‘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 candidate to sell themselves to a company, whether it be online or in person. Preparation is key when securing a job interview- something we have had to do when conducting our in-class job interview simulations. This might entail reading over your own CV, reading up about the company and job description, ensuring you are confident when talking about yourself and making sure you dress appropriately whilst being on time for the interview itself.

‘An interview is a chance for an employer to see if you’re the right person for the job. It’s also a chance for you to make sure the job and company are the right fit for you’

– The National Careers Service, UK Gov

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Practice makes perfect.

The simulated job interviews, which we conducted as a class, were useful in placing us the position of both the perspective of an interviewee and of an interviewer- giving us a good idea of what sort of questions could be asked, and what way to answer them. The procedure included:

• Prepare our questions (5 minutes)
• Conduct the interview itself (10 minutes)
• Peer feedback (5 minutes)

So as we arrived at the room, we split into our different groups, which were assigned the week prior based on a certain job- ours being an event coordinator at firm ‘Media Contacts’. In preparation, I read up about the company and job description in order to be ready for any questions which my peers may throw at me and gain some experience of what it is like to conduct job interview research for my future endeavours.

For example, I knew that the company was looking for:

• ‘an enthusiastic graduate to join their team and become an integral part of their event delivery.
• a detailed oriented individual who takes pride in high quality work
• someone who feels comfortable liaising with venues, suppliers, and event delegate’.

With this in mind, I could link examples from my own CV and personal qualities which correlate to the job description that the company have set out. For example, when asked in the simulated interview, why I would be a good candidate for the job, I used the example that I am the Socials Officer for the Queen’s Players so I am used to running events throughout the year, being able to liaise with various venues around Belfast, knowing what it takes to run a successful event. Other questions I was asked were based upon any relevant skills which I could bring to the team, anything I knew about the company and the values in which they adhere to, and any leadership qualities which would be useful for working within this specific fast-paced environment.  

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‘They are sales pitches where the product you’re trying to sell is yourself’

-Muir, 2005

Muir, C. Managing the Initial Job Interview: Smile, Schmooze, and Get Hired? The Academy of Management Executive, 2005

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When it comes to job interviews, every little helps. Every single bit of preparation in the build up to the day is necessary- in order to have a full armoury of knowledge ready for the interviewers.

A personal evaluation and peer review.

Before the interview, I was slightly nervous as I felt that the job which I was getting interviewed for was not really my thing. However, I gave it a good go anyway. The interview lasted about ten minutes, and I felt relieved when it finished based on the peer feedback and the preparation which I did beforehand. It certainly helped me gain a greater understanding of the whole interview process and made me think about how to prepare extensively and evaluate my own answers to each question which was asked- even though some were vague due to my lack of passion for that specific job role (as it is a job I would not want to do in real life).  

My peers gave me some feedback:

• ‘Convincing answers based on personal experience of working in events, whether it be in school or university’.
• ‘Maintained eye contact throughout and spoke with confidence’.
• ‘Could have expanded answers slightly but there was an overall strong understanding of what it takes to fulfil the role of an events coordinator’.

I was very happy to have received this feedback as I did put effort into preparation for these simulated interviews, and this has given me a useful insight into the world of job interviews and the stakes in which they hold.

Two useful models when reflecting.

Gibbs Reflective Cycle–

The University of Edinburgh found that the Gibbs Reflective Cycle, created in 1988 by Graham Gibbs, ‘offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or didn’t go well’. This has been a beneficial tool of evaluation for these simulated interviews, for whenever I am going into job interviews for real in the future.

The STAR method

This technique helps with competency responses to interview questions, providing you with the correct approach to unpacking your own personal skillset for an employer. This short YouTube video explains this method to a job interview well; and helped me when I was preparing for my own simulated interview.

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Final thoughts.

This overall experience gave me an insight into the reality of a job interview. It helped me to think about how to effectively prepare and engage with an employer, though relating my knowledge and own personal experiences/skillset to what the company are looking for. Then by using the STAR method and Gibb’s Reflective cycle, I was able to evaluate this process and improve on myself for real job interviews in the future.