A Guardian Jobs guide to the top ten interview questions – and how to answer them

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Wouldn’t it be great if you knew in advance what your interviewer was going to ask you? Unfortunately it is difficult to know precisely, but the following questions are more than likely to crop up in some shape or form. Here, interview experts give their advice on how best to answer them.

Tell me about yourself
Yes, it’s a very open question, but the interviewer isn’t looking for a long and rambling story of your life, warns Jon Gregory, editor of win-that-job.com. “What the interviewer most wants to hear is what you’ve got about you that makes you relevant and potentially a great choice,” he explains. Summarise your early career in as few words as possible to cover your background and then cut straight to your most recent and relevant experiences.

“Deliver the facts, rather than a sales pitch and try to relax,” says Gregory. “Smile, be enthusiastic and engage with the interviewer because this is your opportunity to help steer a positive tone to the whole proceedings.”

Why do you want to work here?
Find out as much as you can about the organisation and its competitors – this should help inform your answer.“This is your chance to demonstrate that you have done your research into the organisation’s unique selling points and core values”, says David Cairncross, director at Hays.

“Try to avoid saying things that suggest a short-term interest in the role,” advises Cairncross. For example, avoid saying that the role may be a stepping stone to your future goals or, perhaps for a UK-based role, that you are interested in the prospect of international work, as this will suggest you are looking to move on quickly.

What are your strengths?
For this question, Jonathan Burston, founder of the Interview Expert Academy, advises candidates to prepare in advance by following the ‘rule of 3’:

Rule 1: Make a list of what you think you’re good at, what you enjoy doing and what others say you’re good at.

Rule 2: Take that list a step further and ask yourself why you consider each strength to be a strength – list three reasons per strength.

Rule 3: For each strength listed, detail three examples of where you’ve showcased that strength.

What are your weaknesses?
Interviewers ask this question to see how self aware candidates are, according to Sarah Archer ofCareerTree. “They don’t want you to start listing all your weaknesses and provide them with a reason not to give you the job – remember they want you to do well,” she explains. “But you must prepare for the question because answering off the top of your head could be fatal.”

Think of a weakness that you have – that is preferably not a crucial requirement of the job – and show the interviewer you have a strategy for managing it. For example: “When under pressure my attention to detail can be less than I like so I build in extra time for checking my work or ask a colleague to do a final proof read for me.”

Why should we employ you?
This question isn’t simply about whether you meet the criteria of the job specifications, you need to demonstrate you can deliver what is required, says Victoria McLean, founder of CityCV. Start by reiterating the role outcomes (“My understanding is that the business requires an individual who can expand the client base and …”), then illustrate the skills you have to achieve those outcomes with some tangible examples.

Next give them your “differentiator”, says McLean – what sets you apart from your peers, what is your USP? “Use emotive language and wrap up with something super positive and memorable,” she advises. “Reiterate again how excited you are about the opportunity and to close your answer on a really positive note.”

What accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
Use this question as an opportunity to showcase your strengths, says Cairncross. “Think of where you have personally made a difference, but avoid overselling yourself,” he adds. Use the STAR technique to tell a compelling story, outline the situation you were in, the task you had to accomplish, the action you took and then the positive results.

Using the STAR technique should ensure your answer has a clear structure and doesn’t miss out any key details. Cairncross also advises that the candidate highlights the obstacles they overcame to reach the achievement.

Describe a time something went wrong and how you dealt with it
“We all have experiences where something went wrong and employers want to learn how you deal with it,” says Burston. He recommends making a list of examples of projects or goals that didn’t go according to plan and then listing what happened and why. Next, review the reasons it failed, how you felt about it and, most importantly, what you learned from the experience and what you’d do differently next time. Once you’ve got a clear example in your head, you can structure your answer using the STAR technique, in the same way as question 6.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?
This is tricky. “You don’t want to be under ambitious, but equally you need to avoid having unrealistic or mismatched expectations,” says Gregory. What does work, according to Gregory, is to say that you would hope to develop and be trusted with increasing responsibility over this next five years. “This shows that first and foremost you want to be recognised as someone who does an excellent job, and that this would underpin any career development and promotional opportunities,” he explains.

What motivates you?
This is a broad question designed to understand a person in the round, according to Kelly Roberts, head of HR consultancy at accountancy firm Kreston Reeves. Perhaps you might like a challenge? Or you want a job that pays enough for interesting foreign travel? “There is no right or wrong, but honesty, enthusiasm and self-belief are qualities a recruiter will hope to see reflected in the answers,” she says.

Have you got any questions?
Remember that interviews are a two-way process. “Interviewers will want to know if you’re interested in them and their organisation, so you should never go to an interview without a list of pre-prepared questions,” says Burston. Ask about the company and the opportunities for personal development and, of course, ask more about the role, its challenges and the team. Questions directed at the interviewer themselves are a good move too, says Burston. What do they like about their job, the company, the culture?

Image: © Christopher Scott / Alamy Stock Photo

By Kirstie Brewer

Published: 17 Dec 2015

Ref: https://jobs.theguardian.com/article/the-top-ten-interview-questions-and-how-to-answer-them/

How To Pick Yourself Up When You Don’t Get The Job

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You’ve been applying for dozens of jobs with no success and have just got your third rejection email of the week. Picking yourself back up and ploughing on with the job hunt can be tough for even the steeliest of people. Here are some tips from resilience coaches on how to restore confidence after such setbacks, and ultimately prepare yourself for job success.

Remember, stress is caused by how we perceive a situation not the situation itself, says psychotherapist Rebecca Howard. “We could choose to look at the fact that we haven’t got a job yet and it’s our third rejection as a negative – but all that would happen is our mindset would shift into a negative gear and take our resourcefulness and confidence down an unhelpful dead end.”

She advocates the NAC approach – Notice, Accept, Choose – a way of thinking which means we don’t get stuck with negative ruminating thoughts about how good, or not, we think we are.

Notice that you are experiencing thoughts of being fed up, down, angry or whatever it is that you are feeling as a result of the rejections. “In times of stress our thinking tends to polarise in rigid, ‘all or nothing’ positions, seeing everything in black and white,” explains Howard.

“The process of noticing its impact allows you to begin to step outside of it, almost as an observer, and acknowledge what is happening, which in turn releases you from the mind spending endless energy.”

Accept what has happened. Many of us will think, “Why is this happening to me?” but asking a negative question leads to a negative answer, Howard explains. “Acceptance is recognising that as human beings we experience emotions, such as disappointment, and it is pointless fighting them.”

Choose to use the negative energy or stress you are feeling as a result of your setback. Having connected with the motivation behind the stress, you can channel that energy in a positive way by asking, “What can I do right now?” and “How do I do it?”

Andy Cope, author of The Little Book of Emotional Intelligence, suggests that we come equipped with “ordinary magic” – an in-built ability to bounce back from adversity. It all comes down to your “explanatory style”, which is psychology speak for the way you explain to yourself why you’ve experienced an event – be it positive or negative.

If your reaction to a job rejection is, “It’s only a rejection letter, nobody died, let’s learn the lesson and move forward,” you’ve got an optimistic explanatory style. But if your response is to think, “Oh my gosh, rejection. It’s a disaster. I’m so rubbish. There’s no point applying for any more,” your explanatory style is negative. Clearly, the belief generated by your explanatory style directly affects your actions.

But as Cope explains, it’s possible to train your inner voice towards something more positive. He says: “It helps if you can learn to be your own best friend. On job rejections (we’ve all had them) I always tell myself, ‘Crikey, they’ve missed out.’”. Be your own cheerleader and champion and remember that all emotions have positive intent, according to Cope, even negative ones. “Despondency (feeling sorry for yourself) is temporary downtime while you renew your energy for whatever comes next. Which brings me full circle to your inner reserves of ‘ordinary magic’,” he says.

Geetu Bharwaney, author of Emotional Resilience advises speaking to your main supporters and champions in life and asking them what they would do in your shoes, after this job rejection, and follow their advice. “Know the difference between the people in your life who can provide you with intelligent input from those who are likely to impose unrealistic assumptions on you,” she says. Approach the people you respect and whose opinions matter to you. “Some people will tell you it was either the wrong job or the wrong employer, so this action helps you to keep things in perspective.”

Finally, take the time to review your life experiences and achievements so far and make a list of positive “I” statements – things you can do, your strengths and what you are good at. Bharwaney explains: “When you are going to speak to anyone about your challenges, including your close colleagues, remind yourself of at least three of these affirmations, so that you can stay grounded in what you are good at during the dialogue. This will enable you to be your best self despite the current set-back.”

 

Written by Kirstie Brewer, originally published here:

https://jobs.theguardian.com/article/resilience-how-to-pick-yourself-up-when-you-don-t-get-the-job/ 

 

What your social media presence says about you

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What you do on social media has the power to help, or severely hinder, your chances of a job interview. Three quarters of recruiters have looked up potential candidates on social media, according to the Guardian Jobs Recruiter Survey 2015. Of those who said yes in the Guardian Jobs survey, LinkedIn was the most popular channel (96% used this), followed by Facebook (56%), Twitter (41%) and Instagram (7%).

Here, the experts give their advice on how to approach your social media presence in a way that helps – rather than hinders – your job prospects.

Beware of online rants and outbursts
Social media allows people to reach instantly to situations, sharing their thoughts with an audience of anonymous listeners. Thanking a company or shop for treating you well or for going the extra mile spreads good cheer and thankfulness and has a positive impact, but ranting about your employer who made you stay late twice this week is spreading a negative message, points out Nicola McGuane, a consultant at recruitment firm Morgan McKinley. “Remember the six degrees of separation theory; everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so it’s highly likely that your employer will find out about your online rant.”

Privacy settings can only do so much

Using the strictest privacy settings on social networks like Facebook is a good start, but it doesn’t guarantee to keep your profile away from a potential employer’s eyes. “The world has become a much smaller place and you never know who your future boss is connected to, allowing them to see your activities,” warns McGuane. For that reason, it’s worth keeping your social postings on the tame side so that future employers don’t misjudge you, she says. “Some job seekers are known to suspend or delete certain social media accounts during their job seeking. It may sound drastic but it’s worth it to secure your dream job.”

Google yourself and consider your digital footprint

Search your name, just like a potential employer might do, to see what comes up. Is it good or bad? Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter. They will be asking questions such as, “Is this someone I would like to work with knowing what they publicly post online?”

It’s also important for candidates to realise that every “like”, comment, status update or photo posted online – whether it’s on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – leaves a mark on their digital footprint. “This digital footprint allows a potential employer to trace/track your online activity and get a sense of your character which could impact you positively or negatively,” says McGuane.

Think about photos

Photos are a big element to consider when you see what your search trawls up. “I’ve come across several dodgy photos, even on professional social media sites such as LinkedIn,” says recruitment professional Kate Croucher, FDM Group’s university relationship manager.

Candidates need to keep in mind that your visible photos across social media accounts make a first impression before you’ve even met a potential employer or recruiter – and that can help and hinder you.

“If in doubt, delete or suspend any social media account where the content could be deemed as damaging to your job search,” adds McGuane.

Use social media to showcase your knowledge

Use social media as a means to showcase your knowledge and thought leadership through publishing articles and blogs on your LinkedIn profile, says Charles McIntosh, head of talent consulting at recruitment firm New Street.
Professor Vlatka Hlupic, director of the executive coaching and leadership development programme at Westminster Business School, agrees: “Strategically developed LinkedIn feeds with carefully written profiles, professional photos, good recommendations and endorsements could be a very valuable tool for securing job interviews and employment.”

Build networks and demonstrate confidence

Social media can be used to build professional networks and demonstrate confidence, Hlupic points out. “Keep growing your networks, connect with new relevant contacts continuously, share relevant posts and articles (both written by you or others), join professional groups, participate in discussions and most importantly, enjoy networking.”

Effective social media use can also reveal a lot about a person’s confidence, adds Croucher. “If they are sharing lots of interesting things, and making insightful comments or forming strong opinions, and interacting with others in a positive way, it shows their ability to rally people behind them and develop effective relationships.”

 

Written by Kirstie Brewer – Sourced from: https://jobs.theguardian.com/article/what-your-social-media-presence-says-about-you/

UK Universities Slip Down International Rankings

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Three UK universities have lost their place in the top 200 of a global higher education league table.

The universities of Reading, Dundee and Newcastle slipped out of the top 200 of the Times Higher Education (THE) World Rankings for 2014-15.

Five others – Heriot-Watt, Keele, Liverpool John Moores University, Loughborough and the University of Surrey – are no longer in the top 400.

However, Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London remain in the top 10.

Holding on to the top spot for the fourth consecutive year is the California Institute of Technology in the United States.

Harvard University is in second place and the University of Oxford is in third.

20 TOP INSTITUTIONS
1. California Institute of Technology, US
2. Harvard University, US
3. University of Oxford, UK
4. Stanford University, US
5. University of Cambridge, UK
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
7. Princeton University, US
8. University of California, Berkeley, US
9. Imperial College London, UK
= Yale University, US
11. University of Chicago, US
12. University of California, Los Angeles, US
13. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
14. Columbia University, US
15. Johns Hopkins University, US
16. University of Pennsylvania, US
17. University of Michigan, US
18. Duke University, US
19. Cornell University, US
20. University of Toronto, Canada

Capital appeal

London has the greatest concentration of first-class universities with four in the top 40 – more than any other city in the world – and seven in the top 200.

Leading Asian institutions are continuing to rise up the rankings.

Asia now has 24 universities in the world top 200, up from 20 last year. Two Asian universities – Tokyo University and the National University of Singapore – now make the world top 25 and six others make the top 50.

The rankings rate universities worldwide on 13 measures including teaching, research and international outlook – such as numbers of overseas students and staff.

Phil Baty, the editor of THE World University Rankings, said that, while the UK had more top-200 universities than any other nation except the US, the new data raised a number of key concerns.

student
The rankings rate universities worldwide on 13 measures, including teaching

“Overall, the UK’s representation among the world’s leading universities is declining – three leading names fell out of the top 200 this year, and two others occupy 198th and 199th place.

“Five UK universities lost their top 400 places. This loss of power and influence is not good for the UK’s overall competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.”

Mr Baty also raised concerns about the dominance of the south-east of England in the rankings.

“The five top UK institutions in the world are all from the South East ‘golden triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London. Indeed, of the nine English universities in the world top 100, six are from London and the South East.”

BRITISH INSTITUTIONS IN TOP 200 (LAST YEAR’S RANKING IN BRACKETS)
3 – University of Oxford (2)
5 – University of Cambridge (7)
9 – Imperial College London (10)
22 – University College London (21)
34 – London School of Economics and Political Science (32)
36 – University of Edinburgh (39)
40 – King’s College London (38)
52 – University of Manchester (58)
74 – University of Bristol (79)
83 – Durham University (80)
94 – Glasgow (117)
103 – Warwick (141)
107 – Queen Mary, University of London (114)
=111 – St Andrews (117)
= 111 – Sussex (121)
113 – York (100)
118 – Royal Holloway, University of London (102)
121 – Sheffield (112)
131 – Lancaster (137)
132 – Southampton (146)
146 – Leeds (139)
148 – Birmingham (153)
154 – Exeter (148)
157 – Liverpool (169)
171 – Nottingham (157)
178 – Aberdeen (188)
196 – St George’s, University of London (-)
198 – East Anglia (174)
199 – Leicester (161)

Reading University Vice-Chancellor, Sir David Bell, said although the placing was disappointing, “we do remain ranked among the world’s best universities.

“We do world-class work on issues of critical global importance like climate change, food security and public health. And we have long-term investment plans in place as we seek to return to the top 200 as quickly as possible.

“One cannot read too much into a single year’s rankings. Global league tables are highly volatile indicators. The fact that some UK universities have risen and fallen up to almost 40 places year-on-year shows it is much more important to look at longer-term trends over time.”

Sir David said pressure from overseas institutions showed “the critical importance for government to sustain research funding and implement a clear immigration policy so we keep the doors open to talented overseas students and staff.”

A spokesman for Dundee University said: “This latest result comes in the context of improved standings for Dundee in several other league tables, including the 2014 National Student Survey, in which we achieved record results, and the latest Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, which rated us top in Scotland and joint 4th in the UK.

“The THE World University Rankings demonstrate the increasing competition facing UK universities from higher education institutions in emerging economies across the world.”

A Newcastle University spokesperson said: “It is of course disappointing to drop down to 202 in the Times Higher rankings, but, in the case of THE there does seem to be a sector-wide effect with many more UK universities losing ground to Asia-Pacific institutions.

“This may be as a result of the methodology, or the simple fact that other universities have improved at a faster pace than the UK as a result of increased government investment.”

Levels of research income for the university were more than £120m, student satisfaction was high and 94% of Newcastle graduates were in work or further education within six months of leaving Newcastle, the spokesman added.

The general secretary of the University and College Union, Sally Hunt, said: “We have to recognise that our standing is under threat if we don’t match our competitors.

“The Asian countries are seeing their universities climb the table because of strong support from government, while we face further cuts. Unless we wake up to this reality, we risk falling behind.”

 

Ref: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-29429466

How to ace your second interview

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You’ve got through the first job interview and have been invited back for another. You’re well in the frame for the role and now is the time for confidence – but not complacency or arrogance.

“You have to assume that every remaining candidate ticks all the required boxes and things are close,” says Jon Gregory, career coach and editor of win-that-job.com. The second round of interviews will be different to the first. Your interviewer(s) will aim to address any question marks that arose as a result of your first interview. Because as Gregory points out, if there weren’t any concerns, you’d likely already have the job.

“They’ll target your weakest areas to see whether or not they would reduce your ability to do an effective job,” he adds. “Be honest with yourself about where you struggled in your first interview and then prepare thoroughly in anticipation of that likely probing.”

The second interview shows that the selectors really liked you and decided to give you a chance to land that job but it also requires you to prepare so much more than for the previous round, adds Dasha Amron. The founder and managing director of Career Coaching Ventures explains: “This time, it is more likely to be competency-based questions that will be asked of you. I also often encounter various short tests and essays during the second round.”

So what will the interviewer ultimately be looking for in a second interview? In short, they want you to solve their recruitment problem. The good news is, if you’ve made it to the second round they’ve been impressed by what they’ve seen so far. “They’ll be looking for you to confirm their judgment and show them how you’re most definitely the one they want,” says Gregory.

The people on the other side of the desk will be hoping you can show full commitment to winning the job, genuine insight into the challenges and real enthusiasm to attack the role, should you get it.

Here are three top tips for succeeding in a second interview:

Use your first interview intel
Think carefully about what you learned about the organisation and its people from the first interview. Do your research again and use intelligence gained for that first interview to inform it. “The interviewer will feel comforted if they see you’ve learned from your previous meeting and have already stepped up your game,” says Gregory.

As part of your research, you should also try to establish who is going to be on the interviewing panel during the second round and find out as much about these people as possible, adds Amron. Follow them on Twitter, study their LinkedIn profiles, and read their articles and blogs if they publish. “In other words, make sure you understand their career history and their viewpoints,” she explains.

Reinforce the positives
Define the challenges that the successful candidate will face and plan to show how you could take up the reins and make real progress, says Gregory. Build on the previous examples of what makes you the best candidate and try to hit home the positives.

If you’ve made it this far it is likely you managed to connect with the interviewer on a human level before, this is your chance to establish a rapport that will leave them really feeling you could be part of the team. “Be enthusiastic, likeable and smile,” says Amron. “Nothing can impress more than a nice smile and a positive attitude.”

Articulate your edge and prepare questions 
Identify what added-value you might bring, especially in comparison to the likely profile of other applicants. “This is hard,” admits Gregory, “but dig deep as it can be a real deal-swinger for you if things are close.”

Be careful not to let this stray into unconstructive territory. Remember that all candidates have different strengths and weaknesses, so try not to obsess or worry too much about comparing yourself to others. “Instead, concentrate on showing the best of yourself and how you’re the very best choice,” Gregory says.

Finally, don’t neglect to prepare thoughtful and original questions to ask at the end of the interview, Amron points out. “Notable events within the company would require a question on your behalf,” she explains. This will really demonstrate you are imagining working at the company.

“Make sure you think about the financial performance of the company you are applying to and can tailor the questions accordingly,” she adds. Has there been a recent restructure? It would probably make sense to ask something about this as well.

Hopefully this article will set your second interview on the track to success, but why not find out how to structure your answers to interview questions using the STAR technique?

By Kirstie BrewerPublished: 09 Mar 2016

Ref:- https://jobs.theguardian.com/article/how-to-ace-your-second-interview-/