Interview Advice

Background Research

Research the company you have applied for - look at their website and search for recent news articles.

VERY IMPORTANT - make sure you understand their core values that underpin the way they do business.

A very useful job interview technique is the STAR theory. This will allow you to develop examples of experiences and activities you have undertaken and apply these to the role you are applying for.

SITUATION                What was, broadly, the circumstance you were dealing with?
TASK                          What did you need to do?
ACTION                     What action(s) did you take?
RESULT                   What was the (tangible/quantifiable) result?

Another useful technqiue is to analyse your CV - try to identifty obvious talking points and develop a response accordingly.

Examples: Why were you unemployed for six months? Why did you choose to go travelling after University, instead of going straight into employment?

Understand your answers and your reasons for these. Learning blocks of text word for word can sound very false - you are much better to understand how these answers apply - and apply them accordingly in the interview.

Come across as passionate and display a high level of desire and enthusiasm to work for the company. If an interviewer believes that you genuinely want to work for them, they will review your application much more favourably.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Make sure you know your own strengths and weaknesses. It's good to be able to discuss four or five of your best strengths, and also one or two of your weaknesses. Include a short paragraph on how each of your strengths has allowed you to achieve something. A useful technique for discussing strengths and weaknesses is to explain how your strengths make up for your weaknesses, or how you turn your weaknesses into strengths.

Example: a weakness could be your attention to detail - everything must be perfect before it is finished, however long it takes. The corresponding strength could be that you have no problem putting in 110% effort and staying late to ensure projects are completed to the best possible standard.

What kind of person are you? What would your friends say about you?

Client / Role

Why do you want to work for this company, in this role?

Draw on any relevant experience and personal strengths, and apply these to particular aspects of the role and company.

What qualities can you bring to the role?

Do you know what you will be doing in this role? What will your main responsibilities be? Familiarise yourself with the job description.

Why are you suitable for this particular role? What relevant skills can you bring to the table that make you a suitable applicant?

Have answers to the following questions:

1. Tell me about a time when you have used your initiative
2. Illustrate an occasion when you had to persuade or influence others
3. When have you been responsible for organising something?
4. Highlight a time when you achieved a particular goal

Please provide evidence that you have each of the following skills:

1. Organistional skills
2. Team working skills
3. Leadership skills
4. Persuasion skills

Draw on previous experience from your employment, education, travel and vacations, positions of authority and responsibility, and your interests.

How you would handle a situation where perhaps you don't yet have direct experience?

Career Goals

Where do you want to be in five years time? Do you know what you need to do to get there? Are you ambitious? Have you set yourself goals?

Show commitment to the potential employer - show that you are committed to the organisation's growth and that you do not have intentions to leave in 6 months time!

End of the interview

What other jobs have been applying for?

Inform the interviewer whether or not you would like to progress with your application and if so ask what the next steps are.

Ensure you have your availability should the interviewer wish to progress you to the next stage.