What approach should be taken to the interview?
In order to make the most of the interview, you should prepare by reflecting on previous experience, from your past or current employment, academic experience, your personal life or any another source. Think about examples of instances / scenarios where you feel you have performed well or that have provided you with important learning opportunities. Make sure that your examples have a strong relevance to the workplace and the role you are applying for.
When talking about these experiences it may prove helpful if you adopt the STAR format. It is simple, effective way of organising your thoughts:
S - Situation or
T - Task
A - Action you took
R - Result
This style should help you to put your experiences into a meaningful context, helping you decide what qualities your examples can show and to express them effectively. Also, focus on your own role and try to resist the temptation to talk in terms of ‘we' and ‘us'.
These interviews are designed to show the interviewers how you can fulfil the job in question. We want to find out as much as possible about your qualities. You can bring notes with you to your interview and if you need to spend some time thinking about the most suitable example to use before answering the question, you will be given time to do so.