Careers and

Employability Centre

International Students

Interviews and Assessment Centres

Michele Zala

Aims
Provide an understanding of assessment centres
Identify preparation required to succeed at job interviews
Identify preparation required to succeed at assessment
centres.
Practice a typical group exercise and receive feedback
Experience being an assessment centre assessor

What happens next?

One or more of the following the order can vary
Pre-screening
Telephone interview
On-line psychometric test/s
1st interview
2nd interview
Assessment centre

Recruitment Process Statistics

Online application or CV

77

22

29%

Online Testing

19

15

79%

Telephone Interview

14

21%

Assessment Centre

50%

Types of interview
Face to face or telephone
1:1 or panel
Formal or informal
Technical or personnel
Structured/Competencies/Situational
Strengths based interviews
1st, 2nd or as part of assessment centre

Telephone interviews

Tend to be used by major organisations and

often for Graduate recruitment
First screening stage
Approach as a formal interview
Preparation, dress, environment etc

Comfortable, Quiet Environment

One to One
Less and less common
Legal Implication
Final stage in recruitment process
Senior member of staff
Informal

Panel Interview
2 4 panel members (or more)
Engage all members
Structured Competency Based question
Formal Interview Style
Presentation

Myth busting!!
Always keep in mind interviewers.
Are NOT out to humiliate you
Do not ask trick questions
Seek out weak spots and exploit them
NEVER ask people to interview to make up the
numbers
Good Cop vs. Bad Cop
Want you to do well
.Are Human

The interviewers agenda

Can the applicant do the job?
Qualifications / experience / aptitude

Will s/he do the job?

Attitude / approach / motivation

Will s/he fit in?

Personality / style / flexibility of approach

Your agenda
Gather information to determine:
Can you do the job? / Will you enjoy the work? / Will you feel at
home in the organisation?

Emphasise your key selling points

Ask questions at the end

Typical interview questions

About you.
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why do you want this role?
3. Why did you choose your degree?
4. What are your strengths?
5. What are your weaknesses?
6. What skills and abilities will you bring ?
7. What is your greatest achievement and why?
8. What makes you the best candidate for this role?

Typical interview questions

About the role/company.
1. Why do you want to work for PWC?
2. What do you think is our best product/service
and why?
3. What do you know about P&G?
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Typical interview questions

About skills/qualities.
1. Give me an example of when youve worked in a
team.
2. Tell me about a time you have resolved a
problem.
3. Please give an example of where you have
persuaded someone to accept your point of
view?

The STAR technique

Situation:

when / where set the scene

Task:

the goal, aim or challenge

Action:

what you did / your role

Result:

the outcome

The STAR technique

STAR Answer
Teaching Skills
Whilst working as a Research Associate in the Computing
department at the University of Southampton, I delivered
lectures to groups of 12 PhD Students and 60
Undergraduates in C++ Programming Language, to support
their assignments. This involved creating the Course
Materials, delivering Lectures, Assessing students work and
running discussion groups and tutorials. I consistently
achieved as student pass mark of 95% and I was delighted
when one of my students achieved the departmental Atkins
prize for most outstanding performance.

Documenting your STAR STORIES

Preparing your examples

Competency

Example

Communication

Speaking to customers in part time

work

Teamwork

a group coursework

Problem solving

Analysing a fault in a robot you

designed

Organisation

Helping create the international day

stand

Creativity/innovation

Creating a new marketing to recruit

members for the Malaysian society

Adaptability

Succeeding in the UK education

system

Commercial awareness

Coming up with a new idea for

managing stock in the shop where you
work

Persuasive ability

Raising sponsorship to put on CSSA

Spring Festival party.

Summary
Getting an interview means you are well
on the way to getting a job
Interviewers want you to succeed
Interviews are never perfect
Reflect on your performance and learn
from it (obtain feedback where possible)

Please create answers 2

interview questions
making use of the STAR
technique where you can.
10 mins
Please divide into groups of 3
Practice Interview Time
15 mins

International Students

Assessment Centres
Michele Zala

Content of an assessment centre

One or two days
Group exercises e.g. discussions, problem solving tasks, case studies
Job tasks e.g. In tray exercises, case studies drafting a summary report or
a role play.
Individual tasks
Aptitude tests or psychometric tests
Presentations
Interviews or group interviews
Informal panel or Q&A sessions
Site Tours
Social events e.g. welcome dinner, lunch

Assessment Centres
Why do organisations use them?
Selecting the best candidates
Reduce subjectivity by interviewers
Evidence from exercises increases objectivity
Can test for specific skills e.g. job simulations, presentations, in-tray exercises
Tests drive, enthusiasm, customer relationship and inter-personal skills
Can be used for selection and development
Accuracy of selection methods

Accuracy of selection methods

Assessment Centres - Benefits for you!

Variety of exercises
Objectivity and fairness
Not in direct competition with other candidates
Two-way process
Opportunities to find out more about culture and role.

How is decision made?

Team of assessors
List of competencies and attributes looking for
Tested on attribute 2 or 3 times
Compared against a benchmark
Objective information collated
Review evidence with all assessors

How to prepare for assessment centres

Revisit your application form

Research the company, their industry, culture, competitors, projects
Competencies and attributes
Watch the assessment centre video
Careers and Employability /Resources/Videos

Careers and Employability Centre Website

Careers Centre leaflets
Attend an assessment centre workshop
Talk to a Careers Adviser
Think about interview skills, questions and answers
Know what to expect from the exercises

Useful video showing aspects of assessment centres

1. Go to our Resources page
2. Click on the videos link

3. Assessment Centre videos from

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, HSBC and RWE

Never Switch Off

Be aware that anyone you come into contact
with, throughout your interview may provide
Feedback Receptionist
Administrator showing you to interview room
Team member you shadow
Person showing you round the department
Informal lunch or dinner

Importance of a good first impression

Sales Director of a large FTSE 350 company

Interviewing Trainee Salespeople in an Assessment Centre
Walking from the door to the desk
Did they smile ?
Did they make eye contact ?
No = Thanks and Goodbye
!

Preparation

Preparing for the assessment centre

What it will involve?
How long will it take?
Where are you going and how are you getting there?
What do you need to take with you?
What will you wear?

Preparing yourself mentally

Controlling nerves
Positive thinking-visualise
Confidence, enthusiasm, and motivation
Remember your agenda
Lower the stakes!
Forget mistakes and move on

Making a good impression

Most importantly - be yourself!
Dress appropriately
Give a firm handshake
Eye contact
Keep calm and positive
Look and sound interested and enthusiastic smiling
helps!

55%
38%
7%

Positive Assessment Centre Body Language

Good handshake and smile

Confident Entrance
Can you do small-talk ?
Building relationships with Managers and Peers
Upright but relaxed posture
Dont be afraid to own the space
Maintain eye contact
Smile !

What will you be assessed on?

Group exercises
Your contribution to the groups goals.
On time?
Deliver what was required?
Fulfilment of your team role e.g. time keeper, leader, scribe etc.
Inviting participation from other group members
Listening to others
Negotiating with group members
Presenting a reasoned argument
Initiative and ideas.

What will you be assessed on?

Presentations
Your research and knowledge of the subject.
Structure; introduction, body and summary.
Clear, jargon free, informative content tailored to audience.
Delivery: engaging the whole audience with confidence.
Effective use of visual aids.
Body language; eye contact, voice pitch nerves controlled.
Ability to field questions well.

Assessment centre tips

Contribute and show your enthusiasm
Do your homework
Take any opportunity for feedback
Use informal bits to gather information
Dont be put off by a bad exercise
This parts not assessed- maybe not formally, but it
contributes to the overall impression of you!
Learn from the process and about the company

Assessment Centre Group Exercise

Please arrange yourselves into teams of 6 people

Ask Yourself
Do you feel you got your point
across?
Did you interact well?
Could it have been better?
Did you listen and value others
views?
How did you overcome
different opinions?
How did you come to
conclusions?

How did your team do?

Would you do anything
different?
Did one person lead?
Did you develop a
strategy?

Would you do anything different?

Tips for Success

PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE

Practice your star stories out loud
Practice and TIME your presentation
Focus on WHY you want the job/the company
Determine your USPs - Unique selling Points
Study and research for technical interviews
Watch the videos and get involved in group tasks
First Impressions

Useful resources
Careers and Employability Centre Website
Links from our website to test providers so you can practise on-line
tests
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/advice/applying/psychometric-tests.html

Careers Centre leaflets

Videos:
At the Assessment Centre
Making an Impact

Quick Advice Desk (15 minutes)

Mock interviews-referred by Jo Higham or if you have had a couple of
failed attempts.

Careers Advice and Guidance

Quick Advice
15 minute appointment

Career Consultations
45 minute appointment

For short careers related questions e.g.

CVs, applications, interviews, career
opportunities, employers, further study

With the careers adviser for your

department to explore careers issues
in depth. (You do not need to know
what you want to do after graduation!)

Monday - Friday
10.00 4.00

Monday - Friday
Various times available

Book on the day

Book in advance

Online
Phone:
In person:

after 8.00am
after 9.00am
at the CEC in HMB

Quick Advice is popular, so booking online first

thing in the morning is advisable.

In person at the CEC in HMB

Unless you have already had a
consultation, you will need to book a
Quick Advice appointment first, before
being referred for a Career Consultation.

Herbert Manzoni Building

Diagram
Mondaypoint
- Friday
Description
text
9.00 - 5.00

Open during vacations

Courses for International Students

Online Aptitude Test Sessions for International Students
Wed 13th March 2pm 3.30pm
Finding Work in the UK after your studies Non EEA
Students
Wed 17th April 1.30 3.30pm
Business Immigration Appointments Non EEA Students
Must attend the talk above
Apply by 8th April Form on International Students Section of
the website

Thank you for attending these sessions.

We hope you have found them useful.
If you need any more assistance please
visit us in person or on-line at
www.careers.lboro.ac.uk
Best of luck!

Careers and Employability Centre

www.careers.lboro.ac.uk
www.facebook.com/LboroCEC
www.twitter.com/lborocareers
careers@lboro.ac.uk
01509 222039