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QUT Careers and Employment

Writing effective applications Part 2:Interviews

Nikki Penhaligon, PhD

Careers & Employment

Learning objectives - Interviews

Develop an understanding of:

•Preparation

–Researching your audience

–Anticipating questions

–How to form an introductory/closing statement

•During

–Managing your nerves

–Body language and interpersonal processes

–Structuring your answer

•After

–The importance of reflection

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How would you answer the followingquestion......?

Tell me about a time when you hadto deal with a difficult co-worker

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Preparation

Preparation – What to expect

•What are YOUR interview experiences?

Formal

Informal

Panel

Structured

Unstructured

Coffee Shop

Office

Boardroom

Preparation - Researching youraudience!

•About the interview:

–Date-Time-Location-Parking

–Style of interview

–The interviewers roles and positions

•The organisation: -Who are they? What do they standfor? Where are they heading?

•What should I wear?

•Read the job ad/position description – AGAIN!

Anticipating Questions

•Split the room

•Read the positiondescription/application formprovided

•In groups, generate thefollowing questions:

–Generic

–Behavioural

–Situational/hypothetical

Know yourself

Motivations

Values

Knowledge

Skills

Abilities

Interests

Personality

Attributes

Capabilities

And understand how theylink to the position

Experiences

Activity: Think Pair Share

•Introductory statement

(what will you say when you are 1st introduced to theInterviewer(s))

•Closing statement

(prepare a statement that summarises your keysattributes)

•Questions to ask at the end

(prepare some questions to ask the interviewers)

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During the Interview

Managing Your Nerves

•Reflective activity

•How do you know whenyour nervous?

–What do you do?

–How could you manageyour reaction?

Strategies to ManageYour Nerves

•PMR (before the interview)

•Releasing physical tensionduring the interview

•Take a sip of water

•Deep breathing

•Paraphrasing

•Stop – Breathe – Think - Speak

Body Language

Speak with your

Look away to think

Reading the Interviewers Non-Verbals

•Are they telling you, you haven't answered the question?

•Are they telling you to continue and tell them more?

•Are they telling you to stop talking?

The Key to a Perfect Answer

Situation (context)

Task(s)

Actions required

Result

Learning

Use recent examples from study, work, social, sport….

Stick to 1-3mins response. Then ask if they want moreinformation.

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After the Interview

Reflection : What do I do AFTER theInterview?

•Reflect on the questions asked and how youresponded

•Make notes to help you next time

•Don’t agonise over perceived blunders

•Phone and thank them for the opportunity of theinterview

•If unsuccessful, ring to request feedback

Interview practice!

•Get into groups of 3

–Interviewer

–Interviewee

–Observer

•Grab a parcel

•2 minutes per person. Givefeedback using yourbooklets

Interviews: True or False?

Q1. I don’t need to prepare, all the preparation has alreadybeen done when I answered the selection criteria

Q2. I should research the panel members before myinterview

Q3. When introduced to the interview panel (and whenleaving), I should shake their hands and call them by theirname

Q4. All the people on my panel will be highly knowledgeablein my field

Interviews: True or False?

Q5. The first interview question will be easy

Q6. I should answer interview questions immediately so asnot to look like I don’t know that answer

Q7. I can use the STAR (L) method to formulate myresponse

Q8. It’s a good idea to prepare a closing statement

Location:

Gardens Point Campus

Level 2, X Block

Reception: Room X226

Kelvin Grove Campus

Level 4, C Block

(Above the Refectory)

Caboolture Campus

Student Centre - J Block

Opening Hours:

Monday – Friday

9am – 5pm

Phone:

Gardens Point: 07 3138 2649

Kelvin Grove: 07 3138 3488

Caboolture: 07 5316 7400

Email:

careers@qut.edu.au

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 Response in 5 working days

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