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How to Succeed At Interviews
Careers Adviser Abi Sharma
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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In an employers shoes…
Can you do the job?
Will you do the job?
Will you fit in?
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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What to expect in interview
Can you do the job? - Competency questions
- Current issue questions
Will you do the job? - Motivation questions
Will you fit in?
- Impression you give
Your questions
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Preparation: Competency
What are the skills and qualities that
they are looking for and what examples
can you give to show you have them?
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Use the CAR technique
• Context - describe the situation you were in
and your objective/task you had to do
• Action - what action did you take to achieve
your objective?
• Result - what was the outcome - show the
success!
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Example….
• Q.A particular achievement using
organisation skills
• A. Organised the netball society dinner,
for 60 people which was a real success
and they’ve asked me to organise
another one next year.
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Preparation: Current Issues
Be aware of the business context in
which the organisation operates & an
understanding of the industry and
factors affecting it.
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Preparation: Motivation
1) Know about the employer & what you
like about them
“It never ceases to amaze me how
many graduates don’t bother to find out
who it is that they are applying to… I
can’t stress enough how important it is
to read up on this beforehand.
Preparation really shows!”
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Preparation: Motivation
2) Know about the job role & why you
want to do it
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Performing on the day
Remember interview etiquette!
Make eye contact and speak clearly
Show enthusiasm and be positive!
Be yourself
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Tactics!!!
• Give yourself thinking time
– Repeat, comment, “Can I have a minute?”
• Think of the “punchline” before you talk
• Seek clarification
– “Are you looking for an example of...?”
• Ask for feedback
– “Is this example useful?”
• When in a hole, stop digging
– “Sorry, I’ve got a bit lost. May I start again?”
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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At the end…
Your chance to interview!
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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How we can help!
• Mock interviews
• Workshops on assessment centres
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
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Queen Mary Careers Service
WG3 Queens Building – 020 7882 5065
Opening times:
Monday-Thursday
Friday
10.30am-5pm
10.30am-4pm
Drop-in sessions:
Monday-Thursday 10.30am-12.30pm
2.00pm-4.30pm
Part of
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk
Careers Service
www.careers.qmul.ac.uk