Using PEEL to Prepare for an Interview

As a Year 4 student at NorthLight School, you will face a crossroads this November. Some of you may wish to pursue further studies at ITE while others may want to go out to work. Regardless of the path you choose to undertake, you will need to go through interviews many times in your life. So, preparing good answers to interview questions will help you get your desired course of study or job.

Attending an interview will make you nervous because you do not know your interviewers. It is normal for you to feel lost on what to say in front of interviewers. Your mind may be as blank as a sheet of white paper!

To keep yourself calm, you should reframe the interview as an opportunity to share about yourself with a new mentor. Think of it as having a chat with him or her. Also remember that interviewers want to find someone who is a good fit for their company, so many of them will ask you probing questions when you appear stuck or give incomplete answers. Sell yourself confidently and share how you can help the company!

Example 1 details how Haqif from 4RS1 (2023) answered an interviewer’s questions.

Example 1

Mr Heng:

What are your strengths?

 

Haqif:

Fast learner.

 

Mr Heng:

Can you tell me more?

 

Haqif:

I can easily get what the teacher teaches. Or even physical activities.

 

Mr Heng:

Can you be more specific? Do you mean sports?

 

Haqif:

For example, I just learnt basketball and I’m just so good at it. After a few tries.

 

Mr Heng:

How do you know you are good at basketball?

 

Haqif:

Because the coach told me so.

 

Mr Heng:

How do you think being a fast learner will help you in the workplace?

 

Haqif:

I think it’s relevant. You learn a little bit from someone… (pauses for a moment) so that I know how to do my work. Don’t have to ask a lot of questions.

 

To improve his interviewing skills, Haqif can consider using the PEEL approach. It is a great way for us to structure our answers in a systematic way so that the interviewers can determine whether we can do the job for their company well.

In this case, Haqif could have used the PEEL approach as such:

P

Point

Share one strength

E

Explain

Support his strength with reasons

E

Examples

Give an example and expand on how it supports his strength

L

Link

Link back to his strength

 

Using the PEEL approach will help Haqif state a clear and well-articulated answer that meets the interviewers’ expectations.

 

Point

         I believe that I am a fast learner. I usually understand my teachers’ instructions and explanations quite fast. This also applies to physical activities. For example, I recently picked up basketball and realised that I had a knack for it after a few tries. My coach complimented me on my good learning attitude. So, I think this will help me perform my job well because I just need to receive a little bit of training from my supervisor or colleagues. I don’t have to ask people too many questions and can just fulfil my responsibilities.

 

Explain

 

 

Example

 

 

Link

 

 

Putting everything together, it would be ideal for Haqif to answer as such in response to an interviewer’s question:

 

Interviewer:

What are your strengths?

 

Haqif:

I believe that I am a fast learner. I usually understand my teachers’ instructions and explanations quite fast. This also applies to physical activities. For example, I recently picked up basketball and realised that I had a knack for it after a few tries. My coach complimented me on my good learning attitude. So, I think this will help me perform my job well because I just need to receive a little bit of training from my supervisor or colleagues. I don’t have to ask people too many questions and can just fulfil my responsibilities.

Example 2 details how Ruiz from 4HS1 (2023) answered an interviewer’s questions by employing the PEEL approach.

Example 2

Interviewer:

How do you think the things you learnt in NorthLight School will help our company?

 

Ruiz:

For cooking, we already know the basics. Our teacher teaches us the basics like sauces, meat and hygiene. I come to your company to learn more and upgrade myself. I know the small things, I don’t find them difficult. I’m not so good not so bad…neutral (raises hand to indicate his level)…I bring the basics.

 

It is commendable that Ruiz knew how to employ the PEEL approach quite instinctively.

 

Point

For cooking, we already know the basics.  Our teacher teaches us the basics like sauces, meat and hygiene. I come to your company to learn more and upgrade myself. I know the small things, I don’t find them difficult. I’m not so good not so bad…neutral (raises hand to indicate his level)…I bring the basics.

 

Explain

 

 

Example

 

Link

 

 

To improve his interviewing skills, Ruiz can consider giving more meat to his examples. Helping the interviewer understand his level of proficiency in cooking will help him stand a greater chance of landing the job.

Note how his answer is fleshed out with details – the elaboration is bolded for your convenience.

 

 

 

Suggested answer for elaboration

 

 

 

For cooking, we already know the basics.  Our teacher teaches us the basics like sauces, meat and hygiene. In my course, I learn to make fish and chips, pan-fry sea bass, and cook pasta. I know how to use sauces to bring out the natural flavour of ingredients. I come to your company to learn more and upgrade myself. I know the small things, I don’t find them difficult. I’m not so good but not so bad either. I think I’m average. (raises hand to indicate his level)…I am confident that I can build on my basic skills to cook food that makes people happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, the interviewers may ask you questions about your personal life. Even though these questions are not related to their line of work, they still ask them because they want to understand what excites and energises you. So, try to use such opportunities to showcase your enthusiastic and passionate side to the interviewers.

Example 3 details how Khaliesyah from 4HS2 (2023) answered a question about her personal life.

Interviewer:

What do you like to do in your spare time?

 

Khaliesyah:

I usually will spend time with my parents, but I will also study for my ISC subjects. I will also go out with my friends and play with my phone. 

 

To improve her interviewing skills, Khaliesyah can consider mentioning dance as this is her CCA. She can elaborate on her passion for dance.

 

 

Original answer

Suggested answer for Relevance

 

 

I usually will spend time with my parents, but I will also study for my ISC subjects. I will also go out with my friends and play with my phone. 

 

I usually will spend time with my parents, but I will also study for my ISC subjects. Other than studying, I am passionate about dance. I see dance as a way to express my emotions and respond to the songs I like. I am in my school’s Dance Club. Even though I sometimes have extra practices, I willingly stay back after school because I want to improve my dance skills. I believe my passion for dance energises me and helps me be my best self.

 

               

 

The PEEL approach is a great technique to help you give effective answers that showcase your strengths and skills.

 

The next step of preparing for an interview is to think about this question:

 

What about yourself do you want the interviewer to know?

 

In other words, choose five points that represent your strengths for a particular job. These points can be character traits (such as enthusiasm), achievements attained in school, experiences that qualify you for the job and separate you from other applicants, and so on.

When you know your 5 selling points, you can bring them up as key points to answer any interview question, regardless of the way the interviewer phrases it.