Professional Practice Ann Doris Careers & Placement Adviser for School of Computer Science

Professional Practice

Ann DorisCareers & Placement Adviser

for School of Computer Science

Semester 1

Time: Thursdays 2.00 – 3.00pm

Venue: Rm G06 PFC

BSc/BEng Computer Science

Professional Practice Lecture Notes

http://www.cs.qub.ac.uk/~yearout/CSC211

http://www.cs.qub.ac.uk/~yearout/CSC211

Week 7

How to succeed at interview

Interview techniques

Assessment centres

Placement update

IT Interviews

Being short listed for interview means that an employer

believes you have the potential to do the job because you

have the right qualifications, skills and experience, and is now

narrowing the selection by criteria to see whether you have all

the requirements.

IT Interviews cont’d

Criteria for Interview

Vary from job to job but typically:

• Your intellectual qualities• Your level of enthusiasm• Your ability to get on with people• Your ability to express yourself• Whether you fit into the organisation

IT Interviews ont’d

Most organisations will have a selection process, which

involves a first interview and aptitude tests leading to a

second interview.

The interview also gives you the chance to assess the

organisation – is it offering exactly what you want as

regards training and organisation.

IT Interviews ont’d

Your aims in the interview are:• to demonstrate that you are the right person for the job• to discover if the job on offer is right for you

The aims of the interviewer are:• to discover how far you match their requirements for the

job so that they can choose the ‘best’ candidate • to ensure that you, the candidate, understand their job and

organisation sufficiently to decide whether the job is right for you.

Success at the Interview

So how do you convince the recruiter you are the right person for the job?

The key to success is in the preparation beforehand.

Practical matters:• Confirming your attendance at the interview by telephone

or email• Checking the format of the interview if it is not clear from

your invitation• Transport and cost, making sure you will arrive at least 15

minutes early

Success at the Interview cont’d

• Dressing appropriately, looking professional and smart, creating the right impression

• What to bring with you – map, CV or application form, presentation materials if you have been asked to give one

Preparation for Questions

• You will have to prepare for the types of questions you will

be asked at the interview. • The recruiter will want to learn more about you, about your

knowledge of the company and your ability to do the job.

Types of Interview

Chronological or Biographical

• This type of interview is largely based on your CV or

application form and allows you to explain and expand on

what you have written.

• Very few interviews are still like this as recruiters find that the structured interview is more successful.

Types of Interview cont’d

Criteria or Competence Based

• Most interviews are criteria based these days. • All candidates are asked more or less the same questions

and are matched against 6-8 criteria. • Questions are detailed and maybe increasingly in-depth.

Example:

If the interviewer is examining your abilities against the

criterion leadership skills then this is the likely pattern of

questioning.


• Level OneThe Question: Would you describe yourself as having leadership skills?

• Level TwoThe Evidence: You are asked for specific, real life examples

• Level ThreeThe Personal Contribution: Your own role is examined, and your own feelings, thoughts and opinions sought. What was your individual contribution to this activity? What did you learn from the experience? How would you do it differently next time? What would have happened if you weren’t there?


• Level FourThe General: The criterion is looked at more generally to test your powers of analysis. What makes a good leader? Have you ever witnessed something that was badly led? Why is it important for our own company to recruit with this skill?

• Level FiveThe Challenge: Your ideas and thoughts are challenged “Surely what you have just described show you have not been as successful as you might have been” or “I don’t agree. Don’t you mean…”

• Level SixAnd back to the start…… “Thank you, that’s very interesting. How else could you convince me that you are a leader?”


Technical Interviews

• If the job requires technical skill then you can expect to be

asked about specific knowledge and skills. • You might be asked to interpret a diagram or decipher a

computer programming code.

Have You Got The Look?

• You can expect that anything between 70-90% of your communication messages are conveyed through non-verbal aspects.

• Your body language gives a lot away about you and how you feel about yourself.

• In important situations such as interviews or social events it is vital to get the balance right.

• Body language often speaks louder than words.

Have You Got The Look? cont’d

• The first step to changing your body language is awareness.

• Start by observing other people as it is usually easier than

observing yourself.

• Once you are aware of body signals, then you can begin slowly correcting yours.


Things to watch for are:

• Tone of voice• Inflection• Speed of speech• Eye contact• Body Posture• Hand gestures• Facial expressions


Assertive

•Direct eye contact•Open body•Body is still and

relaxed•Hand gestures

emphasise words•Shoulders straight and

posture upright•Voice appears warm

and firm

Aggressive

•Looking bored•Pointing finger•Hands on hips•Sarcastic tone•Loud or too soft

voice•Body closed off•Invading personal

space by standing

too close

Non-Assertive

•Looking away•Fidgeting with

hair, jewellery etc•Whining voice or •difficult to hear•Smiling

inappropriately•Shoulders

slumped and bad

posture

Winning Body Language

Here’s how to give the right message at important

meetings and interviews

Posture• Stand tall and straight• Hold you arms relaxed down your side and turning the

palm of your hands and wrists outwards, this will immediately throw back your shoulders and open out your chest

Winning Body Language cont’d

Handshake

• A palm of the hand facing downwards in the handshake indicates a dominant attitude

• A palm offered upward indicates a submissive approach• Keep your hand vertical. Maintain firm (not crushing)

pressure, keep steady eye contact and smile – this will signal co-operation, respect and friendliness


Sitting

• Sit upright, but relaxed in the chair.• Do not lean overly forward, this looks too keen and

nervous• Relaxing too far back into the chair denotes disrespect

Arms & Legs

• Unfolded arms and uncross legs• Crossed limbs are usually perceived as negative, defensive

gestures


Hands

• Practise neutral positions, like lying your hands in your lap• Non verbal gestures indicating deceit include rubbing your

face below the nose, rubbing your eyes, and pulling your collar away from the neck

• Keep your hands away from your face• Don’t be tempted to clench your hands together as this

signals nervousness


The Eyes and Face

• Speaking with your eyes closed, even for a second, signals an attempt to block someone from your sight because you are not particularly interested in what they have to say, or what they have to hear

• Excessive and sustained eye contact can be interpreted as aggressive and threatening

• Smiling can be a really powerful body language tool, you’ll appear as confident, friendly and relaxed

Knowledge of Yourself

Read through your CV or form to remind yourself of the impression already conveyed and make a list of questions that are likely to appear:

• Why do you want the job?• Why do you think you are a suitable candidate?• What are your ambitions? What are your interests?• What are your strengths and weaknesses?• How would your best friend describe you?• What are your relevant skills and experiences?• Why should we select you?

Knowledge of Yourself cont’d

• What is the most exciting thing you have ever done?• What did you gain from your degree/placement/part-time

job?• Describe projects, difficult situations you have experienced,

how you managed your time on university. • What are you looking for when you graduate?• What did you like and dislike about your degree course?

What should you ask?

• Your questions can demonstrate your awareness of the

company.

• Ask about recent developments, training opportunities and things which occur to you as you read the literature or website.

• Don’t ask anything that has been previously explained in the brochure.

What should you ask? cont’d

• Where does this position fit into your overall organisation?

• To whom should I report?

• What do you see as the priorities for someone in this position?

• How are employees evaluated and promoted?

• What type of on-the-job training is available?

• How will your performance be assessed?

What should you ask? cont’d

• Does the job involve travel? If so, how much?

• Does your company encourage its employees to undertake further education and training?

• What are the company’s plans for the future?

• What are the biggest challenges facing the company?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES

Background • Competence based selection requires interviewers to

obtain evidence of past behaviour because the competences are described in terms of how people behave.

• The reason why past behaviour is required is because it indicates how the candidate is likely to behave in the future (i.e. the way I behaved in a given situation yesterday is likely to be the way I will behave tomorrow in the same circumstances)

INTERVIEW QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES cont’d

1. Open the InterviewThe interviewer will introduce themselves and explain how the interview will be conducted.

2. Walk through the CV/Application Form

Here the interviewer will identify how and why career changes have occurred. They will explore the transition between jobs and any ‘gaps’ or dates that don’t match.

3. Overview the Person: current position

Explores current activities and obtains a picture of the candidate e.g. what they do, how they are coping, time management, projects etc.

SOME TIPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Do:

Prepare well

Rehearse/role play if you can before the interview

Arrive in good time - check out journey details beforehand

Shake hands warmly - adopt a friendly open approach to the interviewer

Smile when you feel it is appropriate and so generate some warmth

SOME TIPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

Sit comfortable and try to look confident

Listen carefully

Look directly at the interviewers

Appear open and approachable

Wear appropriate but comfortable clothes

Let the interviewers take the lead

Use positive phrases such as 'I am confident that...' rather than 'I think I could..‘

SOME TIPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW Emphasise the positive aspects of the things you have

done - play down the negative

Elaborate on something the interviewer seems interested in

Have a mental list of things you still need to know about the job. If relevant, ask these at the end of the interview eg about job content, training, future prospects

Ensure that you have told the panel everything that you feel is relevant to your application

Check when you are likely to hear the interview result, if you haven’t been told.

SOME TIPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW It’s okay to:

Ask for a question to be repeated if you have not heard it, or to be rephrased if you have not understood it

Allow yourself thinking time

Have ‘time-gaining’ phrases up your sleeve such as:o ‘That is a difficult/interesting question’o ‘That is an important point’o ‘I am not sure how I would answer that – could I give

it some thought?

But…if you really do not know the answer to a question, say so.

SOME TIPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW cont’d

Try not to:

Sit on edge of chair or fidget

Whisper responses or waffle

Appear over-confident or be too ‘laid back’

Clutch a newspaper, umbrella, briefcase, etc

Sit facing a window if there is a choice of where to sit

Say you can do something you cannot substantiate

SOME TIPS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW cont’d

Give one word, or very brief answers. Instead, amplify and

support your statements, giving examples of relevant experience

Underplay your abilities and achievements

Allow yourself to get flustered or show irritation

Ask questions about the job which you could/should have found out answers to before eg conditions of service, hours, etc.

Have a long written list of questions to put to the panel

What three skills are you looking for at interview?

Liberty IT• Communication: We are looking for candidates who can

communicate confidently and with interest about

themselves and their skills

• Organisation: Is the candidate organised in their approach to their academic studies and their leisure time?

• Problem Solving: Can the candidate approach a problem in a structured fashion and bring clarity and judgement to the situation?

What three skills are you looking for at interview? cont’d

Northbrook Technology NI• Excellent communication skills• Being able to demonstrate team player skills• Being adaptable and flexible

Intel Ireland• Assertiveness• Organisation and planning• Written/spoken communication

What three skills are you looking for at interview? cont’d

Singularity• Effective communication skills• Team working – working co-operatively rather than

competitively with others for a common goal• Influencing others – using a personal style which helps to

positively persuade others

What makes for success at interview?

Liberty IT• Someone who has obviously researched the company, and

where possible has talked to an employee. These candidates impress us with their personal motivation and desire to join the company as opposed to those who treat it as just another interview

Intel Ireland• Good appearance• Well prepared• Confident and enthusiastic

What makes for success at interview? cont’d

Singularity• Dress to impress and be confident• Be able to articulate ideas• Do some research – show an interest in the company Northbrook Technology NI• If the applicant listens to the question and then answers

correctly• Asking for clarification if the question is not understood• Providing a clear and structured answer• Smartly dressed, good eye contact, erect posture, shakes

hands at beginning and end of interview

After the interview?

There are some things you should do as soon as you can after the interview:

• Write down all that you can remember:– what you said– what you did– what went well – what could have been better

• Make a note of any questions you could not answer and ensure you can answer them next time

This will help you assess and improve your interview performance.

Assessment Centres

Second stage selection lasts from a couple of hours to 3

days, depending on the method used.

You may receive an invitation to:

• Another interview• An assessment centre

Assessment Centres cont’d

What can happen?

• Group Exercises• Presentations• Aptitude Tests• Panel Interviews• Case studies, in-tray exercises and role plays


Group Exercises • The ice breaker• The discussion group• The leaderless task• The leadership task

good leader delegatesuses the strengths of othersknows what is going on takes decisions


Some tips for effective group work

• Watch out for people with clipboards• It’s quality not quantity that counts• Complete the task• Never seek to destroy• Know how and when to compromise

• You can’t be assessed if you can’t be heard


Presentations

Every presentations needs a structure

2 most common structures:

[1] A beginning [2] Situation

A middle Complication

An end Resolution


Some tips for presentations

• Be ruthless with the content• How you come across is more important than what you say• Don’t start until you are ready• Master the visual aids


Aptitude Tests

Ability Tests• Tests your innate ability in key work related areas.• Most common tests:Verbal reasoning

Numerical reasoningLogical reasoning

• Answers are either right or wrong• Time limit• Questions get progressively harder• Tests always start with example questions• Practice ability tests before the selection centre

www.prospects.ac.ukwww.shl.com

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/


Personality Inventories• Tell the organisation nothing about your ability but quite a

lot about the type of person you are and what you want out of life

• There are no right or wrong answers• There is no real time limit• You often get a chance to talk over your ‘profile’ with the

assessors• Answer personality inventories honestly


Panel Interviews • Extend your knowledge further than the company brochure

and annual report• Beaware of any current news stories about the

organisation or the industry its in• Study your application form• Expect a grilling on your knowledge of subject if you are

applying for a technical job• Have a high level of enthusiasm for the job and be very

clear exactly why you should be offered it• Don’t disappoint them


Summary• Panel interviews, if you don’t panic, are a fair test of your

suitability• Expect a more testing interview and prepare accordingly


Case studies, in-tray exercises and role plays

Case studies• Test your ability to assimilate written material and draw out

the important points• Folder containing lists of information• Read it• Make a number of proposals or recommendations


In-tray exercises• Are used to test not only your ability to understand complex

written material but also how well you prioritise tasks• Given pile of documents• Told it is Mon morning and you have 30 mins to read

through them all and decide what you do first, second, third and so on


Preparation for in-tray exercises

• Usually carried out against the clock• Decide quickly what is important• It’s best to glance through everything to get an overall

picture before you study the contents in detail• Keep calm• Tests your understanding

• Expect a logical answer


Role Play Exercises• Simulation of real life working incidents one step

further than case studies or in-tray exercises• An unrehearsed duet with an assessor• Be aware of the ‘background’ to the role play, but

never make up your mind in advance what is going to happen

After the Assessment Centre• Usually receive a letter within a week or so telling you

their decision• Sometimes you are informed on the day

Current Vacancies

http://www.cs.qub.ac.uk/~yearout

http://www.cs.qub.ac.uk/~yearout

Any Questions????

Documents

Professional Practice Ann Doris Careers & Placement Adviser for School of Computer Science