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Interview Preparation

An astonishing number of Internet job applicants actually get an interview. The only way to capitalize on that happy outcome, however, is to be well prepared.

Your preparation should include acquiring information about both, the organization with which you will be interviewing and your current “value” in the labour market. The more you know about the employer, the better able you will be to assess its fit with your goals and preferences.

And, the more you know about the salary and benefits currently being offered to others with your skills and experience, the better able you will be to negotiate an appropriate compensation package for yourself, should the organization follow up the interview with an offer.

For descriptions of individual companies and even a list of the interview questions they typically ask of candidates to study the Company Profiles. For opinion and commentary about what it’s like to work for an organization, although the postings can be insightful, recognize that some are heavily influenced by personal agendas.

The more prepared you are for an interview, the more likely it is to go well. That being the case, it only makes good sense to be equally as ready to discuss an offer happily.

For the latest compensation and benefits trends in your profession or industry, visit the website of your professional association or trade organization.

To make sure that your research pays off, focus on acquiring information that will help you interview effectively with prospective employers and secure a compensation package that reflects your true “value” in the labour market.

Typical Interview questions:

  • Tell me about yourself.
  • What project work have you done?
  • What do you think you learned from your vacation jobs?
  • What attracts you to your hobbies?
  • Why have you chosen this job/career?
  • Why do you want to join this organisation?
  • What is the greatest challenge you have been faced with?
  • How have you benefited from your disappointments in life?
  • How would you solve the problem of…?
  • What are you strengths and weaknesses?
  • Where do you see yourself in three years' time?

Interview tips

1. Before the interview

Some tips to help you address advance concerns:

The better prepared you are the less likely you are to feel nervous. Revisit your application for the job, as many interview questions will be based on this.

  • Get a good night's sleep the night before.
  • Visualise yourself as the interview answering questions confidently.
  • Practise answering questions out loud.
  • Take a few deep breaths to help you remain focused prior to interview.
  • Remember the interviewers are not there to interrogate you.
  • Relax - and get a good night sleep beforehand
  • Realize that they think you can do the job
  • Take a brisk walk
  • Concentrate on another task
  • Take a relaxing bath or listen to music.

2. On the day

  • Assume a neutral costume. You want to look like you fit in.
  • Invest in a decent suit - but don't bother with designer labels.
  • Polish yours shoes and avoid really high heels.
  • Avoid snazzy ties or glasses, and opt for minimal jewellery.
  • Tie long hair back or up.
  • Don't wear too much aftershave or perfume
  • Avoid eating garlicky or spicy foods beforehand.
  • Don't smoke.
  • Leave your coat at reception - and freshen up before you enter the interview room.

3. At the interview

  • Initial impressions are important. Be friendly and courteous.
  • When seated opposite the interviewer adopt an alert, receptive posture.
  • Speak clearly, looking at the interviewer while you are talking.
  • Listen closely, showing you are responsive to the interviewer's questions.
  • Emphasise the positive aspects of the things you have done. Play down the negative.
  • If you are asked a question which demands a yes or no answer, do not leave it at that - volunteer information to support your answer.
  • Be prepared to elaborate on something the interviewer seems to be interested in; curtail descriptions of those things in which he/she is clearly not interested.
  • Be honest. If you don't know the answer, do not waffle. Use the 'but' technique - eg 'we haven't covered that yet but we will have by the end of the interview.
  • If you do not understand a question, ask for clarification.
  • Have ready some questions of your own.

4. Be yourself

The best advice for applicants is to be themselves, be open and honest. An interview is not like a written test of knowledge and we understand that students can be nervous and allow for this. We look at the full package in terms of suitability, knowledge, understanding, learning potential, communication skills and personal characteristics.

Don't give very short answers, especially to open questions (this happens most when you are nervous): demonstrate as much knowledge and experience as you can in your own words. Our job is to assess candidates, and if you don't say enough it is hard to assess you fairly.


5. Come well prepared

Come well prepared and present the real you in a professional but human way. Research the organisation and think about what you want to convey. Don't try to hard or put yourself under pressure. Listen to the questions and think before you speak; have some real life examples of how you've worked in teams and be able to talk about things that matter to you and what inspires and motivates you as a person.
You want the best and so do the interviewers, so give it your best shot - that's all we expect. Demanding questions of the 'how do you solve a problem' kind are designed to assess your ability to respond on the spot. The interviewer is usually more interested in the logic you adopt than in the viability of your solution. It could help also if you can illustrate the points from your own real life experiences.
If you have to travel to the employer's premises, make your travel arrangements well in advance. Most organisations pay expenses so you should keep a record of all expenses incurred and ask for receipts when you buy your tickets. Aim to arrive early to allow for delays and to give yourself enough time to relax. It is important to dress smartly as this will convey a professional and competent image.

6. Make your choice

Relax and engage Before you come in, prepare what it is that you want us to most remember you for when you leave. Find a way of building that information into your answers or summarise it at the end. Be sure you can remember all the details of what you included in your CV and application form (cover letter): it does not look good when you supply information to ask you about, and then can't remember it.
Keep an open mind about firms as they can be very different in the flesh from what you read on their websites. We think it is really important that candidates choose us, as well as us choosing them.'

7. Practise first

Interviews are the "border checkpoint" on your career road. Dress for the occasion, arrive in time, be confident and articulate, and answer the questions asked. It is as simple as that! But that is not always easy, so if you are someone who approaches an interview with 'trepidation', get help!
If you are not confident, or have been rejected following an interview where you feel you should have done better, visit your careers service or invest in professional training: it is an investment for a lifetime. If you need to practise, get interview training from trained professionals who will support you in shaping your unique interview style.


8. Be confident

When giving examples of past project work, sell what you have achieved and present what you have learned. Remember, joining an organisation as a graduate is as much about what competences you already have and demonstrating your ability to develop in the future. We need to leave the interview feeling that we have really got to know you. Be confident and don't be shy about selling yourself.
Don't presume we know anything - ensure you tell us what you want us to know. If there is something specific you want us to know and we don't ask you, tell us!

9. Sell your strengths

Preparation for the interview is critical to your success - be aware of the skills and experience that the employer is looking for and ensure you emphasise your strongest relevant attributes.

10. Give examples

If you have an idea of what employers are looking for, it's very easy to prepare. It will stop you being tongue-tied if you know what you are going to talk about, so think of examples that will show you have the qualities they want, and practise with a friend beforehand.

11. After the interview

  • Establish when you will hear from the employer with the outcome. If you don't hear within a reasonable time, follow up by telephone or in writing.
  • If you are not successful do not despair. Your performance may have been good but some candidates may have had better experience or simply presented their case better on the day. When you have recovered from your disappointment reflect on your performance and how you could improve the weaker elements.
  • Some employers are willing to provide feedback on request. Ask for comments and discuss with a careers adviser the aspects which you find most difficult. Whatever the outcome, interviews and selection centres are valuable learning experiences.

12. Second interviews and assessment centres

Second interviews for graduate jobs give both parties an opportunity to explore in more depth the match between the candidate and the organisation. Second stage selection can last from a couple of hours to over a day, depending on methods used. You may be invited to another interview or an assessment centre involving group exercises, psychological tests and more interviews.
Some organisations invite candidates for refreshments the evening beforehand. While some employers regard this as a pleasant social introduction to the firm, others admit that behaviour is noticed and preliminary impressions of people are formed.

13. Group exercises

The aim of group exercises is to see how you work with others and how quick and shrewd you are in summing up people and evidence. A group of six to eight people may be given a topic to discuss under observation by the selectors. This might be a general topic, a matter of a business nature or a complex hypothetical problem.
The topic will require careful analysis, discussion and decision. Your aim should be to make a constructive contribution. How you work together to solve the problem is usually more important than the solution.

14. Tests

Tests are designed to assess your intelligence, logic, reasoning ability, numerical ability and verbal ability. Most employers use a selection of tests. Some employers use tests related to specific types of work, particularly computing. Most tests require you to answer questions as quickly and accurately as you can against the clock. You should keep cool and alert throughout the exercises.

You may begin to feel jaded at the prospect of answering similar questions over and over again, but remember you are being assessed over a range of tests so give each one your best shot.

15. Leave a positive final impression

The way you say goodbye can leave a good impression for when they talk about you afterwards. Make sure that your handshake and smile are really warm and say something about how stimulating you found the interview. I might briefly try to gauge their feeling by asking what happens next (without being at all pushy).
If in these final words you can include some brilliant phrase that summarizes the path of the interview, again without leaning too hard on their patience, then that would be in your favour too.
Maybe something such as 'I really like your plan for the new product roll-out strategy; it's just the kind of thing I have been working towards in the last two years…" They might, after you leave, be scoring the interview to help them distinguish each candidate; a memorable moment or comment helps them to do that - and it doesn't have to be spectacular.

16. You do not need to send 'Thank You Letters'

  • In a world of automation and sophistication when you are dealing with trained, experienced and professional recruiters - it is dumb to believe that you will actually persuade them to select you instead of a better candidate simply because you have good manners.
  • If you are close to being recruited, you might just make the judgement call that a letter to jog their memory would be useful and show strength of interest. If so, send it by email and keep it incredibly brief.
  • Fix on some aspect of the interview itself and remind them of it in a professional way that is barely obvious at all.

  • Once again, this is high risk and needs to be subtle. If you feel you must communicate and you aren't sure what to say, keep it polite and just say thanks, you enjoyed the experience and you are interested. If you have a handle on the scenario, take it a little further.

  • You do not have to do this, so don't prejudice your chances with something lame.

17. Be a good listener

During telephone interview, you must keep in mind that you must be a good listener. Avoid interrupting and let the recruiter complete his thought or question before you respond. Ask for clarification. Use open-ended questions. The more information you can gather, the better you can respond. We must know the fact that good listener is the best quality.


18. Write out your responses and practice reading them aloud

This will help you to remember the response. By knowing what to say, you will seem more confident and all qualities that recruiters seek in candidates. Most candidates usually are asked about their salary expectations during screening interviews.
Recruiters and employers usually have a salary range in mind, and while often unwilling to share it at this stage, they expect you to answer. Your objective at this point is to win acceptance and be recommended for further consideration. Accordingly, you may want to avoid providing a direct answer to this question.
These issues could include non-cash benefits and compensation, scope of responsibilities, work environment, job location, career advancement and others.

19. Ask about the next step

At the end of the interview, tell the recruiter you are interested. Ask about the next step in the interview process as well as the hiring timetable. If you do not receive a positive response and you are sincerely interested, ask the recruiter if he or she has any areas of concern.
If there is a misunderstanding about you or the recruiter does not seem certain that you are suitable, try to clarify the problem, then ask again about the next step and timetable.

20. Interview Tips - Closing

  • Be proactive.
  • Reiterate your interest in the job and the company by asking about the next step in the process.
  • If you get the impression the interview is not going well, don't let your discouragement show. Remain poised, upbeat and professional. There may be other opportunities in the company that would be a better fit.
  • Be enthusiastic about the job and the company. The people you meet during your job search and at your interviews can become valuable networking sources, even if you don't get the job.

Types of interview

Some recruiters may just want you to expand upon your application form or CV, but interviews are increasingly structured to look for particular competences based on the selection criteria for a specific job.

1. The standard chronological interview

This is how all interviews used to be: a steady ramble through your life from school days via the present day to the misty future. The interviewer's aim is to get you to explain, and expand upon, your application form or CV. Some interviews are still like this, but the trend is definitely towards something a bit more scientific.

2. The structured, competence-based interview

In structured interviews, the interviewer sets down certain selection criteria and then asks questions to find out whether you fit them. This kind of interview can be taxing, but if you have already worked out their selection criteria you shouldn't be caught unawares.
Because the main purpose of the interview is to explore your life against the criteria, the questions will be more detailed and the questioning more persistent. It may be helpful to see each set of questions as a series of levels, each one slightly deeper than the last:

Level one - the question: Would you describe yourself as an organiser?

Level two - the evidence: Be prepared to talk about several examples that illustrate each criterion, from different parts of your life.

Level three - the personal contribution: Look at the significant events in your life and your personal contribution to each (your role, your feelings, what you learnt).

Level four - the general: Be prepared to discuss criteria more generally. They may even relate criteria to current affairs, especially the business world ('What makes a good organiser, why is this important to businesses?

Level five - the challenge: Don't be shocked to have your ideas challenged. Despite what you may feel, they are not getting at you. Keep calm, look them in the eye and stick up for yourself.

Level six - back to the start: How else could you convince me that you're a good organiser? Interviewers will probably visit each of these levels during the course of a structured interview, though not necessarily in this order.

3. The panel interview

Occasionally you will discover two or more people waiting to interview you. But don't panic! Panel interviews are often easier and sometimes fairer than the normal one-to-one. If a solitary interviewer doesn't take a shine to you, you're sunk, but in a panel, the same person could be over-ruled by others.
The rules of engagement are similar to one-to-one interviews, but there are some specific points to make.

  • If you don't know who to look at during the interview, the safest thing is to give most of the answer back to the person who asked the question, with a few brief glances to the others.

  • Don't be thrown if one of the interviewers starts scribbling notes or looks bored. The bigger the panel, the greater the likelihood that some of its members are not experienced interviewers.
  • You will sometimes be asked the same question twice. This isn't a cunning ruse to test the honesty of your earlier answer; it's a mistake! Someone wasn't paying attention. Just get on with answering the question (again). Sometimes it's helpful to know who's who on the panel. There may be a mixture of personnel specialists, technical and line managers. Knowing who they are, and therefore their special interests, can determine how you answer their individual questions.

4. Technical interviews

If you are applying for a technical or highly specialised position, chances are your first interview will contain a high proportion of technical questions. It's not unusual for interviewers to show you a device and ask you to explain how it works.
Alternatively, they could show you a wiring diagram or a line of computer code and expect instant analysis. Even if they don't resort to visual aids, they will quiz you in depth about your course. As well as this, there are a few things to look out for particularly:

  • Many final year students forget what they studied in previous years. Make a big effort to remember. It's really embarrassing, after having listed your course details on your application form, to waffle unconvincingly on about a second year project you barely remember.
  • If you have any project work or vacation experience that is particularly relevant, produce a short digest of the information and take it with you to the interview. You can use it to illustrate your answers or you can leave it with the interviewer when you finish.
  • Even though it may be a technical interview, the interviewer will still be looking at other, more personal, skills. There aren't many jobs that require only technical skills.

5. Telephone interviews


Some organisations interview over the phone. This can be a disorientating experience because neither party can see the other and ordinary vital visual clues are absent. It's also a lot more difficult to act normally when you've got a phone stuck to one ear.
Here's a quick checklist of things to remember before you phone:

  • make sure you practise before you phone
  • keep smiling, as the difference will be heard
  • prepare a smooth opening
  • avoid distractions
  • don't drink/eat/smoke

The purpose of a telephone interview is often to check out whether you are a serious applicant, so prepare for 'why this career/company?', 'what do you have to offer?' type questions.

Because so much of the impact you are making comes through your voice, it is even more important that you are animated and enthusiastic. Try imagining that the other person is in the room and you are talking directly to them.
Use gestures normally and try to relax. In fact, in telephoneinterviews it is often easier to hide nerves and relax. If you have enough advance warning, it's a good idea to send the interviewer a recent photo of yourself so that they can put a face to the voice.

You must put the same effort into preparation as for conventional interviews. Ensure you have a suitable environment with no disturbances. Have your CV or completed application form next to you. Never accept a position on the basis of a telephone interview only. You won't be able to assess the culture of the organisation as well unless you pay the offices a visit.

Do not be afraid to pick up the phoneThe first step in the hiring process is the telephone interview. It may happen that when you pick up the phone, the call may be from any company. Then that time ask the recruiter to repeat his or her name. Verify the spelling and write it down.

Use the recruiter's name in your response. If there is really any problem for you to talk, then ask for a telephone number and a convenient time to call back. You are now ready to make a good impression during your first five minutes.The phone interview tips will help you master the phone interview and get you to the next step - the face to face interview. So do not afraid to pick the phone.

During phone interview Here are the some points for successful phone interviewing. Follow these simple rules and you should achieve success in this important phase of job-hunting.