From Writing to Speaking Confidence – How to Ace That Application (Interview)

We often receive calls from parents frantically seeking someone to help their child prepare for that high-stakes application. Be it the dreaded Direct School Admission or a scholarship application, your child needs a reasonable and structured runway to develop the necessary skills to ace the application, both on paper and in person. The learning process needs to be tailored to each child’s application and suited to their respective experiences – there is no one-size-fits-all mould for everyone.

That said, the learning process in developing the relevant skills for your child for such applications need not wait until they have proper training. The learning process can even start at the comfort of your own home and under your tutelage as parents! Instead of waiting for the interview opportunity to come rolling along before preparing, we believe that it is more fruitful to develop such skills as positive habits for your child.

To help you along with the learning process, here are three quick tips you can implement with your child to help them prepare for that high-stakes opportunity!

Tip #1: Set out the “Why” in Your Structure

It is important to keep in mind that your child’s application is one out of the hundreds (or even thousands!) or applicants for a limited role. Putting yourself in the shoes of the assessors, you will be trawling through numerous applications, each with their unique spin or tale. The key question for you and your child is – how can you stand out? Before venturing into this, we thought we start with the structure of your application.

If your child’s application process requires him/her to write a personal statement or respond to a question, the answer needs to stand-out early. In fact, this can be as early as the first paragraph even! The first paragraph of your child’s application needs to capture the assessor’s attention almost immediately. To achieve this, prepare a 2 – 3 sentence hook at the start of the application to draw the reading audience in. If there is a unique or strong detail for your child to emphasise, set it out as a summary right at the outset before dwelling into the specific details in the main body. Put it simply, set out the “why” very early on in the application!

Tip #2: Create and Share Your Narrative

Moving from the structure, the next aspect to consider is the content to be included for your child’s application questions/responses. Most parents jump onto the ‘strengths bandwagon’ – they almost always try to emphasise all the skills their child may have to boost their chances. While that in itself is still important, we should not neglect the main narrative for your child to stand out. Most, if not all, of the applicants, will have that similar strength of trait, but what is that one narrative that sets your child apart?

There are three types of narratives your child can build, together with your help. First, your child can share a Conflict/Challenge Story. Show how your child was a solution to a conflict or a challenge they faced. Instead of saying “My greatest strength is my leadership …”, try starting with a story about how such leadership skills were practised. Second, show how your child has bridged the Inspiration Gap. This Gap is the distance between your child’s previous position and his/her achieved goal. By showing how he/she overcome such odds to leap over the gap, your child can set out an inspirational tale. Third, try choosing Descriptive Tales that allow your child to describe his/her experiences in specific detail. Remember not to scrimp and save on such details!

Tip #3: Have a Conversation, Not a Presentation

When the interview session rolls in, most parents aim for their child to be as well-rehearsed and ready as possible to showcase their interview skills. We have seen students who are entirely polished in terms of their delivery and content – from their stories to their general knowledge. That said, the one factor we find lacking is the ability to build rapport. Even at a young age, your child can stand out by showing sincerity and authenticity in their interactions during the interview.

This is why we believe that your child should aim to have a conversation with the interviewer and not simply to prepare a presentation. Aside from the prepared stories or details, your child needs to create a memorable connection during the interview. One method involves their ability to handle questions. Instead of simply launching into a prepared answer, take a moment to pause and digest the question before delivering their response. Wait for the interviewer’s reaction/response as if it is a normal conversation. The interviewer will see a naturally-talented and comfortable interviewee – someone they will most likely remember after a gruelling round of interviews!

Go Ace That Application!

The three steps above are but a starting point for your child. Aside from waiting for the high-stakes opportunity to come by before arranging a training, you too can play a huge role as parents in guiding your child to succeed. With the framework we have shared above, we know that your child can surge forth and ace that application or interview. We look forward to hearing your tales of success!

Public Speaking Academy strives to help students with both types of communication:

For written communication:

PSLE English Tuition for Primary 5 & 6:

http://bit.ly/psaenglishclassp5andp6

For verbal communication:

Public Speaking for Kids/ Children:

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/