Job Interviews
Standard questions
This guide is a brief introduction to interview You can virtually guarantee that certain
preparation and performance. If you have an questions will arise in most interviews and
interview in the near future, you may also obviously you need to prepare for these.
want to look at the other resources we have
in the Resource Area. These include files,
Here are a few examples:
videos and reference books - a sample list is
given on the back of this leaflet.
Why do you choose to do a degree in …?
In order to make effective preparation for
What benefits have you derived from
your first interview, you need to give some
your education?
thought to its purpose. Just as the application
form or CV is used as a way of eliminating a
What aspects of your degree/diploma
proportion of candidates, so the initial
are most relevant to this job/course?
interview acts as a screening process to
identify potentially suitable people.
What do you hope to be doing in five
years' time?
Recruiters go into interviews with a checklist
of requirements. These are usually based on
What are your strengths and
the job specification drawn up by the
weaknesses?
personnel department. The job analysis you
did prior to the application should help to
Tell me about your most relevant work
direct your preparation for the interview and
experience.
should mean that your expectations match
those of your interviewer.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare
time?
Do not ignore your own needs in this. An
interview is a two-way process. The selector
How did you find out about our
wants to find out about you and you need to
company/course?
find out about the organisation. The selector
wants to recruit the best person and you want
Why do you think you are suited to a
to convince him or her that you are that
career
person. You cannot do either of those things
in …?
unless you prepare well and take an active
role in the proceedings.
Why have you applied to us?
Interview preparation
What skills do you think you will need for
Revise everything which went into your
this job?
written application. Look at the copy of your
form or letter read the brochure or job
How would your best friend describe
Description and re visit the web site. Then
you?
start thinking about possible questions.
How does this course fit into your future
career plans?
Golden Rules for Answering Questions There will come a point in an interview,
normally towards the end, when you will be
• Always be positive. Even when things invited to ask questions. You need to do
have gone badly for you, try to think some preparation for this.
positively about what you have learnt
from the experience. Think of the
positive, optimistic response.
• Never offer derogatory information about
yourself.
• While you are talking, continue to look at You may be aware of gaps in your knowledge
the interviewer, this will aid about the job or the organisation. You may
communication. not fully understand the training schedule.
You may be unclear about the amount of
• Make it clear that you know what you're relocation to expect in the first few years.
about. You may be totally in the dark over the
salary. These gaps will form the basis of any
• Be ready to recognise the simple question questions which you may need to ask at the
calling for a brief answer. end of the interview.
• Don't pretend to know something that you Since interview performance is all to do with
are ignorant of, or try to answer a selling yourself, you cannot afford to miss an
question you haven't understood. Ask for opportunity. Are there things you know about
clarification. the company/organisation which you could
introduce, e.g. press reports about overseas
• Do speak clearly, and not too fast. expansion or government white papers.
Asking intelligent and relevant questions
• Don't fidget, and try to avoid mannerisms. about topical issues can earn you points.
So can intelligent listening. If, during the
course of the interview, you have gleaned
Here's a problem: some new and interesting information, then
feed it back at the end, e.g. 'You were talking
Some interviewers also like to pose a earlier about a possible expansion into… Could
problem. you tell me a little bit more about this?' Very
clever. Not only does it show you were
• The market for puffer wheat is going listening, but it boosts the morale of the
down! What would you do? interviewer no end - someone who finds his
or her comments interesting!
• Bloggs is said to disrupt production! How
would you approach him? Finally, do not overlook this part of the
interview as a way of bringing in important
• We are having trouble with the quality of facts about yourself. Far better to take the
our printed circuits, suggest a strategy for initiative and give the interviewer some
improvement. positive insights than to walk away and
grumble, 'He didn't give me a chance to talk
You probably don't have a solution but do about my student union work.'
suggest a logical and rational approach.
Here are a few examples: convince your selector of your suitability. It
gives you a head start.
How do you define the training period for
graduates?
Is it possible to switch job functions - is it
your policy to encourage this to happen? If you are concerned about interview
performance, check out what workshops are
Do you send your managers on special available at the Centre for Career
training courses - possibly Business Schools? Development (CCD) or watch the interview
video.
How frequently would you expect me to be
moved?
Different types of interview
Do you find accommodation for young
graduates is a problem - where do they live? A typical first interview will last 30-40
minutes. You are likely to meet one or two
I understand your firm operates performance people. But there are other types of
appraisals - how often is one's performance interview.
reviewed?
Panel interviews
This is usually a mix of people connected with
What would be a typical career pattern for a the post along with someone from Human
young graduate entering …..? Resources who is there to see that correct
procedures are observed. When being
Can you give me a fuller picture of your interviewed by more than one person try to
training programme? (Assuming this is not maintain regular eye contact with all the
made clear in the literature.) interviewers but address your answers
primarily to the person asking the question.
What are the possibilities of using my
language? Technical interviews
These occur in IT, Science and Engineering
Will I be working in a team - and if so will recruitment where the interviewer asks you
there be other young graduates? questions which should enable you to
demonstrate your technical knowledge.
What has happened to the graduates you
have recruited? Telephone interviews
Increasingly used by employers as first sift of
What percentage of your graduates are in candidates. The key to success here is
management positions - is it increasing? recognising the absence of non-verbal
communication and making allowances for it.
Why is your company so successful - what For example smiling and not slouching while
would you say is the secret? on the phone can help you to put the right
expression in your voice.
Are there any opportunities to work overseas
If you are successful you are likely to find
What do you make of the recently announced yourself invited to a second stage usually
trading loss? called an assessment centre. There will be a
mixture of individual and group tasks and
Is you firm planning a new programme of socialising opportunities. In the case of the
expansion or are you entering a period of latter you could still be assessed so take care
consolidation at the bar!
Individual tasks could include an in-tray
Be aware of the way you present yourself.
exercise where you prioritise various
The more calm, efficient, pleasant and
messages and correspondence, drafting
personable you appear, the easier it will be to
replies and planning actions. Presentations • Why ask me that?: first interviews
are often used. You may know your topic in
advance or you may have to prepare it on the • The Assessment Centre
day. Psychometric Tests refer to either
personality questionnaires or aptitude tests.
For the former there are no right or wrong
answers. The latter show your aptitude in a
Applying for Jobs File Number 4 -
range of skills relevant to the job including
"Interviews”
verbal and numerical reasoning
This file contains miscellaneous articles,
examples and references to further sources of
Group exercises will reflect the role being
information.
recruited for. It may focus on team working,
problem solving or persuading. The outcome
AGCAS Booklet – Going for Interviews
is often less important than how the group
reaches it.
Workbooks
"Being Interviewed" provides an
After it is all over review how things went as
introduction to the basics of interview
soon as you can. Make a note of questions
preparation and performance and gives you
you were asked and how you tackled them.
the opportunity to do some practical
Think about what you saw of other candidates
exercises.
performances, were there any learning points
for you? If you are unsuccessful contact the
"Second Interviews" aims to provide an
company for feedback. Make sure you use
introduction to the format and content of
this information to help you prepare next
second stage graduate recruitment and like
time.
the former, it gives you some practical
exercises to complete.
Information Resources
Both of these publications are available to buy
Reference Books:
from the Reception. They are priced at £2
The following books are available for you to
each.
use in the Resource Area. We will require you
to deposit your University Smart Card with us
CCD Web
while you are using the books. Sorry if this
[Link]
causes any inconvenience.
students/resources/applications/intervi
[Link] gives you access to a whole range
of resources as well as providing links to the
• First Interviews - sorted! Internet. Many employers have their own
web pages and some of them include
• Great answers to tough interview information on interview techniques.
questions: how to get the job you want
• How to succeed at assessment centres
CCD Contacts
• Pass that interview
For appointments: 0115 9513680
For information enquiries: 0115 9513682
• Second interviews & assessment centres -
going all the way!
Or Visit our web Site on:
[Link]
• Successful Interview Skills
DVD’s
The following titles are available to view in the
Updated July 2006
centre. There is no need to book this facility,
although you may occasionally have to wait
for a few minutes during busy period. Enquire
at reception