Career Centre
Career Centre
A quick self help guide to the disorientating and scary world of CVs and Interviews, below is a comprehensive help guide for all job seekers:
Interview questions
Below you will find a list of possible interview questions, have a read through and keep some of them in mind, don’t forget to have specific examples of your achievements and responsibilities throughout your career: It cannot be emphasised more strongly - be prepared. Good luck!
Top Interview Questions
Why do you want this job?
What is your major achievement?
What are your strengths?
What attracted you to this position?
Why are you leaving your present job?
Why were you in your previous job for such a short/long time?
How do you motivate people?
What was your biggest mistake?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
What are your weaknesses?
What do you know about our organisation?
How would you approach this job?
How do you manage your staff?
What do you look for when recruiting staffin?
How do you decide on your objectives?
How do you manage your day?
What interests you most in your work?
What have you read recently that has taken your interest?
What sort of things do you like to delegate?
In what environment do you work best?
What motivates you?
How have you changed over the last five years?
Describe a time when you felt you were doing well.
Describe a time when you felt that things were not going too well?
How do you work in a team?
What would your colleagues say about you?
Tell me about a time when you successfully managed a difficult situation at work.
What do you think you can bring to this position and company?
Why have you stayed so long/for such a short while your present company?
If we asked for a reference, what would it say about you?
Why were you transferred/promoted?
What do you like best about your present job?
What did you learn in that job and how did it influence your career?
If you did not have to work what would you do? Why?
What other job have you applied for recently?
What decisions do you find easy to make?
What decisions do you find difficult to make?
How do you get the best out of people?
Which of your jobs has given you the greatest satisfaction?
How do you respond under stress? Can you provide a recent example?
What support/training will you need to do this job?
What will you look forward to most in this job?
What sort of person are you socially?
How did you get into this line of work?
What other irons do you have in the fire for your next job?
What aspects of this job would you delegate?
What are the major influences that encourage you to take a job?
How does the job sound to you?
What questions have you for us?
First Impression / Preparing for the interview
• Research the company. Read the press, look at the Company web site, use a search engine to check any references to it on the web.
• If you will be based at a particular unit or location, then try to visit it prior to the interview, definitely visit a site prior to the interview, as your opinion will be discussed.
• Think of questions you might be asked and how you might answer them (Link to Interview Questions)
• Prepare questions to ask at the interview.
• Think about what to wear, always arrive at an interview smartly dress in a suit, pressed shirt, clean shoes and a tie for the boys and minimum make up for the girls.
• Whatever you decide to wear, look smart and well presented
• Make sure you know where the interview is, who you are meeting and how you are going to get there, always make sure you find the site early and have a relax before the interview
• Leave plenty of time to get to the interview, it is always advisable to do a dummy run beforehand.
At the interview
Try to be as relaxed and confident as possible, be natural and be yourself
Be friendly, positive and honest
Think about the questions before answering
Give clear, concise answers- don’t waffle
Make sure you have thought about your answers before the interview, use the questions HERE (link to questions) to give you an idea what may be asked
What else do I need to know?
Don’t exaggerate from the facts. Be prepared for an interviewer to question you on ALL of the contents of your CV.
Use a clear font/type-set. A fancy font may look pretty, but is often inappropriate, also leave out borders and coloured formats, it’s just distracting
Always proof read a CV for mistakes or errors. It is often helpful to ask a family member or friend to check your CV too.
Use good quality and plain paper.