MY FUTURE Careers Newsletter

Getting Ready for Work

Job Interview Tips

If the recruiter likes what they see on your application or resume, it’s unlikely that you’ll be offered a job straight away. Instead, the next step in the selection process is usually an interview. Your interview could be conducted in person, on the phone, or via Zoom.

 

Employers use interviews to get a better idea of whether you’re going to be a good match for the job and fit in with their organisation. It’s also a chance for them to do a little more digging about what you’ve listed on your resume (so don’t be tempted to lie).

 

It’s OK to be nervous at interviews, but remember that even the people running your interview have been in the same situation (probably many times over). If you find yourself unsure, we have some job interview tips you might like to check out.

 

Interview prep tips

  • Get busy learning about the organisation you’ve applied to and do some reading about similar roles.
  • Research some of the questions you’re likely to be asked and write down some answers.
  • Practise answering interview questions, do mock interviews with teachers or grown-ups, or use job interview simulators.
  • Practise how you answer – remember not to ramble and to take breaths and talk nice and slowly.
  • Make sure you know where you’re going, that you’ve got the time and date right, and how you’ll get there.
  • Double check if there’s anything you need to take with you.

 Best practise for answering questions

Try to get used to using the STAR Technique to answer interview questions:

  • Situation: Describe the situation and when it took place.
  • Task: Explain the task, the goal and your role.
  • Action: Provide details about the action you took.
  • Result: Talk about the results of your actions, try and use concrete numbers or evidence if possible.

 Why you need to prepare

Being prepared will help you feel more confident and answer questions more easily. Plus, it could impress your interviewer and show them that you’re interested in their business and have used your initiative.

 

Pro Tip: Try to keep your answers short and relevant to both the question and the job you’re applying for.

 

Need more help?

Explore the blogs on our website for heaps more useful tips and info on how to ace job applications and interviews.

 

Example Interview Questions

Employers are not trying to trick you, but they do want to assess how they think you’ll perform in the role and see how you might fit into their team. If you have a job interview coming up, you might want to prepare by knowing what kinds of questions you could be asked.

 

Here are a few example interview questions to think about:

 

Goals

  • Can you describe the most enjoyable role that you have ever had and why you feel that way about it?
  • If you could describe an ideal role for yourself, what would it be?
  • What are your short- and long-term career plans?

 Conflict Resolution

  • Tell me about a challenging situation you have had to deal with at work or in your life.
  • How do you think you handled the situation and, given the opportunity, would you do anything differently?

 Decision Making

  • Tell me about a difficult decision you have had to make in the last year.
  • Can you tell me a bit about how you made your decision?
  • On reflection, do you think you made the right decision?

 Leadership

  • Can you think of a time when you’ve noticed how something could’ve been done better, and worked to implement the change?
  • How did you get management, team members, peers, or parents on board with the change?

 Results

  • Can you give me an example of when you were given a number of tasks to do and had to prioritise what needed to be done first?
  • Can you think of a way you have contributed at school or work that’s lead to a successful outcome in the last 12 months?
  • What is your biggest accomplishment so far and how did you achieve it?

Teamwork

  • Can you give me an example of when you’ve worked as part of a team to complete a job, and describe your role?
  • How did you overcome any differences of opinion during the task?

 Role Awareness

  • Why did you apply for this job?
  • What is it about [this career] you particularly think you will enjoy?

 Personal Qualities

  • Can you describe your strengths to me (character and professional)?
  • What would your manager / colleagues / peers / teachers tell me about you?
  • What are your top three values and what do they mean to you?
  • Can you tell me a bit about yourself and why you’d be great in this role?

 Technical Skills

  • What [insert software/tool here] have you worked with in the past?
  • Give me an example of a task you have completed using this [software/tool]?

Not sure how to answer?

  • Don’t lie, be honest. If you can’t think of a relevant example or situation, ask the interviewer to give you a scenario.
  • Don’t waffle. It’s OK to ask for clarification of you don’t understand the question or ask them to repeat it to make sure you heard it correctly.
  • Advocate for yourself. Even if you don’t know something, don’t just say “I don’t know” – you could redirect your answer and share how skills you’ve gained in another capacity are relevant, and let them know you’re eager and excited to learn.

Get more ideas about how to prepare for your interview (as well all things careers) on our website here.