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Interview Techniques

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Interview techniques

Have you ever been for an interview or interviewed someone yourself?

What was it for?

How did you feel before and after the interview?

What clothes did you wear?

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Brainstorm all the different types of interview you can think of:

work experience

Types of interview

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Most interviews are formal. This means that when you are being interviewed, or interviewing someone, you will need to use standard English as fluently as possible. The person who interviews you will also use standard English.

This helps to create a certain level of seriousness about what is being said.

Often you will need to refer to the other person by their title and surname, e.g. Mr Smith. They in turn, will refer to you by your surname and title. This will help to maintain a formal atmosphere.

Formal interviews

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Unless you become famous, most interviews you attend will be job interviews.

At a job interview, you will be trying to inform, persuade and describe. But in what ways?

Inform

Persuade

Describe

Job interviews

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Imagine you are being interviewed for a job as a waiter in a bar and you are asked the question below. How would you respond informatively?

What relevant skills, qualifications or experience

have you got?

Answering questions

I have experience…

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Imagine you being interviewed for the same job in the restaurant and you are asked the question below. How would you respond persuasively?

Why should I pick you for this job?

You should pick me because…

Answering questions

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Imagine you are asked the question below but that your answer is not positive. Should you tell the potential employer what you are thinking?

Describe a time when you faced

confrontation effectively.

I hate confrontation. If someone upsets me I prefer to say

nothing. If I am forced to respond I

usually end up crying.

Answering questions

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If you are asked a question, you will normally have to use illustrations and give evidence to explain your response.

Describe a time when you have managed

time effectively.

During my exams I had family relations visiting. I

had to try to fit everything in. I managed

to study in the school library after and before

school and then at home I could devote the rest of

my energy to entertaining our guests.

Answering questions

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Although brief answers such as ‘yes’ and ‘no’ are usually unhelpful and do little to promote your case, answers which are rambling and nonsensical are even worse.

If you are asked a question which you find difficult take time to reflect on it before answering. An interviewer will not mind waiting for a good answer but will be bored and irritated by a silly, unconsidered one.

Structure your answers clearly

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Structure your answers clearly

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Sometimes when being interviewed, you want to say something which seems rather awkward or embarrassing.

Find a polite way of asking the following questions.

“How much money will I get?”

“When can I go home?”

“I’m sick a lot. Does that matter?”

Asking your interviewer questions

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Body language

How you move your body and the facial expressions you use tell a lot about how you feel.

What would your impression of these people?

slouchingpointingcrossed arms and legs

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Facial expressions

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When you are being interviewed, you need to be in control of your voice.

If you speak very quietly you may seem unconfident and shy.

If you speak very informally, you may appear arrogant.

If you speak very loudly the interviewer may find you overpowering.

Try to sound energetic and enthusiastic but not silly!

Voice control

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Interviewing

Now imagine you’re the one running an interview. You have been asked to interview your local MP for your school newspaper. How will you prepare?

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Interviewing

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Interviewing

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If you try to match the body language and tone of your interviewer you will be on the right tracks.

To sum up