Graduate Interviews – questions and answers
Recently graduated? Looking to get your first step on the career ladder? As there is always high interest in the best companies, graduates need to sharpen up their interview skills to give themselves the best possible chance of beating off the competition and securing a job offer.
So what qualities is an employer looking for when interviewing for graduate roles?
For graduate level roles, employers want somebody who can show the following skills:
- Good team player
- Ability to work under pressure
- Strong communication Skills
- Leadership skills
Your main challenge is to find strong examples to prove that you have all of the above qualities.
How to answer the interview question on teamwork
Group work and projects have become very popular in third level courses and are a great way to show your ability to work in a team. Many employers will want to know what part you play in a team. It is always good to present yourself as a flexible person whose role really depends on the make-up of the team. You could then highlight the role that you naturally gravitate towards (e.g. leader/the ideas person/ the organiser/motivator etc).
How to answer the interview question on working under pressure
Talking about exams in isolation to show your ability to work under pressure is a little light weight. If possible, mention that you had to juggle studying, working part time to finance your degree and meeting your sporting commitments (mention if you were a member of a rugby, rowing club etc). Explain how you managed the pressure – organising your schedule, starting projects early, prioritising commitments, strong time management etc and how you successfully kept all the balls in the air and achieved a strong grade.
How to answer interview question on communication skills
In a tight market place, having strong client facing skills will be seen as a very attractive quality to an employer. Summer or part-time jobs are often a great source of examples to demonstrate this skill. One example could be successfully dealing with an angry customer when you were working on a customer service desk or when you successfully dealt with conflict in the work place or on a group project. Have a look the following article for more ideas
https://interviewtechniques.ie/interview-questions-on-communication-skills/Interview questions on leadership Skills
Even though you may not be applying for a team lead role, many employers look for leadership potential. A good way to highlight these skills is to talk about your involvement in sports or college societies – your role as captain of the football club or president of a particular committee. Otherwise you could point to an example where you took the lead role in a class project, making sure that everybody was pulling their weight and that work was submitted to deadline.
Conclusion
In order to set yourself apart from other graduates, it is essential to demonstrate to employers that you possess a strong work ethic, the ability to learn quickly, and the capacity to start contributing immediately. Utilizing the transferable skills acquired through university placements, summer jobs, sports activities, and volunteer work will effectively showcase your capabilities and make you highly appealing to potential employers. By leveraging these experiences, you can present yourself in a compelling manner that highlights your value and potential.
About the Author
Laura McGrath is a qualified executive coach, EMCC Certified with over 20 years’ experience in executive search and recruitment. She’s the owner of Interview Techniques, a leading provider of interview and career coaching services and has been a guest lecturer with Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin. She’s given master interview classes with Institute of Chartered Accountants. For a consultation, please call 087 669 1192 or go to
https://interviewtechniques.ie/contact/Public Sector Experience: She’s been on public sector interview panel for the Civil Service interviewing Clerical Officers/Executive Officers/Higher Executive Officers/Administrative Officers and Assistant Principal Officers. She’s also been on Local Authority, County Council, HSE, Irish Prison Service, Garda Siochana and numerous semi-state boards, interviewing using both the Capability Framework and Competency Models.
