A successful interview is a two way process:

If you have an interview coming up, the Careers Service can help you practice and improve your interview technique.

Our helpful UL Interview Skills Booklet cover a range of topics from interview preparation, types of interview, tricky questions to Top Tips for interviews.

Check out our YouTube channel, subscribe and watch recordings of workshops with Careers Advisors discussing best practice for interviews.

You can get help with preparing for interviews through our online Career Consultation appointments. Log into MyCareerPath, click on 'Book', then 'Appointments' and use our Appointment Finder tool to book the correct appointment type for you.

 

Practice Your Interview

Video interviews are becoming increasingly popular with graduate employers in the early stages of recruitment. They can save companies time and money, as applicants can record their interviews from home. This can be useful for candidates too, as you can choose a time that suits you to complete it.

However, they're not without their challenges. Not everyone is comfortable on camera, and it can be distracting to see yourself on screen. It is also a much less personal experience as you won't be speaking to a real person, so there are no non-verbal cues to gauge your performance. You'll typically be presented with written questions or a video of an interviewer asking pre-recorded questions. You're given a short amount of time to think about your answer; then, you'll have to record your response on video within a set time limit.

It's beneficial to practice to get a sense of what it's like before you do the real thing. We have a licence for a video platform; you can review your recordings after the interview to see how you come across on screen. As well as reviewing the content of your answers, think about your body language and tone of voice – how effective are these? This is an excellent opportunity to put yourself in the place of a recruiter – what did you do well, and what could have been improved?