[Image of Binary code: https://www.byjusfutureschool.com/blog/what-is-binary-coding-what-does-it-mean-in-computing/ ]
The process of an interview is a very stressful situation for the person, the vulnerability of presenting themselves for 10-15 short minutes could result in an entire change of their future if successful.
Interview (noun): “An interview is a formal meeting at which someone is asked questions in order to find out if they are suitable for a job or a course of study.” (Collins Dictionary)
Emotionally, the applicant is ecstatic that they look good on paper, they have been promoted to the next round of potential employment by their experience and written achievements alone. However, the pressure is now on the sole chance to present yourself accordingly. The confident and charismatic worker you once described yourself as on at 2am on the Thursday to make yourself more ‘employable sounding’ has now been conscripted for the job search warfare, stepping into the front lines of a dimly lit office with your potential new employer.
The hyper-focus on physical presentation, body language and confidence within an interview is an experience that most of the population are uncomfortable with, and some may crumble under pressure.
Will you?
Entering the Matrix.
During the second semester, we were given the task of simulated interviews within our tutorial groups for each subject. We all had to pick a job, research it and then be interviewed by our peers for ten minutes, after the interview, we were then given feedback from our peers.
Gaining this experience within the realms of interviews and reflecting on them will further develop my skills in this section of careers, as Jasper states in Beginning Reflective Practice, “Reflective practice is one of the most important ways we learn from our experiences in a professional context” (Jasper, 1). Reflecting on my weaknesses and strengths will highlight what I need to improve on in a future professional interview.
The method of reflection I will be using for my simulated interview experience is Gibb’s Reflective Cycle as shown below:
[Image: Gibbs Reflective Cycle: https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle]
Within Gibb’s model of reflection, I will critically reflect on how I thought my simulated interview went and what I could have done better, as well as what I need to improve for future opportunities.
Description
During week three of the second semester, we were put into groups of four and began to prepare each other’s interview questions and research our own jobs. This task was a surprisingly easier task than anticipated as everyone in the group had similar, if not, the same job role picked. Two others and I had picked the job of secondary school teacher while the fourth member of our group picked sixth form study advisor. All very similar roles in the sense of being in a school environment and working alongside young people.
[Job interview image: https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/job-interview]
We began the day in the lecture hall just briefly discussing the order of places that each were going, I had the pleasure to be the last of the four to be interviewed, which I preferred as I got to hear the others’ experiences. Many of the experiences they described I lacked. I benefited discussing with them afterwards how they got the opportunity to do the things they did to build their CV and Personal Statement for their further applications in their PGCE studies.
Throughout the interview process, both listening to the others’ responses and reflecting on my own experience in teaching I had the grim realisation that I did not have the passion for teaching and helping young people to the extent that the rest did. Nor did I have the experience in the classroom that the others had. As it came to my turn to be interviewed, I was aware that I am behind in the regions of passion and experience.
I know that I do enjoy coaching the sport I play. However, maybe the whole ‘teacher in a classroom’ set up just isn’t for me.
Feelings
The experience of the interview was useful as I can now reflect on my feelings I had toward the simulated interview. In Beginning Reflective Practice, Melanie Jasper classifies each experience when relating to reflective writing “into different types such as: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, religious, social, virtual and subjective.” (Jasper, 9) She also states the three most relevant “when considering reflective practice are mental, emotional and subjective experiences.” (Jasper, 9).
[Classroom image: https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/classroom]
The Gibbs’ reflective model is useful for this practice as this feelings section aligns with the emotional aspect of the reflective writing experience, “emotional experiences relate to how we feel about something, and our capacity for empathy.” (Jasper, 9) Furthermore, “experiences are recognised as being subjective – individual perceptions build notions of reality, based on our interaction with our environment” (Jasper, 9), my personal experience within the simulated interview process was neither negative nor positive. I personally felt quite neutral about the whole thing in hindsight. However, during the time I feel as though I realised a lot of things weren’t for me, teaching being one of them. The sheer competitiveness of getting into a PGCE course is something I have now realised I do not feel passionately enough to work toward. I do enjoy my subject, English, and I do enjoy helping people learn, I just don’t believe that I want to do that experience in a classroom environment.
Furthermore, considering the others in my group I am sure they were just as nervous as I was. I feel as though most people in an interview setting would be filled with adrenaline as they are essentially being put on the spot to show their personality in its’ prime. However, while I was the interviewer, each member of the group performed very successfully. Their confidence in their abilities and clearness in their voices as well as their self-presentation was very professional and there is no doubt in my mind, they will have success in their future careers.
Evaluation & Analysis
I have mixed emotions when evaluating the lead up to the simulated interview. It was difficult to get in contact with some of the group due to not knowing their emails if they were not present during the group allocation day. Furthermore, once in contact with them, it proved to be near impossible to meet up and discuss our different roles effectively. This was mostly due to conflicting schedules and commitments that would clash, not to the fault of anyone just unlucky timings throughout the week of preparation. This lack of fortune when it comes to timing could happen in a future professional scenario and I think a great trait that the group had when working on these simulated interview tasks together was being so easy-going and having the capability to trust in others to show up for the group.
However, on the day we all were well organised, and everyone performed exceptionally well despite the difficulties that were presented. Specifically, within my own simulated interview I felt as though personal experience was a major weakness. As I said earlier, I have very little experience within a classroom as well as this, I was a ball of nerves on the day, and due to poor time-management I also came in late, which in a real interview, I know wouldn’t slide.
Conclusion
The simulated interview helped me realise that I’m not that passionate about teaching in a classroom. In comparison to the others in the group who seemed to be far more familiar with the classroom environment, I feel as though my personal desires in a career may not actually lean that way after all. This situation seemed to be a useful experience for all the group, however I feel as though more allocated class time within the AEL3001 seminar groups would been preferable as we would’ve had more of a productive in person conversations with each of the members of the group prior to the interviews.
Furthermore, I feel as though my time management skills could be improved when it comes to important events like this. I do believe in a real professional interview if I had turned up late, I would have lost the interest of the employer, or even lost the opportunity of the interview altogether.
Action Plan
From my personal experience, my action plan is simple… start from scratch. If I were to do this simulated interview, I would not be picking teaching as my career choice. I am quite relieved to have realised this before any further action was taken toward choosing my career.
[Image of Career: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/career-development.html]
Better late than never… right?
I suppose my actual action plan now is to figure out what to strive to do now. At this moment in time, I’m just happy that I have something to cross of the list, as I am not very sure what I like and don’t like. Although figuring out that the classroom is a place, I do not want to be is a major positive, at least I am certain of something in this matrix.
Bibliography
Freepik “Job Interview” Image.
[https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/job-interview]
Freepik “Classroom” Image.
[https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/classroom]
Gibbs Reflective Cycle, The University of Edinburgh
[https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle]
“Interview” Definition, Collins Dictionary
[https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/interview]
Jasper, Melanie. Beginning Reflective Practice. Second Ed. 2013, Melbourne & London: Cengage Learning
[https://www.vlebooks.com/vleweb/product/openreader?id=QnsBelfast&isbn=9781408098851%20%20]