HOW TO PRESENT AT YOUR BEST IN INTERVIEWS - 7th June 2016

About me• David Gilchrist• Current careers advisor• Former recruiter (interviewed lots)• Certified practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming

(NLP)• 3 to 4 years of coaching BPTC students around managing

the Pupillage interview experience

Goals of this session• Bank robbing (Derren Brown)? No• Rewiring our brains to present ourselves more effectively

in pupillage interviews• Aka “Learning how to get out of our own way”

Image 1

Firstly please put out a

for new ways to view the whole piece around pupillage

interviews

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Self talk• 80% of the dialogue human beings have is with

themselves. 20% is with other human beings.• Does it tend to the + or to the -?• Another term for our – self talk; our inner gremlin*

*“Taming Your Gremlin” Rick Carson

Our natural interview self talk

• “This is going to be really tough”• “This is going to be unpleasant”• “I’ve heard they like to put you under a lot

of pressure”• “They really had it in for me last time”• “There are so many strong candidates.

Can I really compete?”• “I can’t afford to make a mistake”• “This is so big – it’s Pupillage or bust”• “Don’t say this…definitely don’t mention

that…better hide that…”

Beforehand During

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And if we take these into the interview?

What will we LOOK like?

What will we SOUND like?

What will we FEEL

like?

Anything else?

!!THE PUPILLAGE INTERVIEW!!

a pupillage interview

a pupillage interview

a pupillage interview

a pupillage interviewa pupillage interview

a pupillage interview

Even-ing things up• One of you and 3 or 4 of them?

Let’s even things up and make it a less lonely experience.

• (?) on your shoulder and/or• Your very own panel of experts

The inner guide to ski-ing*• Run 1 versus Run 2• The power of visualisation

*W. Timothy Gallwey and Robert Kriegel

Rehearsing your great ‘run’• Positive affirmations • “I am calm and prepared. I am my dispassionate

advocate. With skill and flexibility I adapt to the positions I am asked to adopt. I embrace the challenge, taking the opportunity to express who I am when the opportunities present themselves.”

Acting out success• What does confidence look like?• What does calmness look like?• What does conviction sound like?

Being your own advocate• Something I’ve noticed…

• If you had to represent this client..?• How you would tend to structure your arguments?

A level playing field of anxietyEvery one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Every one else is so

strong

Can you control what others have?• No!

• So stop expending energy on what you can’t control.

Can you control your interview performance?

• Yes! Perhaps with a little help from today?

• So put your energy here instead.

The ‘vanilla’ candidate• If you leave too much out…• Individuality is important• Be brave and be prepared to let that ‘wrong’ Chambers go

It’s feeling personal…• 4 of them, 1 of you• Line of questioning, going for your areas of ‘weakness’,

facial expressions in reaction

But it isn’t…• Assessing your professionalism as a barrister• Every candidate will face this• A dispassionate defence • You may never see ‘satisfaction’ from them• The observations from the political realm

Breathe• Feeling anxious? Your breathing will be quick and shallow• Feeling calmer…slower and deeper• “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky.

Conscious breathing is my anchor." Thích Nhất Hạnh

In closing…• Our personal gremlins• We all have them• They say different things unique to us• One to one appointments with a careers advisor can help

address them• You can be more in control. Once you put your mind to it.

Presenting yourself well in pupillage interviews – top 5 tips

1. Appear like you do want to be there2. Answer the specific question you have been asked3. Need time to think? Take it/ask for it.4. Utilise structures: STAR, compare and contrast,

summarising, giving content in groups of three…5. One question at a time and save the self analysis until

after you have left the interview

The central CityCareers service• www.city.ac.uk/careers• Open all through the summer and beyond• 20 minute and 45 minute appointments• David.gilchrist.1@city.ac.uk

Image sources• Image 1: https://boardmakeronline.com/Activity/254634• Image 2: https://

wishboxusa.co.uk/products/decoir-door-mat-classic-border-welcome