1. Catherine Ivory
17th April 2013

2.  Prepare For Interview
◦ Fail to prepare and you will prepare to fail!
 5 step approach to success
 The Interview Itself
 Golden Rules
 Telephone Interviews

3.  CAN you do this
job?
CAN?
 Do you want this
YOU
job? (WILL?)
WILL ? FIT?
 Why are you the
best person for the
job and our
company? (FIT)

4.  How to prepare for interview
 5 step approach to success

5.  Study the original advertisement/job description

6.  What do you know about the company?
◦ How many does it employ? What departments?
◦ Read the company brochure
◦ Company website
◦ Annual report
 Goals, strategies for the future, profits from last year
◦ Use your network and LinkedIn
 identify alumni who may now be working there and who can
give you some informal advice and information.
 Identify people with the same job title

7.  Work out a list of qualities or skills the
interviewer will be looking for.
◦ For example, self-motivation, teamwork, flexibility,
coping with stress and dealing with the public may
vary in importance for each job

8.  Have plenty of concrete examples
◦ Prepare examples for all the requirements
◦ You will have a good idea of what you have to offer
◦ The interviewer will be interested in hearing them
◦ Use the STAR Method for Competency Based
Interview

9.  Competency Based Interview
◦ One-to-one/Small panel
◦ Formal and appears stilted at times
◦ Competency Questions

10.  Describe a time when you had to work under a high
degree of pressure.
 Describe an example of when you had to work to
an important deadline.
 Tell me about a time when you have consciously
participated as a group member? What did you
actually do?
 Can you think of a time when you dealt with a
customer complaint?
 What is the most imaginative or innovative task you
have done in your present position?

11.  STAR
◦ Describe your behaviour according to:
 The Situation in which it occurred
 The Task involved
 The Action you took
 The Result
S T
 STAR Video
A R

12.  Role-play a practice interview with a friend. Get
them to give you feedback
 What does your body language say?
 Are you giving coherent and relevant answers?
 Practice talking aloud to yourself in front of a
mirror

13.  Dress appropriately for the job and sector. If in
doubt, formal business attire is recommended.
 Men – dark coloured suits, appropriate ties
 Ladies – trouser suit or skirt suit
 Moderate
◦ make-up
◦ jewellery
◦ aftershave/perfume
 Dress for Success Organisation – Ladies only

14.  Ensure that you arrive on time, 15 minutes max
 Give yourself time before the
interview
◦ Know the address
◦ Practice a trial run
◦ Check out the transport situation
 If you are making a presentation, don't forget to check
what technology will be available (computer, projector
etc)

16.  Welcome
 Acquire
 Supply
 Plan and Part

17.  Reply to the question that is asked, not the one you
might like to answer
◦ LISTEN!
◦ Ask for clarification
 Promote your strengths - leave others to identify
weaknesses
 Maintain eye contact with the interviewer
 Be ready to recognise simple questions calling for a
brief answer
◦ And also be prepared to expand on something

18.  Mature candidates should not disregard previous
experience
◦ Discriminating questions
 Speak clearly but not too fast
 Always be positive
◦ Be enthusiastic, but most of all be yourself
 At the end of the interview you will have a chance
to ask questions. Have two ready

19. ALWAYS
 Know your CV and how to use competency
stories
 Put yourself in the Interviewer’s place
◦ Make it enjoyable for them
 Know why you want to work THERE
◦ Interview them

20. ALWAYS (cntd)
 Have an answer to the “tell me about yourself”
question
 Practise the Strengths and Weaknesses question
 Enquire about next steps
 Say Thanks !

21. NEVER
 Sell yourself short - “I’ve only….”
 Make excuses
 Lie
 Reveal confidential information
 Run down their competitors
 Confuse arrogance with confidence
 Look disinterested

22.  Increasingly used as first selection method
 Companies with ongoing recruitment needs
 In response to adverts or job site postings
 Be prepared for call – avoid clueless response

23.  Advantages:
Telephone interviews give you some
advantages over face-to-face encounters.
You can take notes, refer to your CV,
references or exam results, pace around to
dissipate your nervous energy!
 Disadvantages:
You cannot read the interviewer's reaction to
your answers.

24.  Zero distractions
 Simulate a business environment
 Desk - CV or application form
 Agree on a time that suits you
 Check your voicemail message..and your web
profile
 Practise answers out loud
sinead@sineadenglishassociates.ie

26.  Your personal statement summarising:
Education
Skills
Experience
Career Objective
Theme: what I can do for YOUR company
Tell me about yourself video

27.  90 seconds maximum, then STOP
 No jokes
 Personal/family life/history not important
 No “as you can see from my CV..”
 Practise out loud and often
 Give the people what they want
 Tailor it a little for each employer

28. Education
I am a Final Year student in the University of Limerick studying for a BA
in Accounting and Finance. I have specialised in International Financial
Markets and am completing my dissertation on the systematic effect of
the weak dollar on international currency markets. I have achieved
2.1’s throughout my time at UL and am confident of achieving a 2.1 or
perhaps a 1st this year
Skills
I am motivated and driven and have shown this by combining working
and studying over the last three years. I’m a confident communicator
and have led and facilitated many debating and sports society activities
in university. I enjoy interacting with people and have been heavily
involved with customer facing activities for many years. I like setting
challenges for myself and last year completed the Dublin City Marathon
aswell as reaching the national final of the advanced Suduko
Championships.

29. Experience
I have spent two summers working in the funds accounting industry and
have become proficient on the industry specific IT systems as well as
having a strong working knowledge of all the key terms in the industry. I
have maintained a good network of friends and ex colleagues in the
industry and they keep me up to date on the latest developments in the
industry. In my part time job I am responsible for generating direct
marketing revenues from 45 clients so I know what is involved in
maintaining client relationships.
Career Objective
I want to build on my knowledge of the funds industry and become a
Fund Accountant with my own portfolio of clients. I want to do this with
one of the largest global players where my skills and enthusiasm will be
recognised and rewarded, and where I can make a real difference to the
company’s profitability and success

31.  Know your skills/competencies
 Know your skills stories
 Know what the employer wants
 Give the people what they want

32.  http://www.tcd.ie/Careers/students/jobsearch/prepare/prep
are_for_interview.php
 http://www.newleafsearch.com/competency-based-
interview-questions-examples-page-767/
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZwbGF4Wci8
 http://www.ksl-training.co.uk/the-job-interview.htm
 http://www.drexel.edu/scdc/resources/STAR%20Method.pdf
 Youtube Videos
 Interview Preparation Part 1
 Interview Preparation Part 2
 Interview Preparation Part 3