Interview advice

[Zxcrgyh]

Hi
Could you share what are your strategies for a successful interview please? I seem to be good at job applications as I get invited to interviews, but during the interview I get very worried and almost freeze when I get asked a question. Any tips on how to have a good interview would be appreciated.

what industry?

Think up some examples in advance for questions you think they might ask and write some notes to jog your memory. Use the STAR method to keep them to the point and give you a framework.
A good tip is to explain why you did it and reflect on what could have happened if you didn't.
Also, try and be yourself to show your personality a bit.
Good luck!

Thank you for the tips, it’s a position helping refugees to settle in the UK.

I'm finding STAR really helps to sort out my thoughts.

Make sure you are clear on what you'll talk about for specific expected questions... not necessarily a full answer, but a situation/ piece of work so you can then tailor your answer to the exact question. E.g. for a question about communication decide what example of your work would be best. Then practice answering all different potential questions, out loud, over and over again, changing the Q and A each time. Talking about yourself and your experiences and achievements will be so much easier after lots of actual practice.

Great suggestions, thank you

Answer the question you've been asked and don't waffle. If you reach then end and the interviewer is making notes, don't feel obligated to speak to fill the silence.

Don't be frightened to ask whether your answer gave sufficient information though.

At the end of the interview, have some questions lined up. What is the culture here, what do you enjoy most about working here, what are the next steps, and my favourite is "is there anything I have said that you would like me to expand on now?"

Brilliant, thanks for the great advice again

What is STAR?

Dont be afraid of taking a pad and and pen , have a few questions on there, you dont need to write the full question out , just prompts eg
dress code ?
shift pattern ?
collaboration with other staff / contractors? ( leave space for you to write the answers between the questions )

Give them examples of how you have overcome problems in your past jobs , but do NOT speak disrespectfully about your previous employer / workmates

Dont forget a interview is a two way thing , they are looking to see if you are suitable but you need to see if they are suitable for you too .

Dont waffle , answer the question in full but keep it short , once you have answers ask if they would like you to elaborate on any points , if they say yes go over the bit they want more info on not the whole answerer again ,
If they say no stay quiet , this can be surprisingly hard but give them time to think about your answer or they may just be testing you to see if you can keep to the point ,

At the end of the interview ask them why they work their what do they like about the job , how long have they been there / in the current role ,

@Hedonism

1	Situation: What is the story you're trying to tell?
2	Task: What was your role in the situation?
3	Action: How did you apply your own skills to the situation?
4	Result: What outcome did your actions achieve? Do not end your story without a result.

Situation - overview of situation
Task - what was the specific task set?
Action - what action did you take?
Result - what was the outcome

It's a modern version of SOARA
Situation - as above
Objective - what did you want to achieve?
Action - as above
Result - as above
Aftermath - what would you do differently next time?

I prefer the second as there is more opportunity to speak about other actions you could have taken, and in the aftermath, what might you have done differently if faced with the same issue again.

I always have planned examples of the typical competency questions they will ask based on the job description.

I also have examples about how I have been or how I;

Proactive
Prioritise
Work under pressure
Attention to detail
Communication
Adaptable

@HappiestSleeping @HillBillieEilish thank you ☺️

You're very welcome. The important thing is to talk about "I" and not "we". The interviewer will want to know what your thought process was, what did you do, and why did you do it.

Everyone understands that we are part of a team, but they are looking to see what your part it in was. Don't be shy, you are the only person who can advocate for you in that room.