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South Wilts Grammar School Sixth Form

A Guide to Getting a Job / Apprenticeship

2020– 2021

Contents

1. Introduction 2. Group Exercises 3. Numerical Test 4. Presentations 5. In Tray Exercises 6. Role Play 7. Interviews

Name: Tutor Group:

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Introduction

This booklet is a very brief introduction to alternatives to university as well as the process of

applying for a job. You are likely to apply for a job over the next few years whether you are

planning to move straight into employment, go to university or take a gap year. Find out

more about where to look for jobs, CV writing, covering letters, application forms and

interviews. There are many books that go into this in far more detail that we have room for

here but this is a start for you.

What employers want

Ultimately they want to know that you are employable – i.e. you are going to be effective in

the workplace. You have to demonstrate this through an application form and or a CV and

an interview. Apart from the skills specific to a particular role they are looking for:

Required academic and or practical qualifications

Problem solving skills

Good oral and written communication skills

Ability to work independently and collaboratively

IT literacy and numeracy

Commercial awareness

A ‘Can Do’ attitude

Below are some ideas for different types of employment and training opportunities before the

booklet moves into the more detailed information about the process. There are many

opportunities available and more and more come to light each day. Please see Mrs Short

about finding the right opportunity for you.

Use your Future Plans Booklet for Post 18 options. Use SACU to

investigate options and Kudos to record activities, skills etc to

build up a clear picture of your strengths.

Where to look

Fewer than half the jobs available are actually advertised. You can try the JobCentre,

employment agencies (on line and in towns), direct with the company and of course

networking.

Many national companies, (including Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, The National Trust)

have their application process centralised in their early stages so you need to visit the

website and you will then be able to see if they have vacancies and where.

Networking is, in the nicest possible way ‘using the people you know’ and in turn the people

they know, to discover what opportunities are available. Whenever you speak to people,

think about who they might know and what they do and what opportunities they may know

about. Even if they don’t know about a specific position, they may still know something

useful about a company.

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Top tips on what to look for in an employer

Discuss which factors are most important for the job/apprenticeship and in what priority

Progression opportunities

The opportunity to work in different departments

Balance between employment and training

To work for a well-known brand

Good salary/earning potential

To be in a large or small organisation

To have opportunities to travel

Good social networks & opportunities

What does the employer say?

What kind of language are they using? Are they passionate about their apprentices?

Watch behind-the-scenes videos

Are they supportive in their communications to you?

What sets them apart from competitors?

What do others say? Read or view testimonials from their existing/past apprentices

What do their apprentices say?

Are there any quotes or stories about existing employees?

What do their customers say?

How are they viewed in their sector?

Have they won any awards for their apprenticeship programme?

Do they hold any badges or recognition?

What is their business like? Many employers will hold open days so that you can meet staff and experience the workplace

Attend an open day

Ask for work experience

Visit the employer’s sites

What are the top priorities?

What does the employer say?

What do others say?

What is their business like?

Identify an employer who is suitable for YOU!

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Whether or not you want to start working straight away, it is a good idea to have a plan. List

what it is you want, where you can go to find the information and who it would be useful

talking to. Once you have done that it’s a good idea to start with your CV.

CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

CV stands for Curriculum Vitae which literally means ‘the course of one’s life’ or, in

the thoughts of an applicant ‘Please don’t bin my application!’

You CV should be tailored to each specific job that you apply for but much of the

information will stay the same, so it is good to have a standard CV that you can then

adapt as necessary.

Even if an application does not want a CV but wants you to complete an Application

Form, your CV will have all the relevant information on it so that you can complete

the form easily.

Employers use it as a start point to choose who to select for an interview

You need to make sure it makes you stand out from the crowd and makes the

employer want to find out more by interviewing you because you have given them the

impression you are right for the job.

What an employer does with it

Stage 1- Discards time wasters – grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, difficult to

read, informal email

Stage 2 - Reads application properly for evidence that the applicant will be able to

demonstrate the majority of the essential and desirable skills and throws out the

generic CV that has nothing relevant to the position on it

Stage 3 - Reads each covering letter and re-reads CV to find best fit

Stage 4 – Invitation to interview

There are different styles of CV: the two main ones are a chronological CV (example 1) and

a skills based CV (example 2). If you haven’t had much work experience, then a skills based

CV may be easier to demonstrate your abilities with.

What to include - Chronological

Personal Details – name, address, telephone number and email address. Make sure it’s a

sensible email address and check that your answerphone message is sensible too.

Personal Profile – Sum yourself up in one or two sentences. It needs to be a brief

statement about yourself that gives the reader a really powerful idea of who you are and

makes them think they can’t wait to see you. If you have some experience say it here

‘Experienced waitress’, ‘Efficient sales person’. Then you write about your personal,

profession and business traits that make up the most successful employee. These are

THE PROCESS

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sometimes called employee competencies and will make up part of the job description.

These could include:

o Personal traits – drive, motivation, communication, energy, determination,

confidence, good team member, leadership skills

o Professional traits – reliability, organisational skills, integrity, dedication, pride,

analytical skills, listening skills.

o Business traits – efficiency, economy, procedures

Education and Qualifications – name of school and town, dates attended, qualification

levels, subjects and grades

Employment & Work Experience – your most recent position first – job title, who for, a

general description of the position, dates and bullet points to explain what each job entailed.

Achievements / Positions of Responsibility – positions in and out of school. Make sure

they are easy to understand, don’t use ‘school speak’ so don’t just say ‘link prefect’ explain

what you did.

Other Qualifications and Awards – driving licence, DBS certificate, music / sports

qualifications etc

Hobbies and Interests - make sure you can talk about them. If you only been sailing once,

don’t put it down; you might be opposite a keen sailor in an interview.

References – generally better to say ‘Available on request’. Therefore you can let your

referee know that they might be contacted and any details about the position you are going

for.

What to include – skills based

Personal Profile – Sum yourself up in one or two sentences. It needs to be a brief

statement about yourself that gives the reader a really powerful idea of who you are and

makes them think they can’t wait to see you. If you have some experience say it here

‘Experienced waitress’, ‘Efficient sales person’. Then you write about your personal,

profession and business traits that make up the most successful employee. These are

sometimes called employee competencies and will make up part of the job description.

These could include:

o Personal traits – drive, motivation, communication, energy, determination,

confidence, good team member, leadership skills

o Professional traits – reliability, organisational skills, integrity, dedication, pride,

analytical skills, listening skills

o Business traits – efficiency, economy, procedures

Personal Details – name, address, telephone number and email address. Make sure it’s a

sensible email address and check that your answerphone message is sensible too.

Education and Qualifications – name of school and town, dates attended qualification

levels, subjects and grades

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Skills Profile

With a skills profile you should determine the key characteristics/skills that the employer is

looking for. These may be listed in the job description or you may be able to work them out.

Here you can take examples for all your activities to demonstrate your skills. This can be

very helpful to the interviewer as you have matched yourself to the job.

Employment & Work Experience – your most recent position first – job title, who for, a

general description of the position, dates and bullet points to explain what each job entailed.

Achievements / Positions of Responsibility – positions in and out of school. Make sure

they are easy to understand, don’t use ‘school speak’ so don’t just say ‘link prefect’ explain

what you did.

Other Qualifications and Awards – driving licence, crb check, music / sports qualifications

etc

Hobbies and Interests - make sure you can talk about them. If you only been sailing once,

don’t put it down; you might be opposite a keen sailor in an interview.

References – generally better to say ‘Available on request’. Therefore, you can let your

referee know that they might be contacted and any details about the position you are going

for.

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EXAMPLE OF CHRONOLOGICAL CV

Jo Bloggs

123 Any Street, Any Town, SP1 1AA Mobile 0123456789 Email: joebloggs@internet.com

Personal Profile

I bring determination and enthusiasm to all that I do as result of high levels of motivation and

ability. I take a logical approach to problem solving and am capable and well organised

whether working as a team or as an individual.

Education and Qualifications

2013 – current South Wilts Grammar School Salisbury

2020 GCE A Maths (A), History (A), Classical Civilisation (B) Predicted grades

2018 GCSE Maths (9), Biology (9), Chemistry (9), Physics (9),

English Language (8), English Literature (7),

Geography (7), Resistant Materials (7), French (9), Art (9), Religious

Studies (8)

2017 GCSE Statistics (9)

Employment & Work Experience

Sep 2018 – current Customer Service Assistant John Lewis plc, Salisbury

Answering customer queries and complaints

Processing special orders

High level customer service and checkout duties

Aug 2019 Work Experience Foster Wheeler, Reading

Editing piping and instrumentation diagrams and procurement lists, doing basic fluid flow calculations and report updates

Researching feasibility of shale gas as a fuel

Overview of company projects (refineries and LNG plants), graduate scheme, and upstream process

Jan 2015-current Babysitter

Responsible for 2 children aged 4 and 9 during evenings and day time in holiday

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Achievements / Positions of Responsibility

Sept 2018 – current Senior Academic Mentor South Wilts Grammar School

With 4 peers developed student led mentoring scheme

Matching over 60 mentors with 150 mentees for all subjects

Developed record keeping system using Excel

Other Qualifications

Sports Leaders Award

Full driving licence

Hobbies and Interests

Playing the clarinet, singing, baking and cross country running

References

On Request

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EXAMPLE OF SKILLS BASED CV

Jo Bloggs

123 Any Street, Any Town, SP1 1AA Mobile 0123456789 Email: joebloggs@internet.com

Personal Profile

I bring determination and enthusiasm to all that I do as a result of high levels of motivation

and ability. I take a logical approach to problem solving and am well organised whether

working as a team or as an individual.

Education and Qualifications

2013 – current South Wilts Grammar School for Girls, Salisbury

2020 GCE A Maths (A), History (A), Classical Civilisation (B) Predicted grades

2018 GCSE Maths (9), Biology (9), Chemistry (9), Physics (9),

English Language (8), English Literature (7),

Geography (7), Resistant Materials (7), French (9), Art (9), Religious

Studies (8)

2017 GCSE Statistics (9)

Skills Profile

Teamwork Trusted member of regular staff team of all-age and experience as customer service

assistant

Part of cross country team representing school at national school competitions

Full member of school choir and orchestra

Leadership

Senior position of responsibility developing student led mentoring scheme

Leading, training and co-ordinating over 60 mentors to work with over 150 students

Organisation of house teams for sports activities motivating less able students to participate

Communication

Excellent customer service delivery to diverse range of exacting customers

Chosen to represent school at open days and parents’ evenings

Clear written and spoken presentation style as demonstrated during work experience placement.

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Employment & Work Experience

Sep 2018 – current Customer Service Assistant John Lewis plc, Salisbury

Answering customer queries and complaints

Processing special orders

High level customer service and checkout duties

Aug 2019 Work Experience Foster Wheeler, Reading

Editing piping and instrumentation diagrams and procurement lists, doing basic fluid flow calculations and report updates

Researching feasibility of shale gas as a fuel

Overview of company projects (refineries and LNG plants), graduate scheme, and upstream process

Jan 2015-current Babysitter

Responsible for 2 children aged 4 and 9 during evenings and day time in holiday

Achievements / Positions of Responsibility

Sept 2018 – current Senior Academic Mentor South Wilts Grammar School

With 4 peers developed student led mentoring scheme

Matching over 60 mentors with 150 mentees for all subjects

Developed record keeping system using Excel

Other Qualifications

Sports Leaders Award

Full driving licence

Hobbies and Interests

Playing the clarinet, singing, baking and cross country running

References

On Request

Making your CV stand out

• Match to the job advert; don’t just tell, show them – give them examples

• TAILOR IT TO EVERY JOB YOU APPLY FOR

Essentials

Mirror phrases from the job description or advert

Don’t lie or exaggerate

No more than 2 pages, 1 is fine at this stage

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Layout – consistent, use clear headings to separate out the section, a clear clean font, bullet points

Sensible email address and you don’t need to title it CV, head it with your name

If you’ve done something amazing, include it

Keep a copy of each one

Check, check and double check and get someone else to read it and check it

COVERING LETTER

This is as important as your CV or application form, don’t overlook it. It’s the first thing that

the employer sees so you need to make a good impression. Even if you are emailing the

CV or application form, you still need to be formal in your email and treat it as a covering

letter. It gives you a chance to tell them some additional information and a quick introduction

to you as a person.

Essentials

Good quality paper (same as your CV) on unlined paper

Addressed to the right person using their correct title and full address (if you don’t know, find out. All you have to do is ring the company and check with the switchboard.)

Use a formal layout for a letter which means:

Your contact details and date on the right hand side; their name, title and address on the left. Date to be written in full.

Highlight the title in bold or underline

If you have written to the person by name, sign off ‘Yours sincerely’, if you really can’t find out the name and have written ‘Dear Sir’ sign off ‘Yours faithfully’

Write ‘Enc’ at the bottom to show that you have enclosed your CV or application form.

Type it unless asked to hand write it.

If emailing:

Title of job and where advertised in subject line

Dear Mr / Mrs / Miss

Body of letter

Yours sincerely / faithfully as above and your name & full contact details (name, address, telephone number, email address.)

Content

This needs to be confident, lively and inspiring telling the reader in brief why you’d be good

for the job. You don’t want to come across as arrogant and pushy, you’re just letting them

know what you can do. You’re summarising what you’ve said in your CV or application form

and maybe adding some new information. It gives you a chance to tie up what you’ve done

with what they want.

General Format

Paragraph 1 – introduction to yourself, what job you are applying for, particular details of why you want the job. Be enthusiastic and show them that you have done your research.

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Paragraph 2/3 a short description of highlights of your education, skills that particularly fit with the job you are applying for and how you think you can make a difference to the organisation.

Paragraph 4 positive final comments, telling them that you hope to hear from them soon or write ‘I hope I may be invited to interview to enable me to go through my application in more detail.’

Remember – use key words from the job advert or description. If a company receives

thousands of applications, they will often run your letter and CV through a computer

which will search for those key words and therefore make the initial selection.

Example

33 Stratford Road Salisbury Wiltshire SP1 3RH 01233 445566 jennysmith@live.co.uk Mr John Evans Eagle Limited 29 Wellow Road Salisbury SP1 111 2 March 2020 Dear Mr Evans VACANCY FOR DIRECT MARKETING ASSISTANT I am very interested in the Direct Marketing Assistant position advertised in this week’s Salisbury Journal. I am currently finishing my A levels at South Wilts Grammar School where I have been studying Business Studies, Music and Communications and Culture. I am predicted ABB in these subjects. I particularly enjoyed the module on marketing and learning how communication differs from culture to culture. Last summer I spent 3 weeks work experience with Pepper Agency learning the different aspects of PR and Design for businesses. Whilst with them I learnt the importance of customer contact, knowing your target audience and addressing each audience in a specific way. For the last two years I have been the editor of the school magazine, with a team of 4 students and am proficient at word processing and desktop packages including Microsoft Publisher. I very much want to work in the field of marketing and feel that with the use of social networking sites for direct marketing it is an exciting and dynamic world to be part of. Yours sincerely Jenny Smith

J E Smith

‘Enc’

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APPLICATION FORMS

Applications forms may be long but they are easy – unless they have sections wanting more

information as to why you are suitable for the job. You are given the format, and you then

have to fill in the spaces with the information they want. Unless asked not to, always

complete by type rather than handwrite.

Essentials

Read the instructions and follow them exactly. You will often be given guidelines

telling you exactly what they want in each section and how they want the information

structured. FOLLOW THESE TO THE LETTER.

Practise on a spare copy and ask someone to check your answers before completing

the real version.

If you do need to write, write legibly, following instructions. (I have thrown

applications out if the applicant used blue ink rather than black as they were

instructed to do so).

Be consistent with your presentation

Take care with abbreviations and jargon, best not to use them

Do not just enclose your CV and write see CV. That is lazy and guaranteed to get

your application form put straight in the bin.

Include a covering letter or email with the application form.

Sections

Biographical – name , address, career history, qualifications, etc

Equal Opportunities Form – often a separate sheet torn off from main application

for the organisation to check that they are not discriminating against any group. In

many organisations, this information is often detached before the shortlister sees the

rest of the form.

Give information in support of your application – this is an employment version of

a personal statement. Think about the position involved, what the skills and traits are

and what you have to offer to match those, just like you did when you were thinking

about your CV. Check the guidance notes or see if you can find the selection criteria

(job description, person specification, competencies)

Why are you applying for this post? Not because it’s on your bus route or the pay

is good! They want to know why you want to work for them and what you can offer

them.

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STARE – when you are completing the supporting sections, think STARE – situation,

task, action, result, evaluation

Example During my final year at South Wilts Grammar School I led a team of students in the

publication of a new school magazine. We decided to start the magazine, I called for

volunteers and we met to plan the strategy for the development of the magazine. I was voted

the Editor and delegated different roles to individuals giving them clear responsibilities, tasks

and deadlines. As a result the school magazine was produced termly and the Headteacher is

happy for me to assist with choosing the team that will continue the successful production

over the coming years.

ASSESSMENT CENTRE

What happens at an Assessment Centre

Assessors observe a group of candidates performing a variety of specially-designed tests and exercises which provide specific information on the ability & mental capacity of each candidate. Each of the exercises simulate aspects of the job description and work environment for the vacant role and allow the candidates to demonstrate how their skills match with those required to perform that role. It’s an efficient way for big companies to quickly sort the wheat from the chaff and that’s why assessment centres have become so widely used.

68% of employers in the UK and 72% in the US now use some form of assessment centre as part of their recruitment/promotion process.

Performing under pressure is a great indicator of capability and assessment centers have become acknowledged as one of the most effective ways of quickly sifting through a large number of candidates and identifying talented people who will:

Perform their role with excellence Get on well with other members of the team and fit in with the employer’s culture

How long do assessment centers last?

It varies from half-a-day to two full days. The more senior the role, the longer the assessment.

Who are the assessors?

Usually they will be a mix of HR consultants (in-house & external) and line managers and people at least one level above the position you have applied for. Typically, they will be ambitious and successful people who understand the qualities they expect to see in an individual performing the role you have applied for.

What will happen on the day?

Candidates attending an assessment center will usually be welcomed with tea and coffee and there’ll be an arrival period of 30 minutes or so when candidates and assessors will mill around outside and chat ahead of the day’s events getting underway.

You’ll then be ushered into a communal ‘welcome briefing’ of some kind and you’ll receive an initial address together with the other candidates about the timing of the tests and exercises, location of rooms and housekeeping rules (fire alarms, washrooms etc).

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And … the assessment exercises will begin.

What exercises will I have to do?

The most common exercises are:

Presentations Interviews Role-plays Situational judgement (ie How would you deal with the following situation …..?) Competency interview (ie. Give me an example of when you’ve ….?) The in-tray exercise (or e-tray exercise) A group exercise Get advice and step-by-step guidance on how to shine in all of these exercises by

downloading my Ultimate Assessment Day Guide.

In addition to these practical exercises, there will almost always be some form of psychometric testing. Usually in the following areas:

Personality questionnaires Verbal reasoning Numerical reasoning Logical reasoning

Some industries also run other ‘reasoning’ tests such as Inductive, Mechanical or Spatial reasoning, which are essential for engineering & technical roles.

(Note: It’s increasingly common for psychometric tests to be completed online before the assessment centre itself and in some cases there will be a second suite of psychometric tests at the assessment event too!)

What happens during each exercise?

Briefly, during each test a group of observers will rate you on a range of predetermined criteria. At the end of each exercise the observers compare each candidate’s performance to reach a consensus on overall performance.

Prior to each test, you will be given instructions describing the exercise you’re about to perform. You will not be told specifically what criteria will be measured during the exercise and (annoyingly) you will rarely receive feedback on your results or performance. (Though in some cases this may be made available after the event, usually within a few days.)

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Hints and Tips for Group Exercise Your big chance to shine in a group setting. Making a good impression during this exercise can have a powerful impact on the assessors. Let’s look at some specific ways to succeed in the group exercise. If possible, take the lead - Whoever assumes the leadership role automatically gets a head start on the other competitors. Being prepared to show initiative and take responsibility in this way is viewed positively by most assessors. Don’t force it in an unnatural way – but if possible, take the lead. A good way to position yourself like this is to offer to be the timekeeper during the exercise. Do this as early as possible in the activity. None of the other candidates will refuse your kind offer and it immediately puts you in a positive/responsible light in the eyes of the group and also the assessors. Hey presto, with this practical and collaborative suggestion you have become part of the leadership and an ‘authority figure’ in the group! Be calm & assertive not aggressive - It can be difficult to put your personality across in a well-rounded way during the group exercise because every candidate wants to make a good impression and each candidate will have a different view of how best to achieve that. Some will be aggressive and dominating because they want to demonstrate drive, leadership or passion. Others will be overwhelmed and feel so nervous that they struggle to get a foothold in the discussion at all. Make sure you take part, be forceful if needs be, but smile and be polite and positive at the same time. Think ‘calm and assertive’ rather than ‘aggression’. Include others - Teamwork, co-operation and the ability to listen to others are important. Including members of the group who have previously been quiet is always a winner with the assessors. Introduce yourself to everyone with genuine warmth - [Note: Ideally, this is something you should do before the group exercise.] At some point after your arrival the candidates will all be stood/sat together, most likely feeling nervous and being very quiet as they wait to begin an assessment activity. Use this time to introduce yourself to the others. Smile at them warmly as you shake their hands. Not only does this break the ice and project a confident image, it also gets them on your side and this will help you throughout this and other exercises. Make the effort to remember their names because… People love it when you use their names Remembering the other candidates’ (and assessors’) names shows you are well-mannered and attentive but it also demonstrates you have a good eye for detail and predisposes them to like you. The group exercise can take a variety of forms. You may need to:

Discuss a general topic or area of current affairs (Eg “Migrants from Europe are draining the economy of the UK”)

Debate a work-related problem before finding a solution and presenting it back to the assessors as a group

Complete a task (For example, work through a case-study, role-play scenario, or solve a puzzle.)

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Numerical Test

Study the information at least TWICE - It is vital that you fully understand the information you’re being presented with before you begin answering questions. Small assumptions can catch you out in a numerical reasoning practice test – don’t forget this test is also checking your eye for detail.

Stay calm - Nothing will damage your performance more than losing your focus during the test. Numerical reasoning tests are timed and some people find this applies an element of pressure that makes it very hard for them to concentrate.

Here’s two of our most popular articles that will help you:

Manage your time carefully - A standard numerical reasoning practice test lasts for around 20 minutes. As with most aptitude tests it’s crucial that you manage your time carefully. You should always scan ahead and see how many questions you need to complete in the time you have available.

As a rough rule of thumb, you should spend about 90 seconds on each question. If you are really stuck on a question don’t waste time trying to figure it out.

During the 5 minutes you spend pondering one tricky question you could correctly answer 3-4 others and secure a much higher overall score in your numerical reasoning test .

Practice as much as possible before your real test - Numerical reasoning tests are the easiest assessment center activity to prepare for because the preparation is so clear-cut. If you put the time in to prepare for this test you will pass; that’s not something you can say with such certainty for other assessment exercises.

Get stuck into as many relevant numerical reasoning practice tests as you can. Practice, practice, practice!

If possible use your own calculator - Using your own calculator that you’re comfortable with and fully understand how to use will save you valuable seconds in your numerical reasoning practice test. numerical reasoning test practice A scientific calculator with the ability to use macros is ideal, but in the absence of this just use a big calculator with a clear screen and large buttons. Simplicity and ease-of-use are the key here; don’t lose sight of the fact you’re being timed against other candidates!

Make no assumptions - In a numerical reasoning practice test you mustn’t factor in real-life data that you know proves or disproves an element of a question. You absolutely must take all elements of your numerical reasoning test literally – if it isn’t included in the data you’re shown then you can’t include it in your decision-making process for the question.

Focus only on the sought data - The answer to most questions will be in only a sub-section of the data you are shown. (You can often disregard 80% of the data that’s presented.) The key is knowing where to look and this is part of the test; your data-selection skills are being measured as well as your core mathematic ability.

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Fully understand how to calculate percentages. Do you fully understand percentages? It’s surprising how many people think they do, but don’t. It’s important that you know this because it forms a large part of every numerical reasoning test.

As a quick test: Do you know how to strip a retrospective percentage increase out? (Eg for after-sales tax, such as VAT?)

For example, if I bought £72.14 of fuel for my car and needed to calculate how much that would be without VAT what would I do? Would I calculate 17.5% of £72.14 (£12.62) and deduct it from the total? This would give me a pre-VAT figure of £59.52. This would be incorrect.

This is the most common mistake made by candidates in a numerical reasoning test.

Why is it wrong?

Because the calculation took a 17.5% measure of the after-tax figure.

The correct way to strip out the VAT increase (or any after-the-fact percentage increase) is to divide the original number by, in this example, 1.175. (The 1.175 represents the 17.5% VAT, but you could use 1.52 to represent 52% or 1.255 to represent 25.5% etc.)

So in this example the original after-tax amount was £72.14 which when divided by 1.175 gives us the correct figure of £61.40.

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Presentations

How to structure an interview or assessment day presentation in 7 easy steps

You need to have clarity on what your presentation is going to be about before you begin. (If you don’t have a clear brief or title in mind then consider what your desired outcome is and work back from there. It will usually become apparent very quickly.)

[Note: For most interviews and assessment centers you will be given a brief beforehand. Often something like ‘prepare a 15 minute presentation entitled “the greatest achievement of my life”‘ or ‘tell us about the most enlightening experience of your life’.]

Planning Step 1 - Sit down in a quiet room with a pen and a blank piece of paper. (We strongly recommend you don’t use a PC or laptop for this stage.)

Planning Step 2 - Write your central subject, title, theme or question in the middle and draw a circle around it.

Planning Step 3 - Now let your mind run crazy while you brainstorm potential sub-topics and related themes. What could you include that is relevant/interesting/compelling to your central theme? Don’t worry about which ones are best right now, or what order they should be in, just get a ton of ideas down on the page. You should now have a piece of paper that looks something like this:

Planning Step 4 - When you’re satisfied you have plenty of ideas and sub-topics on the page, write brief notes underneath each one covering the main things you would talk about in each area.

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Planning Step 5 - The next step is to review your ideas. We need to trim this list down as there are currently far too many ideas to cover. (Unless you want the presentation to last all day!) Use a different coloured pen and mark the areas/ideas that are strongest, the most relevant & the most compelling. Cross out the weaker ideas.

Clear your mind and ask yourself:

“What are the most important ideas/areas/sub-topics that I have on this piece of paper?”

“Does this sub-topic strongly contribute to the main theme/idea of this presentation? Is it absolutely vital I include it?”

“Can I group any of these sub-topics into 3-5 larger subject areas? What could I call those areas? How can I put my best ideas/points into a logical structure?”

“Will I be comfortable talking about and answering questions on this topic in front of a group of strangers?”

“What could I talk about naturally and confidently?”

What overarching themes or messages are there that your presentation could follow?

Slowly you will start to whittle down your list of sub-topics and what remains will be the strongest and most relevant areas that you should cover. Your paper should now look something like this:

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In Tray Exercise

The in-tray exercise is an assessment activity that’s widely used by employers to measure candidates’ suitability for a job. It’s a business simulation where you play a member of staff who has to deal with the workload of a typical day. Note that the in-tray exercise is very similar to the ‘e-tray exercise’. (The e-tray exercise is an electronic version of the in-tray exercise.)

The in-tray exercise measures your analytical skills, communication skills, written skills, delegation skills and business acumen. The purpose of the in-tray exercise is to evaluate and test how well you:

Efficiently use your time/resources

Prioritise your workload

Identify, investigate and address key issues

Anticipate and resolve problems

Delegate and liaise with others

It also gives the employer a great opportunity to get an overall flavour of your work style and approach.

‘How does the in-tray exercise work?’

At the beginning of your in-tray exercise you will receive background information about the imaginary scenario to help build a clearer picture and to give you context. Often this will include:

Information on your imaginary role and responsibilities (in most cases this will be similar to the role that you’ve applied for).

The key issues and objectives of the organisation.

A description or organisational chart with a list of the staff that you are responsible for and a list of colleagues and/or supporting departments.

A summary of 3rd party relationships & people or companies outside of your own (eg customers, suppliers, distributors etc).

A business calendar for the next few months.

EXAMPLE

“You have just returned to work following a two week holiday. Your colleague who was covering for you during your absence has left a pile of work on your desk marked for your attention. It includes reports, memos, emails, presentations, telephone messages, handwritten notes from colleagues, webpages and letters. You need to review each item and then provide the following and have 60 minutes to complete the exercise:

A list of actions which includes your analysis of each of the items

The priority that you would assign to each item

Include who should be involved (colleague, department, 3rd party, other stakeholder etc)

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TIP - Thoroughly read the brief and supporting documents you are given. You need to understand them inside out and upside down as they provide the context for the entire exercise. Don’t rush through it, take your time and digest it fully.

Step 1 – Get in to the right mindset - Before you start working through the pile of documents it’s vital that you have this question foremost in mind: “What are the key things this employer wants from the person doing this role?” Keep this thought in mind throughout the exercise, it will ensure that your decisions and recommendations remain relevant to the overall aim.

You can get total clarity on this by asking the company’s HR or personnel department to forward you a job description for the role beforehand. (This is perfectly fair and not only will this help you enormously in your preparation but it also demonstrates initiative and drive. Do it!) The job description will have a list of the core competencies required for the role. It’s basically a checklist of what the employer is looking for. Gold dust.

Step 2 – Scan and prioritise

The first thing you need to do is to prioritise your workload. This will ensure that the most important and urgent tasks are given priority. Draw the following matrix to create 4 boxes.

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:

Number each box and go

Now go through your imaginary workload and review each item. Remember, you’re not processing or

resolving these issues right now, all you’re doing is prioritising each one.

For each item:

Identify the issue/problem. Understand it. Consider its implications. Understand the motivation and drivers of the sender.

Keep a close eye on the detail. (When is the item dated? Is there a deadline? Etc) Answer this question: ‘How important and urgent is this issue?’

Use the 4 boxes to assign a number to each item and ‘place’ it into the corresponding box. (If you have actual physical documents during the exercise it’s best to group them into four piles. If you’re doing this electronically then mark them 1-4 or use some notepaper. Whatever

method you use, it’s important to keep track as you can quickly become overwhelmed.)

Items that you place in box 1 must be both important and urgent.

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Items you place in box 2 are important but not urgent. These should be dealt with after you’ve resolved the contents of box 1.

Items you place in box 3 are not important to your role, but they require an urgent response.

Often these items will be urgent to someone else (a colleague or another department). You should use your judgement as to which items to deal with here.

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Items you place in box 4 are not important and not urgent. These are basically timewasters and should be your last priority. Consider not addressing them at all.

Ok so now you have a fully prioritised workload and it’s time to address each item in the following order:

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Step 3: Deal With Each Item

For each item that you placed in box 1 you need to provide:

A list of actions which includes your analysis of each of the items. The priority that you would assign to each item Include who should be involved (colleague, department, 3rd party other stakeholder

etc).

While doing this consider the following:

In the real world, how would I deal with this? What can I do to resolve this issue, now or in the future? Should I delegate this or take ownership of it myself? What colleagues, or 3rd parties can help me resolve this? What colleagues, or 3rd parties need to be made aware of this? Do I need to flag this for follow up? Remember to write down all of your observations. Use sticky notes to annotate them

as you go along. This is a big help when you have up to 30 documents to review and also demonstrates your thought process to the assessors.

This is when you MUST have the job description for the role at the forefront of your mind. Keep asking yourself “what does this company want from someone performing this role?” as answering that question will ensure you deal appropriately with every item.

Remember what’s being measured here – prioritisation skills, analytical skills, communication skills, written skills, delegation skills and business acumen. Keep these in mind as your address each item.

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Role Plays

Role-play exercise is an assessment activity in which candidates act out an imaginary scenario that closely mirrors a situation that could occur in the job they have applied for.

What happens during a role-play exercise?

Role-play exercises follow a fairly standard format:

1) You will be given a briefing document that outlines the scenario and your objectives and will be given 20-30 minutes to prepare.

2) You will then begin the role-play. (Usually with one of the assessors – often this will be the line manager for one of the roles that’s being recruited.)

3) At the end of the exercise you will be scored on your performance and that feedback will be factored in to the cumulative results of the interview/assessment centre.

Obviously the context of your role-play brief will vary according to your industry, but the skeleton structure of role-plays tends to remain the same.

Example role-play exercise 1 – The Angry Customer

“You are the sales manager of a small firm. You receive a telephone call from an angry customer who bought a home security system from your company but is not happy with it. They are now threatening to take their story to a consumer watchdog and to the trading standards ombudsman. Your objective is to resolve the issue with the minimum damage to the company (both financially & in terms of our reputation). Plan your response and prepare to call the customer.”

Example role-play exercise 2 – Internal Negotiation

“You are a team member. The other role player is your manager. You have worked for this company for 4 years, having worked for your Manager for the last 2 years. The work is very enjoyable however you get very little development time from the boss, and you are very keen to get on. The manager does the annual appraisal every February with you. Lots of promises are made, however nothing seems to get done. There’s always an excuse.

Samantha, who does a similar job for a different boss, always seems to get plenty of time with him – reviewing performance, action planning, different projects, extra responsibility. She’s even spent some time in another part of the organisation for a couple of weeks on secondment.

You are determined to tackle your manager about this. An opportunity has just cropped up to sit down with him/ her. Your task is to influence your manager to give you more time to develop you. Make sure you get a firm commitment such as the first ‘coaching’ session put in the diary.”

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‘The 7 Steps To Role-Play Success’

Ok, so we know what a roleplay is and what employers want to see during the exercise. We’ve also seen some real-world briefs, so now it’s time to get into the nitty gritty. Let’s look at the basics of how to succeed in interview and assessment centre role-plays.

1) Read the brief carefully. Then read the brief carefully. - This is absolutely crucial as any misconceptions or misunderstandings that you make as you rush to begin preparing can undermine all your subsequent efforts in this exercise. The above example role-plays are both quite simple, but for the role-plays used for more senior recruitment can be extremely demanding and complicated.

Fully understand what is expected of you during this exercise. What role are you being asked to assume? Be absolutely clear on what you are being asked to do before you attempt it. Take a breath and be sure you fully understand the brief before you begin to prepare. If necessary, ask one of the assessors to clarify. (Some points are deliberately ambiguous, so only ask if you’re sure it’s not something obvious.)

2) Prepare a list of open-ended questions. - This is huge. There is always lots of information that isn’t included in the brief and it’s your job to uncover and address it. Questions that start like this are worth their weight in gold:

“tell me about…”

“can you expand on……”

“could you talk to me about….”

Why are these questions so valuable? They give you the most important thing you’re seeking in this exercise: more information and clarity. In most role-plays there’s often lots of relevant and important details that are NOT included in the brief. Some details are deliberately omitted as this ensures the role-play has headroom to develop and also allows the assessors to see if the candidate can think on their feet.

3) Prepare your ‘bookends’ - ‘Bookends’ are pre-prepared opening and closing statements. Having a pre-planned opening statement (just a few sentences) will help you settle down and relax into the exercise and also ensure you make a confident first impression on the assessor. Similarly, a strong closing statement will wrap things up well and leave a favourable lasting impression of you.

Spend a few moments during your prep time to create these. Try and commit them to memory, if they’re too long or complicated to remember then write them down in large writing (so you can read them at a glance). Bookends add a welcome element of professional sheen to your performance, so don’t overlook them!

4) Prepare a skeleton structure, but keep EVERYTHING flexible

Having a clear plan before you begin the role-play exercise is essential but it’s equally as important that the activity unfolds as naturally as possible, so don’t formulate a rigid plan and expect things to pan out exactly as you have written on your piece(s) of paper. The conversation should be allowed to flow wherever it needs to go (this is one of the key indicators of a role-play that is going well).

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Why is flexibility so important? Because your rigid plan could go out of the window at a moment’s notice if the assessor drops a curve ball into the role-play exercise (which they can and often will do – especially if you’re doing well, just to see how you react).

One of the assessors aims is to gauge how you react to unexpected circumstances, so keep things natural and relaxed and you will greatly increase your chances of reacting well.

5) Have just 1 piece of paper on your lap/table - This may sound petty but it’s a very practical point: Don’t have an impenetrable mass of prep and notes all over your lap or a scribbled piece of A4 with notes covering every inch of space. Just have bullet-points written in a large size (ie, easy to read – even when you’re nervous).

6) Practise, practise, practise -Nothing will improve your performance on the day more than familiarity with the exercise. It will improve your competence and also help you stay relaxed.

7) Be relaxed, natural & confident -This is easy to say and difficult to do, but it’s vital to your success. Have a read of my article “How To Deal With Nerves & Anxiety” to learn some effective techniques to reduce any last minute panic. Remember you can get hold of a full suite of interview preparation tools here.

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INTERVIEWS

Interviews come in all shapes and sizes. You may have an interview with just one person or

a panel of people. You may be part of a group or the interview itself may be part of an

assessment process that could take up to a day that will involve other activities such as

exercises, discussions, group activities, presentations and tests.

Interviews are held to gather more information that can be found out from your CV or

application form and to consider your character and fit for the company. If you are called for

an interview, you will probably be one of a short list as a result of you having best fit for what

they want in an employee. Expect to be in an interview for between 20 minutes and an hour.

Don’t be surprised if you have an initial interview over the phone. If you do, make sure you

book a time when you can be in a quiet, calm place, away from others. If you are at home, I

suggest you put shoes on and sit at a desk to have the interview. This will ensure you are in

a professional frame of mind. Have your notes about yourself in front of you as a prompt but

make sure you know them: you do not want to be reading them! As with a face to face

interview, follow the relevant essential instructions below.

The interview may also be part of an assessment centre process which could last one or two

days. They often include

A social or informal event: remember you are being assessed all the time, be friendly but not over familiar. If alcohol is available we suggest you avoid it!

Information session: providing more information about the organisation. Listen carefully, you may need this information later

Tests and exercises: designed to reveal your ability and potential.

Group discussion

Interview

More details on how assessments centres are run can be found on various websites

including: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/assessment_centres.htm

Essentials

Check the date and time of the interview and where you need to be. If you need to,

find out how long it will take you to get there. Arrive 10-15 minutes early.

You will be asked questions and notes will probably be taken so that the interviewer

can remember the main points of the interview and your answers.

Prepare yourself. Re-read your CV or application form, the job advert and job

description.

Treat each interview positively – it’s a chance for you to find out more, just as much

as it for is them.

Be yourself, and remember everyone has had to go through an interview to get a job,

even the person interviewing you.

TURN OFF YOUR PHONE (not even onto silent – TURN IT OFF)

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Creating the Best Impression

Research shows that

55% of a first impression is based on appearance and behaviour which includes body language, posture, clothing, facial expressions. As regards tattoos and piercings, the head of a national recruitment agency has written: ‘Plenty of interviewers won’t bat an eyelid at your tattoos or piercings, but there are still more traditional employers out there who will be turned off. It comes down to company culture. If you only have a few small tattoos that can easily be covered and a single piercing which can be removed, it’s much less likely to be a problem. If you’re heavily tattooed however, or have tattoos in hard to cover places such as your hands or neck, then you’ll be more likely to come up against objections. https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/ask-james-will-tattoos-piercings-prevent-getting-hired/

38% of a first impression is from the way we speak, including clarity of speech and

the way we use our voice.

Leaving only 7% for the words we actually use.

REMEMBER – your interview starts the minute you arrive in the building. The

interviewer will ask the receptionist and anyone else what they thought. We do it in

school when the Head Student team or Senior Prefects show staff around the school

Appearance – you will be in competition with others so make everything you do

count. I am not talking about being part of a fashion show, I’m talking about realising

that you need to come across to the interviewer as someone who has taken time with

their appearance, relative to the position you are applying for and that you have a

professional outlook. For example, if you were attending an interview in the more

traditional sectors of employment such as banking you would be expected to wear a

suit. In a more creative sector such as PR, a suit might be ‘over the top’ but you still

need to be smart. Plain colours are the safest when you want to look smart.

However, remember what I said earlier about being yourself, you need to feel

comfortable in these clothes. If you do buy an interview outfit, make sure you wear it

several times to get used to it.

Behaviour – Smile, say hello to the interviewer(s) and shake hands. At the end of

the interview, thank them for their time, smile and shake hands again.

o Make eye contact. Don’t hold a stare but do at least look at the interviewer

when you are answering a question and make sure you include all the

interviewers throughout the process. You are likely to be asked questions by

different people, start to address your answer to that person and then give the

others a quick glance.

o Posture - walk tall and sit up. Do not lean on the desk particularly if that desk

belongs to the interviewer. Don’t slouch, it gives the impression that you

aren’t taking the interview seriously.

o Confidence – Practice gives you confidence. Practise POSTIVE MENTAL

ATTITUDE – why are you such a great person, what are you good at, what

are you going to bring to the job, what have you achieved, why do they need

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you? Make sure you think all these things through and give yourself a really

good bank of thoughts to dip into.

o Voice practise speaking slowly – if you need to pause to collect your

thoughts, that’s fine. An interviewer will expect some early nerves but you

need to get them under control quickly.

o Nerves – everyone suffers from nerves but remember your nerves show less

than you think. You may know your palms are sweaty or your stomach is

churning, the interviewer doesn’t. Again, it comes down to practice – talk

yourself through the interview, think of the questions they may ask you how

you will answer them.

o Go to the loo - arrive in time to go to the loo and check your appearance.

Unless you feel you will have a very dry mouth, I suggest you don’t ask for a

drink even if offered, it will distract you from the matter in hand.

Answering Questions

This is generally the longest part of any job interview and often the most worrying. It doesn’t

need to be, if you do your homework and planning. You can’t accurately predict every

question but you can have a very good guess as to what might come up.

The employer only has a limited time to come to a decision about which is the best

candidate for the job and has to ask the same questions of all candidates. Therefore they

will have a list of questions that they have which will be based around the job description and

personnel specification for the post. Always come up with examples so that you can paint a

picture of what you mean. Be enthusiastic and try to make everything relevant to the role

you are applying for. Some of the sorts of questions that might be asked are as follows with

a couple of ideas of how to answer.

Can you tell me about why you are doing your A levels / degree?

Tell them why you are doing what you are doing and what your long term plans are.

Which bits did you enjoy most?

Be enthusiastic. Find an example that links with the job you are applying for. It might not

be directly, but if the job requires team work – talk about something that you did that

shows you like that.

Tell me about a specific project that you worked on at school / university

Many aspects of employment are about projects from very small ones, to much larger

ones involving many people. Think in terms of STARE – situation, task, action, result,

evaluation so that you explain everything to do with that project. Don’t be afraid to tell

them if something went wrong as long as you can explain what you did to put it right.

Have you had any work experience?

Think about something that you have done to show that you have done something

outside of school – volunteering, babysitting, paper round.

Can you tell me about your last job?

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Summarise the main features of the job – don’t presume that they have read and

remembered your CV or application form. Think about what particular aspects are

relevant to the new job and highlight those. Say the reason that you are leaving your last

job – always put a ‘positive spin’ on the reason. Even if you had a terrible time, say that

you wanted more responsibility, greater challenge etc.

What has been your greatest achievement?

Again, if you can, use something that has some relevance to the job and the personal

qualities and characteristics that they are looking for. Don’t ramble – explain what it was,

the background and why it’s your greatest achievement.

Can you tell me about a problem that you have had to deal with?

They are looking to discover how you would tackle obstacles at work. Talk through a

problem – again you can use the STARE approach. Choose something that shows you

to be positive, practical and successful.

What would you do if you had a problem that you couldn’t deal with?

You need to show that you wouldn’t give up straight away but that you would be

responsible and calm, find out what the problem is and calm the customer down. That

you would apologise for the delay and would pass it on to your supervisor who you would

then brief with all the relevant facts.

What hobbies and interests do you have?

They aren’t being nosy, they are trying to get a feel for you as a person. Someone who

enjoys knitting, cake decorating and bird watching comes across as very different person

to someone who enjoys, kayaking, singing and swimming

What are your strengths?

Now is your chance to shine. Come up with 10 strengths to have in your mind (if you

can’t think of them, think what a friend would tell me if I asked them). Pick a few to

discuss in detail, showing them how you use them and how they will be useful in the job.

What are your weaknesses?

Don’t give them a whole long list. Mention one that could be seen as a strength for

example – ‘I sometimes stay late until I get a job finished and am accused by friends of

taking my work too seriously.’

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?

They are looking to check you are not going to disappear in the next year and you are

serious about the work. If it is a part time job whilst you study, say that you have several

more years to finish your studies and do not intend to move before then. If it is a full time

job, indicate that you hope to be with the company and maybe take on more

responsibility or become more specialised.

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What do you know about the organisation?

There are no excuses for not having an answer to this one. Do your homework. Look at

the organisation when you arrive at the company, what does the reception tell you about

it? Read the company report when you are waiting to be interviewed.

Why do you want to work for this company?

Answer this in relation to your own skills and strengths and what you would be

contributing to the role. Match yourself with the company and demonstrate what they will

get from you rather than all you can get from them.

Why are you applying for this post?

Another chance to shine. Bring out your experience and enthusiasm for the role. Don’t

be arrogant and don’t criticise the company if you are asked how you could make things

different. Build on what has been done. Structure your answer – skills and experience,

character and personality, your vision for the particular post.

There are many other questions that might come up – think about the role and come up with

some ‘role specific’ questions to prepare answers for.

CONCLUSION

This booklet has been a very brief overview of the process of an assessment centre. Much

of the material has come from https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-

tips/assessment-centres There are many books and much advice available on the internet,

not to mention family and friends. Above all, take the process seriously, do your homework

about yourself as well as the company and role and believe it or not, enjoy it. Please ask for

further information, help and practice.