We provide a range of services to help Imperial students succeed at job interviews

NEW! See our new interactive 'Quick Guides' on CVs, Covering Letters and Interviews...

• Quick Guide to CVs
• Quick Guide to Covering Letters
• Quick Guide to Interviews

Success at interview is based on solid preparation. Your pre-interview research needs to focus on yourself and the employer.

Prepare to talk about yourself

• Make sure that you are clear on exactly what you have to offer to the organisation. Understand your strengths, well developed skills and all the factors that make you a strong candidate
• Be ready to offer evidence to support all of these points
• See yourself as a valuable resource that is potentially available to the employer
• Review your application form or CV and make sure that you can expand confidently on everything that is written there. What do you think the employer liked in your application? Are there any particular weaknesses or gaps in experience which an employer may want to explore in the interview?

Research the employer

• What do you know about the employer, the industry and the competitors? What are the key issues affecting this sector at present? 
• Ensure that you carry out some thorough research before attending the interview. See our guide ‘Do Your Research: Researching Companies'. Keep up to date by reading relevant newspapers, magazines or journals. The Careers Advisory Service has a selection of these in the Careers Information Room.

Research the job

• What are the competencies and knowledge that the employer is looking for? The company web site and/or the job advertisement should be a good starting point but you need to go further than this. 
• Are you clear about the work will involve? 
• The ‘Find Out About Different Occupations' section of the website provides information on how to research careers
• Talking to people who have knowledge of the type of work can be helpful

Think about interview questions and answers

• Be very clear about the key points which you wish to convey during the interview in answer to a range of possible questions.
• Look at ‘Typical Interview Questions' which will give you an insight into the types of questions often asked at interview and some suggestions on how to them
• Practice answering questions out loud. Get used to hearing yourself talk about your achievements and why you want the job
• Be prepared for questions at the end of an interview

How the Careers Advisory Service can help!...

The Careers Advisory Service has a wide range of resources to help you develop prepare for your interview. Read 'Developing Your Interviewing Skills' and 'Interviews' handouts for more information.

You can book a place on an Interview seminar, Group Mock Interveiw, or individual appointments with a Careers Adviser for furtehr help