Preparing for interviews
Before
The fortnight before
You’ll want to read and re-read your invitation several times to make sure you know where, when and what format the interview will take, and how you’re going to get there.
Once you’ve got a date, circle it on your calendar in yak’s blood. Then, make sure you book time off work or school and, if you’re relying on mates or family to get there, make sure they keep the date free too.
If you’ll be putting yourself at the mercy of public transport, book your tickets well in advance (not least for the cheap fares). Also, there’s no harm in asking if the university will cough up anything towards travel expenses, though anything going might be reserved for the most hard-up students.
In any case, check out sites like www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalexpress.com or, for getting across London try www.tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner or even www.walkit.com. Drivers can get door-to-door directions from the likes of http://maps.google.co.uk and www.multipmap.com. International students should also check directly with the universities for the other relevants on channel hopping and accommodation arrangements.
Make a note of who’ll be interviewing you, and jot down their contact number or e-mail address. It might be an idea to save these details straight to your mobile, too, in case you run late on the day.
What does your invite say about the format for the interview? Can you expect a cosy fireside chat discussing Sartre, or a gruelling panel interview about your strategies for peace in the Middle East? How long will it last? Will there be a chance to have a look round the university or department, and to chat to other students? (These are well worth doing in any case).
Have they asked to send or bring any supporting evidence, or to complete any practical work? In which case, make sure you’ve got the necessaries to hand, or allow yourself time to find or prepare them.
Some places (like the Oxbridge colleges) may even expect you to sit written exams while you’re there. And if you’re applying for courses like music or drama, a practical audition may be the focus. If you’re going for a language course, some or even all of the interview may not even be in English. Find out before you go.
The week before
It wouldn’t hurt to set up a mock interview or two. Try to choose people who’ve had some relevant experience rather than well-meaning but clueless mates. Teachers or career advisers tend to know their stuff.
The aim of the interview is to find out:
- A bit more about you as a person and your interests
- How you’d fit into the university and what you can contribute to it
- Your passion for the subject and the course you’re applying for
Read over your application a couple of times to remind yourself what you wrote and think of the kind of questions they might ask.
Chances are, they’ll want to know more about any hobbies you mentioned. So it’s a good job you were totally legit and didn’t make any up. Isn’t it, world’s youngest-ever karate champ?
Have another look over the prospectus, revisit the Uni Chooser and remind yourself why you want to go there. And don’t be ashamed to drop into conversation that you’ve done your homework and already have a strong case that you and the uni would make a perfect match.
Get hold of the course outline and get an idea of the teaching methods and topics covered, and be actively considering how it will work for you. If you’re desperately keen for practical lab work and the course is purely theoretical, you may need to investigate your options a bit more.
Bone up on your subject. That means reading the papers, catching any relevant programmes on TV (no, B-list Celebrity Ice Dancing Numpties, or whatever, doesn’t count. At least, not beyond media studies,) and generally tuning into the wider picture. You don’t need to be an expert, but they will want to see a genuine interest in the subject.
Whatever you do, don’t bullshit. Your interviewer will probably sniff it a mile off, and getting caught out could be toe-curlingly bad – especially if it turns out he or she wrote your class textbook.
Think about what to wear. Unless you’ve been told to dress for a particular situation or activity you’ll probably feel more at ease in something smartly casual than a suit and tie anyway, especially if you’re the kind of person who feels more at home in jeans and a tie-dye.
There’s a full low down on dressing the part
here.
The night before
Far be it from Push to spell out the blindingly banal, but do try to get a decent night’s kip the night before.
Showing up drink- or drug-addled won’t impress. And conjugating self-reflexive verbs, from memory, in French, could all seem a bit Guantanamo the morning after six pints of lager and a bucket of sick.
Double-check your clothes are all clean, ironed (if they need to be) and have buttons, buckles, zips and flaps where they should. Ditto your shoes.
You’ve hopefully been preparing thoroughly all week, so try to put it out of your mind for the rest of the evening and think about or do something completely different. Assuming there’s no chance you’ll end up tied to a lamppost in your underwear in a completely different continent your brain will thank you for the chance to switch off, and it’ll leave you relaxed and refreshed for tomorrow.
Last updated on: 12 November 2008