Oxford

D
APPLICATION ESSENTIALS
CONFIDENT INTERVIEWS
If you’ve been invited to interview, you’ve convinced
the employer that you are suitable for the role on
paper. An interview is your opportunity to confirm
this impression, and demonstrate that you are what
the hiring manager is looking for.
HOW TO PREPARE
Repeat the preparation detailed in this section, but in more depth.
Re-read the job description and candidate specification and
ensure you understand the job and the competencies required.
And be clear about the points you absolutely want to make, and
practise building them into different answers.
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As a starting point, prepare some answers to typical
questions, and practise answering them out loud.
Articulating your answers is harder than thinking them over
in your head, and saying them out loud will help you to
sound more convincing and fluent on the day.
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Be clear on your motivations for why you want to work for
the organisation.
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Be ready to show commercial awareness (p.38):
• Consider how recent global events, current affairs and
the economy may affect the organisation.
• Think about how the organisation competes in its
market, and how it compares with its competitors.
• Read a quality broadsheet and be ready to offer an
informed opinion on business and current affairs.
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Prepare some questions - note them down - to ask at the
interview.
THE
CAREERS
SERVICE
SUPPORT AT THE CAREERS SERVICE
• Sessions for improving your interview skills are held
each term, and dates and times are advertised in the
weekly newsletter and on CareerConnect (p.5).
• Mock interviews, led by employers, are offered every
term. The recruiter will give you feedback to improve
your technique, and you can make a recording to
review later.
• You can also use a short discussion with a Careers
Adviser to discuss interview technique or tackle some
general interview questions.
• The Careers Service’s Resource Centre holds a number
of DVDs, books and handouts that can help you
prepare for interviews.
• The Interview Feedback Database on CareerConnect
contains helpful tips from past students’ interview
experiences – which you can filter by sector.
TOP TIPS FOR ANSWERS
Try to use examples from different experiences, such as
your studies, work experience, extracurricular activities and
volunteering.
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Try to be precise – many of us tend to ramble when
we’re nervous, but try to make your answers as clear as
possible.
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Feel free to use examples already mentioned on
your written application: the interviewer will not have
memorised all of them. Be ready to go into more detail.
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Think about the structure of your answer to ensure you
get the relevant points across clearly. For competency
based questions use the STAR/CAR mnemonic to ensure
you highlight the transferable actions from your example
(p.39).
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For key questions such as “What are your strengths?” it may
be useful to structure your answer and signpost this in your
answer e.g. “I have three major strengths relevant to this
role, the first is...”. But do not use this for every questions as
you may start to sound robotic and over-prepared.
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A good interview is a dialogue, and you should take an
active role in the conversation.
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If you are not sure you understand the question – ask for
clarification; similarly if you are wondering whether you
have answered a question fully ask whether the interviewer
would like more information.
PREPARE FOR THE MOST TYPICAL QUESTIONS
Some questions are asked by many employers because all
want to understand what your interests are, what you enjoy
doing and and how these relate to the position. They will also
seek to understand what motivates you, and how much insight
you have into yourself, their company and the role – so be sure
to prepare well and practise aloud for these FAQs.
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“What attracted you to this company?”
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“Why do you want this position?”
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“What will you bring to this role?”
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“Tell me about a time you led a team/completed a project/
communicated with a difficult client ...”
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“What would you do differently if faced with that (difficult)
situation again?”
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“Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?”
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“What do you consider your greatest strengths?” “…
weakness?”
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“What has been your greatest achievement?”
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“Tell me about yourself.”
ON THE DAY
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Plan your route and arrive promptly – 15 minutes is early
enough to settle down and relax. Think how you will
cope if there is an unexpected delay.
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Consider what you’re going to wear; be clean, neat and
tidy, and dress appropriately to the environment you
would be working in.
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First impressions are important. Be ready to say hello
with a confident handshake and steady eye contact.
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