OXFORD

D
APPLICATION ESSENTIALS
ON THE DAY
] Plan your route and arrive promptly – 15 minutes is early
enough to settle down and relax. Think how you will
cope if there is an unexpected delay and take a contact
number.
] Consider what you’re going to wear. Be clean, neat and
tidy, and dress appropriately to the environment you
would be working in.
] First impressions are important. Be ready to say hello with a
] Remember - you are on show from the minute you arrive to
the point that you leave.
] Be polite and friendly (but not over-familiar) to everyone
you meet – receptionists, secretaries: everyone. Rudeness
or arrogance will be noticed and will work against you.
Take our 'Tips for Successful Interviews' with you by detaching
IN THE INTERVIEW(S):
] Don’t be afraid of silence:
Take time to think before answering.
Make sure you answer the question you have been
asked.
Structure your answer so it is easy to understand.
TOP TIPS FOR ANSWERS
Try to use examples from different experiences, such as
your studies, work experience, extracurricular activities and
volunteering.
] Try to be precise – many of us tend to ramble when we’re
nervous, but try to make your answers as clear as possible.
] Feel free to use examples already mentioned on
your written application: the interviewer will not have
memorised all of them. Be ready to go into more detail.
] Think about the structure of your answer to ensure you get
the relevant points across clearly. For competency based
questions use the STAR/CAR mnemonic to ensure you
highlight the transferable actions from your example
(see previous page).
] For key questions such as “What are your strengths?” it
may be useful to structure your answer and signpost this
in your answer e.g. “I have three major strengths relevant
to this role, the first is...”. But do not use this for every
questions as you may start to sound robotic and overprepared.
] A good interview is a dialogue, and you should take an
active role in the conversation.
] If you are not sure you understand the question – ask
for clarification; simlarly if you are wondering whether
you have answered a question fully – ask whether the
interviewer would like more information.
] Be positive in everything you say.
Don’t make negative comments about previous
employers or tutors.
If asked about something that went wrong, outline what
learned from the experience and how you would handle
it differently next time.
] Aim to speak for only about 50% of the time and keep
answers reasonably short-asking the interviewer if they
would like more detail or further examples is better than
rambling.
] Don’t let a friendly, informal interview style lull you into a
false sense of security. Keep your answers professional –
focused and relevant.
] Be aware of body language and try to maintain eye contact.
This is particularly important in a panel interview, where eye
contact can help you to engage all the panel members.
PREPARE FOR THE MOST TYPICAL
QUESTIONS
Some questions are asked by many employers because all
want to understand what your interests are, what you enjoy
doing and and how these relate to the position . They will
also seek to understand what motivates you, and how much
insight you have into yourself, their company and the role
– so be sure to prepare well and practice aloud for these
FAQs.
] “What attracted you to this company?”
] “Why do you want this position?”
] “What will you bring to this role?”
] “Tell me about a time you led a team/completed a project/
communicated with a difficult client ...”
] “What would you do differently if faced with that (difficult)
situation again?”
] “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?”
] “What do you consider your greatest strengths?” “…
weakness?”
] “What has been your greatest achievement?”
] “Tell me about yourself.”
Senior Medical Writer at Oxford
PharmaGenesis
"It is likely that you will need to
complete several written tests, as well
as attend face-to-face interviews,
before you are offered a job – but do persevere!"
(See Elizabeth’s career profile on p.164)
54
www.careers.ox.ac.uk