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An Introduction
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H. Williams, (2023).
On the 9th of February 2024, I took part in a simulated interview with my classmates to prepare us for the near future when we will graduate university. I choose to be interviewed for the role of a camera trainee as this is my dream job. In choosing a job that I feel passionate about, I felt that I would be able to answer questions more easily. Additionally, as I have volunteered as a camera trainee a few times, I knew that I would be able to use several examples of past productions within my answers. Therefore, I felt that I had enough past experience to talk about within my interview however, I believed that my downfall would be the way in which I structured my answers. I therefore used the STAR method in order to help me with this issue.
The Star Method
To ensure that I answered each question fully, I applied the STAR method which allowed me structure each of my answers. As a result, I was able to give full bodied answers with examples that I could relate back to both the question, and the job specified. For example, when I was asked why I wanted to work as a camera trainee. I first discussed the moment I realised that becoming a camera trainee on films and HETV programmes would be the only career option for myself in the future. After this realisation, I found that my contacts within the industry were limited, so I began to sign up to online film groups where I sought out as much experience within camera departments as possible by volunteering on music videos and short films. Finally, I specified my eagerness to work as a camera trainee within their company. I feel that this is an ideal method to use in interviews as it ensures no points are forgotten about and therefore, I will definitely implement this method in future interviews.
S. Zac, (2020).
More Preparation and the Interview
In order to further tailor my answers to interview questions, I read ‘Great answers, great questions for your job interview’ by Block and Betrus. I found this book had great methods in answering difficult questions however, I found the following point surprised me the most, ‘Often when potential employers say they’re looking for experience, they’re actually seeking expertise. They prefer to hire not someone with knowledge of the position’s key subject matter but someone with vision and the ability to accomplish goals’ (2014, no pagination). This proves that although having previous experience is important, having drive and passion are the most valuable assets an employee should have for their job. This new information made me re-evaluate my approach to my interview and I started to think about different aspects of interviews that I hadn’t thought about before, such as my body language and posture. Kennedy states to ‘make the most of your critical brief encounters by learning the acting skills of storytelling, using body language, establishing rapport’ (2012, no pagination). Therefore, maintaining eye contact, an open posture and a pleasant attitude were important aspects that I wanted to implement into my interview. Although my interview lasted for around 8 minutes, I felt that my openness gradually got better as I got more confident within myself and the questions I was answering. This was confirmed when I received my feedback from my group. Therefore, I feel that maintaining an unwavering amount of confidence would be something to work on in future interviews. A stable amount of confidence however can be very hard to maintain while feeling nervous. This is why I started to research methods on how to manage anxiety and nervousness and found ‘Anxiety, Stress, & Coping: An International Journal.’ I found the following sentence particularly interesting, ‘reinterpreting a situation to alter its emotional impact – is considered one of the most effective emotion regulation strategies’ (Webb et al, 2012, cited in Zeier et al, 2024, p. 77). This was very helpful when thinking about my negative views after I had completed my interview. One of my most prominent thoughts for example, was that I didn’t answer the questions with enough detail. If I reinterpret this viewpoint however, I understand that I answered each question with a relevant answer and I always related my answer back to the question and their company. I have found this extremely helpful in maintaining a positive attitude and it in turn has made me feel more confident about myself and my abilities. I will therefore continue to use this method before and after interviews in the future as it lessens stress and helps to maintain positive thoughts.
ACworks, (no date). Runeer, (2016).
The Stomper
A question that caught me by surprise was when I was asked, ‘Tell me a time where you had to deal with an unhappy customer within the workplace.’ As I work part time in a bar, I was able to discuss how I constantly deal with upset customers however, I wasn’t able to give a specific instance in which this occurred. I feel that I should have had an answer prepared for this question however, I was able to give a response even if it wasn’t as structured or detailed as I would have liked it to have been. Therefore, I think that preparing for certain questions such as the one above would help me in future interviews. Additionally, questions such as, ‘what are your greatest weaknesses or strengths’ would also be great examples to prepare for as I struggle when answering these types of personal questions. Furthermore, before future interviews, I will make a list of around five questions related to my desired job to memorise that I may find difficult to answer.
Another issue I found was that I use a lot of filler words such as ‘umm’ while responding to questions. I feel that this is alright in moderation however using filler words often can make the person saying them seem less confident. I often use these filler words when I am in time constricting and stressful situations. In order to lessen the amount of filler words I use, I will practice interviews with friends and family members, removing these unnecessary words to make my answers more confident. To ensure that pressure is applied during these fake interviews, I will give myself a certain amount of time to complete each question.
Null, (2018).
Learning More
One of the most interesting parts of my interview was listening to how the rest of my group answered their questions. I felt that it allowed me to evaluate how I should answer questions correctly. It also allowed me to see how important body language is especially as some of my group members seemed to be slightly restless when answering questions, constantly moving the position of their feet or legs. I also found that some group members fidgeted with their hands which is a problem I also have. In order to rectify this problem however, I ensured that my hands were tucked underneath my legs when I was sitting down until I felt more confident within my environment. I also noticed that several group members who completed their interviews before mine, struggled maintaining eye contact. This is something I also found quite challenging however, I tried to maintain eye contact and feel that it will become easier as I complete more interviews.
When others within my group were being interviewed, I also found myself answering their questions in my head. I then compared my own answer to theirs and evaluated them both in order to see the differences in how we structured our answers. I then combined both of our answers to create a hybrid response that takes the best points from each and combined them. I found this to be extremely helpful as it made me expand on my own answers and make new points that I hadn’t thought about before. As an example, one of my group members answered a question by mentioning how they regularly manage different tasks at work. This is also applicable to myself as I can use it for several answers such as when describing my skillset. I feel that this method allows me to improve upon both my peers’ answers as well as my own and therefore I will definitely use this method in the future when practicing interviews with others.
D. James, (2019).
A Conclusion
I felt that overall, my simulated interview went extremely well. In particular, I found that I benefitted a lot from being in a group and would definitely carry out the simulated interview the same way again. The interview allowed me to view the process from both the employers view as well as the interviewees perspective. I now realise this is very important when understanding what values and principles the interviewer wants to hear and I am now more likely to tailor my answers. This is why I will remind myself of Martins main points before future interviews, ‘Core competencies (that interviewers want their employees to possess): action-oriented, adaptability, customer service, integrity and trust, listening’ (2014, no pagination). I also know what I need to improve upon to structure my answers which was the main aim of my simulated interview. Furthermore, I feel that I have fulfilled the purpose of my interview, and I am very happy with my progress.
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References
Block, J. A. and Betrus, M. (2014) Great answers, great questions for your job interview. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Kennedy, J. Lain. (2012) Job interviews for dummies. 4th ed. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Martin, C. (2014) What to say in every job interview : how to understand what managers are really asking and give the answers that land the job, New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Peter Zeier, Magdalena Sandner & Michèle Wessa (2024). ‘Regulating emotions with experience – the effectiveness of reappraisal inventiveness depends on situational familiarity’, Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 37:1, pp. 77-85.
Images
Williams, (2023). How to Answer Common Job Interview Questions, Available at:
https://madison.co.nz/2023/07/changing-career-how-to-update-cv-land-dream-job/ (Accessed 15th February 2024).
Zac, (2020). The STAR Technique, Available at: https://careersblog.enterprise.co.uk/tips-on-using-the-star-technique-to-answer-job-interview-questions/ (Accessed 15th February 2024).
Runeer, (2016). Meditating Businessman (Mr Brain), Available at: https://www.wired.com/story/how-mindful-meditation-can-save-us-from-the-tribal-abyss/
ACworks, (no date). Woman in meditation, Available at: https://en.ac-illust.com/clip-art/2516633/woman-in-meditation
Null, (2018). Available at: https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/7-thinking-patterns-that-will-that-rob-you-of-mental-strength-and-what-you-can-do-about-them.html
James, (2019). Eye Contact: A Primal Force in Business, Available at: https://medium.com/swlh/eye-contact-a-primal-force-in-business-d15f4b86449f