felt instead like a maze as I enteredmy first day of work placement. The QUB School of Music, whichhas essentially become a…
Don’t let the Drum Beat You!
As I arrived at the studio doors for my first day of work placement, I was surprised to feel quite confident and relaxed. I thought that it was due to my past education and experience studying audio engineering at my…
So Far So Good
As my graduation approaches, I will always think to myself, “have I got enough experience for my future jobs or the master degree.” I should practice more skills instead of limiting myself to audio production, hence, why I applied for the SARC video team as my…
Securing a Placement: An Observation in Timing and Luck
As someone who has been keen to work in the film industry for a long time, I saw the work-based module of my degree as a great opportunity to begin that process. Brooks and Youngson (2016) determine that having relevant…
Run(ner) of the Mill
When applying for a post-production placement with Lamb Films, I imagined myself sitting alone in a dark room hacking away at footage for hours. However, it was through spending a day on a professional set for the first time that…
Amped-up for the Interview
In this blog I will detail my experience of my pre-placement interview using the Integrated Reflective Cycle (Bassot, 2013) to systematically reflect on my actions surrounding the event. The Experience My chosen potential placement provider was Amps Studio, a recording studio just…
Drama with Athletes!
a bit of information… City of Lisburn Athletics club is an organisation that coaches’ people of all ages and abilities, I will be collaborating with the junior club that coaches’ children from the early age of eight all the way…
Learning To Say ‘No’!
Ahhh, The First Day. The day that makes everyone a bit sick at the stomach. The day that your hopes and fears are eliminated… or sometimes confirmed. Will they like me? Will I get lost? Will I forget how to…
My work placement so far
My work experience journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions so far, it has given me a lot of different experiences and has already taught me so much. Hence it is important for me to reflect on…
Football: A Marketing Tug of War
Football, a simple game followed by Billions (FIFA, 2021) and a business which makes equally as much (FIFA alone generates around $4.6 Billion annually (Reiff, 2019). It is a business which relies on results and support. A club is nothing…
Apply, Apply, Apply
As I approached the prospect of beginning my search for a placement in film, I first turned to the materials I already had to hand, namely, my CV. Having never used a CV to apply for a film related job…
A Drama Secretary
Picture from Bruiser Theatre’s new website. (Wu, 2022) Own work. I began searching for placement in the direction of entering a show production, becoming an Understudy of a character, or shadowing a sound or stage manager. However, things took a…
Earning the Trust of Clients and Employers
One of the most important skills a freelancer should develop is the ability to work collaboratively with their clients, framing each new project as an opportunity to improve communication, confidence, and efficiency. A strong first impression with a new client…
Uninterested teenagers in Drama?
Uninterested teenagers in Drama? “Education is probably the most powerful influence on the development of our society. The education that young people receive through schooling goes beyond knowledge about a body of academic subjects: it is built upon and shapes…
Adapting My CV For the Music Industry
I began the process of securing a placement for my work-based learning module at the end of last semester. I began by researching and contacting multiple recording studios in and around Belfast and stating that I was interested in and…
“Breath in the Air” – Dealing with egomania and imposter syndrome.
When I first heard of the work-placement module, I knew exactly where I wanted to work, the very place I learn. The Sonic Arts Research Centre. Beginning my journey with a CV. Despite already having a well-written CV, it wouldn’t…
Save The Drama For The Stage!
Evaluating my first day teaching drama using Gibb's Reflective Cycle.
The Other Side of the Staffroom Door
‘You’re going to be a teacher one day’. These are the words that echoed through my head as I stood outside the front doors of Antrim Grammar School on the first day of my placement there. These were the words…
“ONE SMALL STEP FOR A MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP INTO YOUR FUTURE CAREER”
TAKING THAT FIRST STEP…. Before the battles of proving your usefulness in a job, there is one initial fight that is all important to win. I am of course referring to the dreaded first impression. First impressions have always been…
TO JUST GET STARTED
AEL3001 Blog Post #1 Source: Google Images KICK START Advancing a career after a few years of relative stagnation is an interesting thing. After studying for years, I hadn’t gone anywhere with it. There is a flow of emotions, like…