Top Interview Tips as a Graduate After Your Degree

Securing employment after your studies can be challenging. However, mastering the art of interviews can be the key to unlocking career success.

Interviews are far more than just questions; they are an opportunity to showcase your skills, passion and confidence in your ability to drive business success. Interviews are a crucial part of any application process, so developing effective interview techniques can help you gain lifelong skills for your career.

Let’s explore how to launch your career with confidence by acing graduate interviews!

Graduate Job Interview Tips

You’ve nailed your CV and cover letter and have now been invited to interview. To help smooth out those interview jitters, here are our top graduate job interview tips! 

Before Interview:

Do a Test Run

Find the location of the venue and then do a practice run to calculate the exact journey time. Factor in possible delays.

Arrive Early

Time spent waiting in reception can be very useful for calming yourself down and reviewing your notes before going in. Arrive no more than 10 minutes early.

Select your Clothes the Evening Before

Selecting your outfit, ironing it and laying it out is an easy trick to feel more prepared. Remember, it is better to over-dress than under-dress for an interview.

Research, Research and Research Some More

Research the company by reviewing its website, blog and social media. Also, see if the company has been reported in the press recently to get a full picture. Use this information to prepare thoughtful questions specific to the company during your interview.

Prepare Answers

This will help you to practice your delivery and give concrete examples of your work that match the job you’ve applied for. Writing things down by hand helps us commit things to memory more easily.

During Interview:

A Confident Introduction

Greet the reception and/or interviewer warmly and say thank you when offered a seat. Shake hands firmly with the person who picks you up for the interview and make some small talk as you head to the interview room. Making a great first impression in person is key!

Watch Your Body Language

To project an air of confidence and approachability, make eye contact, smile and nod your head when the interviewer is speaking, maintain good posture and don’t cross your arms in front of your chest as this can look defensive.

Clear, Concise Answers and Solid Examples

When presented with a question that requires you to give concrete examples, use STAR(T) method to structure your answer.

Situation – How, when, where and with who?

Task – What tasks were you faced with, or what responsibilities were you given?

Action – What action did you take?

Result – What was the result, or what did you achieve?

Transfer – This is an additional step but can be useful to include. How did the situation help you develop, and what did you learn?

Common Mistakes to Avoid During an Interview

We know that interviews can be daunting. It is essential to control the build-up of nervous energy before and during interviews to give the best account of yourself. However, nerves are just one thing that can trip you up during an interview.

So, what are some of the most common interview mistakes, and how can candidates avoid them?

• Lack of preparation about the role and/or company
• Late or disorganised on the day of the interview
• Unclear communication
• Over or under-answering questions
• Showing a lack of passion and engagement
• Giving defensive answers to challenging questions

After Interview:

Take an interest in an office tour

If they offer you a tour of the office, always say yes, even if you are pushed for time! Take an active interest in the workplace and the people you are introduced to. You must greet people warmly and appear friendly and approachable. They are not just assessing your suitability for the job role, but also to see if you will fit in with their team!

Send a follow-up thank you email

Write a short thank you email after the interview and mention that you look forward to their feedback.

Make your own notes in private

Sit down a few minutes after your interview to jot down your initial thoughts and impressions. Remember, this is not just the company assessing your suitability, but you are assessing their suitability for you! Putting your thoughts onto paper can help you gauge your own opinion and help identify any outstanding questions that you may have for a second interview.

Common Graduate Interview Questions

It’s crucial to prepare for common interview questions posed to graduates all over the world by companies of all sizes.

General questions about the candidate’s qualities, strengths, passion, long-term goals and education are the bread and butter of graduate job interviews and provide an opportunity to paint a picture of themselves to the interviewer.

So, what are some of the most common graduate interview questions?

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

For every job interview, you will be asked what you’re good at and what you need to develop. It is important to provide industry-specific technical skills as well as soft skills, like communication and time management. You should also show a willingness to improve your current weaknesses.

Where do you want to be in five years’ time?

This question points to your long-term goals and how you intend to get there. Ensure this aligns with the role you are interviewing for, as employers want to ensure they are a good fit for your career as much as you are for them.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

This is a classic introductory interview question and an opportunity for you to briefly introduce yourself to the interviewer, providing context and background while highlighting your core skills, qualities and ambitions.

Why should we hire you?

This is your opportunity to sell yourself and highlight to the interviewer what you can bring to the role and the organisation. Be direct and convince the interviewer that you are the right person for the role.

What are some of the things you learned from your degree?

Usually, graduate interviews will touch on your education and the degree that you have recently earned. A question like this helps interviewers understand the skills and knowledge that you have gained during your degree and how that can be applied to the role.

Learn How to Launch a Successful Career at BSBI Today!

Now you know how to prepare for a job interview after graduation, invest in your career by pursuing one of our programmes at the Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI).

It’s time to say goodbye to common interview mistakes and hello to the graduate interview tips you have gained. Your future is our priority at BSBI. That’s why we offer a range of services to help students with their future careers – find out more about our Career Support here.

This article is from our Pioneer magazine, written by Catherine Flynn, Student Services Manager.

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