Job Interview Tips

If it goes badly start loudly humming the tune of your favourite late-90's song.

 

Total personality tests. Show you've done your research and you're not a canut and you'll be fine.

I have never planned answers to questions I think may come up (within reason obviously). It's extremely easy to tell if someone has and they sound extremely robotic.

 

Thanks for everyone's help. Hopefully goes well. Staying at a friend's house the night before as it's a fair way away so hopefully going to do a mock interview the night before.

I have been given the names of the two people interviewing me, found them on linkedin and one of them actually did the job I am applying for 2 months ago

 

Careful with the mock interview - honestly you don't want to come across sounding too robotic or it will seriously hold you back.

Secondly don't mention anything to do with peoples lives on linkedin. I have had interviewees speak about my personal life and in all honesty, I find it very creepy. The majority of others think the same thing. If you're told you're being interviewed by a partner/manager or similar, mention how you like the fluidity within the company, in that the higher ranking staff get to know those just starting out.

 

I disagree with this from my experience. Grad interviews are often carbon copies and a completely learnable skill. The better prepared you are the less nervous you will be. It will give you more thinking time and stop you rambling off on tangents. You'll only sound robotic if you haven't polished it enough.

Being comfortable is everything so go with the approach you think works best for you.

 

I haven't had much graduate level interview experience to be fair, would you say the interviews are more like revision then, a memory skill? I'm not saying be a rambler by any means, but if people come in and give such similar answers it would get on my nerves. Then there's a person who comes in, totally relaxed, answers your questions with almost a casual chat like feeling. For me, I'd choose the latter, I don't think you can plan that but may be wrong!

 

I take your point - but there are about 5/6 interview questions that come up in nearly every graduate interview. It's not so much learning them word for word, but just having an outline in your head of how to answer them (as in when they say X I want to cover the following 3/4 points). I found it just gave me a bit of a "free-hit" during the interview and meant I wasn't flustered when a unique/difficult question came up as I'd already built up confidence in myself and establised credibility with the interviewer.

I did these interviews 2 decades ago now, but I remember I just got better and better at them the more I did as things came up over and over again and each time my answers got a bit more refined. I did so many application forms I had 6/7 a week for about a month varying between 1st/2nd interviews and assessment days.

The casual off the cuff approach definitely works (and is indeed better in more bespoke/senior role interviews) but for your standard grad interview I think the safe route is to know where you want to go wihen the inevitable same questions come up.

 

Of course these pearls of wisdom are from the 1990s so the youngsters should feel free to point out that things have completely changed and I'm a dinosaur

 

:dino:

 

When I graduated in 1998, I must have had interviews with about 10-12 different companies. The first few I got nowhere, then after that I kept getting second interviews but then falling at that hurdle. The last 3 I had led to job offers, although one of them required a security clearance that was to take 2 months so I took one of the other 2.


The job interview I had for my current job, was a bit of a joke as I moved within the gambling industry, where everyone knows everyone else. So it was a chat about who I knew and who I got on with.

 

Be composed, talk sense.

When we first moved back here my Mrs applied for half a dozen retail management jobs and got offered every one. One chap wanted to make her operations manager for his new venture.

Her big secret, absolute calm. She also made sure she understood why they asked obscure questions.

 

And that's how Godfathers missus got the job at Brentford that kick started her rise to the Uefa Cup semi finals.

 

I never do "mock interviews". To me you never know what's coming up. Not sure what these "graduate interviews" are as I guess i've never been a graduate.

I tend to research the company and the interviewer, then stroll in there calmly with an open mind. If I get a chance, talk to people in the reception area (Can give an insight into the company as well) and do it on the fly. No rehearsed stuff, just straight up honest answers. Honesty is key, if you can't do something or have no idea on how to do it, tell them. You've openly expressed a weakness, but back it up by saying you're a keen learner, and want to know more about skill/area.

Haven't failed an interview since I started work by doing the above. In fact, the only interview I failed at was a 16 year old trying to get a job at McDonalds. I apparently didn't have enough experience.

More of a Burger King man anyway.

 

Out of curiosity why put it on there then ???

 

Read what I quoted!

 

Dress smart, offer a firm handshake, look them in the eye, smile and greet them.

Fail this and you will be up against it from the start

 

Where will you be in 3 years time?

Don't say doing your wife, Don't say doing your wife, Don't say doing your wife.


errrr Doing your, son?

 

Research is the most essential thing.

Your aim is to look where other candidates wouldn't.

Read the shareholders annual report and look at the vision of the CEO. Try to understand the subtext; what personality do they want to give the company? What are the themes that an HR department will be looking for?

Nail this and you will have a great chance.

Are they going for growth? Do they care deeply about people?

 

Definitely look into this and if possible, ask them do they like growth and if so, how deep do they take it. I'd suggest saying it in a Dapper Laughs sort of way. A cheeky wink and a gunshot proceeding this question should definitely land you the job (maybe a blow if you've done it correctly)

Ah yeaaaaaaaaaa

 

I don't want to give away the job for reasons but it is within my field of study (Digital Film Production) and football based. I don't expect many people on here to be in similar roles but thought it might help for everybody's advice.

Received an e-mail confirming the interview but it didn't tell me if I need to bring anything with me (ie CV, examples of work etc etc), what should I bring with me?

Going to bring a small notebook with my notes on that i'll have made before the interview and to use during. Anything else anybody recommends?

 

You need to look like you are comfortable under pressure, one simple way to do this is unzip your fly and make it really obvious, when they point it out, just act all casual and zip it back up with a joke like "good job I didn't go commando today", this will show you are capable of keeping a level head under any circumstance.

To look like you know your stuff, make something up and when they look blank, pretend they can't be up to speed with the latest industry developments like you are.

You need to be confident, make a racist joke if they are non-white, a sexist joke if they are female, a "fat" joke if they're overweight. They will respect your confidence to do this.

Never be yourself, thats a load of crap, you need to be someone else, once they figure out you're a **** its too late, although you'll need a plan to get through probation. Get your pass on probatoion in writing. Coast is clear from then on.

 

I have. And I still don't get why you put stuff on there if you think it creepy if someone parrots it back at you.

 

Tomorrow morning 10am. Absolutely ****ting it.

Thanks for everybody's advice!

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

Wear a nice suit, choose a decent tie, do it up properly, give them a big smile and a firm handshake and be yourself! Good luck!

 

Suit is all chosen. Had to travel today as its a fair distance

 

Don't say 'Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk' every time you speak to them.

 

#Pray4TheDon

 

Just got back from interview. Went pretty well I think, remembered a lot of things people said on here and asked two good questions. Found out they're interviewing 5 people and two will make a second interview next week. Hear back by end of tomorrow/Thursday

 

Good luck!

 

Heard back just now. I got the second interview!

"The interview will consist of a 30 minute competency based questioning session followed by a task which will include editing footage on Final Cut Pro X. A full brief will be given on the day."

Any more tips just keep them coming! Especially with competency based questioniong as I've never done that before

 

30 minute competency based questioning session? Not a clue what they mean by that, the only thing I've had which may be close is a bunch of questions to do in 15 minutes (Think I worked it out to be 15 seconds to answer each question). The idea of this test was accuracy rather than how many you could do. I never knew this so sped through it. Turns out I finished the test with a 92% accuracy rating - The company I interviewed for had never seen someone finish the test, and I actually achieved the highest accuracy they'd seen. If it's one of these tests, bear in mind it's accuracy they're after over speed. They did have a special name for the test - though it's escaped me at the moment. Will check my emails later to see if I can find a name for it.

 

Hey, congratulations!

If this will be your first real job, then finding examples of answers for competency based questions is a little more difficult.

Look on the internet for examples of the questions, then trawl through your young adult life and write down and any real life situations and experiences which may could provide an answer, but be as honest as you can!

Not much help...sorry.

Best of luck.

 

In my experience it's just there to make sure you're not a complete moron. Your CV will show you if you're academically up to speed the competency test will show you've got some common sense and can apply your education & experience.

Don't worry about it, don't rush the questions, re-read if you're unsure and good luck.

 

Seems a little unfair to ask 'competency based questions' if they don't provide you with some information about the competencies they're looking for surely? Particularly if they're industry-specific rather than just generic.