Job interviews vs college & university interviews – the same or radically different?

Image courtesy of Wikipedia
'Handshake' by Hermandad

Having an interview for a job or college/university course can seem a daunting prospect.  And why wouldn’t it? The reason you will have applied for the job or course is because you want the opportunity to do something new to develop your learning and training, and to develop your experience of the world of work - all these combined with gaining related industry qualifications whilst being paid.

 

Unless you’ve had several interviews already, or you are very confident, the prospect of an interview which could influence the next few years of your life can be a scary thought. This blog is aimed at explaining the different types of interviews and to give you some practical tips on how to ‘survive and thrive’ in an interview situation.

 

So, you have been asked for an interview, which is excellent news! And that means you’ve already got an asset that the employer or college/university likes the look of. This is likely to be a combination of work experience, qualifications, skills and motivation. Hopefully recognising this will start to build your confidence and allow you to present yourself well at interview. There are different types of interview which you potentially face. The first two are usually only used by employers rather than colleges/universities, and if you are successful will be followed by an assessment centre or face to face interview.
 

Many job opportunities come after graduation

 

• Phone interviews – the answers you give will be used to filter whether you get onto the next stage of recruitment or not.

• Video interviews – these can be either live or recorded. The live ones will have an interviewer asking the questions and interacting with you. The recorded ones will have a set of questions which you will respond to with a set amount of time. The use of video interviews is increasing.

• Group interviews – these are mostly used to see how potential employees or students interact together. They will be looking for candidates who can interact well, without dominating or who do not really get involved.  

• Face to face interviews – these will happen in all recruitment processes one way or another. You may have several of these with different members of staff and you may be interviewed by one, two or three members of staff at the same time. 



Image courtesy of Wikipedia
'College interview' by B.P.Susf

The aim of these interviews is to help decide whether you would be a good ‘fit’ for the job or course. The main differences between an interview for a job vacancy and a course are that usually there will be several more spaces available on a course.

 

So what can you do to make the most of the interviews?

Firstly, you need to remember that interviews are actually a two way process. Not only is it a chance for others to see if you are what they are looking for, but it is also a chance for you to do the same! You need to show that you are a good match, with examples of your skills, motivation and experience, and how you would be a valuable addition to the team/course.  How to do this?  Follow the 3 P’s…Prepare, Plan and Practice!

 

Careers Coordinator helps student

• Prepare – find out as much as possible about the job vacancy and company, course and university. This will help you to show how you ‘it the job description or course requirements. What examples can you think of to meet the requirements? 

• Plan – your journey for the interview, what answers you might give, questions you can ask and what to do if something unexpected happens. Is there anything you feel less confident about the interview or assessment centre process? 

• Practice – can someone give you a mock interview? If you are having to do a presentation, practice it in front of friends, family or careers staff. If you are having a phone or video interview, check that the technology works and the environment is quiet with no visual distractions.

 

 

And lastly, however the interview goes, reflect on how you found it. How would you do it differently next time? And just as importantly, ask for feedback from the interviewers. They should be willing to offer you some.

 

 

Good luck!

 

Written by Mark Yates