Interviews
Be your best self at interviews and know how to prepare for them.
So you’ve had the excitement of being invited to an interview, but now face the daunting prospect of having to actually do it! The first thing to know is that the majority of people will feel some level of nerves when faced with an interview – it’s perfectly normal. Whilst we’re not suggesting you will grow to love interviews, there are very practical strategies you can implement to be your best self and convey your suitability and passion for the position confidently. After all, employers are looking for confirmation that: you can in fact do the role (your suitability); you are interested in the role (your motivation); and that you will fit with their team and within their workplace (your personality).
You could be asked to take part in a variety of interview formats, for example a telephone interview, a traditional panel interview and a group interview (more common with assessment centres) and you’re almost just as likely to interview online nowadays than in person. You may be asked to complete more than one of these interviews within one recruitment process. They can also vary in formality, for example, a chat about a volunteering opportunity will be far less formal than the interview process for a funded PhD position or a graduate scheme. Nonetheless, this section covers advice to help you develop your skills for any type of interview.
Through combining thorough preparation with plenty of practise, and effective ways to manage your nerves, you can stand out and feel confident at any interview you’ve got lined up!
How to prepare for an interview
Preparation is essential for success at any interview. Your preparation should focus on:
- researching the employer and role
- developing your self-awareness and identifying your key strengths and skills
- anticipating questions you could be asked and preparing answers – highlight key skills, experiences and knowledge that the employer is looking for from the role description, identify examples from your experience that you could use to evidence each of these and look at our advice on how to approach common types of interview question below
Practise your interview technique
It’s important that your interview is not the first time you have had a chance to practise answering questions.
Practise doing this by:
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- Answering questions out loud – look up common graduate interview questions and practise answering them out loud. Even better would be to ask a friend or family member to do this with you so you don’t know which questions you’re going to be asked next
- Using GraduatesFirst – you can access this as a current Cardiff University student to complete mock interviews online and receive feedback
- Booking a mock interview with a Careers Adviser in your Student Futures Account – practise answering questions and receive feedback on your interview technique
Common types of question and how to approach them
There are several types of questions commonly asked at an interview (many of which are also common with application forms):
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Top tips – before, during and after your interview
- Follow our advice on this page about preparing for interviews and practise your interview skills by booking an appointment in your Student Futures Account
- If the interview is in person, find out where it is and plan your route. Make sure you leave plenty of time and aim to arrive early. Treat the interview as having started whenever you enter the building - any impressions you leave on any staff member you interact with could have a bearing on the decision to hire you or not
- If the interview is online, check any links or apps you might have been provided with by the employer. For the interview, make sure you are in a quiet room with no distractions and that you can be seen and heard clearly
- Decide what you will wear on the day well in advance. If you're not sure, contact the employer and ask but it's better to dress too smart rather than too casual, as this will only highlight your professionalism
- Sort out what you will take with you, for example a copy of your CV and where relevant for certain industries a portfolio or copy of your work
- Maintain eye contact if you can and smile
- Be conscious of your body language - try not to fidget
- Don't rush into your answer straightaway, especially if you've been asked a tough question - this is a natural response when you start to panic! Instead take a few moments, have a sip of water and try to think through logically how you will approach the question. Have a structure in mind before you start answering
- Try not to rely too much on notes and avoid giving overly rehearsed answers
- Shortly after the interview, take a note of any questions you were asked that you struggled with or didn't anticipate. Think about how you might approach these next time
- Spend a moment or two reflecting on how you think the interview went and try to do things you enjoy or find distracting, especially while you await the outcome. An interview is a stressful experience and you should consider every interview you do as a personal achievement and development opportunity!
- If you are unsuccessful, take the opportunity to ask for feedback. Most employers are happy to provide feedback at this stage and it can really help fine-tune your performance for your next interview. It might even help reassure you that there was nothing that you could have done differently. Try not to get disheartened - everyone will face rejection during their career and although it's never a nice feeling, it will help you to grow professionally and develop resilience
How to deal with interview nerves
Even with thorough preparation, it’s only natural to still feel nervous when the day of your interview arrives. Follow our advice below to manage those nerves so that they don’t hinder your performance:
Reframe the feelings
The feelings that accompany nervousness and anxiety overlap with those that come from excitement, for example an increased heart rate or racing thoughts. Try to reframe the interview in your mind from something that is causing you stress to something that you really want and are excited about. Rather than seeing this as a daunting experience, try viewing it as a golden opportunity to showcase your skills and abilities and remember, you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you! Following the interview, you might decide it's not actually right for you. This video offers a useful explanation of how reframing can help.
Consider practicalities and plan in advance
Planning your journey, checking your technology (for an online interview) and sorting your outfit are all practicalities of the interview that can become worrying if you leave them to the last minute. Take the time to sort these things well in advance.
Practise, practise, practise!
Whilst some appear to be more confident with interviews than others, it is not simply the case that you are good at interviews or you are not. Interview skills, such as knowing how to prepare for interviews, practising your interview technique and understanding how to approach different types of questions are skills like any other - the more you practise them, the better you get. Practise out loud, use GraduatesFirst if you are a current Cardiff University student and get advice from Student Futures.
Find what works for you
Ultimately everyone is different and strategies that work for you won't work for others and vice versa. Try different techniques, from breathing exercises to playing your favourite power tune before you go into your interview, and find what works best for you.