Before the Day: Research the company
Have you checked the company website?
The interviewer will want to know that you have looked at the company website and shown a strong interest in the business.
As a minimum:
Check the range of services offered – most company websites have great information
Check out the types of projects delivered – see if you know any, research one or two if not.
Look at the News section of the website and Google the latest developments
Before the Day: Research the interviewers
Have you checked their profiles on Linkedin or the company website?
There may well be something you find that sparks an interest. They may have worked with people or organisations you know in the past or have similar interests. The interviewer will be pleased that you have been thorough in your preparation, but be careful not to come across as if you are seeking to gain advantage as a result. Keep this aspect conversational.
Before the Day: Familiarise yourself with your CV
Have you compared it to the job description and duties of the role?
Compare the key skills of the role to your CV. Does your CV cover everything that is relevant? The interviewer will often work from your CV so be ready to talk confidently through it. Are there any gaps? If so, prepare to be asked about these.
Interview Preparation
How can you prepare for an interview?
How can you work out what questions you might be asked?
There is science behind this. A well-trained interviewer with HR’s help will prepare their questions in a structured way.
The Job Description/Person Description will identify a number of skills and attributes required to be successful in the role. Questions will then be designed to help identify your competence in these skills and attributes.
Attributes or competencies might include
- Ability to follow instruction
- Be self-motivated
- Be proactive
- Work well within a team
- Good organisational, planning and time management skills
- Good verbal and written communication
Skills might include
- Knowledge of water and ground gas monitoring techniques.
- Knowledge of different drilling and ground investigation techniques.
- Logging of soil and rock samples
- Knowledge of the principal soil and rock strata of the UK
Once these are identified, behavioural questions may well be asked which allow you to share examples of how you might have used the particular attribute.
We recommend that you make a list of your own skills/attributes and prepare examples of your experience in these areas and how they relate to the job requirements.
In doing this, you may well find that if you analyse the three best stories of your achievements to date then you will find a pattern. If you are asked a question that relates to one of these stories, then you may well be able to tell the story of your fabulous success and tick off a lot of the interviewer’s boxes!
The perfect interview would be if you were able to tell those 3 best stories about your achievements to date. As an undergraduate, this could be fieldwork, sport, organisation or experience related.
On the Day
Be on time!
Look smart and be polite!
Be confident but not arrogant and be interested!
Penguin Recruitment have also completed further interview feedback surveys and have developed a very strong understanding of what to expect in a Geo-Sector Graduate Interview. Read the article here
