Succeeding at Interviews

An invitation to an interview means you are on your way

to securing yourself a job. It is an opportunity for
employers to see if you match the requirements of the job.
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What are employers looking for?
Employers need to be convinced about:
Your ability to do the job and potential
Your motivation for the work and training
Your fit with others and the organisation
Interviews give employers the chance to get to know how
you perform in person and help them make judgments
about your suitability. You will need to be positive about
what you can offer. There is also the chance for you to
find out more about the employer.
Types of Interviews
Telephone interviews often used as an initial
screening process, but sometimes used later on in
the process, for example to speak to a senior
member of staff or overseas office. (The majority
of companies will give you advance warning, but
you should be prepared for those who will just
ring!)
One-to-one and panel interviews interviews can
range from one person to several interviewers i.e.
a panel. The latter may seem more daunting but
in fact the questions will not necessarily be any
more difficult or numerous than those asked by a
single interviewer and the process may be fairer.
Group interviews where you are asked
questions together with other applicants and
there may be a group discussion.
Presentations or selection tests may form a part
of your interview. There is a range of other
resources on selection tests and assessment
centres available from the Careers Service.

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Target, careers fairs, professional/trade press, and

your network academic staff, family, friends and
other contacts.
Re-read your application carefully and consider what
questions may arise from it. Think about how you
might deal with any tricky questions such as poor
exam results or limited work experience.
Practise your answers to likely questions, with a friend
or relative or book a mock interview with a Careers
Adviser or watch Making an Impact DVD in the
careers library. Read course notes including any
relevant project work /dissertation. Take a portfolio
for design work interviews.
Prepare some questions in advance. Explain politely if
your questions are answered during the interview.
Avoid asking obvious questions about points that have
been covered in the company literature or
presentation or simply asking a question for the sake
of it. Avoid focusing on pay and perks at this stage.
Dress to impress, which means usually in smart,
formal attire, clean and pressed with polished shoes.
Plan your journey to the venue and arrive with time to
spare - an extra 20 minutes will give you time to relax
and gather your thoughts.
Be aware of personal hygiene. Do not smoke just
before your interview. If you do then eat a mint or
chew some gum before you go in remember to get
rid of the gum before you go into the interview!
Be aware of personal safety issues. Make sure a friend
or relative knows the address and contact details of
the interview. If the job is overseas be especially
careful to check out the employer and the type of
work you will be expected to do, as well as the
provision of safe travel and accommodation.

Preparation: Ten Top Tips

1. Look closely at the job description and person
specification and think again about what skills and
attributes they are looking for.
2. Read your letter of invitation carefully for special
instructions; such as preparing a presentation or
bringing particular documents.
3. Research the job and/or organisation; employers may
ask about who their competitors are, whether you are
aware of any press coverage they may have had or
about any factors influencing their market. Find out
information from employer websites, annual reports,
graduate employer directories such as Prospects and

Types of questions
Increasingly interviewers are using a style of questioning
known as Strengths-Based as a way of finding out what
candidates enjoy. While competency-based questions
focus on what you can do, strengths-based questions
focus on what you like doing. You will need to consider
even more examples of what you have done well and
enjoyed.
You are likely to be asked about:
Your time at university such as your choice of
course, how well you have done, what you enjoyed
most, your work experience and other interests.
Your self awareness and plans including your
strengths, achievements, weakness(es), what others
would say about you, your ambitions and where you
see yourself in a few years.

Middlesex University Careers Service

http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/careers

The job and the employer reasons for applying for

this job and/or this employer, knowledge of the
employer (products/services/clients) and
competitors .Other jobs applied for and why.
Competencies such as teamworking, time
management/working under pressure, influencing,
planning, problem solving and commercial
awareness. Also possible are technical questions
including subject matter/related concepts and
techniques and hypothetical or situational questions
what would you do if
Other circumstances such as gaps in your cv, mixed
academic performance, nature of experience.
Preparing your responses
Some of the questions you may find relatively
straightforward to answer, such as why you chose
your course, though still give a thoughtful answer.
You should always listen carefully to what is asked and
clarify if need be. Answer fully but dont ramble.
For the competency-based type questions employers
are looking for precise evidence of the skills they need,
so it is vital you can explain in detail occasions when
you have shown these skills. It is often helpful to think
of CAR Context, Action and Results - in describing
exactly what happened and what you did. You may
well have given examples already in an application
form. It makes sense to prepare answers for all of the
key competences an employer requires.
Some questions that often cause concern:
Q: What has been your greatest achievement to date?
A: Think of something that makes you stand out
against others, for example, not just getting to
university but having overcome unusual difficulties.
Q: What are your weaknesses?
A: You could include an admission of a weakness such
as: one that you are working to improve upon; one
that has been overcome; one that is not significant for
this post; one that may be obvious anyway for
example lack of experience.
Q: Where do you see yourself in three years time?
A: Consider the employers opportunities and
priorities and reflect on your career goals and how
they will fit in. Remember also the earlier advice
about researching the employer.
The general advice is to be positive about yourself and
what you have to offer but be honest.
See the separate typical interview questions sheet
which includes questions to ask at the end.

The real key to fighting nerves is preparation

follow the Ten Top Tips on this sheet to help you
prepare well for your interview.
Get a good nights sleep the night before.
Choose from the following techniques to help you
overcome interview nerves:
1. Breathing make an active effort to slow
down and control your breathing.
2. Visualising visualise calm surroundings
or picture the interview going well.
3. Positive thinking remind yourself that
you are qualified for the job.

Body language
First impressions at an interview count. Research shows
that non verbal communication strongly affects an
interviewers impression of you.
Take the initiative and shake hands.
Make good eye contact with interviewers.
Maintain good posture check yourself in a
mirror beforehand.
Smile!! It conveys enthusiasm.
Feedback
If you are successful and offered the position - well done!
If you are not successful, you can learn from your
interview experience. Some employers offer candidates
the opportunity to request feedback after the interview to
help them improve their chances of success in the future.
Disabilities
Positive news more and more employers are aware of
disabilities and the need to employ a diverse workforce.
Many will ask if you need special arrangements in advance.
The choice to disclose your disability at the interview is a
personal one and can provide evidence of determination
and motivation. Find out more about UseMyAbility at:
www.usemyability.org.
Further information
See Typical Interview Questions sheet
DVD Making an Impact - excellent examples of job
interviews for graduates, available to view in the careers
centre in CG21.
Websites:
Kent University www.kent.ac.uk/careers/iv
Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk (interview tips section)
The UK's official graduate careers website.
Targetjobs www.targetjobs.co.uk
What will they ask www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk
Wikijobs www.wikijobs.co.uk
Further resources such as hardcopy literature and DVDs are
available in our careers library and electronically on our website.

Dealing with nerves

Middlesex University Careers Service

http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/careers