Being invited to attend an assessment day raises a lot of emotions, excitement, nervousness and a fear of the unknown. This post aims to take the sting out of your big day by offering some effective tips. More likely than not, your assessment day will see your performance monitored in three main tasks; a standard interview, a group exercise and a relevant test.

Here is how to cope with them:

The test:

In regards to the test there is little to be offered in the way of advice. The blurb the company send to you regarding the assessment day should tell you what sort of test you are likely to be taking (i.e. numerical, psychometric, written). Brush up on your skills prior to the big day, for example, if you are taking a psychometric test, swot up by taking mock psychometric tests online.

The group task:

Although the group tasks can take many differing forms, they are mainly testing for the same skills; negotiation, problem solving, time management, and most importantly, team work. The assessors will not be too concerned with whether you succeed in the task but more with how you coped throughout it.

Here are some tips that can help you stand out:

1)      Understand the brief – ensure that you and everyone else is sure about what they have to do to begin with, re-read the brief outline if needs be.

2)      Keep an eye on the clock –when making your plan suggest how long each section should take, throughout the task also ensure that you keep the group aware of the time or nominate a timekeeper, this will impress the assessors.

3)      Make sensible, constructive comments – ensure that you contribute and contribute, assessors can only score what they see and hear.

4)      Talk to the group, not the assessors – a sure fire way to be marked down.

5)      Be nice – show regard for the quieter members of the group, ask for their thoughts on the tasks. Demonstrate tact when disagreeing with a group member i.e. ‘that is a good point but perhaps we should think about…’ A domineering attitude will not be looked upon favourably, be relaxed, approachable and use humour if the opportunity arises.

The interview:

For the interview itself, the normal rules of preparing for an interview apply:

1)      Do not be caught out – re-read your CV and covering letter so you cannot be put on the spot by a probing question.

2)      Arm yourself with knowledge – research the company, find out who its competitors are, re-read the job description, read industry magazines or blogs to gain relevant topical information. In short, be as well informed as possible

3)      Sell yourself well – as well as re-reading the job criteria, prepare examples for when you have demonstrated the necessary criteria.  A good way of presenting these examples is the STAR technique which is:

Situation – I was working at a busy holiday resort.

Task – I was asked to encourage more customers into the restaurant.

Action – I started advertising the restaurant to holidaymakers on the beach.

Result – Increased productivity and sales for the restaurant.

Informal activities:

Remember that it is not only during these three tasks you are being assessed but right throughout the day. I am assuming that you are already planning to dress to impress but something you may not have considered if how to act during the informal activities. Whether it is at lunch or during a tour of the building, you will still be being judged. Therefore make sure that you give a good impression of yourself. Be friendly and approachable whilst remaining professional. Use the informal breaks to mingle with any management present (not the point of being creepy mind). Make the most of this opportunity and ask intelligent questions about the company or the industry.

After the assessment day:

Finally, no matter how hard you try, you are statistically more likely to not get the job or internship than you are to get it. If this is the case do not see the experience as a waste of time. When I attended my assessment day we were told out of the 879 people that applied, we were the final ten. Getting to the assessment day is an achievement and proof that your CV is taken seriously. By taking part in the assessment day you not only gain experience in the environment which will make you better prepared next time. You should also use the day to network. I was told that although I was unsuccessful I had impressed the assessors and to keep in touch. I did so and two weeks later I was offered the opportunity to interview for another role. Unfortunately, the role was not in the field I am looking for so I turned it down; still, the value of making an impression and networking at assessment days is evident.  Finally, if you are offered feedback make sure you take it. It is only through learning where you went wrong that you can improve your performance for next time.

I hope this post will help you prepare for your assessment day, good luck!

Check out Michael’s blog for further advice about the graduate job market and follow him on Twitter @mbpalmer

When asked what animal you would be, the candidate responded:

“A squirrel.”

When asked why do you want to work for us, the candidate responded:
“I don’t think I want to work for you any more.”

When asked what your main weakness is, the candidate responded:

“I am allergic to peanuts.”

When asked to describe yourself in three words, the candidate responded:

“Tall, dark and handsome.”

When asked what further questions you had, the candidate responded:

“Can you book me a taxi?”

When asked what your hobbies and interests are, the candidate responded:

“Pubs, Marlboro Lights and red wine.”

Clearly it would have been difficult for the interviewer not to start laughing but the answers given above are demonstrative of what exactly not to do in an interview when asked a general question.  There is no such thing as a perfect interview, as it is a two way process, but it doesn’t help to try and develop answers.  An interview is trying to probe gaps in your CV and find out as much about you as they can.  Answer honestly but be positive and be sure to develop your answers beyond the mundane.  Turn weaknesses into positives by stating that you have overcome them.  Yes, you might be allergic to peanuts, but it is unlikely the interviewer cares, or that your internship would involve eating them…

Be prepared to ask relevant questions. If you feel all your questions have been answered by the interviewer, or by the research you did on the company beforehand, then take the opportunity to show your enthusiasm and interest. There may be aspects of the internship that you would like to discuss or you may wish to ask general questions about the working culture.  If the interview asks a personal question, feel free to explain that you would rather not answer that particular question.  Likewise, it is probably not wise to ask if your interviewer is single, for example…

And if you were wondering, I’d be a shark.

I’m a recent graduate who, like many, are finding it extremely hard to get into the world of work. I found Inspiring Interns from the recommendation of a friend and thought I may as well get in contact and see if anything comes of it. Although I’m already in the middle of an internship, it’s a bit of a dead end placement as there’s no prospect of a job at the end. What appealed to me about II is that the majority of interns gain full time employment.

So anyway, I spoke with Christina from HR who told me what the procedure is and asked me to come in for an interview. I’ve done quite a few interviews before but have never had such a surreal one as this. It started off terribly. Literally a worst case scenario occurred. I found the office fine but the lift gods decided to smite me and break the lift. Great, I was stuck on the 4^th floor and couldn’t get out. Luckily, the friend that recommended Inspiring Interns to me, Alex, actually works for them and so I gave him a quick call to say ‘please rescue me’. As Alex is a kind soul, he decided to tell the whole office who found it hilarious. In fact some of them came down to see if I was OK by speaking through the lift doors – pretty embarrassing really.

After nearly 25 minutes stuck in the lift, a technician rescued me and I collapsed into the office dripping with sweat and nearly dying of dehydration – worst first impression ever. Considering I looked like I’d just arrived from the Sahara, the team were very hospitable and fetched me a glass of water and apologised profusely. Once I’d recovered from my ordeal, I had my interview with Christina which involved a few general questions about what I wanted to do, what experience I had etc. The more daunting part was having to do a video profile which they send out to businesses to accompany your CV. I’d been warned about this before so I had prepared a minute or so spiel on how great I was, but I’m not the best speaker in the world so was quite conscious of mucking it up. But it was all very relaxed and luckily I could have as many takes as I wanted, and once I’d finished I could watch it over to check it was OK. On take 3, I had an acceptable video profile (by my low standards) and Christina assured me it was good. So once the interview was over I decided to hang out with Alex for a bit who gave me a guided tour of the office. They have this amazing rooftop balcony with a crazily good view, a kitchen full of food, and a football they like to kick round the office – one of the nicest offices I’ve seen.

So to sum up, I got stuck in a lift, made a video and then played football in the office. Quite a fun interview really.

The Glassdoor list also includes:

• If you could be any superhero, who would it be? Asked at At&T.
• How are M&M’s made? Asked by US Bank
• How many basketballs can you fit in this room? Asked by Google
• Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 how weird are you? Asked by Capital One
• What would you do if you inherited a pizzeria from your uncle? Asked by Volkswagen

So why are these unconventional questions cropping up in interviews?

Surely employers would rather hear about a candidate relevant past experience than hear a lengthy explanation as to why the potential employee would rather be Wolverine than Spiderman.

However, the answer the candidate gives to such questions will arguably give the interviewer an insight into their way of thinking.  It could tell them whether they will be a good fit for the company.  These unusual questions are designed to challenge potential employees to think creatively and logically; many of these questions are asked in situations where the applicant is applying for a position that requires analytical thinking.

Also, the eccentric questions are specifically tailored to particular companies’ needs. For example, Amazon.com asked a potential candidate, If you had 5,623 participants in a tournament, how many games would need to be played to determine the winner? This type of question reflects the online retailer’s need for people who are aware of ranking and ordering systems.

So if you do have an interview coming up, be aware these oddball questions could be virtually anything.  When you are heading to interview make sure you are open-minded and prepared for anything! The key in responding is not to let it fluster you. There is rarely a wrong answer to these offbeat questions so just be yourself and give an honest response. If you can turn your answer into something job-related, that’s a bonus!

Have you ever been asked any strange interview questions? Share them with us and also how you answered them!

Graduate Talent Pool - help or hindrance?

On Sunday evening Donal MacIntyre presented an investigation into unpaid internships in the UK on his Radio 5 Live show. The report highlighted the fact that some companies are using the government website Graduate Talent Pool to advertise unpaid internships that potentially break National Minimum Wage laws.

Inspiring Interns shares the concerns raised on the programme and, further, welcomes any move to draw attention to the exploitation of graduates by businesses using unemployed young people as free labour. As a company we go to great lengths to ensure that our placements offer the kind of professional experience that graduates require in today’s oversaturated job market; moreover we only work with clients interested in developing young talent, not taking advantage of it.

The other main issue that the programme raised was how expenses-only internships are deepening the class divide, with only the wealthy able to undertake longer periods of work experience on low remuneration.

Inspiring Interns agree entirely that internships should be open for all, and back the government’s current schemes to support those who might not otherwise be able to afford internships. We were also delighted to hear David Lammy MP announce on Donal MacIntyre’s show that a new initiative will launch in the summer to offer means-tested support for graduates who undertake placements. Inspiring Interns believe that by offering government financial incentives, graduates will be inspired to test the water by gaining valuable experience in their chosen fields. They also have the opportunity to work in areas which they may not have previously considered. By participating in short term internships in a variety of industries or sectors graduates can make a more informed choice when planning their career path.

Inspiring Interns would also like to express support for businesses offering genuine internships, and urge the government to avoid over-the-top intervention that could damage a very beneficial system. There must be official recognition that in the current economic climate some companies simply cannot afford to pay interns and do not have long term openings. However, by offering a placement they do provide essential experience for graduates and potentially create permanent jobs; either when the market picks up or, more exceptionally, where the intern performs so well that the company perceives there to be a business case with low risk to take the intern on full time.

Banning unpaid internships would do more damage than good, both to young people and to the economy. Therefore the government needs to clarify legislation on internships, and follow the recommendations outlined in Alan Milburn’s report on social mobility. For as Mr. Milburn argues, “Internships are an essential part of the career ladder [and] part and parcel of a modern, flexible economy.”  At Inspiring Interns we aim to provide a valuable service both to graduates entering the job market for the first time and to industry. We provide choice, experience and hopefully long term career paths for our interns, whilst at the same time offering a commercial, low cost low risk business solution for.

Inspiring Interns were left rather bemused by the entirely negative picture the Mail painted. Sadly there are companies willing to take advantage of unemployed graduates – with the media sector particularly guilty – but by and large the rise in internships has been a very positive development for both businesses and job seekers.

At Inspiring Interns we rigorously check our clients before we send them candidates to ensure the placement will benefit the graduate and that the company is not using interns as a rolling staff solution.

This means that, having been trading for just over a year, we now have a plethora of grateful graduates who are now in paid employment as a result of having done an Inspiring Interns internship.

Ben Tatton-Brown, CEO of Ring Ring Mobile, has hired eight interns from Inspiring, all of whom have secured permanent positions as a direct result of doing a placement. Tatton-Brown commented: “Inspiring Interns’ service has been invaluable to our company. We have found eight superb staff members that have developed and grown within their roles, and who would not have become part of this company had they not initially completed internships.”

Inspiring Interns are always thrilled to hear when our work has helped candidates gain invaluable experience, particularly when they have gone on to secure full-time positions. We believe it is this mix of developing skills and creating careers that make our company such an attractive proposition to graduates.

Inspiring Interns – specialising in finding meaningful internships for students and graduates –http://www.inspiringinterns.com

Earn money while you intern

Back in December we reported that the Government was planning to provide £8 million of funding to those from disadvantaged backgrounds who would have otherwise been unable to undertake unpaid internships.

We are pleased to say that this scheme now encompasses any graduate from a participating university who is looking for an internship. If your old uni is taking part you could be entitled to around £6 an hour while you complete a placement.

Working in tandem with the government’s priority areas for future industries, the scheme is particularly keen to provide grants to graduates working in one of the following seven sectors:

• low-carbon products and services
• digital industry
• life sciences and pharmaceuticals
• advanced manufacturing
• professional and financial services
• engineering construction
• industrial opportunities presented by the ageing society.

Alongside the obvious financial benefits this scheme offers, graduates will also get structured support before, during and after their placement – including mentoring, pre-employment and interview training, and CV workshops.

This is a wonderful opportunity for graduates to gain fantastic experience for their CV without having to make major fiscal sacrifices. And of course Inspiring Interns can help you on the way to finding that dream placement – so why not get in touch?

Inspiring Interns – specialising in finding meaningful internships for students and graduates –http://www.inspiringinterns.com

7 powerful ways to impress your interviewer:

1. Adjust your attitude

Don’t wait until a person takes you to the interview room to warm up, think about the situation and make a proper choice before you get into the room. Your attitude can attract people such as happy, friendly and curious attitudes.

2. Stand tall

Stand up-straight, point your shoulder back, holding your head high to show your confidence that you are sure about yourself.

Source: BNET

3. Smile

An invitation, a sign of welcome, shows you are friendly and approachable. The research shows that if you smile to someone, it activates the reward sending from someone else’s brain.

4. Make eye contact

Transmit energy and indicate your interesting opennesses. A technique for you to remember is, look at the interviewer’s eye long enough until you notice which colour they are.

5. Raise your eyebrow

Open your eyes slightly than normal simulate the eyebrow flash is an universal signal of recognition acknowledgement.

Source: BNET

6. Lean in slightly

Lean in forward shows to engage to an interest. We naturally lean forward shows that we likely agree with. But don’t forget, be respectful for the other person’s space.

Source: BNET

7. Shake hands

It is the quickest and most efficient approach. Make sure you hold the person’s hand few seconds more than you naturally would do.

Source: BNET

Easy 7 steps but dramatically stronger your opportunity, next time when you are going for an interview. I’m sure you can do well! Get inspired!

–14th Oct.

Susan

Inspiring Interns- A company specialises in London Internships and Work Experience Replacements

- The key to social networking, as with real-life networking (although the two are becoming less and less clearly distinguishable…) is to operate at your level. There is no point trying to get in touch with the CEO of a company you want to work for. Find someone entry-level and see what THEY can suggest. Hey, if they take a liking to you (for whatever reason!) they may find it in their hearts to exercise a little nepotism of their own…

- Don’t be afraid to ask in the first place!

- Make sure you follow up any leads with a genuine e-mail/phone call and a CV so they know you mean business.

- Get a LinkedIn Account. This is going to be very, very useful in the future when it hits a few more users. It will.

Inspiring Interns- A company specialises in London Internships and Work Experience Replacements

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