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CVs, Cover letters andInterviews

Hilary M Jones

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CVsWhat is a CV for?

Curriculum Vitae translates as ‘the course of one’s life’.In terms of your career, a CV performs many functions. It:

introduces you to the employer sells you as a potential employee explains how you meet the person specification convinces the employer that you will be able to do the job as it’s detailed in

the job description

The Rules

Everyone is different, and has different preferences in terms of what they like in aCV. This makes it difficult to give hard and fast rules that will guarantee your CV willbe aesthetically pleasing to the person that reads it.

However, if you remember what a CV is for, and keep to a style that is logical andfamiliar, then you’re unlikely to offend too many people. Statistically, this is yourbest strategy!

So, bearing all of the above points in mind, here are some ‘rules’ that should helpyou to produce a CV that is clear, logical and easy on the eye:

• Don’t waste valuable space by typing ‘Curriculum Vitae’ at the top• At the top of the first page, put your name in Bold, 20pt and centred. Leave

white space around it• Left aligned, give your address.• On the right hand side, on the same lines as your address, give your

telephone, email and fax numbers (using this arrangement buys you someextra space)

• Headings should be consistent i.e. same style for the same type of heading• White space – leave plenty on the CV. Psychologists have found that this

suggests confidence!• Margins should be 2.5cm at each side• Leave small gaps between related pieces of information and larger gaps

between different pieces• Use the same font throughout• Bullet points are clear but may be too brief, and a CV that consists of nothing

else is off-putting. Include some full sentences to show that you canactually write!

• Don’t underline headings – it looks messy and some computer scanners (usedby larger companies) may misread underlined text.

• Make sure that email and web addresses are not underlined either (as is thedefault in MSWord). This can obscure things like underscores and confuseletters such as ‘i’ and ‘j’.

• Don’t use both sides of the paper – CVs are almost always photocopiedbefore being sent to the recruiting panel. They may forget to copy the otherside.

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• Use high quality paper and printing• Don’t use colour – it looks tacky and can’t be photocopied anyway• Don’t add clip-art, cartoons or other illustrations• In the UK, photographs are not added to CVs, although in the US this is

common.

Different CV styles

Generally, CVs can be considered under two or three headings. The chronological,the skills-based and the hybrid.

ChronologicalThis is the simplest and traditional style of CV, and the one that most people defaultto without thinking.

Components are, in order:1. Personal details2. Qualifications3. Employment history, including:

- employer- dates of employment- positions held- achievements

4. Professional development/training courses5. Interests6. References7. (for academic CVs) list of publications and conferences attended

Advantages:

Clear and easy to read. Good if your career path has been linear, and the job you're applying for is

similar to the ones that you have done previously. Relatively easy to construct. Probably requires less tailoring than the other CV styles. Good for more traditional employers, and for academia.

Disadvantages:

Highlights career gaps, which then have to be explained somewhere. Not so good for career changers or those with a portfolio career, as it's

harder for potential employers to make connections.

Skills-basedThe skills-based CV is a more modern style. It often has a career objective statementat the top - a few sentences saying who you are and what kind of work you arelooking for. It then moves into a large section devoted to your skills (which you will

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have tailored to match those described on the person specification). After this, youlist your education, employment, interests and references.

The components are, in order:

1. personal details2. career objective statement3. skills and achievements4. education5. employment6. interests7. references (if there’s space – otherwise, write ‘references available upon

request)8. publications and conferences attended if relevant

Advantages:

Perfect for career changers since it highlights the skills you offer rather thanthe jobs you have done

Good for those with career gaps as the emphasis is on skills, and thechronological part of the CV is smaller and comes later

Since you tailor the skills section to match the person specification and jobdescription, this makes it very easy for the recruiter to shortlist you (providedyou explain your skills well!)

Disadvantages:

Modern style is not welcome in more traditional sectors, including academia Career objective statements are liked by some people and loathed by others

HybridThe hybrid CV is a halfway house, and is a safe option if your career hasn't had toomany gaps, and you're not making an enormous career change. Whilst it follows theorder of a chronological CV, the skills section is larger and tailored perfectly to theinformation given in the job description and person specification. You can choose toinclude or omit a career objective statement on the first page.

The components are, in order:

1. personal details (no need for date of birth, gender or marital status)2. educational details3. professional associations4. work history5. professional development6. knowledge, skills and abilities7. interests8. references (if there’s space – otherwise, write ‘references available upon

request)

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9. publications and conferences attended if relevant

Advantages:

Extended skills section allows you to explain fully how you meet the personspecification and can do the job as described.

Format is similar to the chronological CV, so you're at less risk of an employerfinding it too radical!

Disadvantages:

If you are making a radical career change, or have had a lot of career gaps, askills-based CV might be better.

Career objective statements – yes or no?A career objective statement is a couple of sentences at the top of your CV (belowyour name and contact details) that says who you are, what your skills are and whatyou’re looking for in your career – i.e. why you’re applying for this job.

Here are a couple of examples.

Experienced biochemist with extensive technical and managerial skills seekslaboratory manager position with an innovative company.

PhD graduate with excellent writing skills and broad science knowledge seekseditorial position with an international journal.

In some career sectors, career objective statements are common. They provide avery quick introduction to you as a person rather than simply a list of qualificationsand employment experiences.

As with the more modern CV styles, they are less common in traditional sectors suchas academia.

Competency statements

Not to be confused with career objective statements, these are sentences thatexplain exactly where your skills came from – proof that you have in fact got the skillsand experiences that you claim.

If you’re submitting a skills-based or a hybrid CV, then include competencystatements on the CV. You should always include them on your accompanyingcover letter.

Make sure that the competency statements refer to the skills and experiencerequested in the person specification and detailed in the job description. This is howyou use your CV and cover letter to persuade the recruiters that you can do the job.

Some examples are given below.

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Examples of competency statements

(Taken from ‘Brilliant CV – What employers want to see and how to say it’, Jim Bright& Joanne Earl, Pearson Prentice Hall Business, 2005)

Highly motivated: I have a proven track record of achievement, both withinuniversity and through extra-curricular activities. I have won numerous awardsthroughout my academic career, but have still managed to maintain a balance withsocial activities.

Sales market knowledge: I keep in touch with the market by reading sales journalsand magazines, as well as visiting supermarkets and other points of sale. Last year,I completed a research project entitled ‘What makes a supermarket tick: Bestplacement or best product?’, which looked at the dynamics of produce placement instores and the impact on sales.

Organisational skills: As a person who is involved in many different activities, Ihave developed excellent organisation skills to ensure that I plan my time effectively.This enables me to achieve maximum output in minimum time, as well as handle anumber of activities simultaneously.

Energetic: I am a person who is always on the go, as I am involved in a number ofactivities. These range from academic to work-related to sporting, particularly teamsports. I am an outgoing person and enjoy being an active member of numerousclubs and associations.

Communication skills: My diverse range of experiences at university, work and inextracurricular activities has enabled me to acquire strong verbal and writtencommunication skills. As an outgoing person, I have also had numerousopportunities to develop my interpersonal skills to a high level.

Responsible: As a person who has always been involved in a range of activities, Ihave developed a responsible and mature approach to any task that I undertake, orsituation that I am presented with. I believe that these assets will stand me in goodstead for any future positions that I undertake.

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CV Checklist

The CV is two sides in length

Publications, conferences attended, presentations given etc are in an appendix butreferred to in the skills section where appropriate

The words ‘Curriculum Vitae’ don’t appear!

All contact details are present and easy to read

Name is centred, bold and in large (~20pt text)

Address is left-aligned, phone, fax and email are right-aligned on the same lines

You have chosen the most appropriate style for your situation:

- chronological- functional (skills-based)- hybrid

Hybrid CV follows the order:

- personal details (no need for d.o.b, gender or marital status)- educational details- professional associations- work history- professional development- knowledge, skills and abilities- interests- references (if there’s space – otherwise, write ‘references available upon request)Skills-based CV has a bigger skills section and it appears before the work history.

Headings are consistent

There’s plenty of white space

There are small gaps between related pieces of information and larger gaps betweendifferent pieces

The same font is used throughout

Bullet points are used to summarise text, but not exclusively – there are somesentences to prove that you can write!

Underlining is not used

Only one side of the paper is printed on

There are no cartoons or dodgy clip-art

There’s no colour

high-quality paper has been used

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Words to use and avoid on your CV

Good selling words:

overcame achieved enlarged developed discoveredcontrolled managed delivered reorganised wonapplied defeated eliminated engineered overhauledpresented founded Instigated created directedattracted led initiated established enjoyedcontributed modified specialised expanded repairedimproved analysed coordinated trained organisedguided conducted implemented built designedpersuaded helped proved utilised simplifiedinvestigated completed compiled demonstrated accomplishedtransformed introduced finalised headed constructedsupervised illustrated outlined selected monitored

Words that can boost the power even more:

quickly successfully rapidly carefully decisivelycompetently resourcefully capably efficiently consistentlyeffectively positively cooperatively selectively creativelyassertively energetically enthusiastically responsibly flexibly

Words with negative connotations that should be avoided:

avoided failed succumbed relied conflictedtried disciplined attempted abandoned unsuccessfullylost dismissed withdrew relinquished argued

Cover Letters

What are cover letters for?

Your cover letter accompanies your CV or application form in an application. A well-written cover-letter will highlight why you are applying for this position and why youare the best candidate.

It will outline how you meet the essential and desirable criteria in the personspecification and will convey your enthusiasm for the job.

It will also explain how this job will fit in with your career plans, and explain anycareer gaps or other things on your CV that may need more detail.

Make sure that you save the job description and person specificationcarefully. If you have downloaded these from a webpage,remember that the information will disappear once the closing datefor applications passes. You will need this information when youprepare for your interview.

How long should they be?

The ideal cover letter is one side in length.

Paper and printing

Make sure that all printing is done on good quality paper and on one side only.Employers will photocopy your application and then send the copies to theshortlisting panel. Double sided printing risks getting missed out in the photocopyingprocess!

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Don’t be tempted to put your cover letter and CV on unusualsized/coloured/patterned paper. Whilst it would be unfair of anemployer to disregard it for this reason alone, you want to avoidirritating the shortlisters!

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Tailoring your cover letter

To send a cover letter that has not been carefully tailored to the job for which you’reapplying implies that you aren’t particularly interested in the job that you’re applyingfor, and it’s insulting to your potential employer.

Stories abound of applicants sending in cover letters addressed to people at otherorganisations. At your level of employment this is not acceptable and you will needto carefully tailor the letter to each application, meticulously checking that theinformation relating to the job and the person to whom you’re writing is correct.

Things to include

Start with the job reference written in bold across the top of the letter , e.g.:

Re: Postdoctoral Research position Ref: S38N4394

Use your cover letter to spell out exactly why you will be brilliant at this job (seesection on competency statements above). Mention relevant experiences,qualifications and skills. If there are areas that you are lacking, state that you arelooking forward to expand your skills/knowledge/experience in this area, and thatthis job gives you the ideal opportunity to do that. Explain how this job fits in withyour career plans.

Show that you have done some research about the organisation/group and say whyyou are keen to work with them. Flatter them a little – but not excessively.

Mention any other things that need explaining such as career gaps or motivations fora career change.

Thank them for taking the time to read the letter and say when you are (and arenot) available for interview.

Things to avoid

Anything that sounds negative or suggests that you might be doubtful aboutyour ability to do the job. Sometimes these can slip in without you evennoticing – be vigilant!

Anything derogatory about current or previous employers/colleagues.

Remember – if you don’t have every single piece of experience and knowledge thatthey are looking for doesn’t mean that you can’t do the job brilliantly.

A statement such as:

“although my lack of experience in cell culture might be a problem…”

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will convince employers that you don’t have the experience for the job, whereas acompletely different message is conveyed by writing:

“I enjoy learning new techniques and am looking forward to adding cell culture to mysuite of skills”

Faithfully or Sincerely?

Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when you have addressed someone by name.

Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when you don’t have the name, and have used a salutationsuch as ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ or ‘to whom it may concern’.

Cover Letters Checklist

Your cover letter has been written specifically for the job that you’re applying for □

The job reference number is at the top of the letter in bold type □

The letter addresses the person by name if known, or uses Dear Sir/Madam if not □

You have stated why you are the ideal candidate for this position □

The letter draws attention to the significant skills that are listed on the personspecification

□

The letter conveys enthusiasm □

The letter does not contain any negative statements such as “although I have noexperience in this area”

□

Any knowledge gaps are rather addressed as “I am looking forward to expandingmy knowledge in this area” rather than the more negative statement above

□

You show that you have read about the organisation and are interested in its work □

You have explained any gaps in your career or other unusual things on your CV □

You close the letter by thanking them for taking the time to read it □

You have stated when you would and would not be available for interview □

Online applications

Why?Many organisations offer the option of an online application. There are severaladvantages and disadvantages:

Advantages Disadvantages

Quick Many organisations haven’t built in a ‘save’ option,so you have to complete it all in one sitting.

Employer can be very specific about theinformation required, and how it shouldbe given

Technical glitches can mean that you lose yourwork.

You can complete your applicationanywhere and submit it instantly

It may be difficult to explain career gaps, or put inother information if you are confined to a rigidstructure.

You receive instant confirmation that theapplication has been received

Proof-reading on screen is difficult, so there’s agreater chance of a mistake slipping through.

Some do not have a final overview and editfunction at the end, so you’ll need to proof-readeach page as you go.

Space is often limited to a certain number ofcharacters, which means you have to be concise.

How to get around the disadvantages

answer the questions first in another application such as MS Word, and printthis out for proof reading.

paste the information into the online form at the last minute to minimise thechance of crashing and loss of work.

if there’s an option to attach a cover letter or other supporting information,do so. Use this opportunity to explain career gaps and why you are theperfect candidate for the job.

Proof-read each online page before clicking ‘next’. You may not have theopportunity to return and make amendments.

use the word count facility in MS Word (or whatever programme you’reusing) to check that you haven’t exceeded the maximum number ofcharacters for each box.

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Make sure that you save the job description and person specificationcarefully. If you have downloaded these from a webpage,remember that the information will disappear once the closing datefor applications passes. You will need this information when youprepare for your interview.

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Online applications – an article from the Guardian Newspaper(available at:http://jobsadvice.guardian.co.uk/applications/story/0,,1182072,00.html.accessed 29/05/2008)

David Williamsguardian.co.uk

According to some surveys, nearly two-thirds of companies now accept online applicationsalongside paper forms.

Email is fast and informal, qualities not normally associated with the filling out of applicationforms. But recruiters report that job-hunters can easily slip into the sort of bad email habitsthat do not impress. These include rambling (because space is often not limited in the way itis on a conventional form), and frequent occurrences of poor spelling and grammar. Manyonline application forms do not have grammar or spell checkers. If this seems a calculated actof unhelpfulness by the employer then remember, that is precisely what it is.

Employers want to know one of two things. Can you spell, and if you can't, are youprofessional enough to find ways of checking it? Printing off a copy before sending it isessential not only for proofreading purposes, but also because it allows applicants to lookback at what they have said if they are called for interview.

The unforeseen benefit of web-based recruitment lies in the fact that candidates have accessto far more information about their potential employers. Brochures may be highly branded,but there is little information to be gleaned from the way they are presented. Websites,because they are interactive, can tell you far more about how a company views itself and itspotential employees.

Good websites are not created by accident. A striking feature of the more successful websitesis the extent to which managers from corporate communications or marketing, IT andrecruitment have worked together as a real team. A poor website therefore reveals far moreabout the organisational fault lines in a company than the well-produced brochure ever could.

By going fully online, companies can now put competency questionnaires, ability tests,personality profiles and cultural fit indicators at the front end of the process rather thanplacing them, where for reasons of cost they have always been, in the middle. This generatesfewer, but better quality applications through a mixture of self-selection and gentle rejection:you can immediately see what sort of company you're joining, and if you don't fit the jobspecification you'll find out straight away. In addition, the best sites provide quality feedbackto help you find a job that suits you better.

Whether you want to join a company or they want you to join them is no longer a decisionthat takes months of careful mutual consideration. In the next year or two, for manygraduates, it could be something that happens within the hour in front of your PC.

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Interviews

What’s an interview for?If you’ve got an interview, it means that your CV and cover letter have convinced therecruiters that you’ve got the skills and experience to do the job. So why do youhave to go through the torture of an interview?

Besides checking out that you weren’t lying on your application, the interviewprocess underlines the importance of finding out who you are as a person andwhether you will fit in with the organisation.

Many times interview candidates that seem perfect on paper, are not employedbecause their personality/attitude/way of working would make them completelyinappropriate for the organisation and the people that would have to work withthem!

It’s an old cliché, but still true - you really should just be yourself in an interview. Ifnot, and you get offered the job, you could be faced with maintaining the façade forseveral years!

How to prepareIf you’re going to give a decent performance at interview, you’re going to have to dosome serious preparation. Here are the broad areas that you’ll need to work on:

print out and be familiar with the CV/Cover Letter/application you sent in background reading about the organisation research into the job and what it actually involves predicting interview questions and preparing your answers preparing the questions that you want to ask of the interviewers putting together materials such as a folder of experience, list of points you

want to make, and any other supporting documents practical preparations such as what to wear, how to travel, what to take with

you (see the checklist at the end of this handout).

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Predicting interview questionsPredicting the questions that you will be asked at interview is actually relatively easy.With practice, you can predict around 80% of the questions you will be asked. Ifyou take the time to prepare this way, you will feel much more confident, and arelikely to give articulate and impressive answers that will satisfy the interview panel.

Firstly, you can always expect some general questions along the lines of:

What drew you to apply for this job? Why are you the best candidate for this position? What are you three main attributes that make you ideal for this position? What’s your greatest strength and greatest weakness? What’s the biggest challenge you have faced in your career so far? How did

you deal with it? How does this job fit in with your career plans?

As with all of your job applications and preparations, this starts with the personspecification and job description. If you’re lucky, these will be laid out for you, withthe person specification given in a table of essential and desirable criteria. If not,you will have to pick these out from the job advertisement and create your own. Ifyou are unclear about anything, phone up the organisation and check. There’susually a contact telephone number for someone with whom you can have aninformal chat. Make a list of questions that you want answers to, and arrange a timeto have a good conversation with this person. You should do this anyway, but it’sespecially important if you don’t have a rigid job description and person specificationto go on.

To predict your interview questions, follow these steps:

1. Take the person specification and look at the essential and desirable criteria2. Think of one or two questions per point that you would ask to find out if the

person really did have those skills – make the questions as hard and horribleas possible

3. Look at the job description, and highlight the skills, knowledge and duties4. Think of one or two questions per point that you would ask to find out how

well the person will be able to do the job. Again, make the questions veryspecific, and as hard as you can.

Here are some examples:

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Example 1. Clear job description and person specification

Lecturers/Associate Professors in Neuroscience, Molecular Genomics &Reproductive Immunology

To undertake research of international excellence in an area of neuroscience,molecular genomics or reproductive immunology, and maintain and stimulate aresearch group in this area.

Lecture and supervise practical classes in mammalian systems physiology,probably including aspects of cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive andneurophysiology at various undergraduate levels.

Assessment of coursework, practical reports and examination scripts and act asan invigilator in examinations as required.

Undertake research student supervision at undergraduate and postgraduatelevel.

Any other duties appropriate to this role as required by the Head of Division.

Essential Desirable

Qualifications/Education

PhD in a related subject. Membership of an appropriateprofessional body.

Skills/Training Good communication skills.Good time management skillsGood IT skills.Knowledge required to teach inappropriate areas of undergraduatecourses.Ability to initiate and lead research.

Postgraduate certificate in HigherEducation.Effective management of researchprojects.Strong track record of successfulresearch – this is an essentialcriterion for the higher level post.

Experience Proven ability to produce and publishresearch of an international quality.Ability to use and develop appropriateteaching materials.

Higher education teachingexperience.

PersonalAttributes

A good communicator.Well organised.Ability to work in a team.

Possible questions

Describe your teaching and demonstrating experience. What have you learntthat has made you an excellent teacher?

we are looking for someone with excellent communication skills. Convince usthat you are the person we are looking for.

Tell us about a time when you initiated and led research We are looking for someone whose research is of international quality. Tell

us how your research outputs meet this criterion. Tell us about some innovative teaching materials that you have developed. How organised are you? Give us an example of a time where you had to

develop a well-organised system. What was the situation and what did youdo?

What role do you play in a team? What strategies to do use to manage ateam of varying personalities?

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We are looking for someone with excellent project management skills. Tellus about a project you have managed. What strategies did you use? Whatchallenges did you encounter, and how did you deal with them?

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Example 2. Job description and person specification hidden in the job advertisement

Journal Editor, Nature Clinical Practice

The Nature Publishing Group is pleased to announce the launch of Nature Chemistry in 2009.Following the success of Nature Materials, Nature Chemical Biology and Nature Physics, andgiven the strength of the parent journal Nature, we fully expect Nature Chemistry to seize thecommanding heights of the chemistry-publishing landscape. As part of NPG’s expandingpublishing programme in chemistry we are now seeking an additional Associate Editor, to bebased in our Tokyo office, to work on Nature Chemistry and a number of publishing projectsbased in the Asia-Pacific region. Under exceptional circumstances, location in NPG's HongKong office may also be considered for a candidate with a proven track record of editorialexperience working for a chemistry journal. Applicants should have a PhD in chemistry,or an applied chemistry discipline, with demonstrable research achievements. Althoughpostdoctoral experience is preferred (not required), emphasis will be placed on broadlytrained applicants with a good knowledge of the chemistry community. Key elements of theposition include the selection of manuscripts for publication, and commissioning, editingand writing other content for the journal and other publishing projects. The ideal candidatewill be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the East Asian research communities(in particular Japan, China and Korea) as well as being fluent in English and preferably(desired, but not required) an Asian language (Japanese, Chinese or Korean). This is ademanding and extremely stimulating role, which calls for a keen interest in the practiceand communication of science. The successful candidate will, therefore, be dynamic,motivated and outgoing, and must possess excellent interpersonal skills. The salary andbenefits, will be competitive, reflecting the critical importance and responsibilities of thisposition. Applicants should send a CV (including their class of degree and a brief account oftheir research and other relevant experience), a News & View style piece (no more than 500words) on a recent paper from the chemical literature, and a brief cover letter explaining theirinterest in the post and salary expectations.

Person specification inferred from the job advertisement:

Essential Desirable

PhD in chemistry, or an appliedchemistry discipline

editorial experience working for a chemistryjournal

demonstrable research achievements postdoctoral experience

broadly trained applicants with agood knowledge of the chemistrycommunity

Fluent in an Asian language

good understanding of the East Asianresearch communities

fluent in EnglishAble to work under pressure

Dynamic, outgoing person

Self-motivated

excellent interpersonal skills

Job description inferred from advertisement

selection of manuscripts for publication

commissioning, editing and writing other content for the journal and other publishingprojects

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Possible questions1. Convince us that the experience you have so far will make you a brilliant

editor for this journal2. We only employ people with excellent research achievements. Convince us

that you are one of these people.3. We’re looking for someone with a good knowledge of the Chemistry

community. How would you describe the extent of your knowledge in thisarea?

4. Where has your knowledge of East Asian research communities come from?5. Give us an example of a time when you had to work under extreme pressure.

What was the situation and what did you do?6. We are looking for someone who is dynamic and outgoing. Give us an

example of a time when you demonstrated these qualities in the workplaceand generated a successful outcome.

7. Tell us about a time when you had to draw upon your self-motivation to get aproject completed. What did you learn from this experience?

8. We have a close-knit team here and are looking for someone who hasexcellent interpersonal skills. Tell us how you measure up.

9. Tell us how your experience so far means that you will be able to selectquality manuscripts for publication (this question from the job description)

10. We are looking for someone who can write in a number of different styles.Tell us about the variety of writing that you have done. (this question fromthe job description)

The Weakness Trap

often, an interviewer will ask you to describe a weakness you have. This is the pointwhere many candidates go to great lengths detailing their failings and shortcomings- and talk themselves out of a job.

To stay clear of The Weakness Trap, you have two options:

a) describe a weakness that in some cases might be a disadvantage, butwill be an absolute advantage in this particular job.

For example, if you know that the job is going to be very busy and involve multipleprojects and lots of deadlines, you might identify that you can sometimes get boredif you aren't given enough challenges. Whilst getting bored could be considered aweakness, in this particular job it suggests that you will thrive under pressure andenjoy the challenges of being involved with more than one project at a time.

Take care though with this kind of answer. To make a success of it, you need toknow a lot about the job and be sure that your weakness defintely won't be seen assuch by your interviewers.

Another commonly used one is "I'm a perfectionist". This one has been used somany times that it's something of a cliche, and employers may not believe you

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(especially if they found even the tiniest typo in your cover letter!). Also, whilst beinga perfectionist is good if you're a proof reader, in other jobs excessive perfectionismcan hamper progress and damage relationships with colleagues. Think carefullybefore you use this cliche.

b) talk about a weakness that you used to have, and how you overcame it.

This is a much better option.

Although you're strictly not answering their question, it's actually what they want tohear. By talking about a weakness that you used to have and what you did toovercome it, you demonstrate a number of desirable qualities:

self awareness desire for personal development taking opportunities to improve reflection on your development

Everyone has weaknesses, those that are mature enough to acknowledge them andwork on them make much more desirable employees than those that stubbornlydeny they have any development to do.

Interview presentationsInterview presentations allow employers to

assess your presentation and communication skills find out about your work/skills/plans for the job (or whatever they have

asked you to talk about) find out how you deal with tricky questions see how you deal with any unexpected problems such as technology failures see how well you have prepared for the interview

Even if you are simply asked to talk about your research, remember that this is aninterview presentation and not a conference one. Your audience are very different.Whilst you will be keen to impress them with your research prowess, remember thatother things such as how good you’ll be at the job, and how well you’ll fit in with theorganisation are important too. Here are some tips on making your presentationappealing to the interview panel:

1. State how your research relates to the job you are applying for. This mightbe easy if you are applying for a position that follows logically on from yourcurrent research. It might be more difficult if you are making a careerchange. Nevertheless, you still need to convince the interviewers that thereis some thought and career progression behind your application (even if thereisn’t!). It might be that you say that whilst you enjoyed your research and ithas given you a number of skills, you are now ready to move on into anotheremployment area.

2. Don’t try and cram several years’ of experimentation into your presentation.You may have to give the main points only. Further information can beprepared as a handout, to which you can direct enthusiastic audience

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members.

3. Throughout your presentation, say how the experiences/techniques gained inyour research will relate to or have prepared you for the position you areapplying for.

4. Answer the question! It sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how few peopleactually do. Academics are so used to simply standing up and talking abouttheir results, that if they are asked for example, to describe how their workcontributes to the position they are applying for, they simply fail to do it.

5. Think about the questions you might be asked at the end of yourpresentation and prepare answers for them.

6. Rehearse your presentation and time it. Over-running in an interviewpresentation says terrible things about your organisation and time-management skills.

Internal interviewsInternal interviews can be a minefield – you may find yourself being interviewed bypeople you already work with, and it seems unnatural to talk to them in the formaland descriptive way that is required for an interview. Nevertheless you must. Hereare some general tips for internal interviews.

Prepare as diligently as for any other job, know your stuff, dress formally andbe on time.

Even if you know that your interviewer knows that answer to the questionthey are asking, answer it completely anyway. They will be comparing youranswers to those given by external candidates, and if you don’t give thecorrect information in your answer you won’t be credited with it.

Wait for the outcome of the interview as you would for any other job. Don’tbound up to the interviewer’s office and ask them when you’ll be starting thejob!

Telephone interviews

If you’re applying for a job overseas then chances are you’ll be offered atelephone interview.

Additionally, some organisations use telephone interviews as a screeningprocess. Candidates successful at the screening stage will be invited to aface-to-face interview later on.

There are some differences between a telephone and a face-to-faceinterview, and you’ll need to prepare well. The following tips should help you.

Preparation Prepare as you would for a face-to-face interview (see accompanying

interview preparation checklist).

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Make sure that you have the CV and cover letter/application form thatyou sent in front of you.

Prepare a list of things that you want to draw the interviewers’attention to and any other memory-joggers.

Practice any key words and phrases that you want to get across. Have a notepad and pens to hand – check that the pens work. Find out how your voice sounds by recording yourself and listening to

the recording. Is there anything that you need to do alter? Somepeople have a habit of mumbling/speaking too fast/not pronouncingtheir consonants. You might also notice some habits you have e.g. anervous cough that need to be tempered.

Practicalities Avoid using mobile phones for telephone interviews. They often have

strange echoes, delays and often drop calls or break up – a disasterduring a telephone interview.

Make sure your mobile phone is switched off or in a different room, sothat it doesn’t start ringing in the background. Make sure

Consider getting a phone with a headset rather than holding the phoneagainst your shoulder whilst you write or look through documents.

Make sure that the phone number you have given is correct and thatthe line, ringer etc are all working.

If there’s a time-zone issue, make sure you triple-check the time of thecall.

Remove any embarrassing answering machine messages, and brief anyhousemates that may otherwise get to the phone before you do

Ensure that the place where the phone is located is quiet and youwon’t be disturbed – put a note on the door telling any housemates orfamily members to stay away.

Make sure that the phone works well and isn’t quiet or hissy (cordlessphones never seem to give as good a sound quality as phones with acable, so avoid them if you can).

If you have a call waiting feature on your phone, turn it off.

During the interview At the beginning of the interview, you will be introduced to the panel. Make sure you have heard their names correctly by repeating them

back, and make a note of these on a pad in front of you. Smile – this can actually be heard in your voice and it conveys a

positive attitude. Don’t smoke, eat, drink or chew gum during your interview! Listen very carefully to the questions you are asked – don’t be afraid to

ask for clarification if you don’t hear or didn’t quite understand whatthey are asking.

Speak in a clear voice and answer the interviewers questions precisely Make sure your voice sounds controlled and professional, but also

confident and enthusiastic about the work. Avoid rustling of papers. The sound of tapping on a computer keyboard (even if it’s someone

else in your office) will make the panel very suspicious. If you are asked to repeat something, try to do so using the same

words that you used the first time, rather than rephrasing.

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At the end of the interview, say again why you’ll be great at the joband that you are very interested in working with the organisation.

Take extra careBody language, which is a very important part of your communication,will obviously be missing. Your interviewers will be paying particularattention to the sound of your voice. You will need to convey yourenthusiasm and confidence in your voice.

Don’t be put off by silences – the interviewers will be making notes ofwhat you’re saying. When you can see them doing in a face-to-faceinterview, it’s less of a problem to wait for them to finish. In atelephone interview, you’ll just have to wait. Don’t be tempted to fill asilence with things you didn’t intend to say!

Things to take into the interview with you

1. Questions to ask your interviewersAt the end of the interview, you will be asked if you have any questions for yourinterviewers. This is your chance to find out what the job would be like and whatwill be expected of you. Don’t waste your time by asking questions aboutholidays and salaries that the HR person would be able to answer on your wayout. Ask some really serious questions to probe whether the people and theorganisation are the kind that you would want to be around. Here are someexample questions that should give the general idea:

- how does this job fit in with the department or division?- what do you think my greatest challenge will be in this job?- what are my top three priorities in this job?- what will be expected of me in the first three months in post?- how would you describe the culture here?- what is important to senior management here?- what is your preferred method of communication (e.g. chat over

coffee, formal meetings every 3 weeks)- who are some of the successful people in the organisation and why?- (to your potential manager) how would you describe your work style?- what would you expect of me in the first three months?- how do you like communicate with and receive information from

people that report to you? How often?- what are your top three values- who would you describe the ideal relationship you could have with

someone who reports to you?

2. Folder of experienceUseful if you suffer from your mind going blank when you’re nervous.

Take the person specification and job description and create a page for each ofthe skills areas, e.g. communicating with difficult people, managing timeeffectively, negotiating, prioritising. Then think of a situation where youdemonstrated that skill. Write down what the situation was, what you did, andwhat the outcome was. Then when you are asked about it in the interview, youcan open your folder if your mind goes blank.

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It’s polite to ask at the beginning of an interview if you can use the folder, butmost interviewers will agree and will be impressed at your level of organisationand preparation.

3. Top ten ‘must remember’sAnother memory aid. List the top ten experiences/skills that you must tell theinterviewers about. Cross them off as you mention them and make sure you getthrough them all.

Interview checklist

Panel Interview

I have predicted as many interview questions as I can by looking at the personspecification

I have predicted as many interview questions as I can by looking at the actualjob description

I can answer all of the above questions well, using examples from my previousexperiences

I have studied/made notes on areas that I am a bit weaker on

I have prepared my folder of experience* - I know what’s in it, and it’s easy tofind the page I want

I have a list of questions that I am going to ask at the end of the interview

I have printed my CV/cover letter/application form, and it’s exactly the sameversion as the one I sent in when I applied

I have read the website and other information about the employer

I have a reminder list of things that I must mention about myself and myexperience

I know who is on the interview panel and have thought about what their issuesand interests might be

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Presentation

I have thought about the question and what the interviewers are looking for

I have checked that I have read the question properly and understood it

I have prepared a presentation that answers the question completely

My presentation follows the format introduction, body, summary

I have double-checked my presentation for typos

My presentation is visually clear and I’ve resisted the temptation to put in toomany animations!

Someone else has checked my presentation for typos

I have timed the presentation and it is the right length

I have practised my presentation three times by myself

I have practised my presentation at least once in front of another person

My presentation is backed up on more than one medium (e.g. memory stick,CD, emailed in advance)

Practicalities

I know exactly where the interview is to be held and at what time

My travel arrangements will give me plenty of spare time

I have the telephone number of the interviewer or their assistant should aproblem arise

I have decided what clothes to wear, and they are clean and ready

I have my wallet and enough money to pay for train tickets, taxis etc

I have made a checklist of all the things I need to take with me (e.g. map, folderof experience, list of questions, list of things I must mention, USB stick and CDcontaining presentation, enough handouts for the audience)

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For more information

Contact Hilary M Jones, Skills Development Coordinator.

K1 admin areaTel: (01904 32) 8740hmj500@york.ac.uk

Hilary offers a number of services relating to your career and skills development.

assistance with the job application process Mock interviews and interview preparation Outreach activities One-to-one careers appointments Contact finding service Organisation of Coffee & Careers Organisation and delivery of a range of skills training courses