How to prepare for an interview?

My school is offering 'mock interviews' externally (with other schools) to prepare for uni interviews however I have been given an actual interview for next week and the school can't arrange one for that short notice, they plan to start them mid-November to prepare for Oxbridge interviews mainly.
I've been told to see a subject teacher and arrange a time to just work through interview style problems although I don't want it to be rushed as half term is next week so there's only 4 days to do all of this.
Is it a better use of my time to go over content from AS and some practice questions or to focus on explaining my thought process?

Reply 1

TSR Jessica

19

Sorry you've not had any responses about this. :frown:

Are you sure you've posted in the right place? :smile:

Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. :redface:

Just quoting in Danny Dorito so she can move the thread if needed :wizard:

Spoiler

Reply 2

KieranAdam

10

Original post by JN17

My school is offering 'mock interviews' externally (with other schools) to prepare for uni interviews however I have been given an actual interview for next week and the school can't arrange one for that short notice, they plan to start them mid-November to prepare for Oxbridge interviews mainly.
I've been told to see a subject teacher and arrange a time to just work through interview style problems although I don't want it to be rushed as half term is next week so there's only 4 days to do all of this.
Is it a better use of my time to go over content from AS and some practice questions or to focus on explaining my thought process?

Hello there,

A few quick tips which may or may not help:
1. Study everything you can on the place you're applying too, if you can the people there too. It shows that you actually want the job and the effort will go a long way.
2. Re-word the way you describe your skills and experiences to them. What you want to be aiming for is how those things will benefit them company. At the end of the day they want someone to enhance them. If you can clearly define how you can help them towards their goals (maybe even ask them what their goals are. Ask them what they want rather than what you want!) then that also builds you in a better stead than the others.
3. Be human, the better you are with people skills the more likely they are to hire you. As much as this may suck its not the most qualified/intelligent that gets jobs, it's the people who are good with people. Study and emphasise these qualities.

Hope these help!

Reply 3

JN17

OP

10

Original post by KieranAdam

Hello there,

A few quick tips which may or may not help:
1. Study everything you can on the place you're applying too, if you can the people there too. It shows that you actually want the job and the effort will go a long way.
2. Re-word the way you describe your skills and experiences to them. What you want to be aiming for is how those things will benefit them company. At the end of the day they want someone to enhance them. If you can clearly define how you can help them towards their goals (maybe even ask them what their goals are. Ask them what they want rather than what you want!) then that also builds you in a better stead than the others.
3. Be human, the better you are with people skills the more likely they are to hire you. As much as this may suck its not the most qualified/intelligent that gets jobs, it's the people who are good with people. Study and emphasise these qualities.

Hope these help!

Um, I might've come across wrong then, this is a interview for a university course :biggrin:

Reply 4

KieranAdam

10

Original post by JN17

Um, I might've come across wrong then, this is a interview for a university course :biggrin:

Damn........ Oh well, at least I tried hahahahahaha. Its probably me anyway. I would hate to say ignore what I've said but I genuinely think people would find that useful. However, I never went to university so I'm not going to spout off advice for something I don't know anything about. I hope you get into the subject you want to get in!

Reply 5

morgan.

1

I also have an interview next week (Manchester for Bio&year in industry)!!!

I honestly think it depends on where you're applying/where your interview is for. For example, I've been told Manchester is pretty chill, and they just ask about generally why you want to study your subject, your extracurricular and why that uni in particular, so for that I'm just going to make sure I can answer those questions and questions like it, practice saying those things eloquently (or at least semi-coherently!) and ensure I know my PS inside out and can talk about what I said I like/books to a reasonable extent. But, if your interview was for Oxbridge for example, you probably want to get your pH, sacrifice your soul and read every book on your subject before you go to your interview :/ I think for most places, it's less about your specific knowledge of the subject and more about you and what kind of person you are. A really good thing my head of careers said was it's not that one sided- it's also about the uni i.e. not just whether you're suited to the uni, but if they're suited to you- it's their test as well!

Hope that helped at all? :smile:

Reply 6

ageshallnot

21

Original post by JN17

My school is offering 'mock interviews' externally (with other schools) to prepare for uni interviews however I have been given an actual interview for next week and the school can't arrange one for that short notice, they plan to start them mid-November to prepare for Oxbridge interviews mainly.
I've been told to see a subject teacher and arrange a time to just work through interview style problems although I don't want it to be rushed as half term is next week so there's only 4 days to do all of this.
Is it a better use of my time to go over content from AS and some practice questions or to focus on explaining my thought process?

Prepare to be challenged on whatever you say - to justify your thoughts in the face of contradictory evidence. This is something you might not be used to.

How to prepare for an interview?

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