Skip to main content

Interviews

An interview is your chance to show employers that you have the skills, motivation, and values that make you right for a role.

Preparing for your interview

Congratulations, you've been invited to an interview, recruitment test or assessment centre.

This means that you’ve convinced the employer that you meet the basic requirements for the position. You now have the chance to demonstrate to the selectors that:

  • you can do the job (skills)
  • you want the job (motivation)
  • you will fit into the organisation (values)

During the interview, your knowledge of the position and organisation will be explored, along with your skills and experience.

Prepararing for your interview will help you to feel more confident on the day and it will also impress the recruiter. 


Interview format

The interview format used by an employer will vary. Here we cover the types of interview you can expect and how they're structured.

Face-to-face interviews

You may be invited to a face-to-face interview with one person or a panel. 

Panel interviews are with two or more representatives of the organisation. See this targetjobs article on how to face more than one interviewer.

It's possible you could attend a group interview with multiple candidates. For advice on what group interviews can involve and how to prepare, see these websites: 

Video/Telephone interviews

These methods are increasingly used as a way of screening candidates before a face-to-face interview. They may also be an alternative to a face-to-face interview. Telephone interviews are usually pre-arranged, but not always.

You should prepare for a live or pre-recorded video interview or a telephone interview in the same way you would for a face-to-face interview.

You can video record yourself answering questions using our practice interview tools, Shortlist.Me and Graduates First.

For further advice on video and telephone interviews, see the following websites:

Accessibility

The time allowed to read and comprehend questions in pre-recorded video interviews is usually limited. Students with some disabilities might find this particularly challenging.

You may want to share with a potential employer that you have a disability if you think a video interview is going to disadvantage you. Companies should be able to make alternative reasonable adjustments if given enough notice. For example they could offer a Skype or telephone interview instead.

You can discuss whether you should share information on a disability with one of our careers consultants. This free advice is also available from EmployAbility.


Interview structure

Your interview could be structured in a variety of ways.

Competency-based 

You will be asked to provide examples of the skills or competences that are key to the job.

For example, you may be asked to provide an example of:

  • when you've worked effectively in a team
  • when you've handled conflict in the workplace.
  • how you manage and organise your time

Check the job description for key competencies needed in the role.

targetjobs and WikiJob have more information on this type of interview. They also highlight the key competences employers look for in candidates.

Strengths-based

Some recruiters use strengths-based interviews rather than competence-based. These recruiters include: EY, Nestle, Norwich Union and Standard Chartered.

Strengths-based interviews focus on your natural aptitudes and strengths and seek to find out what you ‘love to do’, rather than what you ‘can do’.

For more advice and examples, see: 

Technical 

You will be asked questions about specific technical skills relevant to the job, for example programming skills. See the following websites to help you prepare:

The Forage website offers a free virtual experience programme on Technical Interview prep. This includes a whiteboard challenge, coding test and a case study. See also their 5 Technical Interview Questions For All Careers article.

Informal

Most interviews are formal in style. However, employers in some sectors, eg design, architecture and media, may have more informal interviewing techniques. These can have a more relaxed and conversational. The people interviewing you want to put you at ease and get to know you. Try to relax, but take care to remain professional, they are still assessing you.

See targetjob's guide to succeeding at an informal interview.


Researching the role

You need to research the job you're applying for, the organisation you're applying to, and the sector.

Role

You need to show the employer that you understand what the position and area of work involves. Be enthusiastic, consider what appeals to you about the role. How does it fit with your career aspirations and goals?

Organisation

Try to focus on key aspects of the organisation, such as:

  • turnover
  • products and/or services - what do they do?
  • recent press coverage
  • clients they work with
  • any key activities that interest you
  • the company culture 

Don’t only use the company’s website to do research. Look at our researching employers page for links to company profiles and news sites.

Sector

Employers will be assessing your commercial awareness (also known as ‘business acumen’). Keep up to date with current affairs, trends and important topics in your field. What are the challenges facing the industry and what impact might they have?

Take a look at our researching employers page to help you find relevant industry news. 

Targetjobs' Organisations section is a particularly useful resource if you’re applying to large graduate recruiters. Speaking to employers at our events and on LinkedIn can also help with your research.


Identify your skills

Review the skills and experience the job requires. These are often highlighted in the job description or person specification.

Think of specific examples when you have demonstrated these skills. Your examples could be from work experience, a part-time job, volunteering or from within your degree course.

If you're not sure what the employer is looking for, the skills section under the relevant job profile on Prospects can help as a guide.

For advice on identifying your skills, see:


Preparing your answers

Be prepared to discuss the skills, experience and achievements highlighted on your application form or CV in more detail.

Expect your answers to be challenged with follow-up questions and be prepared to explain any gaps or changes in your career history. Admit mistakes, but be positive about what you've learnt from them and don't blame others, for example a teacher for poor results.

Structuring your answers

A good way to structure your answers to competency questions is by using the ‘STAR’ technique.

Describe the situation (S)

You should briefly provide some context to help the employer understand the example you are giving. You don't need to go into a lot of detail at this stage.

Explain the task (T)

Provide a concise overview of the task, ensuring that your example is relevant to the question.

Describe and analyse your actions (A)

This part should form the bulk of your answer. State what action you took, focusing on your contribution. Explain what, how and why you did it and include any impact your actions made. Avoid ‘we’ if talking about a situation in a team.

Explain the result (R)

What was the outcome? What did you learn from this example? Remember, it's not just what you did, but how you did it. Be specific in your answers.

For further advice on using 'STAR' successfully, see the following websites:


Example interview questions

We've listed some common interview questions on topics such as:

  • knowledge of the organisation
  • skills
  • career motivation

Read our tips on how to answer the different types of questions.

Opening questions

Tell me about yourself

Opening questions at interview are a chance to ease you in and allow the interviewer to get to know you. The interviewer can get a summary of your experience and skills. Try to keep your answer focused and relevant and highlight related experience and achievements. 

 

 

Knowledge of vacancy or area of work

Why have you applied for this position?

Show that you understand what the role entails and explain how your skills and experience make you suitable for the post. Be enthusiastic, talk about what appeals to you about the job.

Talk about your knowledge of the business and the industry. How does the role fit with your career aspirations and goals?

What qualities/skills do you have that make you right for the role?

Make the connection between what the job requires and your own skills and experience.

What do you think this job/placement will involve?

Show that you have done your research and understand what the position/area of work involves. Think in terms of:

  • responsibilities
  • accountability
  • where the role fits into the organisation
  • the type of clients you'll be working with, etc.

What would you find most challenging/difficult about the role?

Demonstrate an understanding of the position and what it entails. Be honest, but keep your answer positive. Explain how you would overcome any problems or issues.

Knowledge of the organisation and industry

Why have you decided to apply to us?

Explain that you have found out what the organisation does, that it is what you want to do and that you are capable of it. You could refer to:

  • their product
  • the company size
  • geographical location
  • contact you have had with employees at events such as recruitment fairs and/or employer presentations

See Guardian Careers and The Muse for more advice on answering the question 'why do you want to work here?'

In what way(s) do you think you can make a contribution to our company?

This is your chance to sell yourself and demonstrate how your key competences match the company’s needs. Mention any relevant achievements from your CV or application form. Highlight how your skills and knowledge would benefit the organisation.

What do you know about our business?

Make sure that you've researched the organisation before the interview. Try to focus on key facts such as:

  • turnover
  • size of workforce
  • products/services
  • recent press coverage
  • clients they work with
  • any key activities that interest you.

Don’t only use the company’s website to do your research. Newspapers, such as the Financial Times, can be useful for finding out more information. Think also about the impact any challenges/issues may have on the company and/or their clients. Our Sector-specific Information has useful links which may help with your research.

Tell me about a recent piece of news about the sector that interested you.

You may be asked about the current business climate, as employers are looking for people who are commercially aware. See LawCareers.net for trending commercial issues to know about in 2023.

A similar question might be, 'Tell me about a company which is doing particularly well/not so well at the moment and why is that?'

Career motivation

What interests you most about this job?

Having an interest in a career is important in motivating you to do it well. Employers will also be looking to see if you have analysed your own skills and matched these to the job. Your answer should demonstrate both your own self-awareness and your knowledge of the work. Try to show how the role matches your strengths with the skills and aptitudes required by the employer.

A similar question could be 'Why have you applied for this kind of work/career?'

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

Have you thought ahead about where you are going and why? Employers don't expect goals to be rigidly defined although they do expect you to have some idea.

Research the sector to see what career progression you could realistically expect. Look at any graduate profiles on the company's website or search for relevant LinkedIn profiles for inspiration. You could also focus on skills you'd like to develop further in the future.

CareerMatch has some useful advice on answering this question.

Which other jobs/careers are you applying for?

Make sure that you demonstrate consistency in the types of job and organisations that you mention.

What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?

This question is exploring your values and self-awareness. Are you motivated by money, altruism, responsibility or something else?

What motivates you to give your greatest effort?

Try to relate what motivates you to the requirements and duties of the job you are applying for. Demonstrate that you are self-motivated and don’t always need an external push to get you started.

You could also be asked to give examples of things you have done where your own motivation was a significant factor.

 

Academic record

Why did you choose to go to university?

You may also be asked how or why you chose a specific university or degree subject.

Questions such as these provide a good opportunity to emphasise your decision-making skills. Be specific about how you came to choose this particular subject and how it has worked out. Employers want to know that you can make reasoned, informed decisions.

Which aspect of your course do you like best/least? Why?

Show enthusiasm and a real interest in your subject. You could describe how you keep up to date with any developments etc.

If asked about what you like least about your course, be honest and provide a good reason, while staying positive.

Explain to me what your project is about.

The employer will want to know why you chose your project or dissertation, how you undertook it and what you got out of it. Read through your project/dissertation before the interview to refresh your memory.

If it was a group project, they will be interested in how you fitted into the team. This could include: what role you took, how you co-operated with the other members and how you dealt with any problems. Make sure you use ‘I’ rather than ‘we’ in your examples.

With individual projects, you could talk about working independently, research and problem solving.

Highlight any techniques you learnt that you may use in this role.

How has your university experience prepared you for this career?

Talk about the skills and knowledge gained from your degree. You could also discuss other university activities eg. representing your course on a committee.

Do you think that your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?

Be positive and give examples of successes you have had on your course. Mention any other activities during your studies and focus on your skills. 

With hindsight, how could you have improved your progress on your degree course?

Demonstrate to the employer what you have learnt from your experience. Discuss what you would have done differently. Don’t blame others or the course itself.

Skills development

What have you learnt from participation in extracurricular activities?

You could be asked questions like:

  • Can you give me examples of positions of responsibility you have held at any time and what you have learnt from them?
  • Have you done any voluntary work? Tell me about what you learnt from it.
  • What skills have you developed during your previous work experience?
  • What have your vacation jobs taught you?

For these types of questions, give specific examples to demonstrate skills you've developed, knowledge you've gained and self-awareness. Try to make your examples relevant to the job you are applying for.

Describe a situation where you successfully led a group.

Talk about teamwork, leadership, achievements and being goal orientated. Give specific examples of how you used these skills.

Remember, leadership involves a whole range of skills, including:

  • planning
  • decision-making
  • persuading
  • motivating
  • listening
  • co-ordinating

Have you had to deal with awkward people in the workplace? What did you do?

Pick a scenario where you dealt with the situation well and the outcome was positive.

Always give examples of what you did and how you diffused the situation. Use the STAR technique to describe the situation, the task, your actions, and the result.

Focus on your people skills, particularly listening and negotiating. Show how you balanced your approach between productivity and ensuring the individual felt listened to.

What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with?

Other questions could be about when your views differed from those of other team members. You may be asked to give an example of a situation where you found it difficult to communicate with someone.

The employer is looking for evidence that you are assertive, interpersonal and can negotiate. Focus on how you resolved any issues.

When discussing these situations, focus on your ability to resolve these successfully. Highlight what you learnt and how you saw the situations from other peoples' points of view. Demonstrate how you can strike a balance between being sensitive to the needs of others with an ability to be assertive if needed.

What have you done that shows initiative?

Give an example of when you have taken appropriate action unprompted by anyone else.

Describe a difficult problem you have had to deal with.

How did you handle the situation? You should demonstrate:

  • analysis
  • effective problem-solving and planning
  • a successful outcome
  • the ability to transfer learning to new situations

Give me an example of a time when you’ve exceeded expectations.

Use the STAR technique to structure your answer.

Describe a time when you’ve been under pressure to meet challenging deadlines.

Use the STAR technique to do this. Your situation could come from your academic experience, vacation work or extracurricular activities.

Self-awareness

Why should we employ you for this job?

This question allows you to highlight your key skills and show the interviewer how they relate to the job.

What are your two greatest weaknesses?

Illustrate your self-awareness and be honest but show yourself in positive light. For example, you get frustrated when others don't pull their weight or you used to have problems with paperwork or time management. Give a real example that isn't essential to the role and show how you are taking steps to work on your weaknesses.

For more advice on answering this question, including what is your greatest strength, visit CareerMatch.

What is your greatest achievement?

Give an example of where you have overcome obstacles to achieve something you are proud of.

Don't worry if you don't have a lot of work experience, you can talk about achievements outside of work. Make sure you can relate them where possible to the job that you are applying for.

You could also be asked 'What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?'

In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?

This is an opportunity to show your awareness of the organisation's working culture. Make sure that matches the environment that company has.

What is the biggest mistake you have made and what have you learnt from it?

Don’t spend too long talking about the mistake itself. Focus on the steps you took to rectify it and what you learned from it.

How would you describe yourself?

You may also be asked how you think a friend or lecturer who knows you well would describe you or what words your friends would use to describe you.

This is an opportunity to sell yourself and highlight the relevant skills you have. However, this also opens up the interview to other questions so be prepared to elaborate on what you say.

You may want to ask where you should start, eg with your personal life, academic life or work experience. The examples you give should stand out, be memorable, whilst also relating to the requirements for the job.

What makes you different from the other candidates I am interviewing today?

Show confidence in yourself (but not arrogance) and show how suitable you are to the job, for example:

'I am a team player, I take direction and have a desire to succeed. I like a challenge, my background demonstrates excellent problem-solving abilities and I always see a project through to the finish'.

 

Strengths

Some graduate employers are introducing 'strength-based interviews' into their recruitment process. In these, the interviewer will focus on the things you love doing over the things you can do.

With strength-based questions, employers listen out for the speed the questions are answered and your tone of voice. We usually describe natural strengths most easily and enthusiastically.

It's more difficult to prepare for this type of interview in advance. However the following questions may help you start to think about your own strengths:

  • What are you good at?
  • What activities come naturally to you?
  • How do you judge if you've had a good day?
  • Tell me something you learnt last week.
  • What energises you?
  • What subjects do you most enjoy studying?
  • What gets done first on your 'to do' list? What never gets done?
  • Do you prefer to start tasks or finish them?
  • What things did you really enjoy doing when you were younger?
  • When would your friends and family say you are happiest?
  • What does success mean to you?
  • In your life, what have you done that you are most proud of? What made it significant for you and what did you learn from the experience?
  • What are your greatest strengths? When do you use them at their best? Are there situations in which you overuse these strengths?
Do you have any questions?

It's normal to be asked at the end of an interview if you have any questions. Sometimes the quality of your question(s) is used as part of the assessment process.

However, if you can't think of a good question, avoid asking one just for the sake of it or asking a very basic question which has already been covered.

Questions could come from your research, or be about training, responsibility, opportunities, mobility, etc. For example: 'I noticed that you've started working on X project. Is this something that I could get involved with?

Try not to ask questions where the answers can easily be found in the company brochure or on their website.

You could ask about:

  • developments in the business
  • what you could expect to do in the first six months
  • how the department relates to the rest of the business
  • how your performance in the role would be measured
  • opportunities for progression within the company
  • what the culture is like within the organisation
  • what the interviewer’s own personal experience of working there is

Prospects has a list of 7 good questions to ask at an interview.

Guardian Careers have posted about asking questions in job interviews, with some useful examples.

Questions for academia and postgraduate study interviews

Postgraduate study interviews

The focus is likely to be on your academic skills and interests. Interviews for postgraduate study can vary greatly between institutions and even departments. They tend to be more informal and there is no standard structure in terms of length, content and number of interviewers. For example, an interview for a taught Master's course is often less involved than a PhD.

Find further information on these websites:

Medicine and dentistry courses

For information and tips on medical and dental school interviews, see Applying to medical school and Applying to dental school.

Teaching training courses

See Teacher Training Interviews to help you prepare.

Academic interviews

The following websites offer further information on academic interviews:

See also the Careers Service reference book 'Moving on in your career - a guide for academic researchers and postgraduates', for help with preparing for difficult questions.

If you are being interviewed for a position as a lecturer or postdoctoral researcher, you may also be asked to deliver a lecture or presentation.

More example questions

The following websites include example interview questions:

Graduates First's Question Identifier Tool (QIT) assessment can help you identify likely questions that could come up in a competency-based interview. It is free for Newcastle University students and registered graduates. See below for details on how to access Graduates First.


Practise your interview

Got an interview coming up?

The Careers Service can help you practise and improve your interview technique through our 1:1 appointments.

Login to MyCareer and use our Appointment Finder tool to help you book the right appointment type for you.

Alternatively, for written advice on preparing for your interview, please submit a query via the Resources tab on MyCareer and an adviser will get back to you within 5 working days.

Video interview practice

Video interviews are becoming increasingly popular with graduate employers in the early stages of recruitment.

They can save companies time and money, as applicants can record their interviews from home. This can be useful for candidates too, as you can choose a time that suits you to complete it.

However, they’re not without their challenges. Not everyone is comfortable on camera and it can be distracting to see yourself on screen. It is also a much less personal experience as you won’t be speaking to a real person, and so there are no non-verbal cues to help you gauge your performance.

You’ll typically be presented with written questions or a video of an interviewer asking pre-recorded questions. You’re given a short amount of time to think about your answer, then you’ll have to record your answer on video within a set time limit.

To help you prepare for video interviews, it’s really useful to practice to get a sense of what it’s like before you do the real thing. 

With our video interview practice platform Graduates First, you can review your recordings after the interview to see how you come across on screen. As well as reviewing the content of your answers, think about your body language and tone of voice – how effective are these?

This is a great opportunity to put yourself in the place of a recruiter – what did you do well and what could have been improved?

Graduates First

Current students and registered Newcastle University graduates can use the Graduates First video interview software to:

  • record yourself answering interview questions, save and review your recordings at any time
  • receive automated feedback on your performance based on artificial intelligence technology
  • access advice on interview technique and how to prepare for interviews

Graduates First also includes example psychometric tests, game based assessments and examples of case study and in-tray exercises.

If you have any technical problems with the tests, please contact Graduates First at enquiry@graduatesfirst.com. The Careers Service will not be able to help with any technical issues.

To access the practice interviews:

Current students

  • Go to the Newcastle University Graduates First portal
  • Register using your Newcastle email address (@ncl.ac.uk) and complete the registration form in full
  • If you have a disability that could affect your performance (eg. dyslexia), you can request additional time (25%) when registering

You should receive an email providing you with a link to confirm your email address, and then you’re ready to start your practice interview. If you don't receive an email after registering, please check in the Clutter folder of your Newcastle email account.

Graduates

If you're a registered Newcastle University graduate, you'll need to contact us, stating your full name and email address, to request access to Graduates First. Please also let us know if you require additional time for the tests. This may take a few days. If you have an interview coming up shortly, please let us know.


After the interview

Once the interview is over, it’s a good idea to reflect on your performance.

Make some notes on the questions you were asked, those you thought you answered particularly well or those you could have answered better.

You may receive a job offer. Initially it could be by telephone, but you will always receive a written copy which you must formally accept or reject. For more information see our Handling Job Offers page.

If you have not been successful this time, it might be a good idea to ask the employer for feedback as this will help you in your future interview preparation. targetjobs has useful information about requesting feedback.

If you are getting first interviews but not being offered second interviews or job offers, then you may want to discuss your interview technique with a careers consultant.


Help and support

The Careers Service provides advice and resources to help you prepare for interviews. There are also a range of useful websites that provide further advice.

Getting help

You can get help with preparing for interviews through our in-person and online 1:1 appointments. Log into MyCareer, click on 'Book', then 'Appointments' and use our Appointment Finder tool to book the right appointment type for you. Alternatively, for written advice on preparing for your interview, please submit a query via the Resources tab on MyCareer and an adviser will get back to you within 5 working days.

Depending on availability, we may also be able to offer you an interview coaching session with a careers consultant, where you'll have the chance to practise answering interview questions. To access this, you will need to have an interview date in place and have already had advice on preparing for interviews from the Careers Service.

We also run careers events and workshops for students, including sessions on interview techniques.

The Careers Service has rooms available for current students and registered graduates who need to take part in a telephone, Skype or video interview, subject to availability. Rooms in King’s Gate would be available Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 only. If you require a room, please call into the Careers Service, Level 1, King’s Gate to arrange or contact us, providing as much detail as possible. (Not available at present)

Other useful resources

Find further support and advice on these websites: