Applications and Interviews Research Higher Degree students

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Applications and Interviews Research Higher Degree students

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Title: Applications and Interviews Research Higher Degree students

1
Applications and InterviewsResearch Higher
Degree students

Flinders University
Careers Employer Liaison Centre
Meg Alexander Rebecca Jones

2
Curriculum Vitae
3
This Is Your Life

Curriculum Vitae (or resume) is a marketing
document
Summarises your personal and professional skills
and qualities as demonstrated through your
educational qualifications, work experience (paid
and voluntary), sporting, community and leisure
interests.

Goal of the Curriculum Vitae (CV) is to obtain an
interview.
This entails presenting a balanced selection of
key material about yourself, and honing it to the
needs of the employer.

5
Define the product YOU

Define who you are
What you have to offer
Review your life to develop an inventory of your
skills, experiences, achievements
Situations where you have demonstrated these
skills
Spend time researching the employer
Analyse their needs

This information can be worked into your letter
to indicate your enthusiasm about obtaining a
position in that organisation.
You must understand both yourself and the
organisation so that you can put your strengths
across and tailor your product package to the
needs of the employer.

7
Skills sought by employers

Skills often cited as important
Communication
The capacity to learn new skills and procedures
The ability to apply knowledge in the workplace
Adaptability
Initiative

Time management
Problem solving and decision making
Ability to accept responsibility and authority
Ability to work with and under others
Ability to embrace change
Tolerance and acceptance of different values

9
Wheres the evidence?

Demonstrate your skills with evidence from your
Academic experience
Extra curricular activities and leisure
work experience
life experience
voluntary work

10
Research employers as part of your marketing
strategy

Find out as much as you can about the employer
that interests you.
Brochures/web site etc
Talk informally with anyone you know in the
organisations that interest you.
Use Careers Fairs (held on campus throughout the
year) to sound out employers.
You may also choose to meet with people in the
organisation to find out more about the company /
roles / structure of the team etc, before you
write your application.

11
Presentation

The following guidelines should be observed when
preparing a resume.
Use good quality plain A4 paper.
Use a high quality printer.
Staple pages at the top left hand corner.
Do not use plastic folders or covers.
Leave space between sections.

Use a layout that ensures information can be
quickly and easily read.
Keep headings and sub-headings consistent in
style and size throughout the document.
Avoid small print.
Dont forget page numbers!
Length be concise, and aim for a length of no
more than 2-4 pages

13
Headings

The conventional resume tends to contain
information that is usually grouped under
headings such as
Personal Details
Education
Career Objective
Employment History
Additional Skills
Achievements
Community and Leisure Interests
Referees

Be creative - add or delete headings, use sub
headings as necessary.
For example, Employment History could be divided
into Casual Employment and Professional Work
Experience. You could include a section on
Voluntary Work.

15
Use your headings as headlines!

Experience can become Legal Sector Experience,
Community Service Experience
Education can become Professional Training,
Nursing Studies
Extracurricular Activities can become Leadership
in Student Activities

16
Categories of Information

Personal Details
Name/address/telephone/email.
Career Objective Statement
A brief, optional statement about your short to
mid term career aspirations.
The statement must align with the job and
organisation being applied for, and you will need
to change it for each application.

The statement can include
What type of position you want/the career field
you are interested in
What type of organisation
What you can bring to the job
How the organisation will benefit

Education Background
Tertiary
Dates Bachelor of XYZ (Honours)
Flinders University of South Australia
Honours Thesis
Key details
Grades
Applied skills i.e. interviewing, research etc

Dates Bachelor of XYZ
Flinders University of South Australia
Majors
Key details
Grades
Placements (here or separate section)
Optional inclusions Key Subject areas, any
special achievements i.e. distinctions,
scholarships, prizes, projects undertaken at
university which you feel to be relevant.

Briefly note details of any laboratory work,
field-work, equipment and procedures used, your
thesis (especially if relevant to the area you
are applying for) etc.
Refer to Academic transcript
Other courses/qualifications
Include any relevant courses- word processing,
internet, first aid, conflict resolution,
Graduate Skills Development Programs etc.

Professional Memberships (optional)
Demonstrates career commitment and ongoing
professional development.
Have you held any active roles in an association?
Have you attended any conferences, or seminars
and workshops?

Memberships And Community Involvement
2000 - current
Student member of the Australian Psychological
Society
1999 - current
Member, XYZ Club, Elected Secretary
Responsibilities/achievements
Organising events/guest speakers
Raised sponsorship funds of 5000

23
Work Experience

Optional Sub headings
Professional experience,
Casual work,
Voluntary work,
Practical placements, or
Vacation work.
Strategically consider which parts of your work
experience need to appear first - your bar work,
or the career-related Vacation Work you undertook.

Use bullet points followed by a verb phrase
rather than sentences to describe your work.
Avoid I did, I have etc
Recorded data using
Conducted research into
Provided customer service
Answered up to 25 phone calls per day
Created online newsletter

When describing Placements-be specific
Managed a caseload of X number
Worked with clients ranging in age from X-Y,
presenting with.
Designed a brochure promoting tourism
destinations in the

26
Make the most of Casual Work

Did you do any staff training and supervision
(however informal)?
Was there any training provided-on the job or
more formally?
Have you been promoted from the job you started
in?
What extra responsibilities have you been given
at work?
Did you receive any awards, for example,
employee of the month?

Describing professional skills developed through
part time and casual work.
Customer liaison and sales
Solve customer problems
Work with a variety of people/work in a team
Manage the store independently during owner
absences
Stock shelves
Set up merchandise displays
Formal/informal staff training

Nanny/Au Pair/Babysitter
Monitor or participate in play activities
Prepare and serve meals
Accompany children of X age on walks and other
activities
Set limits and manage behaviour
Teach new skills
Think creatively
Work with a variety of people independently
Handle multiple tasks simultaneously

Office Clerical Worker
Use desktop computer to complete tasks
Respond to questions/handle telephone enquiries
Work with a variety of people
Prioritise workload
Communicate thoughts, ideas, and information in
writing
Acquire relevant product or service knowledge
Learn new tasks and accept challenges
General office duties

Waiter/Waitress
Convey information to customers
Solve customer problems
Food and beverage sales
Work with a variety of people
Operate cash register/computer to place customer
orders
Cash and credit transactions
Use basic maths skills
Handle multiple tasks simultaneously

31
Casual Experience

1996-Current Dymocks
Position .. (up to 8 hours per week
full time in vacations)
Duties
Serving .
Organising .
Supervision of
Training of

32
Quantify your experience where possible

Managed a student organisation budget of more
than 5,000.
Developed lesson plans for 2 classes of 25
students.
Recruited 30 new members for the Behavioural
Sciences Club in 2001
Trained 10 new employees in cafe procedures.
Fielded up to 30 customer service calls a day,
identifying and providing solutions for
customers, and ensuring repeat customers.
Planned, organised and implemented creative
activities for children aged 4-12.

33
Presenting long work history

You can state Employment details prior to 19--
available on request.
Alternatively you could state
Prior to 19--, I was employed in a range of
roles, including
customer service officer
administrative service officer
travel agent
(Details available on request).
This gives you the opportunity to convey
information about your valuable experience
without taking up a lot of space on the CV, or
emphasising dates.

34
Publications

If you have written any articles or publications
to do with your work or study, mention them, and
have a copy available if necessary at the
interview.

Skills profile/employment related skills and
attributes

Select no more than 5-7 skills that relate to the
position. State what the skills are and give
examples of how and where you have demonstrated
them. For example- teamwork skills, customer
service skills, leadership ability Dont forget-
Language skills, and Computer literacy Keep the
statements short. Highly developed skills in
.. (developed through ..) Excellent
communication skills from experience in
.... Demonstrated ability to (as shown by
..)
36
Some examples

High level communication skills developed through
5 years experience in retail sales combined with
leadership roles in student associations.
Ability to work in a team demonstrated by
involvement in team sports, group projects at
university, and volunteer work at Community Care
Inc.
Effective planning, organising and prioritising
skills were demonstrated in my supervisory role
in the hospitality field.

37
Community and leisure interests

Be brief and interesting.
Consider memberships of clubs and societies.
Hobbies, leisure, self-development activities,
travel.
Focus on hobbies or community interests/activities
that show initiative, creativity, teamwork,
communication, and organisational and leadership
ability, financial, and other responsibilities.
Try to make your description active. For
example Martial Arts (train 2 nights per week at
X Karate Club), Football (play for X club, coach
junior members).
What impression you will make?

Referees

Referees are people whose position gives them
credibility who can verify your suitability for
the job in terms of your experience and personal
qualities either verbally or in writing. Usually
3 are requested Obtain their permission
first Work/placement and academic referees
preferred to character referees. Ms
ABC Manager Blah Blah Company Address
. Telephone . Fax
. Email
39

Formats

Resumes can be presented in a variety of formats.
The most common of these are
Chronological Resume
education/work experience is shown in
chronological order
can use reverse chronological order showing the
most recent data first

Functional Resume
resume focuses on skills achievements rather
than job titles and biographical data
skills listed will correspond as closely as
possible to those required of the position
in many cases the format may be modified so that
it incorporates the best features of a
chronological and functional resume
Targeted Resume
designed for a specific job vacancy or as a
marketing tool for a particular type of job
includes only such data that supports your
suitability for the position.

Letter of application

Points to remember Personalise each letter by
sending it to a specific individual Spell names
correctly and use the proper title Keep it short
and to the point. Research the position and/or
organisation and indicate this knowledge in your
letter Realise the reader will view the letter as
an example of your written communication
skills Type your letter on good quality paper.
Observe margins and spacing and type the address
on the envelope Proof read for spelling, grammar,
punctuation and form Remember to sign your
letter Cover letters should not be more than one
page.
42

Dont use a reproduced form letter or preprinted
letter
Dont overuse the personal pronoun I
Dont cover all the same material that is
included in your resume, but do refer to your
resume
Dont send an identical letter to hundreds of
employers
Create a letter you feel comfortable with and
which expresses your individuality. Remember
that the purpose of the letter is to get the
employers attention.

Dear ...(Ms/Mr./Mrs. Surname)
Opening paragraph Attract attention. State why
you are writing and name the position or type of
work for which you are applying.
Example
I am writing to apply for the position of
advertised inon... (name of source and date).
I have recently completed a Bachelor of
majoring in, and would welcome the opportunity
to be part of your Graduate program.
I am in the final year of a Degree inand I am
keen to pursue a career as

Middle paragraphs State your reasons for
applying to this particular organisation.
Summarise what you have to offer by stating the
qualifications your research indicates would
interest them and briefly point out particular
achievements and skills that qualify you for this
type of work. Sell yourself.
Example
With my combination of XXX studies and work
experience ranging across customer service,
administration, and tutoring roles, I believe I
can..
Within my course I had the opportunity to
undertake a wide variety of project work, ranging
from.

Whilst completing my degree inI undertook
voluntary work experience atwhere I gained
valuable experience in.
My placement involved the completion of a
project on. This role required me to
Supporting your interest in the organisation
In a recent article in. I read that you.
I was impressed by your stated attitude to
I met with representatives of your organisation
at the Flinders University Business and Arts
Careers Fair and
I would welcome the opportunity to gain
experience / develop my career with an
organisation that is In addition the
opportunities for .are highly appealing to me.

Final paragraph Refer the reader to your
enclosed resume, application form (if applicable)
and academic transcript. Close by informing the
reader of your next action (usually indicating
your availability for an interview appointment
and your contact phone number).
Example
Thank you for your consideration. I look
forward to discussing my application with you in
person.
I look forward to discussing my skills and
experience in more detail with you at an
interview.

47
Addressing Selection Criteria

Making the most of your skills, experience, and
knowledge

48
What are Selection criteria?

Selection criteria are a list of skills,
experience, and knowledge that are considered to
be either essential or desirable in an applicant
for them to successfully perform the duties of
the position.
They are used by all tiers of Government,
professional associations, educational
institutions (for example, universities and some
Independent Schools), the community sector and
non-government organisations.

49
How are they used?

They are a set of benchmarks against which each
applicant is measured. Each applicant is rated
on how well or closely they meet each of the
criteria and then ranked against the other
applicants
In the job advertisement you will see something
like
Applicants should obtain a copy of the Job and
Person Specification and an information package
prior to submitting their application. These are
available from (name). OR
Candidates must address the selection criteria.

50
Examples

Excellent oral and written communication
skills.
Capacity to work under pressure and meet
deadlines.
Demonstrated skills in managing complex
projects.

For areas such as Speech Pathology, Social Work,
Psychology, Disability Studies, Nutrition and
Dietetics, Environmental positions, Science and
Engineering etc key technical criteria will be
listed
Experience in visitor management in the natural
environment.
Proficient internet skills and knowledge of
online research principles.
Proven skills in molecular biology.
An understanding of the principles of
communication and swallowing rehabilitation
methodology.
Highly developed knowledge of primary health
theory and practice and strategies of Ottawa
Charter
Sound understanding of biodiversity and
ecological principles

52
Step by Step approach

Heres a 5-step model to follow when responding
to selection criteria
Find out what skills the employer wants
Match the criteria to your set of skills
Draft and write your responses to the criteria
Polish the draft
Send it off.

53
One What are they looking for?

Read each criteria carefully, and underline each
area of skills or experience indicated as being
required.

54
Two Match the criteria to your skills set

Review each criterion in turn, note the
experiences you have had that support your claims
for the criterion.

Brainstorm specific examples that show how you
meet the criterion. Refer to a variety of
experiences, for example
Sporting clubs/team activities
Placements/work experience
Recreational activities
Previous employment
Volunteer work
Community activities
Fundraisers
Awards
Publications
Educational studies

Look for evidence of transferable skills and
abilities. While you may have not carried out a
particular duty, you may have performed similar
work but in a different context (for example
working in customer of service at Hungry Jacks
may give you transferable communication skills
that relate to liaising with corporate clients).

57
An example- your rough notes

Highly developed oral and written communication
skills.
Completed topic in communication skills at
university.
Three years customer service experience at Coles
Delivered presentations to university clubs on X
issues.
University debating team (finals win)
Committee member AISEC (elected position)
Experience in the preparation of agendas and
minutes
Research and preparation of university
assignments and reports.

58
Three Drafting and Writing

Start with a new document. You might like to use
headings such as Responses to the Person
Specification or "Statement Addressing Selection
Criteria".
Type out each of the criteria exactly as they are
stated-you will need to address each criterion
separately.

Using each criterion as a separate heading write
1-3 paragraphs underneath it outlining how you
meet it. Respond to the criteria in the order in
which they appear.
Explain how your study, work, and other
activities have given you the knowledge, skills
and experience that meet the criteria and provide
proof through examples.
You will need to refine and hone your sentences
over subsequent drafts.

60
An example

Highly developed oral and written communication
skills.
Through three years employment with Coles in
customer service, I have gained valuable skills
in oral communication. I have dealt effectively
with the public, my work colleagues and
supervisors. My understanding of the importance
of excellent communication skills in the
workplace has also been developed through
studying the topic Business Communication.
Whilst at University I was a member of the
debating team and developed effective
presentation skills as part of this activity. My
public speaking skills have been further honed
through delivering promotional presentations to
University clubs about AISEC.
During my degree at university I have
demonstrated effective written communication
skills, which is reflected in my above average
results (GPA of 6/7) in written assignments. I am
experienced in preparing literature reviews,
reports and writing proposals. In addition, in my
role as a Committee member for Aisec, I was
required to prepare agendas and minutes.

61
Some tips

Preface the examples you use with a short
overview statement which clearly indicates that
you meet the criterion, and which reflects your
understanding of the relevance/importance of that
specific criterion. For example, In preparing
for any exhibition, working to a deadline is
important, and this is a skill I have
demonstrated on numerous occasions throughout my
tertiary studies and tourism sector experience.

Give details of one or two specific things you've
done that are good examples to show how you
obtained the relevant experience or knowledge
required. Mention duties, specific equipment you
have used or procedures that you followed. For
example 'I was responsible for organising a
conference attended by 180 delegates. This
involved ....'

Quantify your experience as appropriate, e.g.
number of years of experience, a grade, number of
staff supervised, etc. For example 'I am
responsible for supervising the day-to-day work
of five staff ....' I delivered a presentation
to a community audience of 80 people.

Demonstrate your knowledge of a particular area
by outlining key information you have learned.
You might mention specific subjects studied, or
research topics. For example, My experience and
my reflection and learning through my experience
has taught me that the most important factors in
dealing with people with substance abuse are
..

Refer to you own attitude or philosophy in
relation to a particular quality required. For
example, As I believe good writing is a
commitment to the discipline of good editing, I
have adopted the routine of rigorously editing
all my written work, especially items of
particular importance. Another example, These
roles have shown me the importance of recognising
and promoting the talents that each person brings
to the group, and the necessity to establish and
maintain empathy with team members.

Where possible, indicate how successfully you
meet the criterion. You could do this by
referring to feedback you've received from
others, or things you've set up that are still
being used. For example 'A report I wrote about
.... was well received by the .... Committee, and
circulated as a discussion paper.'

Lets look at how you can go from your
brainstormed notes to a polished response
Excellent written communication skills and the
ability to write agendas and minutes.

68
Notes

Writing of university assignments-essays,
reports-including recommendations, thesis of x
thousand words, statistical reports, presenting
graphical information, scientific/laboratory
reports
Excellent results in assignments (cite GPA or
overall Credit etc average)
Examples of any written communication required on
placements/work experience (designing a pamphlet,
casenotes, correspondence, program plans)

69
Notes

Actual experience in writing minutes and agendas
(University Clubs and Societies, Community
Organisations)
Good results in
Try to edit everything-especially if important
Shorthand and Typing (although not a requirement
in the selection criteria, you might add this,
realising it would be useful).

70
Response

I have been systematically trained in the art of
writing assignments and reports during my
tertiary and secondary education. As a result I
have very good skills in written communication,
demonstrated through constantly achieving
excellent results in university assignments
(maintained a credit/ distinction average).

As I believe the art of good writing is a
commitment to the discipline of good editing, I
have adopted the routine of rigorously editing
all my written work, especially items of
particular importance. This practice has further
enhanced my writing ability by cultivating a
greater consciousness of my strengths and
weaknesses in written communication.
contd

As indicated in responses to earlier criteria,
I am experienced in aspects of meeting
procedures. At University I held the post of
President of the Writing Club and secretary of
the Debating Society. As a result I have
considerable experience with the preparation of
agendas and the accurate recording and writing up
of minutes. I also have some shorthand skills
from a course at XXX, and sound keyboard skills.

73
Four Polish

Polish the result.
Check for content-have you given the information
that shows you are the best candidate for the
job?
Proof read for grammar and spelling.

74
Five Send it off

Send what documentation has been requested and
provide requested photocopies. Make sure you
keep a copy for yourself!
Know the contents of your application. If you
are called in for an interview you may be asked
questions about the content of your application
and reviewing your application is also good
preparation for the interview.

75
Your job search
76
Where are the jobs?

Gradjobs email list
GradNews (Listing of current vacancies) available
from careers website
Graduate Opportunities/Graduate Outlook
On the WWW links from the Careers and Liaison
Centre homepage
SEEK campus/SEEK website
Monster.com Website
Newspapers
Recruitment Agencies

77
Australian Public Service

Graduate Recruitment Programs
Departments now recruit independently advertise
nationally
Employ up to 500 graduates annually across all
discipline areas
Minimum Bachelors degree, some require Honours
Some offer Graduate programs, others recruit on
an as needs basis.
You may have to fill out an application form,
provide a supporting statement, or respond to
selection criteria.

78
Other Entry Points

Consider a variety of entry points
Administrative
Technical
Temporary positions
Respond to the Selection Criteria.
See handout Entry to the Australian Public
Service for further details.

79
State Public Service

Graduate Recruitment Programs
The Office for the Commissioner for Public
Employment organise the Graduate Recruitment
Program (Supporting Statement required).
See Handout Entry to the South Australian Public
Sector for further details.

80
State Public Service

Other entry points
Consider a variety of entry points into the
public sector-temporary/contract/advertised
permanent positons.
Check newspapers for advertised positions/some
departments post vacancies on their website.
Respond to the JPS/Selection Criteria (nearly all
public sector vacancies will have one).
Check web sites. A good starting point is
www.sacentral.gov.au
Once you are employed in this sector you can
apply for vacancies advertised in the Government
Gazette.

81
Local Government

Increasing role of local government
For example
Community Services
Housing Officer
Community development
Crime Prevention Officer
Environment Services, Library and information
services
Economic development
http//www.lga.sa.gov.au/
http//www.nla.gov.au/oz/gov/local.html
http//www.job-directory.com.au/

82
Private sector organisations

Check out Graduate Programs-See Graduate
Opportunities
Register and use relevant recruitment sites
Apply directly (cold canvassing)
Network
Employment pages-newspapers and electronic

83
Community agencies

For example Community Health Centres, Child and
Youth Health, Anglicare, Adelaide Central Mission
etc.
Positions advertised in the press
Voluntary work/experience important
Consider casual/part-time/temporary positions to
gain experience
Network and approach agencies directly
Resource Community Services Directory

84
Cold canvassing employers

Write to prospective employers, and ask if there
are any positions available.
Make sure you state in your letter why you would
like to work for that particular organization.
Address the letter to a specific person, by name,
(you can always ring up and ask the
receptionist), include the persons proper title.
Always follow up with a phone call to discuss
your application.

85
Networking

STEP 1 Identify Your Network
Identify and list anyone who could be a potential
networking contact for you
STEP 2 Be Prepared
Know yourself, and what you have to offer
STEP 3 Contacting Your Contacts
Establish a positive and professional
relationship
STEP 4 Follow-up
Be sure to ask for names of new contacts from
each person with whom you speak.
STEP 5 Keeping Good Records

86
Remember

Use our services until one year out from
University

87
Interviews

88
Types Of Interviews

Informal Interviews
Usually unstructured- points of discussion based
on your background
One-On-One / Two-On-One Interviews
Formal interview
Structured standard questions
Panel interviews
Could involve from three to seven interviewers
Telephone interviews
Interviews via Video Conferencing

Behaviour based interviews
Past behaviour used to predict future performance
The questions aim to elicit specific examples of
how you have handled things in the past
Case Interviews
Used for consulting, finance and executive
positions. They test your ability to analyse and
solve problems, often of a business nature

Group Interview
The employer interviews a number of candidates at
the same time
Determines how candidates interact with others
Remember that you do not need to dominate the
group- in fact this can often disadvantage you
Some Employers use Assessment Centres

91
Before The Interview

Find out about
The interview and interviewer/s
The organisation
You

92
The Interviewer/Interviewers

How many will interview you?
What are their names/positions?
Where and when?
Instructions to candidates?
Structure and length of the interview

93
The Organisation

View web site, brochures, in-house magazines,
annual reports
Talk informally with anyone you know in the
organisation
Ring up and ask for information/arrange a work
visit

94
You - The Product

This will include
Knowledge of your skills, strengths and
competencies
Areas for development
Verbal summaries of your key accomplishments/skill
s examples
Be prepared to tell the interviewer what you have
to offer the organisation. What are the
organisations needs?

95
Showcasing Your Skills

Identify the skills the employer is looking for
and prepare an example of how you have
demonstrated each one of them.

Review
Job advertisement and duty statement.
Your application and match your skills and
experience against their criteria.
Degree details-you may be asked to discuss the
content of your course, especially for technical
fields
Prepare
Questions you want to ask the interviewer.
Practise
Practise answering likely questions.

97
Some Common Themes

Job qualifications (previous work experience,
training, job related interests and career goals,
extra-curricular experiences)
Aptitudes, abilities, skills and experience
Listening skills, oral communication and
presentation skills

Adaptability, work standards, risk taking
Initiative, independence, creativity, energy
Ability and willingness to work and learn
Ability to work in teams, or without supervision
Goal orientation, leadership experience and
potential

99
What To Take To the Interview

Pen and paper
Anything you have been specifically asked to
bring
Photocopies of the more important documents
Portfolio

100
At The Interview Stage One Establish Rapport

Initial assessment of you - first impressions are
vitally important.
Greet the receptionist courteously (they may be
asked for their impression of you)
Smile and give a firm handshake
Acknowledge each person you are introduced to
Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting
down and then sit in a socially acceptable
manner. Dont slouch!

101
The interviewer/s may

Chat informally about the weather, how you
travelled to the interview etc.
Explain structure of the interview, give brief
details about the organisation/position
Aim to set you at your ease by asking open-ended
questions to help you relax (For example Tell us
about yourself/What do you know about our
organisation? Why do you want to join our
organisation?/What made you choose your major?
What subjects did you enjoy most/least? Why?
The first stage of the interview can set the
tone for the rest of the interview.

102
At The Interview Stage Two Getting The Facts

The interviewer/s focus on gathering information
and assessing your
Intellectual ability,
Personal qualities,
Technical skills and
Achievements
They will not only focus on the content of your
response, but also the way in which you deliver
it.

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What Are Your Weaknesses?

The interviewer is asking
What risk do we take in employing you?
What dont you know?
Can you motivate yourself?
Can you evaluate yourself?
Can you show what you are doing to
change/improve/develop?

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Dont say none!
Professional rather than personal weakness
A weakness that could be perceived as a strength.
The statement of weakness should indicate how you
have worked to improve it.

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Answering Questions

Pause for 2 or 3 seconds Consider responses
before answering the question
Speak clearly. Avoid trailing off (you knowsort
of), provide a definite closure to your
responses.
If you do not understand anything then ask for
clarification.

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You can pause before answering a difficult
question (Can I have a moment to think about
that?)
Provide relevant examples of your skills
Volunteer information on your strengths
Do not answer questions with a simple yes or
no.
Do not try to bluff.

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Answering Interview Questions The STAR Method

Use the STAR method to answer probing questions
and behavioural questions.
Can you tell us about a time when you had to gain
the cooperation of a group over which you had
little or no authority? What did you do and how
effective were you?

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We all miss deadlines from time to time. Can you
give us an example of when you missed a deadline.
What were the causes and how did you deal with
the situation?
You can only answer these questions by providing
specific examples of your experiences.
Its easier when you have thought about your
examples BEFORE the interview.

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STAR Method

ST for situation/task
A for action (what you did) and
R for result.

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A brief example
Question Can you tell me about a time when you
had to meet a deadline, what did you do?
Situation/Task Yes, last semester, my course
required the submission of 5 pieces of work in
the same week.

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Action From the outset I developed a schedule
which enabled me to allocate and better manage my
time.
Result This meant I avoided a last minute rush,
and I achieved good results-high credits for all
assignments.

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QuestionTell me about a time when you went out
of your way to satisfy a customer.
Situation/Task I was working in the production
department of a large publishing company. We
received a letter from a nine-year-old girl who
was unhappy because the gold design had worn off
the cover of a book we had published. She wanted
a refund. My boss gave the complaint to me to
handle.

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Action I immediately requested a refund cheque
from our accounting department. I also called
our printer, who investigated and identified one
run of books in which the covers had been
improperly printed. I obtained a copy of the
book with a properly printed cover and sent the
book, the refund cheque and a personal letter to
the girl, thanking her for pointing out the
problem and apologising for the inconvenience.
ResultThe girls mother called to thank me for
the response. She told me she would recommend
our books to all her friends with children.

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Example Of Interviewers Criteria From Deloittes

Tell me about a particular conflict you have had
in a relationship with someone (preferably at
work, university or a group you are involved
with). How did you resolve the situation?
Assessment Focus on a scale of 1-6
Maintained an open mind
Worked through the issue
Acknowledged and understood the other persons
point of view
Aware of their individual input
Stayed in the relationship to solve the situation

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Situational Or Hypothetical Questions

Situational questions on the other hand ask you
to describe how you would respond in a given
situation, the underlying premise here being that
people usually do what they say they will. For
example
If you were given a project to research what
steps would you take to complete the task?
What would you do if you had an urgent deadline
to meet, the telephone kept ringing, and you were
suddenly asked to arrange a series of important
meetings for your supervisor?

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Philosophical Questions

Philosophical questions are used to try to find
out your views on issues and are often used to
determine how you will effectively fit into the
workplace culture. For example
Social Justice- What is it?
How would you apply social justice principles,
ideas and values to your work with indigenous
people?

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Scenario Questions

Many organisations may also give applicants a
scenario to respond to. Often you will be given
some time to prepare prior to the commencement of
the interview. This may vary from ten minutes
upwards. You may then be expected to present this
scenario to a panel and you should expect some
exploration of your response.

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You are in charge of a factory, the major
employer in a town of 25,000. The product of the
factory is dangerous. There are two methods of
disposing of the waste
1. Convert to a less harmful product the company
can sell - although there would still be impact
upon the environment.
2. Eliminate the by product completely. This is
expensive and would force the company to close
its operation in the town.
Environmentalists would like you to adopt the
second option.
What would you recommend?

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What would be your clinical priorities in the
following case scenarios
1. A male who repeatedly contacts the service
threatening self harm
2. A 20 year old female client, living with her
parents, who has a first episode of psychosis
You are to conduct a tour of Fort Denison which
commences at Cadmen Cottages in the Rocks and
then travel by ferry to the fort. Your group has
assembled. Tell us how you would start the tour.
The first few minutes of the tour.

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Questions About Issues

Australia has an aging population. What do you
think are some of the issues that a department
such as needs to consider when developing
social welfare policy?
You are required to write a report about the
recent riots at Woomera. How would you go about
it?
Government departments often work in consultation
with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities. Are there ways in which the 2 groups
can improve their communication?

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Closing The Interview

Candidate has the opportunity to ask questions.
May be asked if there is anything you would like
to add.
Leave a final positive impression.
What will happen next and when. Find out when a
decision is likely to be made.
Thank you.

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Questions To Ask

How is the organisation dealing with current
issues/trends and concerns in their area?
What expectations does your organisation have of
new graduates in their first year of employment?
How will I be evaluated?
I am interested in knowing more about the culture
of your organisation. How would you describe the
culture in your workplace?
How would you describe the future of this
organisation? Where is it heading?
What opportunities for training/career
advancement are there within your organisation?
Make sure you ask informed questions.

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After The Interview

Review your interview performance
Learn from your interview experiences-build your
performance for next time.

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YOUR Body Language And The Job Interview

No more than 25 per cent of the message is
conveyed by your words. The rest comes from your
body language.
Alert posture
Good eye contact
Firm handshake
Smile
Voice/volume/rate of speech

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The Panel Interview

The selection panel usually consists of 3 7
people
Panel members will usually take it in turns to
ask questions.
Usually the panel members will take notes to help
them recall details about you when making their
decision

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How Can I Best Present Myself?

Prepare as you would for any interview. Read the
documentation about the position and prepare
responses for the questions you may be asked.
Telephone beforehand and ask who is on the panel-
their names and positions. You may then use this
in your preparation.

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On entering the interview room, greet each panel
member in turn, using their names if possible.
Smile. If you are comfortable doing so, shake
hands with each person - this helps to establish
contact and build rapport.
Use positive eye contact look at the selection
panel. When one panel member asks you a question,
dont respond to that person exclusively glance
occasionally at the others on the panel as well
rather than focussing only on one person. Start
and finish your answer with the person that asked
the question.

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Secrets Of Success

Preparation
Enthusiasm
Sell yourself
Understand you do not know it all, but are
prepared to learn
Develop a rapport with the interview panel
(smile, nod your head, facilitate the process).
Show commitment to your beliefs and values
Tell of past successes
Let them know you want the job.

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Our website-www.flinders.edu.au/careers