careers service 1 how to succeed at uk interviews careers adviser abi sharma

Careers Servicewww.careers.qmul.ac.uk

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How to Succeed At UK Interviews

Careers Adviser Abi Sharma


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What we will cover today…

• What do you need to consider when interviewing in a country that is not your home country

• How to establish credibility in the UK

• What employers are looking for in an interview

• How The Careers Service can help you


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Interviewing in the UK

• Consider:

- What are the local UK expectations for establishing credibility?

- Are these different for local graduates than they are for international graduates?

- How do these expectations differ from what you are used to?

- How can you adjust your behaviour to be credible in the interview?


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Establishing credibility in the UK

• Dress and appearance• Your role during interview• Formality • Atmosphere of the interview


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Pacing of the interview

Relationship interviewer and candidate

Value of education qualifications versus

experience


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In an employers shoes…

Are you capable of doing the job well?

Will you enjoy, and therefore continue to do, the job?


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What to expect in interview

Are you capable of doing the job well - Competency questions - Current issue questions

Will you enjoy, and therefore continue to do the job? - Motivation questions

Your questions


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Competency Questions

Whether you have certain skills and qualities that they are looking for

Demonstrate them through real examples


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Example….

• Q.Tell me about a particular achievement of yours where you have demonstrated organisational skills?


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• 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.

• A. Organised the netball society dinner for 60 people. I had to send out invites and collect RSVPs, book a venue and liaise with them about numbers and food requirements and decorations and welcome people when they arrived. To do this efficiently I drew up a list of tasks and prioritised them, I noted any deadlines and allocated time in my diary for working on that task before the given deadline. It was a success and they have asked me to do another one next year.


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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!


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Current Issue Questions

2) Be aware of the business context in which the organisation operates & an understanding of the industry and factors affecting it.


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Motivation Questions

Why do you want to work for us?

Why have you applied for this role?

What do you imagine you will spend most

of your time doing in this job?


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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!”


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2) Know about the job role & why you want to do it


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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?”


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Your questions!

5) Your chance to interview!


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How we can help…

• Mock interviews

• Interview DVDs

• Workshops on assessment centres


19Queen Mary Careers ServiceWG3 Queens Building – 020 7882 5065

Opening times:Monday-Thursday 10.30am-5pmFriday 10.30am-4pm

Drop-in sessions:Monday-Thursday 10.30am-12.30pm

2.00pm-4.30pm

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careers service 1 how to succeed at uk interviews careers adviser abi sharma

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