Tag: recruitment process

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Does Having a Tattoo Stop You From Getting Hired?

Summary:

A study ‘What does job applicants’ body art signal to employers?’ by Stijn Baert, Jolien Herregods, Philippe Sterkens, investigates how visible body art (e.g., tattoos and piercings) affects the hiring decisions of job recruiters.

The focus of the study was on how body art interacts with various candidate characteristics, such as gender, obesity, and qualifications.

In the experiment the researchers used a state-of-the-art scenario approach, where participants assumed the role of recruiters assessing job candidates.

They evaluated candidates based on vignettes that varied by body art type, obesity, and other factors like gender, academic performance, and job-related skills.

Key Findings:

  1. Overall Impact of Body Art: The presence of body art did not significantly reduce the likelihood of being invited for an interview or hired, suggesting body art doesn’t universally affect hireability. However, there were some notable nuances.
  2. Gender Differences: Body art negatively impacted male candidates’ hireability. Men with body art had a lower probability of being invited to an interview and scored worse on hireability measures compared to men without body art. No such effect was found for women. This highlights the interaction between body art and gender, with men facing greater stigmatization.
  3. Obesity and Other Factors: Obesity also lowered hireability, and its effect was stronger than that of body art. Obese candidates were rated lower on hireability, collaboration, and personality traits like emotional stability, but higher on traits related to productivity (e.g., manageability).
  4. Perceived Personality and Collaboration: Candidates with body art were viewed as less honest, emotionally stable, agreeable, and conscientious, although they were also seen as more extroverted and open to new experiences. This suggests body art may signal certain personality traits to recruiters, but these signals vary by gender.
  5. Recruiter Characteristics: The study controlled for factors like recruiters’ experience, education, and tendency to provide socially desirable responses. It found no evidence that these factors influenced the overall results, suggesting that the effects were not due to bias from participants’ personal experiences or social desirability.

The study shows that body art does influence hiring decisions, particularly for male candidates, who are judged more harshly for wearing body art compared to females.

The impact of obesity on hireability was more pronounced than body art, which suggests that physical appearance plays a significant role in recruitment decisions.

While body art did not have a strong effect on hiring outcomes overall, it did influence perceptions of personality and collaboration, and its impact varied by gender.

The Impact of Body Art on Job Recruitment: What Employers Need to Know

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, one might assume that professional qualifications and experience are the sole determinants of hiring decisions, espcially with the increase in the use of a structured job interview

However, appearances and personal traits, including body art, can still play a significant role in shaping hiring outcomes.

The Research Behind the Stigma

A recent experiment conducted by Van Borm et al. (2021) sought to explore the effect of body art on recruitment decisions. The study was based on the methodology established by Auspurg and Hinz (2014) but expanded to cover a broader range of job sectors and candidate characteristics.

Participants in the study were placed in the role of recruiters and tasked with evaluating applicants for one of eight job groups, including professions such as software developers, travel agents, and poets. These jobs varied in terms of required educational level, customer contact, creativity, and reliability.

By presenting a diverse set of job applicants with varying levels of body art, weight, and gender, the experiment aimed to uncover any potential biases related to these factors in the hiring process.

Key Findings from the Experiment

  1. Body Art Does Not Necessarily Lower Hireability Overall

One of the key insights from the experiment is that the presence of body art (whether tattoos or piercings) did not significantly lower the overall likelihood of being hired or invited for an interview. Across all participants, candidates with body art were not found to have lower odds of being selected for an interview or hired compared to candidates without body art.

  1. Gender Differences in Perception of Body Art

The study revealed an important gender interaction. While body art had little impact on the hireability of female candidates, male candidates with visible body art were less likely to be invited for an interview or hired. Specifically, male candidates with body art saw a 5.4% decrease in the probability of being invited for an interview and a similar drop in hiring appropriateness scores. This suggests that body art may carry a more significant stigma when worn by men, possibly due to ingrained societal perceptions about masculinity and professionalism.

  1. Body Art Impacts Perceived Personality and Collaborativeness

Another crucial finding was that job candidates with visible body art were often perceived as less desirable colleagues. Recruiters rated these candidates as less pleasant to collaborate with, both as an employer and as a colleague. Interestingly, candidates with body art were also perceived as less honest, emotionally stable, agreeable, and conscientious. However, they were seen as more extroverted and open to new experiences, which may be beneficial in certain roles.

  1. Obesity as a Parallel Stigma

In addition to body art, the study also explored the effects of obesity on hiring decisions. Similar to body art, candidates who appeared obese were rated lower in terms of hireability and personality, though they were seen as more productive in certain contexts. This finding emphasizes that physical appearance—whether in the form of body art or weight—can significantly influence hiring decisions, despite the lack of a direct link to job performance.

Actionable Points for Job Seekers

If you’re applying for jobs and have visible body art, the research suggests there are some important factors to consider in order to improve your chances of being hired:

1. Choose the Right Role

Not all jobs perceive body art the same way. For instance, positions that demand high levels of customer interaction or roles that are more traditionally “corporate” may have stricter standards around appearance. On the other hand, creative fields, such as graphic design, marketing, or the arts, are likely to have a more lenient view of body art. Consider whether the company’s culture aligns with your style and appearance before applying.

2. Understand the Gender Dynamics

The study showed that body art had a more significant negative effect on male candidates. This suggests that male candidates may need to be more strategic about when and how they showcase body art, especially if applying for roles in conservative industries. While it’s important to be authentic, understanding the cultural context of a given industry or organization can help mitigate any biases.

3. Leverage Your Other Strengths

If you have body art and are concerned about biases, you can proactively showcase other strengths that may counterbalance any perceived negative traits. Highlight your qualifications, relevant experience, and skills that align with the job description. Additionally, demonstrating your ability to collaborate and your commitment to the job can help break down stereotypes associated with body art.

4. Prepare to Address the Issue Directly

If you suspect that body art might be a concern during an interview, be prepared to address it directly and confidently. You could frame it as a form of self-expression or creativity, depending on the role you’re applying for. In some cases, explaining the significance of your tattoos or piercings might help hiring managers see them as a reflection of your individuality rather than as a hindrance.

Actionable Points for Hiring Professionals

As an employer, it’s essential to be aware of potential biases that may influence your hiring decisions. Here are some steps you can take to ensure a more inclusive and fair recruitment process:

1. Focus on Skills, Not Appearance

While body art may influence first impressions, it should never overshadow a candidate’s qualifications and experience. Instead of letting visible body art dictate your decision, focus on assessing candidates based on their skills, qualifications, and fit for the role.

Create a structured interview process that emphasizes job-relevant criteria, and avoid making judgments based on physical appearance alone.

2. Standardize Evaluation Criteria

The presence of body art can easily trigger implicit biases, leading recruiters to make assumptions about a candidate’s personality or work ethic. One way to counteract this is to use a standardized evaluation system. For instance, rate candidates on a consistent scale using objective criteria related to job performance. This helps ensure that all applicants are evaluated fairly and consistently, regardless of their appearance.

3. Educate Your Hiring Team on Bias

Hiring managers and recruiters should receive training to help them recognize and mitigate biases, including those related to body art.

Conducting regular workshops on unconscious bias, and educating your team on the impact of appearance-based discrimination, can improve decision-making and create a more inclusive recruitment process. ***other research shows how unconcious bias training is only effective if employees volunteer to attend the training

4. Adopt a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion

A company’s culture plays a significant role in shaping attitudes toward body art. To create a more inclusive workplace, foster a culture that values diversity in all its forms, including self-expression.

Encourage employees to be themselves and show that you embrace diversity in your hiring process. This sends a positive message to potential candidates and ensures that your organization attracts a wide range of talent.

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The research reveals that body art, such as tattoos and piercings, can influence hiring decisions, but the impact is not universal. Gender, job type, and societal perceptions all play a role in how body art is viewed in the hiring process. While men may experience a greater stigma, body art does not always hinder a candidate’s chances, especially in creative industries or roles that emphasize individuality.

For job seekers, being strategic about the roles they apply for, understanding how their appearance may be perceived, and leveraging their strengths can help mitigate any biases. For employers, focusing on qualifications, providing bias training, and fostering an inclusive culture can ensure that recruitment practices are fair and equitable.

By adopting these actionable steps, both job seekers and hiring professionals can navigate the complexities of body art in the hiring process, ultimately creating a more inclusive, diverse, and fair work environment.

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Navigating Inappropriate Job Interview Questions: A Practical Guide for Women

cpd job interview question

The recruitment process is found to be unfair to women who are viewed as being at an age where they are likely to become pregnant therefore needing to take maternity leave. 

Across industries and around the world, interviewers often ask inappropriate, sometimes illegal, questions that hint at concerns about parental status, future family plans, or caregiving responsibilities.

Although it’s illegal to discriminate based on parental status in many countries, questions that aim to gather such information still emerge, often indirectly throughout the recruitment process.

Knowing how to respond to inappropriate parental (job interview) questions can help candidates protect their job prospects and, ultimately, contribute to reducing discriminatory practices in hiring.

In recent research, ‘How to respond to inappropriate questions in job interviews: Personal and social consequences of truth-telling, deflection and confrontation’ solutions to this common bias have been looked into. 

Why do hiring managers ask questions about pregnancy? 

Employment discrimination against women based on their potential for motherhood stems from deep-seated cultural biases and stereotypes.

Research shows that assumptions about women’s roles and availability can impact perceptions of their commitment, “fit,” and dedication to a job.

Often, women are expected to prioritize family responsibilities over work, a stereotype that rarely affects men in the same way even though many males now take paternity leave for long periods of time.

The belief feeds into a cycle where women may be asked inappropriate questions during the job interview, putting female applicants in the position of either awkwardly disclosing personal information or having to find a way to sidestep the question.

This scenario places women at a crossroads where they must carefully weigh how to respond, balancing their desire for authenticity with a pragmatic approach that supports their chances of being hired.

Conflict Management Strategies for Dealing with Illegal Job Interview Questions

Kahalon, R., Ullrich, J. and Becker, J.C. (2024) ‘How to respond to inappropriate questions in job interviews: Personal and social consequences of truth-telling, deflection and confrontation’, European Journal of Social Psychology research paper found three conflict management strategies that can be used to deal with inappropriate parental status interview questions.

The results from three experiments that attributed to the research suggest that ‘deflection’ (i.e., responding with another question) is the superior strategy when asked questions about future family planning as the strategy increases the chance of being hired compared to applicants who opt for truth telling (which can play into the employers biases).

Another option is ‘confrontation’ (i.e., saying that the question is inappropriate). The confrontation method was found to be superior in terms of a social level and leads to a decrease the probability that the same interviewer will asked similar questions to women in future interviews but is highly unlikely to result in a job offer for the candidate confronting the employer.

The 3 common strategies to approach the illegal interview question:

  1. The Strategy of Truthful Disclosure

The first strategy is to answer the interviewer’s question honestly, even if it touches on sensitive topics.

For example, if asked about family plans, one might say, “Yes, I do plan on having children in the future,” or “I currently have two young children.”

Pros of Truthful Disclosure

  • Authenticity: This approach demonstrates openness and honesty, qualities that can sometimes foster trust.
  • Avoids Risk of Misinterpretation: With a direct answer, there’s no ambiguity, and interviewers cannot misinterpret your words.
  • Strengthens Personal Confidence: Answering directly can feel empowering, especially for those who value transparency.

Cons of Truthful Disclosure

  • Reduced Hiring Chances: Disclosing parental status or plans can sometimes play into biases, leading interviewers to view you as less committed to the job.
  • Reinforces Biases: By answering these questions, you inadvertently accept them as valid, which can perpetuate the belief that parental status is a legitimate consideration in hiring.

When to Use Truthful Disclosure

Truthful disclosure can be an appropriate response if:

  • You believe that the company genuinely supports work-life balance and doesn’t penalize employees for family commitments.
  • You feel comfortable sharing and believe your response will not affect your hiring chances.

Example Response: “Yes, I do have children, but I have a strong support system that allows me to be fully committed to my role.”

Practical Tip: Reframe the Disclosure

If you choose to disclose, use it as a segue to emphasize your strengths. For instance, mentioning a support system or flexibility plan demonstrates your commitment to managing both professional and personal responsibilities.

  1. Confrontation as a Strategy for Social Change

Confronting the interviewer about the inappropriateness of the interview question is a more direct strategy that can go either way.

The direct approach challenges the interviewer and brings attention to the issue, signalling that inappropriate questions are not acceptable – sometimes the hiring manager isn’t aware of the appropriateness of the questions until their attention is drawn to it.

For example, if asked about your plans to start a family, you might respond, “I’m not sure how that’s relevant to my ability to perform in this role.”

Pros of Confrontation

  • Sets Boundaries: Directly addressing inappropriate questions helps set professional boundaries and demonstrates self-advocacy.
  • Promotes Social Change: Confrontation can have a ripple effect, discouraging interviewers from asking similar questions in the future.
  • Establishes Respect: This approach can also communicate that you are confident and unwilling to accept discrimination.

Cons of Confrontation

  • Perceived as Aggressive: Confrontation can sometimes be perceived as combative, especially for women, who may face backlash for challenging authority.
  • Risk of Not Being Hired: By directly opposing the interviewer, you might reduce your chances of securing the position.

When to Use Confrontation

Confrontation is ideal if:

  • You value setting a strong precedent against discrimination.
  • You’re willing to take a risk for the potential reward of encouraging more equitable practices.

Example Response: “I think questions about family status are generally unrelated to my professional abilities and commitment. I’m happy to discuss my relevant skills and experiences for this role.”

Practical Tip: Use a Neutral Tone

When confronting, aim to maintain a neutral tone to reduce the likelihood of being perceived as overly defensive. This can help frame your response as an assertion rather than an accusation.

  1. Deflection: A Polite and Practical Response

Deflection is an indirect way of responding by sidestepping the question without providing a direct answer.

This strategy, which was found to be best approach in terms of becoming hired, can help avoid disclosing unnecessary personal information while keeping the conversation professional.

For example, if asked about family planning, you could respond with, “I’m curious, do many team members make use of the daycare facility you mentioned?”

Pros of Deflection

  • Protects Privacy: Deflection allows you to keep personal matters private without seeming evasive.
  • Maintains Likability: By using a neutral question, you keep the tone positive and professional, which can boost your appeal as a candidate.
  • Reduces Hiring Risk: This strategy is effective for protecting hiring chances, as it sidesteps the potential biases triggered by direct answers.

Cons of Deflection

  • Doesn’t Challenge the Bias: By deflecting, you avoid addressing the interviewer’s potentially discriminatory motive, which may not deter them from asking similar questions in the future.
  • Can Feel Evasive: Some interviewers might sense that you’re not answering directly, which could prompt additional probing.

When to Use Deflection

Deflection is especially useful if:

  • You want to keep the conversation professional without addressing the question directly.
  • You feel the interviewer may not take well to confrontation but want to avoid disclosing personal information.

Example Response: “I’m interested in hearing more about the company culture and how it supports work-life balance for all employees.”

Practical Tip: Shift the Focus

Try shifting the focus back to your professional qualities. Deflection can include redirection to emphasize your interest in the company’s culture, expectations, or support systems, keeping the interview on track.

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Weighing the Cost-Benefit of Each Strategy

Each response strategy—truthful disclosure, confrontation, and deflection—vary in terms of their implications, and choosing the right approach depends on both the situation and your personal preferences.

Summary of the 3 strategies:

StrategyBenefitsDrawbacks
Truthful DisclosureBuilds trust, feels authenticRisk of reinforcing bias, reduced hiring chances
ConfrontationSets boundaries, promotes social changeCan reduce likability, may harm hiring chances
DeflectionProtects privacy, maintains likabilityDoesn’t challenge bias, might seem evasive

Additional Tips for Navigating Inappropriate Questions

  1. Prepare Responses in Advance: Anticipating questions and practicing responses can make an applicant feel more confident and prepared. Consider rehearsing responses that both deflect and redirect the conversation.
  2. Highlight Your Skills and Commitment: Redirecting to your professional abilities or relevant experience can subtly remind interviewers that your suitability for the role doesn’t hinge on your family status.
  3. Be Aware of Legal Rights: Understand the laws in your region regarding interview questions. If a question directly violates your rights, you may wish to address it accordingly or, in some cases, consider reporting it.
  4. Assess Company Culture: When you encounter inappropriate questions, consider it as a potential red flag regarding the company culture. If these questions feel invasive or suggest a lack of support for work-life balance, it may signal broader issues within the organization.
  5. Trust Your Instincts: If an interviewer’s questions make you uncomfortable or seem inappropriate, remember that your response is ultimately for your benefit. You deserve to find a workplace that values your contributions, not your personal life.

Moving Forward: Balancing Personal and Social Impact

Balancing personal goals with a desire for broader change can be challenging, especially in job interviews.

Deflection remains a popular choice for its practicality, but if your long-term goal is to advocate for more inclusive workplaces, you may decide to occasionally confront inappropriate questions as well. Each response holds the potential to inform hiring practices and can, over time, contribute to changing the narrative about women in the workforce.

Remember that regardless of your response, simply being prepared and confident can make a significant difference. By thoughtfully navigating inappropriate questions, you can better protect your career prospects, challenge biases when possible, and work toward creating a more equitable workplace for everyone.

Source:

Kahalon, R., Ullrich, J. and Becker, J.C. (2024) ‘How to respond to inappropriate questions in job interviews: Personal and social consequences of truth?telling, deflection and confrontation’, European Journal of Social Psychology, 54(4), pp. doi:10.1002/ejsp.3062.

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Using CHATGPT During an Interview Will Increase Your Chances of Gaining a Job Offer

Recent research has found that using AI during an asynchronous video interview (AVI) will increase the chances of a job applicant gaining a job offer.

The use of AI in various fields has been a game-changer, and recruitment is no exception. One of the most interesting applications in this domain is how artificial intelligence, particularly tools like ChatGPT, has started impacting job interviews.

Asynchronous video interviews (AVI), in which a candidate responds to pre-recorded questions, have become a common selection method for organizations. This format allows candidates to participate at their convenience, without needing a real-time interviewer. However, the increasing accessibility of AI tools raises questions about fairness, integrity, and cheating in these interview settings.

The recent study “ChatGPT, Can You Take My Job Interview? Examining Artificial Intelligence Cheating in the Asynchronous Video Interview” delves into these issues, investigating how AI impacts candidate performance and perceptions during AVIs.

The Rise of AI in Job Interviews

The recruitment industry has seen a significant transformation with the advent of AI. From automating candidate screening to enabling predictive analytics for assessing future job performance, AI is reshaping the way companies hire talent. One of the latest concerns involves AI assistance in interviews, especially in AVIs, where nervous candidates may feel tempted to use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate their responses.

As discussed in previous articles, asynchronous video interviews have grown in popularity because they offer flexibility for both candidates and interviewers. Candidates record their answers to pre-set questions, and interviewers can review them at their convenience.

This format is handy for high-volume recruitment (global organisations, businesses opening new branches, companies with regular staff turnover IE hiring students) and geographically dispersed applicants. For highly skilled or paid roles, AVIs form the initial part of the recruitment process to reduce the number of human interviews (a cost-saving technique) for applicants who wouldn’t have made the cut.

Research Objectives: Exploring AI Cheating

The study by Damian Canagasuriam and Eden-Raye Lukacik provides the first examination of how AI cheating in AVIs can influence interview outcomes.

Specifically, the researchers sought to understand whether using AI tools like ChatGPT improves a candidate’s performance and how it affects other key factors, such as honesty ratings and procedural fairness.

The study was based on a pre-registered experiment involving 245 respondents from the online research platform Prolific. These participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions:

1. **Non-ChatGPT Condition:** Candidates responded to interview questions without any AI assistance.

2. **ChatGPT-Verbatim Condition:** Candidates read AI-generated responses word-for-word.

3. **ChatGPT-Personalized Condition:** Candidates provided their résumé or contextual information to ChatGPT and modified the AI-generated responses before using them.

By comparing these groups, the researchers aimed to measure differences in overall interview performance, response content, delivery, perceived honesty, and procedural justice.

Key Findings: AI Boosts Performance but Raises Ethical Concerns

One of the most notable findings of the study is that candidates who used AI assistance, particularly in the ChatGPT-Personalized condition, received significantly higher scores on overall performance and content. This suggests that AI-generated responses are generally more articulate and well-structured than human-generated responses, potentially giving AI users an advantage in the interview process.

The high scores suggest that the cross reference of the applicant’s resume against the contextual information (the job spec) creates more relevant answers. The two of the three rules for a successful interview outcome are 1) identify the job criteria and 2) be a self-promoter.

However, the study also found some drawbacks to using AI in interviews. While AI-assisted candidates performed better in terms of content, their response delivery ratings (i.e., how well they communicated their answers) were not significantly different from those of the non-ChatGPT group. This indicates that the AI-generated content did not necessarily make candidates appear more convincing or engaging in their delivery.

These findings relate to research into impression management – your interview identity, where tonality, body language, word choice, humour, confidence, rapport, and communication style in general, impact the likeability factor influencing the employer’s view of the candidate’s credibility. The third rule of a successful interview is 3) communicate with confidence.

More importantly, both AI conditions received lower honesty ratings than the non-ChatGPT group. This suggests that interviewers or evaluators were able to sense the lack of authenticity in AI-generated responses, even if they couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

Honesty is a crucial factor in job interviews, and a dip in perceived integrity could negatively impact candidates who rely heavily on AI tools. Four out of the sixteen interview identities are formed when a candidate is perceived as knowledgeable and/or experienced due to the content of the (AI-prompted) interview answer but delivered with poor communication, including the ‘indifferent interview identity’.

Furthermore, candidates in both ChatGPT conditions rated the interview process lower in terms of procedural justice. This indicates that even those who used AI felt that the process was less fair, potentially because they were aware that they were not fully representing themselves. This dissatisfaction with the process may affect their overall perception of the employer and could lead to negative candidate experiences.

Implications for Employers: Fairness and Integrity

For employers, these findings raise important questions about the validity of AVIs as a selection tool in the age of AI. If candidates are using AI to improve their responses, it becomes difficult to determine whether the interview truly reflects the applicants capabilities or if it’s a reflection of AI’s language generation prowess.

Employers may need to reassess their reliance on AVIs and consider whether these interviews can accurately assess a candidate’s potential. In addition, AI detection measures may become necessary to maintain the integrity of the process. Tools that can identify AI-generated content or discrepancies between a candidate’s résumé and their interview responses could help mitigate AI cheating. However, these measures could also introduce new ethical concerns, such as privacy invasion or over-scrutiny of candidates’ personal data.

Moreover, interviewers may need to be trained to focus more on qualitative aspects of the interview, such as authenticity and emotional intelligence, rather than solely on the content of the responses. This shift could help ensure that interviews continue to assess the human qualities that are essential for many roles.

Implications for Job Seekers: The Ethics of AI Assistance

For job seekers, the temptation to use AI tools like ChatGPT in interviews is understandable, especially when facing tough competition. This is especially true for anxious interviewees who may look for a shortcut to help boost their morale during the recruitment process.

AI can help candidates craft more polished and compelling answers, improving their chances of success. However, the study highlights the potential risks of relying too heavily on AI. There are other AI tools that can help job seekers prior to the job interview including Linked-In interview preparation AI tool which helps prepare candidates for job interviews by measuring not only the content of their interview answers but also the applicant’s communication style; filler words, word count, and sensitive phrases.

One key concern is that interviewers may perceive AI-generated responses as dishonest, even if they can’t explicitly identify the use of AI. This perception could harm a candidate’s reputation and lead to lower ratings in areas like integrity and trustworthiness—qualities that are often critical in hiring decisions.

Additionally, candidates who use AI tools may experience feelings of guilt or dissatisfaction with the interview process. If they feel that they are not accurately representing themselves, they may question whether they truly deserve the job, leading to imposter syndrome or a lack of confidence in their abilities.

For those who choose to use AI assistance, the challenge lies in striking the right balance between leveraging AI for improvement and ensuring that their responses remain authentic and personal. Candidates should view AI as a tool to refine their communication, rather than as a crutch that does all the work for them.

A mix of AI assistance and a human mock interview could give the greatest advantage to a job applicant.

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Broader Ethical Considerations: The Future of AI in Recruitment

The rise of AI in recruitment presents a broader ethical dilemma: To what extent should AI be allowed to influence the hiring process? On the one hand, AI can help level the playing field by providing candidates with tools to express themselves more effectively, especially for those who may struggle with language or articulation. On the other hand, if AI-generated responses dominate interviews, the process may become more about evaluating AI’s capabilities than assessing the candidate’s own skills and personality.

There is also the risk that over-reliance on AI could lead to a lack of diversity in responses. AI tools like ChatGPT are trained on large datasets, which may not fully capture the nuances of individual experiences, particularly for underrepresented groups. If AI-generated responses become the norm, there is a danger that interviews could lose the diversity of thought and perspective that is essential for innovation and problem-solving.

Employers and candidates alike will need to navigate these ethical challenges as AI continues to evolve and become more integrated into the recruitment process. Clear guidelines and transparency about the use of AI in interviews could help maintain fairness while allowing candidates to benefit from AI tools in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, their own abilities.

Conclusion: Navigating the AI-Assisted Future of Recruitment

As AI becomes more prevalent in job interviews, both employers and candidates will need to adapt. Employers must find ways to ensure that interviews remain a reliable measure of a candidate’s potential, while candidates must carefully balance the benefits of AI assistance with the need to remain authentic and trustworthy.

The future of recruitment will likely involve a combination of human judgment and AI-enhanced tools. The challenge lies in ensuring that this combination enhances the process without compromising the values of fairness, diversity, and integrity that are essential for effective hiring.

Source:

Canagasuriam, D. and Eden?Raye Lukacik (2024). ChatGPT, can you take my job interview? Examining artificial intelligence cheating in the asynchronous video interview. International journal of selection and assessment. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12491.

Delaney, C. (2021). What Is Your Interview Identity. MX Publishing.

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Leveraging Psychological Tricks to Ace the Job Interview

In today’s competitive job market, only the strongest interviewees are offered high-paying roles.

While stating job experience and qualifications on the application form will get you a job interview it is the persuasive communication skills of the career professional that lands a job offer. The interview is where you truly make your case. Interviews are more than just answering questions—they’re about persuasion, impression management, and connecting with your interviewer on multiple levels.

Understanding psychological principles will give the savvy candidate an edge over the competition. The article explores how psychological tricks, rooted in the science of persuasion and social psychology, can increase an interviewee’s ability to win over the interview panel.

Cialdini’s Principles of Persuasion in Job Interviews

You can’t write an article on the psychology of persuasion without quoting Cialdini.

Reciprocity: Building Rapport by Giving (and then receiving)

The principle of reciprocity is simple: people feel obligated to return favours.

In an interview setting, reciprocity has to be subtle. By offering something of value to the interviewer—whether it’s information, insight, or a genuine compliment can create an overwhelming need for the interviewer to offer something in return for the initial ‘gift’. 

For instance, during a discussion about the company’s challenges, offering a thoughtful idea or a unique perspective can create a sense of reciprocity. The interviewer might feel more inclined to view you favorably because you’ve provided something of value that they can use.

Authority: Presenting Yourself as an Expert

Interviewers are looking for candidates who can bring expertise to their roles.

By subtly establishing yourself as an authority in your field, you can significantly enhance your appeal. This doesn’t mean bragging; instead, it involves demonstrating your knowledge through well-prepared, detailed answers. Citing relevant experience, referring to industry standards, or mentioning certifications can all help establish your authority.

The interview prediction grid model (interview identity test) explains how being seen as a confident expert (charismatic interview identity) in the recruitment process vastly increases the chances of a candidate being offered the advertised role. The key is to balance confidence with humility, ensuring you come across as knowledgeable but not arrogant (egocentric interview identity).

Social Proof: Leveraging the Power of Testimonials and References

Social proof, the idea that people look to others to determine what is correct, can be powerful in an interview.

Providing examples (embedding the examples within the job interview answer) of positive feedback from previous employers, clients, or colleagues can reinforce your suitability for the job.

In addition, persuasive applicants will reference LinkedIn recommendations or bring up relevant endorsements which subtly remind the interviewer that others have recognized the candidate’s abilities. Many employers look at candidates LinkedIn profile prior to the interview and the applicant’s content, posts, and any recommendations create either a ‘halo’ or ‘horns effect.

It is also powerful to discuss how another employer has already offered the applicant a job, as this creates scarcity of persuasion as well as social proof.

Social proof not only boosts an interviewee’s credibility but also aligns with the interviewer’s desire to select a candidate validated by others.

Liking: Building a Personal Connection

People are more likely to say yes to someone they like.

During an interview, finding common ground with the interviewer can be invaluable. Common ground could be something as simple as a shared interest, or a similar career path, or any commonality (attended the same university, both eat at the same restaurant, or watch the same TV programme – all personal information that is easy to find on social media platforms once a job seeker has the interviewers name).

Engaging in light, relevant conversations about these topics can make the interviewee more likable. However, authenticity is crucial; forced attempts to connect can have the opposite effect.

In addition, showing genuine interest in the interviewer and the company culture can foster a positive, likable impression.

Scarcity: Highlighting Your Unique Qualities

Scarcity, the idea that people value what is rare, can be used to a career professional’s advantage by highlighting what makes them uniquely qualified for the position.

Whether it’s a rare skill set, a unique experience, a track record of being successful in the sector, or an uncommon perspective, emphasizing these aspects can make you stand out. For example, if you have experience in a niche area that the company is looking to expand into, make sure to bring this to the forefront during your interview.

Remember the other job applicants are likely to have a similar level of academia, experience, and knowledge, what the persuasive interviewee offers is something unique and valuable in addition to the norm.

Consistency: Aligning with the Company’s Values

People like to see consistency in others’ behaviour and beliefs.

In an interview, this means aligning your answers and examples with the company’s core values and mission. Researching the company thoroughly beforehand will help you tailor your responses to reflect these values.

If a company values innovation, for example, sharing past experiences where you brought new ideas to life can show that you’re a good fit. Consistency between what you say and what the company stands for can significantly strengthen your candidacy.

Cognitive Biases in Interviews

Halo Effect: Making a Strong First Impression

The halo effect is a cognitive bias where an initial positive impression influences subsequent judgments.

In a job interview, the first few minutes are crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the conversation. A confident handshake, a warm smile, and professional attire contribute to a strong first impression.

Preparing a succinct, compelling introduction about yourself that highlights key strengths can also help trigger the halo effect. Once the interviewer has a positive initial impression, they are more likely to view the rest of your responses through that favourable lens.

Warning: the horns effect is the opposite of the halo effect, a first bad impression (sweaty handshake, stuttering introduction, and weak body language) will create a negative lens that all interview answers are filtered through.

Anchoring: Setting the Tone for Key Discussions

Anchoring refers to the tendency to rely heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making decisions.

This piece of psychology can be used to the applicant’s advantage in an interview by setting the tone early by discussing a key success, or a unique selling point, something that the employer requires.

In a similar vein, when asked about your experience, starting with the most impressive achievement can set a high standard for the rest of the interview.

The technique is also used during salary negotiations. For example, if salary is discussed, mentioning a higher figure early on can serve as an anchor, making subsequent negotiations more favorable to you.

Confirmation Bias: Reinforcing Positive Assumptions

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms our own preconceptions.

As an example, If an interviewee can create a positive perception early in the interview, confirmation bias may cause the interviewer to focus on aspects of their responses that reinforce the interviewers positive view, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Subtly guide this process by consistently tying the interview answers back to stated strengths and experiences that align with the job requirements. Remember the three rules for a successful job interview are 1) identify the job criteria, 2) be a self-promoter 3) communicate with confidence.

By reinforcing the interviewer’s positive assumptions, the candidate will be remembered by the interviewer more favorably (and stated weaknesses that slip out during the interview will be subconsciously dismissed).

Nonverbal Communication: The Silent Influencer

Body Language: Conveying Confidence and Openness

Much research shows how body language can significantly influence how a person is perceived in an interview.

Open, confident postures – sitting up straight, leaning slightly forward, and using hand gestures when speaking—can convey confidence and self-assurance.

Avoid closed-off gestures such as crossing your arms, which can make you appear defensive.

Smiling (naturally not forced) and nodding occasionally when the interviewer speaks can also signal an attentive and agreeable candidate.

Eye Contact and Mirroring: Establishing Trust

Maintaining appropriate eye contact is crucial in building trust and rapport during an interview.

Eye contact shows confidence and sincerity. However, it’s important to strike a balance as too much eye contact can be perceived as aggressive, while too little can suggest insecurity.

Mirroring (subtly mimicking the interviewer’s body language), can also create a subconscious rapport. For example, if the interviewer leans forward, the candidate can mirror the same a few moments later. Mirroring can also be used verbally; mimicking tonality, volume, and word choice.

The mirroring technique can make the interviewer feel more comfortable and connected to the job applicants, increasing their chances of being remembered positively.

Hand Gestures: Enhancing Verbal Communication

Using hand gestures while speaking can make an interviewee’s verbal communication more engaging and memorable as research suggests that people who use hand gestures are often perceived as more energetic and enthusiastic.

Hand gestures can be particularly useful when explaining complex ideas or discussing your experiences. However, it’s essential to keep gestures natural and not overdo them, as excessive movement can be distracting.

Impression Management Techniques

Self-Promotion: Highlighting Your Achievements Effectively

Self-promotion involves presenting accomplishments in a way that highlights your competence without coming across as boastful.

When discussing achievements, focus on how the achievements benefited your previous employers and what you learned from those experiences.

For example, instead of saying, “I was the top salesperson,” you might say, “I consistently exceeded my sales targets by doing X, which contributed to a 20% increase in revenue for the company. An alternative way to achieve sales targets was to do Y but the negative impact of this approach was Z, which is why on this occasion I chose the first approach” This not only highlights your success but also demonstrates your understanding of its broader impact.

Ingratiation: Sincerely Complimenting the Interviewer or Company

Ingratiation involves using flattery or compliments to increase your likability.

While flattery is effective (everyone enjoys being praised), it’s important to be sincere.

Complimenting the interviewer on something specific—like their insights during the interview or the company’s recent achievements can create a positive atmosphere.

However, over-complementing or making insincere comments can backfire, making you seem disingenuous. The key is to find opportunities to express genuine admiration or respect without overstepping.

Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Managing Interactions

Self-Regulation: Staying Calm Under Pressure

Job interviews for most are very stressful.

Stress leads the job applicant to act in a way that doesn’t show their true selves, and therefore what the candidate can offer the organisation if they are successful in the recruitment process.

Emotional intelligence plays a critical role in how a career professional handles the stress and pressure of a job interview.

Self-regulation, a key component of emotional intelligence, involves managing your emotions and staying composed.

Techniques like deep breathing or visualization can help calm a person’s nerves before and during the interview. Repetition – attending many job interviews or undertaking mock interviews creates calmness through familiarity (knowing what to expect).

By maintaining composure an interviewee can think more clearly, respond more effectively, and project genuine confidence.

Empathy: Understanding the Interviewer’s Perspective

Empathy -the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, can be a powerful tool in an interview.

By considering the interviewer’s perspective (what they’re looking for in a candidate, their concerns, and their goals, the company values, leadership styles)a savvy candidate can tailor their responses to address the needs of the employer. Rule one for a successful job interview outcome, identify the job criteria.

For example, if  the interviewer is concerned about a gap in an applicants employment history, the candidate can proactively address it by explaining how they used that time productively through, as an example, returning to education.

Being aware of the interviewer’s emotional response to an interview answer can help the interviewee change, adapt or build on the answer depending on their understanding of the employer’s feelings.

Also, demonstrating empathy shows that you are not only a good communicator but also attuned to others’ needs. A vital skill in some job roles.

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Conclusion

By understanding and applying principles of persuasion, managing cognitive biases, using effective nonverbal communication, and leveraging emotional intelligence during a job interview will significantly increase the chances of a career professional gaining a job offer. 

The techniques discussed will help an interviewee present their best self, making a strong impression. While psychological techniques can give you an edge in job interviews, it’s important to use them ethically. The goal is to present yourself authentically and build genuine connections.

Remember, the key is not just to be prepared, but to be self-aware and responsive to the dynamics of the interview process. With these insights, a job hunter will be well-equipped to navigate your next job interview with confidence.

References

  1. Cialdini, R. B. (2007).Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Revised Edition). Harper Business.
    • Cialdini’s book is a foundational text in understanding principles like reciprocity, authority, and social proof, which are crucial in persuasive communication, including job interviews.
  2. Judge, T. A., & Cable, D. M. (2004). The effect of physical height on workplace success and income: Preliminary test of a theoretical model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(3), 428-441.
    • This study explores how first impressions, including nonverbal cues like height, can influence perceptions of authority and competence in professional settings, such as job interviews.
  3. Todorov, A., Mandisodza, A. N., Goren, A., & Hall, C. C. (2005). Inferences of competence from faces predict election outcomes. Science, 308(5728), 1623-1626.
    • Discusses how first impressions based on facial appearance can impact judgments of competence, relevant to the halo effect in interviews.
  4. Guthrie, C., & Diekmann, K. A. (2007). Cognitive biases in negotiator judgment: An experimental study. Negotiation Journal, 23(2), 105-119.
    • Explores various cognitive biases, including anchoring and confirmation bias, which are applicable in interview settings when setting expectations and reinforcing positive perceptions.
  5. Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1969). Nonverbal leakage and clues to deception. Psychiatry, 32(1), 88-106.
    • This classic study on nonverbal communication is useful for understanding how body language can reveal underlying emotions and intentions during interviews.
  6. Goffman, E. (1959).The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books.
    • Goffman’s work on impression management provides a theoretical foundation for understanding how individuals present themselves in social interactions, including job interviews.
  7. Goleman, D. (1995).Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books.
    • Goleman’s book introduces the concept of emotional intelligence, which is key in managing one’s emotions and understanding others during high-stakes situations like job interviews.
  8. Rafaeli, A., & Sutton, R. I. (1990). Busy stores and demanding customers: How do they affect the display of positive emotion? Academy of Management Journal, 33(3), 623-637.
    • This study explores how emotional displays can influence perceptions in professional settings, relevant to the discussion of self-regulation and empathy in interviews.
  9. Kacmar, K. M., & Ferris, G. R. (1991). Perceptions of organizational politics scale (POPS): Development and construct validation. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 51(1), 193-205.
    • Explores the role of impression management in organizational contexts, providing insight into tactics like self-promotion and ingratiation during interviews.
  10. Bargh, J. A., & Chartrand, T. L. (1999). The unbearable automaticity of being. American Psychologist, 54(7), 462-479.
    • Discusses the automatic nature of social behavior, including mirroring and other nonverbal communication strategies that can be employed in interviews.

Chris Delaney (2021) Book: What is your interview identity

  • Explains the structured job interview process, unconscious bias and how an interviewee can present the best version of themselves

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How to Answer Government Job Interview Questions

The UK government is one of the largest UK employers, recruiting career professionals in a range of industries from civil engineers to job center plus staff.

Government jobs include:

  • NHS jobs
  • Council jobs
  • Civil service positions
  • Law enforcement
  • Administration
  • Science and technology
  • Teachers
  • and many more

Source: Indeed Use the employmentking search box to find specific industry job interview questions and answers.

Total jobs stated that the average government job salary is £37499 but this is broad average and salary potential depends on the position and job location.

In short, there are a high number of government jobs across the UK with varying salaries.

For a successful job interview outcome, job applicants need to understand how the interview panel views them as employable or unemployable – the job applicants interview identity.

For high skilled roles; engineering, scientist, councilor, teacher, interviewees must be seen as high experience with a high level of confidence – a self assured interview identity or higher.

Step one: take the interview identity test.

For most government positions, applicants will be asked several questions to check elgibaility:

  1. Do you have a criminal record?
  2. Are you a UK resident?
  3. How long have you resided in the UK?
  4. Does any of your family work for (government) department?
  5. Do you have a (sector related) qualification?

Government hiring managers use a panel interview to create a fair recruitment process, all following the structured job interview process.

It is the structured job interview process, asking each applicant the same interview question in the same order and cross-referencing each answer against the job criteria on the interview scorecard, that helps the employer predict the job performance of each interviewee.

The interview panel, often 3-5 hiring managers, will receive a blind application. Information that can create an unconscious bias; applicants age, gender, religion, name of university, disabilities, attended is deleted from the application form.

The removing of non-job related information is designed to create a fairer interview process.

Government recruitment processes can have at least 3 interviews:

  1. Shifting interview – often a quick 15 minute telephone or video interview to check suitability
  2. Panel interview – a structured job interview often consisting of around 8-10 job interview questions
  3. Final interview – delivered often by a senior staff member to check skill level for the advertised role

Each individual position will have various job interview questions. Governemnt recruiters are trained to put job applicants at ease by creating a conversation prior to the start of the job interview.

The following questions that may be asked wont be scored on the interview scorecard. Instead, they are designed to get the job candidate to relax.

  • Did you have any trouble finding the office?
  • How was the drive over?
  • How was your weekend/week?

The hiring manger will then explain the government interview procedure. they will cover:

  • The duration of the interview
  • The number of questions that will be asked
  • The structured interview process
  • Who in the interview panel will ask what
  • That questions can be repeated
  • And that there will be a chance for the interviewee to ask the interview panel questions

There will be a mixture of generic and job specific interview questions.

Generic job interview questions

  • Tell me about your experience and how to relates to the role?
  • What are your greatest strengths?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5yrs time?
  • Tell me why you applied for this position?
  • What have you done to develop yourself in the past 12 months?

Industry specific job interview questions

  • Give me an example of completing (job task)?
  • What would you if (sector related problem) occurred?
  • Do you have an example of collaborating/working within team?
  • What does (sector related term/technology) mean to you?
  • If you where working on (job task) and (problem) happened, what procedure would you follow?

Why a government role interview questions

  • Tell me about your first government position? (often used internal progression job interviews)
  • What has inspired you to work for the government?
  • What do you think working in a government department would be like?
  • Do you know the mission of this government department?
  • How did you find out about the (government) department?

Government interview questions and answers

Why have you chosen to apply for a government position?

Hiring managers want to hire skilled applicants who have an ambition to work for the government, compared to just wanting the role, as the outcome is often a highly-motivated team.

Interview Template:

“I have always wanted to work within a government department, so that my skills can be used to make a difference to improve the lives of the public. I have a wide range of experience related to the (position) which includes (detail experience related to the job criteria). I know that together we will be able to achieve the (department objective)”

What made you apply for a position in this department?

Employers need to know that a potential employee has the skills, knowledge and experiences to be a virtual part of the team. This question is more about the actual duties, rather then answering the question focusing on why you applied for a government role. As an example, a civil engineer would answer by relating to engineering experience more then wanting to be part of the civil service.

Interview Template:

“With over X number of years experience working as a (job role) I am also qualified as a (state qualification). My previous experience include (state job duties and responsibilities) I am always drawn to roles that meet my skills and experiences, but that can also challenge me. I applied specifically for this department because (give reason).”

What do expect to do on a daily basis?

Questions relating to business-as-usual tasks are designed to test competencies and knowledges. Only a skilled and experienced career professional will have a deep understanding of the role. The more an applicant can express knowledge of the job role the higher they will be scored on the interview scorecard.

Interview Template:

“The 3 main responsibilities for this role include (A, B and C) To ensure that I meet my job objectives I would, on a daily basis, focus my time and energy on (duty one – detail required actions, duty two – detail required actions, duty 3 – detail required actions). In addition, I know there will be times when i will be required to (additional task), for this part of my job I would reply on my previous experience of (add past experience) with will allow me to (actions you will take) Overall I am highly experienced in this line of work and can take on any tasks relating to this position.”

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Do you have any questions for us?

  • Could the department be effected by any upcoming elections or budget cuts?
  • How do collaborate with other government departments?
  • How is success measured within the department?
  • Do new staff undertake any training?
  • Why do you enjoy working in a government department?

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5 Most Common Asked Interview Questions for a Christmas Job

As Christmas approaches, the number of advertised, temporary and part-time, jobs shoots up the Christmas chimney.

In a recent article in the Mirror, they explain how some well known brands are hiring thousands of Christmas staff:

  • Amazon to recruit over 20,000 extra staff
  • Royal Mail, as they do each Christmas, are taking on another 17000 roles in England, 1,800 in Scotland, 650 in Wales and 500 in Northern Ireland
  • And Tescos, Morrisons and Aldi to hire a collective 55000 staff members

This article will teach you how best to answer Christmas job interview questions.

When to apply for a Christmas job?

Applying for a temporary Christmas position is relatively easy.

With employers often recruiting high numbers of staff within a short period of time, the hiring manager will make the application process as simple as possible.

Most organizations will request a CV before inviting candidates to an informal job interview or even a group recruitment day.

Recruitment periods, for Xmas jobs, are between September and November, with some employers hiring all the way into December – especially retailers who also recruit for the increase in shoppers during the January sales.

The golden rule for applying for festive position, is to apply early.

How long does a Christmas job last for?

On average, temporary Christmas roles last around 3-4 months, with a variety of full or part-time hours.

For some employees the part-time position can be the gateway to be offered a full time role. But this is only for a small percentage of workers.

Temporary job roles, recruiting for the lead up to Christmas include:

  • Delivery drives – this is at the highest this year
  • Retailers
  • Marketing
  • Hospitality and catering
  • The voluntary sector
  • Warehouse and packaging
  • Postal delivery workers
  • Ski instructors (working aboard)
  • And of course, Santa Claus in a shopping center

Christmas Job Interviews

Throughout the year, most companies adopt a structured job interview process when recruiting new staff.

As mentioned, employers for their Christmas time hiring may need to boost staffing levels by their thousands. An increase in recruitment over a short period of time, requires a quicker or simpler hiring process.

With time being of the essence, recruiters often adopt the informal, or unstructured, job interview process.

An unstructured job interview, is an informal conversation between the employer and applicant, to check that the interviewee has the required skills and qualities for the advertised role.

Unlike a full-time professional job, where the future employee needs to prove they can add value to the team and business, the temporary Christmas position requires (in most cases) additional staff to keep up with demand – more hands on deck!

During the interview, the employer is looking for the following skills and qualities:

  • Time management
  • Work ethic
  • Team work
  • Multi-tasking
  • Communication skills
  • For many Festive jobs; customer service skills
  • Basic numeracy and literacy

Employers don’t require the following for a temporary Christmas job:

  • Long term project planning skills
  • Creative problem-solving skills
  • Strategic focus

In short, employers are looking for a good fit – someone who can complete business as usual tasks, during a busy period, without requiring to much training and development.

Christmas Jobs: Interview Questions and Answers

Below are 5 of the most commonly asked festive job interview questions and a breakdown of how an applicant can answer each question.

The templated answers, along with a confident interview manner, will result in an increase in job offers.

The interview process

The interview will start with the employer explaining the reason why they are hiring new staff members. Often the interviewer will stat the number of vacancies, which can be in their thousands, the locations of the job roles, the duration of the part-time contract and the potential hours of the role.

Next, the interviewer will state the interview procedure. The duration of the interview, which in most cases for a temporary xmas role, will be 30 minutes. That the interview is informal – they want to get to know the applicant, and when each applicant will be informed of the outcome to their interview – which could be within a few days or, in some cases, a few hours.

Questions and Answers

When using the interview answer template, add your own skills, qualities and experiences to your answer.

What do you know about the role?

The employer asking the ‘what do you know about the role’ question want to check if the applicant has a grasp on the duties they will be required to perform.

Even better, if the candidate can reference their skills, qualities and experiences relating to the business-as-usual tasks in their interview answer, they are more likely to be seen as a suitable fit.

Remember, due to the high number of required staff, job applicants aren’t in competition with other interviewees over one position. Instead, the interviewee only needs to communicate their competencies confidently to gain a job offer.

Interview Template:

“Before applying for (position) at (company name) I looked into the job role and what skills and experiences you would require. I know as an example that the main duties are (A, B and C). As you can see from my application form that I have X number of years experience as a (relevant job role) where I was responsible for (detail relevant job duties) To summaries, I have a good understanding of the role, and various skills that will help me collaborate successfully with you to complete all the required tasks.”

The positions is only for X months, does this suit your situation?

One concern hiring managers have when mass recruiting, is the fact that a percentage of the new staff may potentially leave before their 3-4 month contract is up.

Reassurance, then is key. If an employer believes an applicant has the correct skills and qualities for the role, and is highly likely to stick the job out, they are likely to be hired.

Interview Template:

“Yes certainly. I have been looking for a (X) month contract as this suits my current situation. I am currently (give situation IE on leave from University etc) for 3 months and looking to gain some experience in (add skill relating to the job role IE customer service). I am also very flexible with my contract and hours, so if I am needed for a little longer I would be happy to discuss this.”

How flexible are you in terms of your working hours?

Christmas time for employers is busy.

On top of this staff will ring in sick as the flu cases rise over the winter period. And the nature of part-time and temporary contracts result in staff leaving before the contract end dates runs out.

In short, employer on certain days will need to call on other member of staff to help out.

Ideally, the successful candidates, as well as having the required experience, will also have a flexible attitude towards working hours.

Interview Template:

“I know that this time of year is really busy in (job sector) and that you will occasionally need people to work additional hours. I have a flexible approach and if I can I am always happy to help out. In my last job I would often be called upon to work extra hours during busy times, and i was always happy to be of help.”

Give me an example of doing X

Part of all job interviews for all temporary Christmas jobs will be a number of ‘example’ questions.

To help predict the candidates skills and abilities, interviewers will asked questions based on past behaviors:

“Tell me about a time you did X?”

“Have you dealt with Y?”

“Give me an example of working within a team?”

To answer the various worded versions of the ‘example’ question applicants can use the SAP model:

  • Situation
  • Action
  • Positive Outcome

All you do is describe, in detail, the situation relating to the interview question: “when working at X, we had (situation)…”

Importantly, ensure you state the actions YOU took to solve the situation: “…to solve the situation I did A, B and C…”

End with the positive outcome: “…my actions resulted in (positive outcome)”

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Do you have any questions for me?

For a professional interview, the questions an applicant would ask at the end of a job interview would be around company growth, company culture and long term objectives.

For a temporary Christmas role, the questions can be short term focused:

  • When are you looking for new staff to start?
  • Is there any training for temporary staff?
  • Where will I be based?
  • Is there any opportunity for working extra hours?
  • What will be my main responsibilities?

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How to Answer the Interview Question ‘What can you bring to the team?’

The ‘what can you bring to the team’ is one of the best job interview questions any experienced career professional can be asked.

Why?

The openness of the question allows a skilled interviewee to sell themselves by discussing a skill, quality or experience that would be hard to embedded into an interview answer for a more specific recruitment question such as a ‘give me an example of….’

Open job interview questions, which include:

  • Tell me about yourself?
  • What are your strengths?
  • Why should we hire you?

The barriers and pitfalls to the open interview question

One of the most common mistakes when answering ‘open’ questions, is the tendency to list items.

As an example, for the ‘why do you want to work here?’ open interview question, an applicant may reply with the following list: “Because I like the company, it has a good reputation, and I have always wanted to work.”

It is similar with the ‘strengths’ question: “My strengths include teamwork, the ability to get things done and my work ethic”.

‘Listing’ is a technique that works when embedded into a more detailed job interview answer. As a solo technique it often doesn’t result in a high-scoring answer.

The second pitfall that many nervous job applicants fall into, is the unintentional rambling problem.

Unintentional rambling is common in a job interview because the interviewee knows that they should be giving a longer answer.

As an example, when asked ‘why should we hire you?’ the nervous applicant panics as they search for a high-scoring interview answer.

Initially, they reply using the listing method: “I am highly skilled, experience and qualified.”

Realizing that they need to add more meat to the bone, the candidate adds a second list: “..Also, I’m good with people, a strong communicator and a good listener.”

At this point panic takes over, firing the flight or fight mode, with the interviewee splurting out irrelevant information: “…I am also good at administration, tidying up and making cups of tea!”

You may have done this yourself. You return from an interview and think: ‘What was I saying in there?’

The key to avoid rambling is having a interview answer structure.

Interview Answer Structure

Getting back to the interview question in-hand, before I start going off topic as well!!

Open questions allow the applicant to state whatever it is they want to discuss.

It is key, then, to be a self-promoter during the answering of this question. In fact, all three rules of a successful job interview come into play during the ‘what can you bring to the team?’ interview question.

To plan a high-scoring answer, think about:

  • What does the current employer need, or what problem are they facing (and do you have the solution, skills or expertise?)
  • What is the culture of the company?
  • How can you frame your unique selling point and expertise to be relevant to the interview panel?

To answer the interview question, each applicant must discuss the following three points during the interview answer:

  • An understanding of the job role/duties
  • Sector related experience/knowledge
  • Personal qualities

Below is a breakdown of the interview structure, which needs to be edited to fit the job sector and experiences of each individual job applicant:

Start the answer by referencing a key area of the job role. name a specific duty or industry problem.

Second, explain how you have experience in this area or highlight a relevant skill set.

Finally, end by focusing in on your personal skills and qualities.

Interview Answer Template:

Interviewer: “Tell me what you can bring to the team?”

Interviewee:

“After working in this industry for X number of years, one of the most common problems we face is (add sector related problem) The (problem) is an issue as it (add the negative effects of the problem)….”

“….My experience in (job role/dealing with the problem) has taught me (explain in detail what actions are required to overcome the problem) This is one of the things I can bring to the team, the ability to (summarise how your expertise/experience can overcome the industry problem)….”

“….In addition, I am able to (add second skill or experience relating to the job role/duties). An example of this was when I was working for X organisation and we were tasked to (achieve a goal). To meet the (objective) I (explain steps taken/actions took) which resulted in (outcome)…”

“…To summarise, I can (point 1) and (point 2). And my (add personal qualities/skills, ideally relevant to the company culture)”.

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What makes an interview answer effective?

Research has shown what elements help to create a high-scoring interview answer, tehy include:

  • A structured interview answer
  • A higher number of words per answer
  • Varying tonality during the interview answer to help maintain interest
  • A confident delivery style
  • Positive language (nervous applicants will self-disclose weaknesses)

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16 Job Interview Identities

To increase job interview success, career professionals need be aware of their own interview identity – how the applicant is perceived by the interview panel during the recruitment process.

The 16 interview identities sit within 4 overarching identity categories, based on the candidates perceived level of knowledge and experiences vs the applicants level of confidence.

The two axes, knowledge/experience and confidence, have a low to high scale. The 4 interview identity categories create a generic opinion.

  1. Low level of knowledge/experience and a low level of confidence
  2. Low level of knowledge/experience and a high level of confidence
  3. High level of knowledge/experience and a low level of confidence
  4. High level of knowledge/experience and a high level of confidence

It is important to remember that the interview identities have no relation to a career professionals ability to perform tasks in the real world or work, instead they are the employers perception of the applicants predicted job performance.

“A skilled worker who fails to communicate their competencies confidently can be seen as less skilled then they actually are”.

Chris Delaney author of ‘what is your interview identity’

The four characteristics of an interviewee.

The interview prediction grid model states that there are 16 interview identities that fit into four categories:

  • Incompetent (low/low)
  • Deceitful (low/high)
  • Uninterested (high/low)
  • Employable (high/high)

Incompetent

Incompetent job applicants have a lack of job experience and confidence, resulting in a nervous display during the recruitment process and a misunderstanding of the job interview questions.

Deceitful

The deceitful characteristic comes from a high level of confidence with a low level of industry knowledge and experience. They talk the talk, but cant walk the walk, resulting in an increase in destruct.

Uninterested

Career professionals with a high level of knowledge and experience, but who lack the confidence to express their competencies during the interview, can be seen as uninterested in job position – why else would a highly skilled applicant give short snappy answers?

Employable

Being skilled at communicating competencies confidently creates a persona of being employable, or highly employable. Descriptive and detailed answers, delivered well using a number of non-verbal communication skills, creates likability and desire from the interview start.

Take the interview prediction grid test:

16 Interview Identities.

As each of the interview identities is the employers perception of the applicants ability to complete business-as-usual tasks, the generic opinion can easily change if the interviewee can improve either their perceived level of knowledge/experience or their level of confidence during the recruitment process.

By understanding the sixteen interview identities, job applicants can tweak how they confidently communicate their competencies to create one of the more positive identities’ that often results in job offers.

A detailed description of each interview identity can be found by taking the interview prediction grid test.

  • Comes across as lacking the required skills and experiences for the role
  • Has a low opinion on self
  • Struggles to give detailed interview answers
  • Struggles with challenging or technical interview questions
  • Lacks industry related knowledge and experiences
  • Gives short snappy answers
  • May possess the required soft skills for the advertised role, but cant communicate any relevant experience in a way to gain a high-scoring answer
  • Doesn’t always understand the meaning behind the interview question
  • Gives answers that not relate to the job criteria
  • Can be seen as suitable for low-skilled roles or for positions where the employer can support the employee, a level 2 apprenticeship as an example
  • Answers are more detailed when talking about a personal experience, compared to answers for situational job interview questions
  • Not as self-assured as some of the other interview identities
  • A very confident communicator who will express themselves well, but who may hint to having skills and experiences that they don’t possess
  • Struggles to answer technical interview questions due to a lack of industry experience/knowledge
  • Doesn’t understand industry jargon and acronyms which can lead to answers that are irrelevant to the job interview question
  • A highly confident interviewee who believes they are more suitable for the role than they actually are
  • Skilled at self-promotion, but lacks the industry insights that is required to produce high-scoring interview answers
  • Answers questions quickly, assertively and confidently, even when they don’t have the required criteria mention in the interview question
  • Possesses enough sector-related experience to give detailed interview answers, but not enough prior experience for this to be consistent throughout the recruitment process
  • Employers are often impressed with answers relating to personal skills and qualities, as the applicant is a self-promoter
  • Struggles to recognise the job criteria for high-skilled roles
  • A self-assured applicant who is consistent with their own self-promotion
  • Lacks a deeper understanding of sector related models and theories that highlights, to the employer, their lack industry experience
  • May argue a point with an employer, even when lacking industry knowhow
  • Has a good level of industry knowledge, which is hidden away by their lack of ability to share their experiences
  • Interview answers are often short and snappy, filled with filler words
  • Employers initial opinions are negative due to the applicants lack of rapport
  • The quality of interview answers is sporadic, with the applicant able to talk more in-depth about business-as-usual tasks, but struggles when the employer challenges them
  • Some answers will promote a unique selling point, but others may self-disclose weaknesses
  • Potentially, a highly-skilled worker, who may struggle from imposture syndrome
  • A highly employable applicant, due to the a large amount of industry experience and academic qualifications, but struggles with their own self-esteem and confidence
  • Interview answer’s are short , snappy and fast-paced in delivery with the applicant keen to get the interview over with
  • Employers will recognize the wealth of industry expertise, but on the other the interviewer will be concerned about the candidates confidence levels and how that may effect the team once employed
  • Answers are mixed, with some being technical and in-depth, while others lacking any real substance
  • The candidate can come across as standoffish when the applicant doesn’t respond to follow up questions with a detailed reply. But can give enough evidence to show their range of job related skills
  • A highly-skilled individual who will open up to a ‘warm’ interviewer, but can shut down when interviewed by a ‘cold’ employer
  • Applicants are aware of their own abilities and expresses these well throughout the job interview
  • Rapport is easy to build and employers often have an instant liking towards the self-assured interviewee
  • Cam debate subjects, but cant persuade as well as some of the other high/high interview identities
  • Able to communicate their competencies confidently throughout the recruitment process, with employers seeing potential from the interview start
  • Can be argumentative when challenged on a particular subject or knowledge, which can be their undoing
  • Has a strong presence, with the employer having a positive ‘gut’ feeling about the obviously highly-skilled applicant
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  • A high number of years in the industry and the easy to recognise specialist skills results in consistent job offers
  • Consistently delivers strong interview answers with examples while stating industry models and sector processes
  • A very confident applicant, but not being a the over top of the confident scale can, sometimes, effect the impact of their interview answers
  • The highest level of knowledge/experience and highest level of confidence, out of all the 16 interview identities, does create regular job offers but not as consistently as the egocentric applicant would like
  • A self-promote who can easily showcase their value while impressing the employer with their personality traits
  • The self-absorbed characteristic and their inflated view of self can place seeds of doubt in the employer minds

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How to Handle Different Types of Interviewers

There are three main types of job interviewers:

  • A cold interviewer
  • A warm interviewer
  • An expert interviewer

To have regular interview success, applicants need to be able to identify the type of hiring manager in front of them and know how to respond to the interviewer’s behavior.

By understanding the various types of interviewers creates confidence, helping to win over the interviewer and gain more job offers.

In addition to knowing the three interviewer types, career professionals must be aware of their own interview identity – how the applicant is perceived by the interview panel during the recruitment process, and how their interview identity naturally responds to each of the three types of interviewers.

It is these two things, identifying the type of interviewer and understanding how one is perceived in the job interview, that can create a more successful job interview outcome.

The fair interview process.

The goal of any recruitment process is to predict the job performance of each job applicant.

The highest scoring interviewee will, in most cases, be offered the advertised vacancy.

The interview process, therefore, is a logical process. The employer creates a list of essential job criteria, and the applicants interview answers are cross-referenced against the criteria, with each answer being allocated a score or point.

Detailed answers that evidence a high level of knowledge and experience, especially when communicated confidently, will receive the highest possible points.

Not all interviews are equal.

Most recruitment processes aren’t equal, as the interviewer themselves affect the behavior of the interviewee.

Research shows, how an employer that has a natural liking towards a certain applicant will, at the subconscious level, subtly change their behavior that encourages the interviewee to be more open, confident, to give higher-scoring interview answers.

An interviewers opinion of someone, which in turn affects their decision-making process, can be manipulated by any number of things, including:

An interviewee, who is being interviewed by a hiring manager they have a rapport with, will behave differently during the question and answer session than they would when interviewed by an employer they believe doesn’t ‘like’ them.

Applicants in rapport with the employer will:

  • Be more willing to share personal opinions, ideas and suggestions
  • Give longer and more detailed interview answers
  • Share stories and anecdotes
  • Feel more relaxed and calm
  • Ask more questions, creating a conversation

The four characteristics of an interviewee.

The interview prediction grid model states that there are 16 interview identities that fit into four categories:

  • Incompetent
  • Deceitful
  • Uninterested
  • Employable

Incompetent

Incompetent job applicants have a lack of job experience and confidence, resulting in a nervous display during the recruitment process and a misunderstanding of the job interview questions.

Deceitful

The deceitful characteristic comes from a high level of confidence with a low level of industry knowledge and experience. They talk the talk, but can’t walk the walk, resulting in an increase in deceit.

Uninterested

Career professionals with a high level of knowledge and experience, but who lack the confidence to express their competencies during the interview, can be seen as uninterested in the job position – why else would a highly-skilled applicant give short snappy answers?

Employable

Being skilled at communicating competencies confidently creates a persona of being employable, or highly employable. Descriptive and detailed answers, delivered well using a number of non-verbal communication skills, creates likability and desire from the interview start.

Take the interview prediction grid test:

Three Types of Interviewers.

Initially, interviewers can be put into two categories:

  • Trained
  • Untrained

Generally speaking, high-skilled professionals applying for high-salaried roles in large organisations will be interviewed by a trained HR or hiring manager.

Trained interviewers, often, will have undertaken unconscious bias training, understand the research behind a structured job interview, and will interview with a panel of job interviewers to help create a fairer recruitment process.

In addition, the recruitment process is likely to consist of 3-6 rounds of interviews, with applications being ‘blind’ – removing the candidate’s name, age, higher educational institute, to help remove any pre-interview unconscious biases.

For low to medium-skilled roles, or in small organisations, the applicant is likely to be interviewed by their potential new line manager.

In this situation, the line manager is unlikely to have undertaken any in-depth interview training and may not be aware of the effects of unconscious bias.

The interview will consist of, on average, one or two interview rounds by one or two interviewers.

In this case, it is likely that the interviewer(s) will be just as nervous as the applicant.

The three interviewer types; cold, warm and expert, can each be either a trained or untrained interviewer.

There has been much research conducted on the impact of the interviewer’s behavior, including verbal and non-verbal communication.

To spot the type of interviewer requires observation. The three types will give their identity away with telltale signs:

A cold interviewer will:

  • Frown
  • Sigh
  • Avoid eye contact or stare
  • Clock watch
  • Ask closed questions
  • Doesn’t smile
  • Doesn’t ask follow up questions
  • Be dismissive

A warm interviewer will:

  • Smile
  • Nod along with the applicant
  • Have strong eye contact
  • Be more personable
  • Ask follow up questions
  • Be re-assuring
  • Creates a conversation
  • Put the applicant at ease
  • Encourage with gestures and open body language

An expert interviewer will:

  • Naturally use industry jargon and acronyms
  • State sector related theories and models
  • Have a strong opinion
  • Challenge generalizations or data/information they believe is incorrect
  • Request specific examples and evidence
  • Ask for the applicants opinions
  • Come across as an authority/expert which they are

The four different interview identities will respond differently to each of the three job interviewer types.

The natural response to a cold, warm or expert interviewer.

Awareness creates change.

By understanding the interviewer types and the applicant’s own interview identity creates awareness. With awareness comes change.

A cold interviewer.

A cold interviewer increases the anxiety of a low confident interviewee, the incompetent and uninterested applicant.

This is because a lack of self-esteem creates an internal focus, leading to job candidates questioning whether the interviewer’s negative behavior is due to how they are acting in the job interview.

Whereas high-confident individuals have an external focus. In an article on scientific America, they say “If the interviewer is cold, highly confident candidates are able to externalize the behavior and not believe that it directly reflects on them.”

The more confident an applicant is, the more consistent their (confident) interview performance is.

A warm interviewer.

The encouraging nature of a warm interviewer, research shows, gets the ‘best’ out of the interviewees, which in turn allows the employer to predict the job performance of applicants.

Even an anxious applicant, an incompetent or uninterested interview identity, will perform much better – give higher-scoring interview answers when interviewed by a warm interviewer.

In fact, the more personable approach of a warm interviewer, prior to the question and answer stage of the interview IE the asking of non-job-related questions “did you find us OK?” or “how was your weekend?”, can help some applicants evolve their interview identity to the most successful quadrant, the employable interview identity.

The interview identity, as we have said, is the perceived level of knowledge and experience vs the level of confidence of the applicant in the job interview.

Therefore, the friendly nature of the warm interviewer can increase an experienced applicant’s confidence level, which in turn improves how that candidate answers the interview questions- giving more descriptive and detailed interview answers.

A warm interviewer encourages confident interviewees – the deceitful and employable interview identity, to be more self-assured leading to an increase in self-promotion.

The deceitful interview identity candidate will have conviction in their own statements, and even argue points with an interviewer. When interviewed by an ‘expert’ interviewer, the interviewer will challenge anything they view as inaccurate which creates the ‘deceitful’ identity.

But, if the warm interviewer isn’t an expert and/or lacks confidence themselves, the deceitful applicant can instead be viewed as having an ’employable’ interview identity.

An expert interviewer.

An expert interviewer can be ‘warm’ or ‘cold’. The difference is the expert has a wide range of sector-related knowledge and expertise, and the confidence to challenge an interviewee’s answers/knowledge to better to predict the job performance of each applicant.

Low levels of knowledge and experience applicants, the incompetent and the deceitful interview identities, are quickly recognized as not having the required level of competencies by the expert interviewer.

The expert interviewer is often interested in evidence-based interview answers, they preference data and use logic to help make hiring decisions. This analytical process becomes the barrier to anyone but the most experienced and knowledgeable career professionals,

Confidence is an important factor when interviewed by an expert. Confidence creates self-promotion. The employable interview identity, compared to the uninterested interview identity, will deliver descriptive, self-promoting and evidence-based answers that can be easily cross-referenced against the interview scorecard.

Uninterested interview identity candidates have the same level of experience and knowledge as an employable identity but lack that all-important ingredient – confidence.

It is the lack of confidence, that decreases communication. At the worst, the uninterested applicant has imposture syndrome and will self-declare a high number of weaknesses, at best their answers are positive but lack detail.

The expert interviewer may be aware of the higher level of knowledge and experience and even ask follow-up questions. But, if an applicant doesn’t state the required criteria on the interview scorecard it is unlikely they will be in the top 3 high-scoring applicants.

It is the lack of sharing information, being aloof and presenting short snappy interview answers that creates the identity of being uninterested in the job role/interview.

The structured job interview is designed to be a logical process, with answers being cross-referenced against the job criteria before being given a score.

Employers want to hire the most suitable applicant. This is the goal of every recruitment process. The ‘interview identity’ is created during the answers to the first interview answer. It is a generalisation of the suitability or unsuitability of an applicant for the advertised position.

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

If the interview identity is a negative identity, most employers will simply want the interview to end as quickly as possible. This can lead to a ‘warm’ interviewer, acting more ‘cold’ than they normally would do.

If an interview is going badly, the applicant needs to change their approach to win the interviewer around. The ‘what is your interview identity’ book explains actions the interviewee can take during the recruitment process.

5 signs that an employer likes the interviewee.

  1. The interviewer will ask a more specific follow up questions to gain a more detailed answer
  2. A cold interviewer will act more warm; smiling, nodding, eye contact
  3. The interview panel will discuss how (the interviewers answer/knowledge) would help them solve a particular barrier
  4. Employer will disclose how they like the applicant
  5. Additional questions about the applicants situation will be asked; notice period, if the applicant has other job interviews

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Why Graduates Fail in Job Interviews

It wasn’t so long ago when a graduate could be guaranteed a job. More recently, a graduate applying for work may be unsuccessful in the job interview process because of how an employer perceives the graduate compared to an experienced career professional.

This article will look at the reasons why some graduates are failing job interviews and what current students can do to give themselves a helping hand to advance their career prospects.

Suitable or Unsuitable?

Data shows that the average number of applications for each job role is around 250.

The number of applications per role does very depending on the job position and location, but 250 applicants per advertise job seems correct with previous research. From the 250 applications only 6 candidates, on average, will be offered a job interview.

If a graduate is offered a job interview, they are deemed to be more suitable then 244 other applicants. What this explains, is a graduate who can secure job interviews but not a job offer is doing something wrong in the interview itself.

An alternative viewpoint is the graduate interviews well, but other interviewees, who could also be a graduate but maybe an experience career professional, are better skilled at job interviews.

Either way, if a graduate can secure job interviews but not job offers something needs to change.

From an employers perspective, the job interview is designed to predict the job performance of each applicant. The best perceived performer is offer the job role.

Employers, in the main, use a structured job interview process as research proves that a structured approach is the best way to predict job performance.

What is important, is how a graduate is perceived during the recruitment process.

How Graduates are Perceived in Job Interviews.

A part of perception is comparison.

If for example, a graduate applies for a graduate scheme, all the other applicants will also be graduates creating a level playing field.

For none-graduate roles, applicants are likely to be a mixed bunch of career professionals. This group of candidates may include graduates with no work experience, graduates with work experience, experienced staff with no degree level qualifications.

In this scenario, it is hard for the employer to compare one applicant against the other, as two many completing factors make the logical decision making process a difficult task.

It is the same when purchasing a house. Two houses seem suitable but each have completing factors. One is cheaper but further away from work. One is a 3 bed house with a small garden, the other a 2 bed house with a larger garden in a cul-de-sac. One is in an area with great schools but a high crime rate and the other in an area with a low crime rate but poor schools.

Having a high number of factors to consider is taxing. Instead, the logical mind turns off and the emotion brain gives you a gut re-action: I don’t know why but I prefer house one.

This same process happens with hiring managers, When they initial met the candidates there is an overload of information. One candidate has a degree but the other has 10 years work experience. One candidate has people skills, the other an eye for detail. One candidate is skilled at completing a certain task, the other is an expert in (add criteria). and so on. Again the logical part of the brain closes down and the emotional mind creates a gut reaction: Applicant one seems most suitable for the position.

As the git-reaction decision making process happens at the interview start, the applicants forthcoming job interview answers are filtered through the initial interview identity.

Research shows how people look for evidence to back up their choices. If an employer favors one applicant over another, they will subconsciously look for the positives in the answers of there preferred choice, and look for any negatives in the least preferred choice applicant.

The number of people with a degree is on the rise.

Data shows how the number of higher education applications and starts is on the increase, with 2020 seeing over 720,000 applicants looking to start in a course in 2020.

UCAS recently shared data, showing that there were over 616,000 applicants for 2021 (January deadline analyses)

Prior to the rise of degree-level interviewees, having a degree was viewed as an exceptional attribute. The rule of scarcity says the more common something is, the less value we see in it.

A 2017 Harvard Business School study stated that between 2007-2010 job adverts requiring a bachelor’s degree increased by 10%. The study also found that 37% of employers rank experience as more important then a qualification.

This shows how each employer have different viewpoints on what they believe is important when its comes to recruiting new staff members. The job sector also influences the essential criteria for each job role. In medicine, as an example, applicants will never receive a job offer washout first possessing the required qualifications.

In other sectors, that have previously required a qualification as an entry requirement, we are starting to see a move away from the qualification entry requirement. The tech sector, companies like Google and Apple are focusing on ‘hands-on’ experience.

Where does this leave the graduate?

Don’t be confused here. Having a degree is still viewed as a positive, as a higher educational qualification shows academic ability. And a qualification relevant to the advertised job role infers industry level knowledge.

What employers are now saying is that industry knowledge and skills can be gained just as easily from possessing a number of years working within the industry. Again, job hiring comes down to how an employer perceives an applicant – there predicted job performance.

A buyer’s market.


Data has shown how more people are now progressing into higher education. Graduates, therefore, are at a disadvantage when applying for entry level positions as competition for these roles are high.

In addition to graduate competition, employers, now more than ever before, compare industry experience against the graduates qualification and skill set – their whole package.

Now that job recruitments have changed, employers not stating a qualification as essential, the competition for jobs is increasing. Even is a qualification is essential, in sectors such as medicine, the evidence suggest that more people have a degree then ever before.

The power is truly in the employers hands. Employers, knowing they will receive a large number of applications, can demand more from the applicants. Previously, for entry level jobs roles, a degree was the only requirement. Now, employers can ask for more because they know the number of applications for these positions will be in there hundreds.

Therefore, when in education it is virtual to gain new skills and experiences to help create a positive job interview identity. This can be achieved in various ways:

  • Having a side hustle shows business acumen
  • Volunteering increases skills and shows work ethic
  • Being a graduate mentor helps to develop essential skills; listening, communication and planning
  • Work experience, which can include first aid for a medical student or putting on a fringe play for a performance art student, can be used as examples during the job interview question and answer process
  • A part-time job brings in an income but also helps to shape your character
  • Increase personal skills by joining debate clubs, public speaking classes, being the student union president or taking an active part in the universities board meetings

How to be successful in the job interview

A graduate gaining skills or experiences from one or more of the above ideas can stand out against other graduates with similar qualifications.

Against experienced career professionals, who will often be able to give work-related examples to job interview questions, the graduate needs to prepare their interview answers.

The key to being offered the job role is to be seen as being more suitable then the other applicants.

Often an experienced career professional who hasn’t undertaken a industry related qualification maybe an expert in a particular niche, as they may have only worked in one position/role, which limits their knowledge base.

On the other hand, a graduate during there three year degree will have gain knowledge relevant to the whole job sector. It is this level of knowledge, if communicated confidently, along with skills and experiences gained through volunteering, work experience and side hustles can create a self-assured job interview identity.

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To pass the job interview graduates shoud:

  • Describe industry related models and theories learnt on higher educational course
  • Give situational interview answers by explaining what steps would you take to overcome a potential barrier or to achieve a company objective
  • Explain how skills and experiences gained from work experience, voluntary work and side hustles are relevant to the job role
  • Use communication skills gained from attending debate clubs or public speaking classes to deliver high-scoring interview answers

In addition, all applicants can stand out in job interviews by: