LESSON PLAN – Interview Techniques

Theme – Using Presentation Skills

CAREER SKILLS – Career Management

KEY SKILLS – Communication, Working With Others, Improving Own Learning &Performance

WORK RELATED LEARNING – Learning For Work, Learning About Work

COMPETENCIES – *ai, *aii, *aiii, *bi, *cii, *di, **ei, **eiii, **eiv, **ev, **evi, ***fiii, ***fiv, ***jii,
***kiv, ***kvi, ****li, ****mi, ****pi

SUGGESTED SUBJECT AREA – English, Personal Development

Learning Outcomes

By completing this task students will be able to:

 Clarify good practice in interview situations.

 Practice the roles in the interview process to gain an insight into what each one brings to the process.
 Give and receive feedback on performance.

Preparation and Materials

 Copies of Info Sheets (1), (4) and (5) and Activity Sheet (1) “Interview Techniques” for each group.
 Info Sheets (2) and (3) and Activity Sheet (2) “Interview Techniques” for each student.
 Blackboard/flipchart.
 This lesson will require at least one hour to complete. It could be divided into two lessons with
preparation to method stage 6 (below) followed by the mock interviews in the next lesson.
 This lesson could follow on from lesson plan “Letters Of Application” or “Completing Applications”.

Method

1. Put the students into groups of 3 to 4.

2. Explain the aims of the lesson using the learning outcomes on Info Sheet (1).
3. Ask the students to work in small groups brainstorming what we mean by careful preparation for
interviews, e.g. arrive at least 10 minutes before appointed time etc.
4. Ask for feedback to the class and write the responses on the blackboard/flipchart. Discuss them and
add to the list.
5. Give out Info Sheet (1) – (5) to the students. They can add additional points to Info Sheets (3) and (4)
from their brainstorm.
6. Brief the students for carrying out mock interviews with one another, taking it in turns to be the
interviewer, the interviewee and the observer. All students should get the chance to perform all the
roles.
7. Before going into the role play the students will need some time to prepare a ‘script’. During the role
play the observer must complete Activity Sheet (1).
8. Students will have to be timed and signaled when to start and stop each mock interview. Time should
be provided for feedback in between each interview. Groups of 3 will take a shorter time than groups
of 4.
9. After the role play, give out and ask students to complete Activity Sheet (2).
10. Ask the students what they have learned from the lesson.
11. Summarise the main learning outcomes.
Learning Outcomes: By completing this task you will be able to:

 Clarify good practice in interview situations.

 Practice the roles in the interview process to gain an insight into what each one brings
to the process.
 Give and receive feedback on performance.

INFO SHEET (1) – Interview Techniques

“This could be the most important 20 minutes of your life”

Interviews
Interviews give
give you
you Most
Most people
people are
are
the
the chance
chance to to tell
tell nervous
nervous about
about
someone
someone about
about selection
selection interviews
interviews
yourself
yourself –– your
your for
for jobs
jobs and
and courses.
courses.
strengths,
strengths, your
your One way to reduce
One way to reduce
achievements
achievements and
and anxiety
anxiety and
and perform
perform
your personal
your personal better at interviews
better at interviews
qualities
qualities is
is to
to get
get some
some
practice.
practice.

This
This lesson
lesson provides
provides anan
This
This should
should help
help you
you
opportunity to do
opportunity to do that. that.
to do better next
to do better next
You
You will
will get
get the
the chance
chance
time
time when
when it
it may
may
to
to be in the role of
be in the role of an
an
really be “the most
really be “the most
interviewer
interviewer and and be
be
important
important 2020 minutes
minutes
able
able toto observe
observe
of your life!!”.
of your life!!”.
someone
someone else else as
as well
well as
as
being the interviewee
being the interviewee
INFO SHEET (2) – Interview Techniques

JOB SPECIFICATION

The company requires an enthusiastic school leaver

wanting to be part of the exciting world of the music
industry.

The person must be bale to work as part of a team, be

a good communicator, be prepared to work flexible
hours, be smart in appearance, have a keen interest in
music and be committed to our training program.

Qualification desirable but not essential.

INTERVIEWER is Head of Personnel with the music company

INFO SHEET (3) – Interview Techniques

Interviewee’s Checklist

PREPARATION
PREPARATION
Decide
Decide what
what to
to wear,
wear, be
be clean
clean and
and tidy.
tidy.
Plan
Plan the journey including how long the
the journey including how long the journey
journey will
will take.
take.
Find out about the company.
Find out about the company.
Prepare
Prepare some
some questions.
questions.
Prepare
Prepare some
some answers
answers
Take
Take your
your Personal
Personal Education
Education Plan
Plan and
and plan
plan how
how you
you might
might use
use it.
it.

THE
THE INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
Arrive
Arrive 1010 minutes
minutes early.
early.
Be
Be friendly and cheerful to
friendly and cheerful to the
the secretary
secretary or
or receptionist
receptionist who
who greets
greets
you.
you.
Look
Look neat
neat and
and clean.
clean.
Be
Be prepared
prepared to to shake
shake hands.
hands.
Don’t
Don’t sit
sit until
until you
you are
are offered
offered aa chair.
chair.
Try
Try to relax and listen to the questions carefully.
to relax and listen to the questions carefully.
Look at the person asking the question.
Look at the person asking the question.
Think
Think before
before you
you answer.
answer.
Speak
Speak clearly
clearly and
and in
in aa strong
strong voice.
voice.
Show
Show interest
interest and
and enthusiasm.
enthusiasm.
Be
Be honest.
honest.
INFO SHEET (4) – Interview Techniques

Interviewee’s Checklist continued

QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS YOU YOU MAY
MAY BEBE ASKED
ASKED
Tell
Tell me
me about
about yourself.
yourself.
Why
Why dodo you
you want
want the
the job?
job?
What
What makes you think you
makes you think you would
would be
be good
good at
at the
the job?
job?
What do you do in your spare
What do you do in your spare time?time?
What
What qualities
qualities do
do you
you think
think you
you have
have to
to offer?
offer?
How
How did
did you
you like
like school?
school?
What
What are
are your
your strengths
strengths and
and weaknesses?
weaknesses?

QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS WHICH WHICH YOU YOU MAY
MAY ASKASK
During
During the
the interview
interview thethe details
details of
of the
the job
job will
will probably
probably be
be explained
explained to
to you,
you,
but
but there
there may
may bebe gaps
gaps and
and you
you may
may wish
wish to
to ask
ask your
your own
own questions.
questions. Wait
Wait until
until
the
the end
end of
of the
the interview
interview toto ask
ask questions
questions and
and don’t
don’t ask
ask too
too many.
many.
What are the normal hours
What are the normal hours of work?of work?
What
What training
training will
will II get?
get?
Are
Are there any opportunities for
there any opportunities for promotion?
promotion?
Who
Who will
will II be
be working
working with?
with?
Who
Who will
will II be
be directly
directly responsible
responsible TO?
TO?

WHAT
WHAT WILL
WILL THETHE EMPLOYER
EMPLOYER NEED NEED TO TO KNOW?
KNOW?
What qualifications you have to offer.
What qualifications you have to offer.
What
What experience
experience you
you have
have including
including work
work experience.
experience.
The
The standard
standard ofof your
your health.
health.
Whether
Whether you
you are
are keen,
keen, interested
interested andand willing
willing to
to work.
work.
Whether
Whether you
you have
have the
the skills,
skills, abilities
abilities and
and personal
personal qualities
qualities for
for the
the job.
job.
Whether
Whether you
you have
have found
found out
out about
about the
the company
company beforehand.
beforehand.
INFO SHEET (5) – Interview Techniques

Interviewer’s Checklist

WHAT
WHAT AREARE THE
THE CRITERIA
CRITERIA THE THE INTERVIEWER
INTERVIEWER WOULD
WOULD USE
USE IN
IN
THE
THE SELECTION
SELECTION PROCESS?
PROCESS?
Qualifications.
Qualifications.
Work
Work experience.
experience.
Health.
Health.
Home
Home circumstances
circumstances (e.g.
(e.g. distance
distance from
from home
home to
to work).
work).
Skills/abilities.
Skills/abilities.
Personality.
Personality.
Interest
Interest and
and willingness
willingness to
to work.
work.
Knowledge of the company.
Knowledge of the company.
Questions
Questions the
the candidate
candidate asks.
asks.

WHAT
WHAT WOULD
WOULD YOU YOU TELL
TELL THE
THE INTERVIEWEE?
INTERVIEWEE?
What
What they
they would
would be
be expected
expected toto do,
do, who
who they
they would
would be
be responsible
responsible to.
to.
Wages, hours, holidays, lunch arrangements.
Wages, hours, holidays, lunch arrangements.
Training
Training offered.
offered.
Future
Future prospects.
prospects.
Pension
Pension funds.
funds.
Trade
Trade unions.
unions.
ACTIVITY SHEET (1) – Interview Techniques

Observers checklist

Interviewee Good points Bad points

How is the interviewee

sitting?

What impression does

this give?

Is the interviewee
prepared?

Is the interviewee looking

at the interviewer?

Are the answers clear?

What impression does the

interviewee give?
Confident, nervous

Does the interviewee

show interest and
enthusiasm?

Are the questions

easy/difficult?

Did the interviewee ask

questions?

Were they relevant?

Other comments:
ACTIVITY SHEET (2) – Interview Techniques

Having taken part as an observer, interviewer and interviewee in today’s session,

list the skills, personal qualities or previous experiences you have which would be
1 of value to a potential employer.

List any concerns you may have about your management of any interview situation.

Having watched or taken part in mock interviews, list the common weaknesses in an
interviewee’s performance
3

How could these be overcome?

List 8 key factors important to an employer in interviewing a potential employee.

5 1. 5.
2. 6.
3. 7.
4. 8.