{"id":9077,"date":"2023-05-25T12:00:41","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T02:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/?p=9077"},"modified":"2023-06-21T16:59:57","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T06:59:57","slug":"the-complete-explore-careers-interview-practice-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/the-complete-explore-careers-interview-practice-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Explore Careers Interview Practice Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re ready to apply for new roles, apprenticeships or internships, there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s for sure: <strong><em>attending interviews will be a core part of your next steps! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interviews are essential to the job application process, but that doesn\u2019t stop them from feeling daunting.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While they might be nerve-wracking, we promise the more practice you do around them, the more confident you\u2019ll be! We\u2019ve put together this handy guide to help you on your way.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Why Do We Have Interviews?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/virtual-and-video-interviews-dos-and-donts-to-help-you-smash-it\/\">invited for an interview<\/a>, the employer wants to ensure you match what\u2019s been presented to them on your application.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019ll be interested in the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Checking if there\u2019s a strong alignment between your personality, <a href=\"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/proactive-vs-reactive-goal-setting-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-it-matter\/\">career goals<\/a> and their team culture.<\/li>\n<li>That you\u2019re confident in your skills and able to articulate how they match the role you\u2019re interviewing for.<\/li>\n<li>You understand what\u2019s expected of you, and the examples you use to answer questions will help them to achieve this understanding.<\/li>\n<li>What you\u2019ve said on your CV matches what\u2019s presented in person.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>What Are Behavioural Interview Questions?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Behavioural interview questions are the most common questions you\u2019ll be asked. They are a specific style of questioning that aims to understand how your experience meets the core skills\/competencies required for the job you have applied for.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These questions will usually begin with a framing, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u2018Tell me about a time when you \u2026&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>\u2018Describe a situation when you had to \u2026&#8217;<\/li>\n<li>\u2018Can you give an example of how you have \u2026&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When answering these questions, you can use examples from your experiences, including study, part-time work, volunteering or internships.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Other Types of Interview Questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are a few examples of interview questions you might be asked and the key area they\u2019re trying to address:<\/p>\n<table style=\"font-weight: 400;\" width=\"682\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\"><strong>Personal<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"132\"><strong>Interpersonal<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"143\"><strong>Communication<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"149\"><strong>Skills Based<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"133\"><strong>Experience Based<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Tell me about yourself.<\/p>\n<p>Why are you interested in this field?<\/p>\n<p>What was your favourite\/least favourite subject and why?<\/p>\n<p>What are your top 3 accomplishments?<\/p>\n<p>What are your short- and long-term goals?<\/p>\n<p>Why should I hire you?<\/td>\n<td width=\"132\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Why do you want to work for our company?<\/p>\n<p>What changes would you make at your school\/college\/university and why?<\/p>\n<p>What would your last boss say you need to work on the most?<\/p>\n<p>What does a good workplace culture look like to you?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"143\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Describe your most rewarding college\/work experience.<\/p>\n<p>Describe your ideal job as a new graduate.<\/p>\n<p>What are your aspirations for life? Describe a clear picture for me.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Describe a goal you have set for yourself in the past year?<\/td>\n<td width=\"149\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What is your biggest weakness? Why?<\/p>\n<p>What is your greatest strength? Why?<\/p>\n<p>How do you work under pressure?<\/p>\n<p>How do you balance your studies with working and hobbies?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>How do you determine and evaluate success?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"133\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>How have your studies prepared you for your career?<\/p>\n<p>What have you learned from your extra-curricular activities?<\/p>\n<p>What have you learned from your mistakes?<\/p>\n<p>What qualifications do you have that will make you successful?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h4><strong>Questions for YOU to ask<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/the-forgotten-interview-question-you-must-prepare-for\/\">Asking questions at the interview<\/a> is important for a few reasons:<\/p>\n<ol style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li>It demonstrates you\u2019ve done your research by asking specific questions to the company.<\/li>\n<li>It shows you\u2019re engaged and genuinely interested in the role and the company.<\/li>\n<li>It helps you discover more and ensure this is a good fit for you.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep questions open-ended (what, when, how, who, when), and don\u2019t just ask for the sake of asking, make sure you\u2019re interested in the answer!<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few good examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What initial training or mentoring support will I have when I start?<\/li>\n<li>How big is the team that I will sit within? What is the management structure like?<\/li>\n<li>What are the three key priorities for me in the role if I am successful with my interview?<\/li>\n<li>How will my performance be evaluated in the role?<\/li>\n<li>Why has the role become available? Is this a new position within the team?<\/li>\n<li>When can I expect to hear back following my interview?<\/li>\n<li>What are the next steps following my interview? Will there be a second interview?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>DO NOT<\/strong> ask questions about salary, holiday leave, benefits, or promotions at this stage. This creates the wrong impression about what your priorities are.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are questions to discuss when you have a job offer and before you sign a contract.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Find Your Next Role!<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our employer partners work with us because they\u2019re committed to offering young people early opportunities that will help shape their future careers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And the good news is you can explore everything they offer here at Explore Careers!<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out our dedicated <a href=\"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/employers\/?filter=all-jobs\">Jobs Board<\/a> and review the exclusive <a href=\"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/employers\/\">Employer Profiles<\/a> to learn more about the organisation and help shape your application.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our employee interview series is also a great way to get familiar with an organisation before you attend an interview, and they\u2019re filled with tips from people who know how to succeed! Just filter the <a href=\"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/career-advice\/\">blog<\/a> by the \u2018Employee Stories\u2019 category tab and give them a watch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span> Whether you\u2019re ready to apply for new roles, apprenticeships or internships, there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s for sure: attending interviews will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":9078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[24],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9077"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9077"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9140,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9077\/revisions\/9140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}