How to prepare for a graduate job interview

Whether you’re about to graduate or have graduated a while ago, putting yourself out there on the job market can feel a little intimidating. There are a bunch of steps involved in applying for graduate jobs, including getting ready for any interviews you may have.
 
But how do you prepare for a graduate job interview? In this article, we’re going to take things back to basics, whether this is your first, second, or whatever-number interview. We might be getting a little bit ahead of ourselves here - and it may seem like an obvious thing to say - but you’ll see throughout the advice we share that preparation is the name of the game. We’ll go into why this is, too (TLDR: you’ll feel more confident). Think of this as a helpful checklist to tick off in preparation. Let’s get to it.

Reread the job description

First things first - reread the job description for the role you have applied for. Not only can this help prepare you for the type of questions the hiring panel might ask you - questions specific to the job role, your experience, your values, and so on - but it’ll also get you into a focused mindset, which can help you feel more confident and prepared.

Research your employer

Take some time to research your employer ahead of your interview. They may ask you questions about why you’d like to work with them, so demonstrating that you’re familiar with their mission and goals will only work in your favour. You can also dig into their activities and values and share what you feel enthusiastic about and resonate with.

Find out about the interview process

Asking about what the interview process will be like will not only calm your nerves, as you’ll know what you can expect, but it will also help you prepare for the type of interview you’ll have. This includes how many rounds there may be, whether it’ll be in person or over video call, whether you are expected to prepare anything in advance, and who will be interviewing you. You can cross-reference with the job description for answers to these, along with asking your point of contact for the company (this may be someone from the HR department or a recruitment consultant, like the team at Graduate Talent).

Double check the route to the interview location

Double checking how to get to the interview location (if it’s in person) can help with pre-interview nerves and ensure punctuality. We also highly recommend ensuring you have the right amount of money/payment options if you’re taking public transport.

Check your tech

Checking your technology before a phone or video job interview is super important! You want to ensure your device is working as it should and has updated software to help avoid any unexpected disruptions. This also includes checking that your internet connection is stable. We also recommend testing your headphones and microphone to double check that everything is doing what it should be doing. The benefits of doing this ahead of your interview include preventing any issues that could crop up due to miscommunication. Still, it also demonstrates you’re taking the interview seriously, which only makes you look even more professional.

Plan your outfit

Planning your outfit for a graduate job interview is all part of making a positive first impression on the hiring team. You want to balance out choosing clothes that are appropriate to the industry you’re interviewing in but also pieces that you feel comfortable and confident in.

Practise answers to questions you might get asked

Practising answers to the types of questions you might be asked can help you feel more prepared and confident.

When figuring out what these questions will be, think about the company’s key values. You can always refer back to the job description to see what these are. There are certain types of questions you’ll likely be asked, including:

• Asking about what motivates you
• Asking about hard skills and experience, as well as soft skills (find out what soft skills are in our article)
• Asking you direct questions about the employer
• Asking you to problem-solve - think hypothetical scenarios
• Asking you to demonstrate your strengths as well as areas you’d like to build on
• Asking about you as an individual, such as your interests, unique skills, special achievements

Try not to answer just ‘yes/no’ to these questions. Expand on, demonstrate, and use this opportunity to showcase how suitable you are for the role. You can always get a friend, family member, or housemate involved to bounce ideas off!

Prepare questions to ask the interviewer

A graduate job interview doesn’t have to be one-sided when it comes to asking questions. It presents an opportunity to ask the recruiter/hiring panel questions, too. Not only can you get answers to genuine questions you may have, but asking thoughtful questions means you can show what you already know about the employer and further demonstrate your interest in the role.

Practise calm-down techniques

Remember, job interviews are not designed to ‘catch you out’. Practise things to say if you need more time to think about a question. It’s okay to take your time; say you don’t know right now but how you would go about answering a question. They want to get to know you. You can always print out your job application and bring it with you to refer to if needed. 

It’s completely understandable to be a little nervous ahead of a job interview, so preparation can help you get into the right mindset and calm your nerves. Practical preparation tasks like checking your tech/route to the interview and planning your interview outfit are just as useful as practising asking and answering questions. Do the best you can and good luck!

Feeling ready for your next graduate job interview? Get in touch with the team at Graduate Talent to find out about the exciting graduate opportunities we have!

This article was written by Lois Neville.