Interviews

Preparation prior to your interview is essential! You will need to have concrete examples ready that will demonstrate your skills, knowledge, motivation and suitability for the job and organisation.

In advance

• Read the employer's literature, check the interview feedback forms in the Careers Resource Centre, look at their website, talk to friends and contacts to find out about the organisation. You should know roughly the number of employees and turnover, the main locations and products. 
• Commercial awareness - you need to know about the world the organisation operates in. What impact does the economy have, how might current events affect them, who are their competitors?
• Compare your application form with the employer's job description - what skills are they looking for? Find evidence which would persuade the interviewer that you meet the requirements. Make a list.
• Prepare for routine queries concerning your motivation or your decision-making process, but also consider awkward questions. Particularly, think how to explain apparent time gaps in your life history.
• List some questions to ask the interviewer. Three or four thoughtful questions will be enough.
• Consider whether you need a practice session at your Careers Service, or watch the interview videos available online or in the Careers Service. The Careers Service runs workshops on interviews throughout the year.

On the day

• Smart dress is required for interview, even if the usual office dress-code is smart-casual.
• Arrive in good time. Allow extra time if travelling a long distance, this will help if unexpected delays occur.
• Ensure you have a map covering the employers location, and a contact telephone number incase you are delayed.
• If you arrive early, find somewhere to relax and re-read your application form. It will give you time to check your appearance as well. While it is useful to have your application/ CV with you, it is not a good idea to have it in front of you at the interview. It may give the impression that you do not remember what you have said about yourself.
  

A file of interview feedback forms is available for you to use in the Careers Resource Centre. These have been completed by other students and graduates who have been to interview or assessment centre.

Before you go to interview check the file to see if anyone has been to an interview with the same organisation, or for a similar role with another organisation. You can get tips on interview questions and suggestions for what to prepare or how to behave.

Give other students the benefit of your experience. If you have had an interview for a job or course, why not fill in an interview feedback form to let us know how it went.

You can hand in your form to the Careers Resource Centre or email it to us.