The Importance of The Mock Interview
There are 4 Main Elements in my Interview Technique Service :-
1. Help & Support with completing the Application Form.
2. The Profile – I compile a profile of each candidate I work with from information they provide me with which usually comes in the form of an Application Form and/or a CV. From this, I draw up a list of Strengths I see each candidate has relative to the position being applied for and I pose questions for them to respond to in relation to the Skills & Qualities required for the post.
3. Session 1 – I go through all of the important points in relation to preparing for and performing at the Interview in question. We discuss the list of Strengths I drew up and I listen to the responses of the candidate to the questions I posed. I also deal with any Questions/Queries the candidate has about the whole process. I provide handouts on the main areas.
4. Session 2 – a full-scale Mock Interview followed by a very comprehensive report on how the candidate performed, question by question, with an overall assessment and a marking scheme.
The Mock Interview
Preparation
There is a huge amount of preparation involved in getting ready for an Interview. The more work we put into preparing for the Interview, the better chance we have of performing to the highest possible level on the day. My objective for each candidate is not that they are appointed to the to the position in question. It is more about – When a candidate walks out at the end of the Interview, I want him/her to be able to say ‘I couldn’t have done anymore by way of preparation and performance’. I have found from experience that, if a candidate can say this, he or she stands a very strong chance of being appointed.
Your Application Form
The filling out of the Application Form is a very important part of preparing for the Interview. It gets the candidate thinking about the Skills & Qualities required for the position being applied for and whether or not you have them. Most interviews are competency based now particularly for positions like Assistant Principal, Deputy Principal and Principal. You have to make sure that you can back up everything you put on the Application Form and that you have good examples of where you showed you have the key skills & qualities in question.
Practice Makes Perfect
The Mock Interview is a really good practice run for the real thing. I try to make it as close to what the actual one will be like. We come in and out of the Interview to comment on the response by the candidate following each question. I then do a very comprehensive report on the performance of the candidate, question by question, with a paragraph on my overall assessment and a marking scheme. The report, which can run into about four A4 typed pages, is emailed to the candidate usually with 24 hours of the Interview. In my view, the Mock Interview is an essential part of the preparation for the real one and is aimed at boosting the confidence of the candidate in advance of the main event. It gives each candidate an opportunity their techniques in a real live situation.
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