- The document provides guidance on how to prepare for and succeed in a job interview, including researching the company, understanding the job description, thinking of relevant skills and experiences, and preparing for common interview questions.
- It emphasizes the importance of researching the company thoroughly, being able to provide concrete examples from one's background, knowing what questions to ask the employer, and avoiding common mistakes like oversharing private information or past problems.
- Key recommendations include preparing 3 examples of relevant skills and experiences, understanding what motivates and interests the employer, and having questions prepared about the job responsibilities and company culture.
2. To succeed in the interview process you must come prepared. You need to
know:
• What research to make before the interview;
• What employers are most interested for in interns;
• What are the most typical interview questions and possible answers;
• What to ask employer during the interview.
3. How to get ready for a job interview
Start preparing by
• Researching the company;
• Understanding job description;
• Thinking about your skills and possible experience that can interest the
company.
OUR TIP: Prepare at least 3 examples from real life experiences that you can relate
to the company, offered position and required skills .
4. Company Research
Before the interview read the company’s website and
use websites such as goolge, linkedin, xing, twitter, digg, facebook to learn as much
as possible about:
• Industry, Product and Competition (what are the main products? is the industry
growing or falling; who are the main competitors and what is the company’s
position among them?)
• Size (how many staff does it have, how many branches are there, in which
countries or locations does the company operate?)
• Ownership (what is the name and nationality of the parent company if it is a
subsidiary?)
• Recent events and News (what is happening in the field or industry or in the
company?)
Sometimes you will be able to research also:
• Sales growth and Profitability
5. Skills that Sell
While looking at the job description, required knowledge and skills, thing which from the
following skills you might posses:
And think how you can prove them based on an example from your past!
6. Skills that Sell
Prove by Example!
Question: Are you a team player?
Answer: Yes! I was in the school football team! This taught me how to be a team
player and the importance of using everyone’s different skills and talents! Only
like this our team could get further and win a game! If everyone did not work as
a team, we would never be the best in the university league!
7. Skills That Sell
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to
him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
- Nelson Mandela
• Think about what languages you know and to what levels.
8. Interview Topics
Prepare answers for questions which you think the interviewer may ask you. In
particular, think :
• of examples of your achievements in previous jobs or while at school;
• of examples how you have managed any difficult situations
• about your personal strengths and weaknesses;
• how you would describe your own personality.
Use as many examples and your own ideas as possible. Your host company
is interested to see what added value you can bring.
9. Typical Questions (1)
Tell me something about yourself!
Even though this is an open-ended question:
• Keep your answer to this job interview question to something that bears relation to the
potential job position you are seeking;
• Talk about your personal strengths or something career or education related that makes
you the most proud, et cetera;
• Keep your answer short and relevant;
• Be ready with the answer, a talent or something you did out of the ordinary.
DON’T:
• Do not just repeat what you have given in your resume.
10. Typical Questions (2)
• Where do you want to be in 5-10 years?
This has become a very common job interview question.
• Describe your “dream position” in terms of a an industry, company size, responsibilities,
career opportunities and country you want to work.
• Try to incorporate positive traits of the job position that you are applying for into your
interview answer.
DON’T:
• Do not specify any job title;
• Limit your response to professional goals.
11. Typical Questions (3)
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Be honest about your strengths. What are they and how do they relate to a career?
Strength Something what you can underline by Example
Example: I am a dedicated worker as in my last job I always completed tasks before the
deadlines
• The weaknesses part of this job interview question is sneaky. The job interviewer really
wants to know your weaknesses at work.
Weakness Something that really is not a problem.
Example: I don't have as much related job experience as other applicants, but I am a quick
learner.
12. Typical Questions (4)
Why do you want this job?
Why do you think you can fit into this company?
Why should we hire you?
• Express your interest in the company profile (based on your pre-research);
• Present your knowledge of the workplace environment (the department) you applied to;
• Take one of the job requirements, then focus on one of your related strengths/skills AND
give a concrete example (a success story) based on your past experiences to support your
point;
• Break the job requirements into fragments and continue in this manner.
• Keep the information crisp and relevant.
Example: You see that the company has not entered into the Spanish market and you are a
native Spanish speaker : use this to your advantage.
DON’T: Do not repeat your resume and enumerate your experience states there.
13. Typical Question (5)
What do you know about our company?
• Have a research done about the company / organization;
• Give just one or two reasons why you are interested.
• You can add these points:
o Company's reputation
o Desire to join the specific field of interest.
What interests you most about the job?
• Concentrate on the job description and express your interest in the tasks;
• Concentrate on the industry and show relevance to your background, studies and interests.
14. Typical Questions (6)
What can motivate you?
The Interview expects an answer to know you better;
Here are some of the main motivators:
15. Typical Question (7)
Whom do you choose as your reference and why?
• Name the references and how you know them;
• Give contacts that you feel comfortable about.
16. Questions to Ask Employer
Interview is a conversation, it is a two ways process, so while making research about the
company, prepare also questions you need to ask your interviewer. These should be about:
• The Job Description and tasks involved;
• Remuneration and benefits;
• Holidays;
• Product, industry and the company;
• Company culture, structure of the employees, size of the office
• Possibilities to grow and learn in the company;
Examples:
When and how will I get paid?
What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
How much guidance or assistance is made available to individuals in developing career goals?
You should have interest questions about the company and qualification questions regarding
duties and responsibilities
17. What to say in a Job Interview
• Relevancy- You should share any information relevant to the job profile.
• A team player- Being a team player means a lot in today’s corporate world. Give
an example!
• Future plans- Tell them about any concrete ambition that you have.
• Honest answers- Make sure that you are completely honest about your answers.
• Give Examples and Give Ideas - This is the only way to differentiate yourself
from other candidates.
18. What NOT to say in a Job Interview
• Saying that you are taking the job to improve your languages (English )
• Private Information - biggest mistakes that people commit in an interview is
giving out private information when it is not needed, or even when it is simply
not asked.
• Your weaknesses - Do not confess to any weaknesses that may put you in a bad
light.
• Past problems- Another major problem is created when people speak about the
problems that they encountered while they were in their previous jobs.