Preparing for Interviews

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Welcome and Objective: Greet the students and inform them that today's lesson is focused on preparing for interviews, a crucial skill for their future careers.
• Context Setting: Explain that this lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum's Key Competencies, particularly focusing on Thinking, Communication, and Self-management.

Warm-Up Activity (10 minutes)

• Icebreaker Question: Ask students to think about the most challenging question they've ever been asked and share it with the class. This will help them begin thinking about how to handle tough questions.

Key Interview Skills (15 minutes)

• Discussion: Introduce the essential skills for a successful interview:
  • Researching the Company: Explain the importance of understanding the company's values, culture, and job role.
  • STAR Technique: Go over the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to answer behavioural questions effectively.
  • Body Language: Discuss non-verbal communication, including eye contact, posture, and handshakes.
  • Asking Questions: Emphasise the importance of asking insightful questions at the end of the interview to show interest and engagement.

Role-Play Activity (15 minutes)

• Pair Work: Divide the students into pairs. Each pair will take turns being the interviewer and the interviewee.
• Interview Questions: Provide a list of common interview questions for practice. Encourage students to use the STAR technique in their responses.
• Feedback: After each role-play, partners will offer constructive feedback based on the skills discussed.

Reflection (5 minutes)

• Group Discussion: Gather the class and ask for volunteers to share their experiences from the role-play. What did they find challenging? What did they do well?
• Self-Management: Encourage students to reflect on how they can improve their interviewing skills. Discuss the importance of practising regularly and seeking feedback.

Conclusion and Homework (3 minutes)

• Summarise: Recap the key points discussed in the lesson.
• Homework Assignment: Ask students to write a brief reflection on what they learned today and how they plan to prepare for their next interview. Additionally, they should create a list of three companies they are interested in and research key information about each.

Resources

• Handouts: Provide handouts summarising the STAR technique, examples of good non-verbal communication, and a list of questions to ask employers.
• Extra Help: Inform students that they can connect with the school’s career adviser for further support and personalized feedback on their interview skills.

Alignment with the New Zealand Curriculum

• Competencies:

  • Thinking: Use creative and critical processes to consider potential interview responses and questions.
  • Communication: Practise and refine both spoken and non-verbal communication skills.
  • Self-management: Reflect on performance and identify areas for personal development.

  The goal of this lesson is to equip students with essential interview skills that will help them in both their academic and professional careers.

This lesson plan is specifically designed to meet the educational standards and competencies outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum, ensuring students are well-prepared for future career opportunities.