As graduation approaches, the main thing on every grad’s mind is the job hunt. And the deciding factor in turning this hunt into an A-grade salary? The interview! The majority of students are desperate to get that “Competitive Advantage” we all know and love from our business degrees.
That’s why the team here at GradBuddy have done the easy work for you! We’ve searched the top grad advice websites and attended many a careers event to find the top interview tips we think you need to know.
Preparation
Before attending any interview, the key activity you can do is preparation. Make yourself stand out by:
Focusing on the company you are interviewing for. Our research found that nearly every company said their pet hate was a candidate who arrived to interview with no idea of what activities they actually do! It sounds simple but its surprising how many people miss this out!
The basic information will usually suffice and can be found on most corporate sites e.g. their mission statement, core competencies, annual report and sustainability report.
However, make yourself stand out by taking your search a little wider and looking beyond the companys website! Investigating industry trends and the company’s competitors will really show a passion for the business. Keeping up-to-date with current affairs and issues affecting their industry should also win you some brownie points!
Reflecting on your skills and experiences. This can help you sail through any CV grilling, remind you why you are such a great candidate and therefore give you the increased confidence to really sell yourself!
Do a mock! You wouldn’t turn up to an exam without looking at a past paper (at least we hope!) so why should an interview be any different?
Take time to think about the sort of questions they will ask you such as:
“When have you worked in a team?” or “Tell me about a time you gave good customer service?” (you know the drill).
This gives you time to prepare some good examples and saves you being caught off guard. Be sure to think of a question to ask the interviewer, either about the job specifically or their general business practices. They will be happy to answer and pleased to see you are an engaged and forward thinking candidate!
First Impressions
You’ve probably heard it a thousand times before but yes, they are everything! It is said that we communicate 55% visually and 7% verbally and so positive body language will stand you in good stead.
This includes...
- A relaxed posture
- Eye contact (to both interviewers if there is more than one!)
- Gentle nodding in agreement shows confidence and manners.
- Remembering to smile. This is often forgotten in the pre-interview jitters but is key in showing you are more than just a business robot and can also help add some humour. Remember they want to see the real you!
Avoid the negatives...
- Being too tense
- Folding arms
- Fidgeting
- Yawning
- Day dreaming.
A big part of first impressions is also dress. When in doubt, conservative is usually best. However, be sure to tailor this to the organisation you are interviewing for. For example, a job at a law firm will expect classic colours and a smarter look than perhaps a job in a fashion magazine that wants to see more design flair.
General dress tips for guys and girls are:
- Clean and sensible shoes
- Well fitted suit. I.e. A suit that doesn’t swamp the guys and a skirt that’s not too short for the girls!
- Sensible and understated jewellery and make-up for the girls
- guys.. no novelty ties!
All that being said, remember to dress according to what suits your style. As mentioned, the company wants to see you as a person and an ill fitting suit may leave you looking uncomfortable and could act as a distraction!
There are so many sites offering tips just like this so check out our favourites...
And your university careers centre! Happy interviewing
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