Although job interviews vary in their nature, there are three questions that candidates are asked time and again. The better prepared you are to respond to them, the better your chances of securing the perfect graduate job will be.
1. Tell me about yourself...
This is a deceptively easy but often very tricky open-ended question. Start by giving a brief overview of your qualifications and the employment positions you’ve held over your career. Don’t go into too much detail and try not to talk for more than five minutes. Employers want to see what skills you can bring to the company, so remember to highlight any important projects you’ve undertaken or positions where you’ve held additional responsibility.
2. What are you strengths and weaknesses?
When thinking about your strengths, try to highlight those which are required and specified in the job description. Try to emphasise tangible skills and give examples of these so the interviewee can understand how well those strengths can be applied in that particular position.In relation to your weaknesses, try to mention the ones that you have already worked to rectify. For example, if your IT skills are basic, explain the steps you have taken in order to improve that weakness - such as attending IT classes. This will show employers that you are ambitious and always ready to improve.
3. Why do you want to work here?
For this question, the interviewee is looking for a response that shows that you want to work with their company in particular. They need to feel that you have singled out their company for a reason and to know that you value the role for more than the employment and financial security it brings. Gather as much information as possible about the company and their values and try to line them up with your own goals.
Whenever you’re attending a job interview for a graduate position, don’t forget to take on board these interview tips.