Get ready to make a great first impression.
An interview is your opportunity to show an employer why you could be a good fit for the job. It’s also your chance to learn more about the role, the workplace and the people you could be working with.
Employers aren’t necessarily looking for perfect answers.
They want to understand your skills, experience, attitude and motivation. Good preparation can help you feel more confident and make it easier to explain what you can bring to the role.
Remember, interviews can take different forms. You might be interviewed face-to-face, online or over the phone, and you may speak to one person or a small panel.
Top Tips for Interviews
Research the employer: Before the interview, look at the organisation's website and remind yourself what they do. Think about why you want to work there and what interests you about the role.
Read the job description again: Pick out the main skills and responsibilities they are looking for. Prepare examples that demonstrate you have some of these skills.
Prepare examples: Interviewers often ask for real examples, such as "Tell me about a time when you worked as part of a team."
Use the STAR method to structure your answer:
Situation: What was happening?
Task: What did you need to do?
Action: What did you do?
Result: What happened as a result?
Your examples don't have to come from paid work. You can use experiences from school, college, volunteering, caring responsibilities, hobbies, clubs or everyday life. You can watch this short video to learn more.
Think about how you would answer questions such as:
Tell me about yourself.
Why do you want this job?
What are your strengths?
Why do you want to work for us?
Tell me about a time you worked well with others.
Tell me about a challenge you have overcome.
Practise your ideas rather than memorising a script. You want your answers to sound natural.
Plan the practical details: Know where you're going, how you'll get there and what time you need to arrive. For an online interview, check your internet connection, camera, microphone and meeting link beforehand.
Take your time: It's OK to pause and think before answering. If you're unsure what the interviewer means, you can ask them to repeat or explain the question.
Ask a question: Have one or two questions ready for the end. For example:
“What would a typical day in this role look like?"
"What training or development would be available?"
Activities
Activity 1: Build your STAR example
Think of a time when you solved a problem, helped someone, worked in a team or achieved something you're proud of.
Complete these four prompts:
Situation: What was happening?
Task: What did you need to achieve?
Action: What did you personally do?
Result: What happened?
Example:
At college, our group had a deadline for a presentation. One team member was absent, so I helped reorganise the tasks and took responsibility for an extra section. We finished the presentation on time and received positive feedback.
Challenge: Can you explain your example out loud in around 1–2 minutes?
Activity 2: Your 60-second introduction
Imagine the interviewer asks: "Tell me about yourself." Spend a few minutes preparing a short answer covering:
What you're doing now
Your main skills or strengths
Any relevant experience
What interests you about the job
Then practise saying it out loud. Top tip: Don't try to tell your whole life story. Keep the answer focused on why you could be a good fit for the role. You can find out more tips here.
For Further Learning…
In-Person Interviews
Virtual Interviews