Session plan 08 — Job interview: simulations and 360° feedback

1. Goal summary and session logic

Overall objective: participants prepare for job interviews: they build a 60–90 sec opening answer (“Tell me about yourself”), practise behavioural questions using STAR, respond to difficult/inappropriate questions in a safe and professional way, and complete 3× simulations (candidate–recruiter–observer) with 360° feedback.

Logika: micro‑knowledge and debrief → tool exercises (pitch, STAR, questions for the employer) → simulations with role rotation → wrap‑up and 7‑day plan.

Final outputs: 1) 60–90 sec pitch (written version), 2) STAR answer bank (min. 3), 3) List of questions for the recruiter (min. 5), 4) 360° feedback sheet from 2 rounds, 5) 7‑day plan: actions after the interview.

Sensitivity and safety: acceptable answers on fictional examples (anonymous stories). Participants may skip difficult topics (war/health/family). The facilitator ensures the rules: voluntary participation, pauses, respect, no personal judgments.

2. Learning outcomes (knowledge • skills • attitudes)

Wiedza: distinguishes interview formats (phone screening, on‑site, panel), knows question types (motivation, competency, situational, values/“culture add”), knows the legal/ethical boundaries of questions.

Skills:

• formulates a 60–90 sec opening answer (profile → strengths → examples → motivation for the role),
• answers behavioural questions using the STAR method (Situation–Task–Action–Result),
• asks meaningful questions to the recruiter,
• gives and receives 360° feedback according to the criteria,

• politely refuses to answer inappropriate questions.

Attitudes: calm, specificity, assertiveness, respect, truthfulness.

3. Organisational parameters

Sala: “horseshoe” + 4–5 tables (triads), 1 flipchart, projector, timer.

Staffing: 1 lead facilitator + 1 support person (time/tech).

Print materials (A4, 1 per person):

• Card R1 — 60–90 sec pitch (structure + space for text)
• Card R2 — STAR: Answer template (3–5 frames)
• Card R3 — Recruiter question bank (pool 40+, choose 10)
• Card R4 — 360° Feedback (rubric 0–2 pts/criterion)
• Card R5 — Inappropriate questions: boundaries and ready‑made phrases
• Card R6 — 7‑day plan after the interview

Evaluation tools: Mentimeter PRE/POST (scale 1–5), self‑assessment of comfort and competence (3 questions in section 4).

4. Mentimeter — questions (PRE and POST)

“I can introduce myself in 60–90 seconds in a way tailored to the job.”

“I can answer experience questions using the STAR method.”

“I know how to respond to difficult or inappropriate questions during an interview.”

5. Detailed agenda (180’)

0–12’ Opening and ground rules

Objective: safety, practice‑oriented approach.

Instrukcja: present the plan, final outputs and rules (voluntary participation, confidentiality, right to pause). Emphasise that we practise on neutral examples; personal topics only if someone wants.

12–20’ Icebreaker “Your 3 strengths”

Objective: activate strengths.

Instrukcja: everyone writes down 3 strengths (from workshop 06 you can use the MP3), exchange in pairs: a partner adds 1 example to each strength.

20–28’ Mentimeter PRE

Objective: baseline.

28–48’ MODULE 1 — 60–90 sec pitch “Tell me about yourself”

Module objective: build a concise opening answer.

Materials: Card R1.

Structure (hint on the slide/card):

Who I am right now (profile/role/industry, 1 sentence),

2–3 strengths (tailored to the vacancy),

1–2 short examples (number/result),

Motywacja do tej roli/firmy (dlaczego tu?),

Closing (“I’m happy to say more about… / I have a question about…”).

Praca: 10’ drafting + 10’ practice in triads (A speaks, B times and takes notes, C observes tone/structure).

Kryteria sukcesu: 60–90 sec, 2 strengths + 1 example + motivation, plain language.

48–78’ MODULE 2 — STAR: behavioural answers (30’)

Objective: translate experiences into concrete answers.

Materials: Card R2 (3–5 STAR frames), Card R3 (questions).

Agenda:

Choose 3 questions from the list (e.g., “Tell me about a situation when…”) and prepare 3 STAR answers.

Rotation in triads: A answers (90 sec), B asks follow‑ups (30 sec), C notes keywords and assesses using Rubric R4 (0–2 for: STAR structure, specifics/metrics, fit to the role, clarity of language).

Switch roles and questions.

Kryteria sukcesu: min. 3 complete STARs with a numeric/qualitative effect.

78–88’ BREAK (10’)

88–110’ MODULE 3 — Questions for the recruiter (22’)

Objective: prepare meaningful questions for the end of the interview.

Materials: Card R3 (section “Questions for the employer”), flipchart.

Instrukcja: each person selects min. 5 questions that will really help assess fit (team, tasks, success in 90 days, growth, values, schedule/hybrid work, language support).

Efekt: team TOP‑10 list of questions on a flipchart (to photograph).

110–130’ MODULE 4 — Difficult/inappropriate questions: boundaries and phrases (20’)

Objective: practise safe responses.

Materials: Card R5.

Zakres:

Examples of inappropriate/illegal questions (marital status, family plans, age, health, religion, orientation, nationality — outside the context of right to work).

Gotowe frazy asertywne (PL A2‑B2):

“I prefer to focus on my skills/responsibilities in this role.”

“That’s private for me; I’m happy to talk about my experience in…”

“Can we go back to the scope of responsibilities and what matters most in the first 90 days?”

Luki w CV / przerwy: answer model: brief – neutral – what I’m doing now (e.g., “After arriving in Poland I handled formalities and childcare; now I’m finishing course X and looking for role Y”).

Exercise: in pairs — 2 skits (difficult question → assertive answer), switch roles.

130–168’ MODULE 5 — Interview simulations 3× (38’)

Objective: play 3 full mini‑interviews in rotating roles and gather 360° feedback.

Materials: Card R4 (feedback), Card R3 (question pool), timer.

Ustawienie: triads: Candidate – Recruiter – Observer.

Runda = 10 minut:

0–1’ intro (recruiter welcomes, purpose of the interview),

1–3’ candidate pitch 60–90 sec,

3–7’ 2–3 questions (1 motivation, 1–2 behavioural),

7–9’ candidate questions to the employer,

9–10’ wrap‑up and information about next steps.

After each round: 3 min 360° feedback:

Recruiter: 1 mocna rzecz + 1 rzecz do doprecyzowania,

Observer: ocena wg R4 (0–2 pkt/kryterium) + 1 cytat z wypowiedzi,

Candidate: self‑assessment: what will I improve in the next 48 hours?

Role rotation × 3.

Rubryka R4 — Feedback 360° (0–2 pkt/kryterium, max 10):

Pitch: struktura i dopasowanie,

STAR: konkret i efekt,

Clarity of language and pace,

Rapport and attitude (kindness, listening),

Questions for the employer (meaningful, about the role).

Interpretacja: 0–3 just starting, 4–7 solid, 8–10 ready.

168–176’ Mentimeter POST + 7‑day plan (8’)

Objective: reinforcing habits.

Instrukcja: the same 3 questions (section 4). Then Card R6: in 7 days I will: 1) polish my pitch, 2) prepare 3 new STARs, 3) schedule a mock interview / send 2 applications.

176–180’ Closing (4’)

What should happen: reminder about available 1:1 consultations, taking photos of flipcharts (TOP‑10 questions for the employer), collecting feedback cards (copies for participants).

6. Facilitation best practices

Plain language: short sentences, summaries, encouragement to pause.

Modelowanie: the trainer demonstrates a 60–90 sec pitch and 1 STAR answer.

A “sandwich” feedback style, but concrete: example → impact → tip.

Including anonymous stories: e.g., a CV gap, language barrier — always in a neutral, task‑focused way.

Equal opportunities: zero presji na ujawnianie danych osobistych; akceptuj odpowiedzi „na case’ach”.

7. Adaptations, plan B, variants

Language barrier (PL A2–B1): acceptable short phrases + keywords; option to answer partly in English/Ukrainian; cards with pictograms; mixed‑language pairs.

Small group (≤9 people): work in pairs (candidate–recruiter) + the trainer as observer; more rounds.

More time (+30’): add an “online interview” segment: camera, background, microphone, 3 mistakes and how to fix them; or a 2‑recruiter panel.

Mniej czasu (120’): shorten M2 to 20’, M5 to 2 rounds; leave R6 as homework.

8. Evaluation and indicators for reporting

Mentimeter PRE/POST — 3 questions (section 4).

Wytwory: R1 (pitch), R2 (STAR), R3 (questions), R4 (feedback), R6 (plan).

Obserwacja trenerska: min. 3 R4 cards reviewed for quality; number of people who completed 3 rounds.

Frekwencja i zgody: attendance list, consents for photos of outputs.

Print handouts (R1–R6)

You can print each card separately using the “Print” button.