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 outside the Belfast city centre. As I was departing for the interview, I realised that I had mistaken the starting time to be two hours before the actual start. Since I had already hailed a ride to the destination, I had no choice but to follow through with the journey, then to return home and make a second journey.  

When I had finally reached the address at the correct time, I could not determine where the studio was located, as there was a building complex with no indication of any individual companies, and so decided to call the studio manager.  

I was directed to enter the building and take the elevator to the fifth floor. Having taken the elevator, I stepped out on what I thought was floor five, failing to notice that it was really floor seven, as someone else had called it up. It required a subsequent call to the manager for me to find my destination.  

The interview itself was done in an informal manner. The questions were quite typical, and I answered most of them with relative ease. I was caught off guard, however, when I was asked about the content of one of the second-year modules I had listed on my CV. It was a module that I had achieved the highest grade in, but somehow remembered the least. It was also the most challenging one to explain, as it involved a lot of technical content that required specialist knowledge to understand. I took some time to recollect my experience of the module and did my best to relay its content. 

I answered the rest of the questions acceptably. I was given a tour of the premises and asked if I had any questions for them, to which I replied that I did not, at that moment. I was asked to send on my timetable so that they could determine what days would best suit for my placement work.  

Reflection on action 

Regarding my thoughts and feelings before the interview, I had felt eased by the fact that I would be interviewed by a small company, as this seemed much less daunting than one of my previous experiences with a large corporation. However, I still felt considerable pressure as I was aware that opportunities to gain an internship like this are quite rare, especially in this industry. 

Misjudging the starting time was simply a result of insufficient preparation and a lack of conscientiousness. Fortunately, this turned out to only be a minor inconvenience, but it could have been much more serious had I mistaken the time for a later one, or if the place of interview were further away from my place of residence. In addition, the mistake caused me some frustration, having an influence on my interview performance. 

My struggle to locate the premises was another case where I did not prepare enough, as this was information that I could have found out beforehand and did not do so, having assumed that there would be clear directions in the building’s vicinity. In the same way, I was not prepared enough when asked about the second-year module, as I had assumed that it would not be mentioned, since it seemed of little relevance to this area of work.  

I felt as though I was too tense throughout the interview, and so did not say everything that I wanted to say and was unable to present myself in the best way. My nerves were also likely responsible for many of the mistakes I had made, such as leaving the elevator on the wrong floor without realising it.  

Theory 

From this experience I have learned the importance of thorough preparation, especially including details that may sometimes be overlooked, like the exact location of the interview room. This will increase confidence when arriving for the interview and demonstrates attention to detail. 

I have learned that it is important to be able to confidently discuss any information that I list on my CV, not just the information that I think is likely to be asked about. I have realised that employers may ask about a difficult topic that they might have little understanding of, to see if the candidate can relay complex information in a simple and concise manner, which is a vital skill in many industries.  

I have also understood that it is vital to make every effort to be in a relaxed position when approaching an interview, in order to present myself in the best possible manner. Good preparation helps to achieve this, as it increases confidence and reduces anxiety. It also helps to recognise that the interviewers are eager to see the best side of me and to witness my enthusiasm, so I should not be afraid to be more open, so long as this gives them a better idea of my interests and abilities.  

Preparation 

In the future, I will make every effort to be better prepared before going for an interview, covering every detail that I can think of, in terms of subject matter, CV content, journey planning and other areas. Moreover, I will take the necessary steps to ensure that I am in a relaxed and confident state of mind when arriving to the interview. I will do this by preparing thoroughly, but also by being punctual, establishing a good rapport with the interviewer, and by keeping in mind that I am there to demonstrate my skills and interests, and so should try to communicate more effectively.  

References 

Bassot, B. (2013) The reflective journal: capturing your learning for personal and professional development. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. 

The University of Edinburgh (2020) ‘The Integrated Reflective Cycle’. Available at: https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/the-integrated-reflective-cycle (Accessed: 24^th November 2022) 

Amps Studio (2022) Website homepage. Available at: https://www.ampsstudio.com/ (Accessed: 24^th November 2022) 

Bibliography 

1. The University of Edinburgh (2020) ‘The Integrated Reflective Cycle’. Available at: https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/the-integrated-reflective-cycle (Accessed: 24^th November 2022) 

2. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2022) ‘Reflective Practice: Reflection’. Available at: https://dkit.ie.libguides.com/reflective_practice/Reflection (Accessed: 24^th November 2022) 

3. Dundalk Institute of Technology (2022) ‘Reflective Practice: Reflective Writing’. Available at: https://dkit.ie.libguides.com/reflective_practice/reflective_writing (Accessed: 24^th November 2022)