They started by speaking about interview techniques, saying
that many interviewers favour competency based questions where they ask for
examples where applicants have displayed a certain skill or attitude. The
importance of using the ‘STAR’ technique to answer these types of questions was
highlighted. This technique involves breaking down your answers into four
different parts:
- Situation - where you set the scene for your answer
- Task - where you outline the challenge you were facing
- Action - where you state what you did to complete this task
- Results - where you review what happened as a result of your actions and, importantly, state what you could have done differently to improve this outcome
This helps to stop you waffling and rambling off topic with
your answer, and allows a response that ticks all the boxes you need to.
However, it’s important not to make up situations for these questions, as
skilled interviewers will be able to tell and could mark harshly against you
for this.
Group work in assessment centres was the second topic
covered in the session and, to show what this could be like, an activity was
used that has been previously used in the Network Rail assessment process. This
was a great chance to practice something that otherwise you’d only get to do under
the pressured conditions of an actual assessment centre. In a discussion after
the activity, the speakers advised that leadership is not the only quality
looked for, and that how you work is often more important than the final result
of the activity.
However, assessment centres are definitely a two way process
and the company should be trying to impress you, as much as you are trying to
impress them, as strange as that might seem… They ended the session by giving a
few pieces of advice for assessment centres; relax, speak, ask questions and
engage with everyone you meet (remember, you are being assessed the whole time
you’re in the centre), and lastly, be yourself... just yourself on a good day!
Ed (Student Ambassador for the Faculty of Science)
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