One has only a
few seconds to make that all
important first impression. This has
a tendency to make our palms sweat,
to make us giggle or act nervous.
Below are a few hints on preparing
for your interview, which will
hopefully help calm some of those
pre-interview jitters!
Pick out key words in the
advertisement, such as
‘selling’, ‘managing’, or
‘stocking’, to focus your
preparation.
Practise answering questions
such as:
Why are you applying
for this position?
What are your goals?
What do you expect
to be doing 10 years
from now?
Do you think that
your education has
prepared you well for
this job?
What can you offer
this company?
What kinds of people
do you like working
with?
Do you like working
on your own?
Tell us about
yourself.
What does success
mean to you?
Where did you hear
about this job?
What do you do in
your spare time?
If you were hiring a
graduate for this job,
what qualities would you
look for?
What do you expect to be earning in five
years’ time?
What is more important to you: the money
or the type of job?
What do you consider to be your greatest
strengths and weaknesses?
Describe the relationship that should
exist between a supervisor and his/her
subordinates.
What two or three things are most
important to you in your job?
Are you willing to travel?
How do you work/cope under pressure?
What university subjects did you like
most/least, and why?
What do you know about our company?
Do you think that your results are a
good indication of your academic
achievement?
Do you have plans for further studies?
What have you learned from participating
in extracurricular activities?
How would you describe your ideal job?
What major problem have you encountered
in the past and how did you deal with it?
How do you feel about change?
What have you done by way of
self-development over the past few years?
Research the company.
Obtain current information about the industry.
Make a list of questions for the interviewer:
What are the opportunities for personal
career growth?
What are your expectations of new
members of staff?
How are employees evaluated and
promoted?
Describe the work environment.
How can you utilise my skills?
What is the overall structure of the
department where the position is located?
When can I expect to be told whether or
not I have been successful in securing the
position?
Remember to keep your list of questions
short. Try not to sound like you are
interviewing the employer!
Presenting yourself:
Smile and maintain eye contact with the
interviewer/s.
Avoid using swear words and slang
expressions.
Answer questions honestly and concisely.
Don't ramble and don't attempt to take
command of the interview. If you don't know
the answer to a question, say so.
If you don't agree with something, say
so politely – and say why. You have a mind
of your own, so don't be afraid. However,
rudeness and aggression are not admired and
may destroy your prospects in the specific
situation.
Do not discuss your personal, domestic
or financial problems in an interview.
