Graduate Job Interview Questions

Got yourself an interview for a Grad role? Well, check you out. if you're a little unsure as to what you'll be asked, read on to find out more.

You’ve written the CV, sent 2738329 applications and you’ve snatched yourself an interview for your first job out of uni. Well done.

It’s natural to be nervous about an interview, but it’s a great idea to look at them as a conversation. One that’ll hopefully end with a job offer.

If you’ve never been to an interview it can be a little hard to know what you’re going to be asked. So we’ve put together a list of common graduate job interview questions.



What questions do they ask in a graduate interview?

There are probably a thousand questions you could ask in an interview, but that’ll take years and no one wants to be seated in a small room with a stranger for longer than a Hobbit movie.

Not all interviews are conducted in the same way, however, you’ll find loads of employers will ask the same questions. So we’ve split them into sections.

Company-focused interview questions

Why do you want to work with us?

An interviewer will 1000% want to know what moved you to send a whole CV and cover letter.

It’s easy to apply for everything and anything, especially if it’s your first time on the job hunt. But there should be a reason as to why you apply for a role.

Maybe you hopped onto Instagram and enjoyed the company’s culture or because of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or even that they’re the best in your chosen industry. Always make sure to relate that to something relevant that you’ve done or have an interest in.

Can you explain your understanding of our company's mission and values?

This is where your company research skills will pay off.

The company you apply for will always have an about us page on their website and loads of posts on their social media. Check them out, and link them back to your experience, skills and values.

An employer asks this question because they want to know you’re fully aware of what the company does and their stance on various topics. They also want to know if you believe in the same things they do.

For example, perhaps the company you’ve applied for has a sustainability ethos. If you’ve ever been involved in any sustainability or conservation projects, or even if you keep an allotment. These are the things to mention here.


Yet to put your graduate cover letter together? We’ve got you.

Read our Guide to Writing a Graduate Cover Letter

Skills-based interview questions

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

It might seem like an employer is trying to catch you out and make you expose ‘flaws’ or even spend a few minutes boasting. But that’s so far from the reality. It’s a way to self-reflect and show how you can use your professional talents or overcome situations that might get in the way. 

Employers aren’t looking for perfection. However, they are looking for honest candidates with a keen sense of self.

For example,

Strengths. Let’s say your attention to detail rivals the most experienced of proofreaders, talk about it. How did that come in handy during university or your placement? And then relate it to the job.

Weakness. Maybe you’ve struggled with time-keeping, procrastination or prioritising workload. Show the interviewer how you’ve made steps to overcome that. Whether that’s through a productivity app or changing something. It shows a lot of strength, just saying.

Tell us about a time you used [skill]

When applying for your job, you would’ve 100% included a whole list of skills on your graduate CV. Here’s where you’ll get to show them off directly.

An interview will likely pick a key skill that’s relevant to the job you’ve applied for. It could be a soft skill or a hard skill. You’ll then need to explain how you used the skill and what the outcome was for you. 

It’s super important to make sure that the skills you list are ones you genuinely have otherwise, it’ll look really bad if you’re unable to provide an example.

Personality-based questions

Tell us about yourself

An interview will usually always begin with this question. 

See this as a chance to expand on your graduate CV personal statement. Talk about your professional experience and what you’re looking for in a career. 

Avoid talking about your favourite pasta or that really strange episode of Big Brother you watched last night. While an interviewer definitely wants to get to know you, trust that your personality will shine through as you speak.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

It’s a big question, but an employer wants to know how career-driven and ambitious you are.

Take this opportunity to talk about your career aspirations. Maybe you want to become a manager and spearhead your own team one day. Do you have any projects in mind that you feel will help shape the job, the company or your industry? Share them.

It’s also a good idea to talk about any milestones you’d like to see happen if you were to work for the company you’re interviewing for. Perhaps there’s a particular initiative they do that you’d like to be involved in or an achievement you’d like to work towards (promotions, employee of the year awards, etc.)

What would your friends say about you?

There’s no need to divulge personal information. Like, no one needs to know about when you had to trek 10 miles on foot with a bag of goodies for your heartbroken friend (although that’s really sweet).

Mention traits like being loyal, a good listener, willing to help, a leader or a team player. This is an employer’s way of finding out how you’ll fit in a group and interact with people.


Waiting to hear back? Here are 7 Signs You’ll Get the Job after an Interview.


The STAR Technique

The STAR technique will be your best friend, especially regarding competency-based questions. It’s there to help you formulate well-rounded answers. STAR is an acronym for…

Situation

Task

Action

Results

"“Following that formula can give structure to your answers and keep them focused. My hot tip would be to make sure that you’re using the STAR technique and not the STA technique. Make sure you don’t forget to go through the results, you don’t want to leave the interview wondering what happened.”" Ruby, People Director at RateMyPlacement.

The STAR technique is really useful when you’re answering ‘tell me a time…’ or ‘what would you do if…’ questions.”

For example,

QUESTION: “Tell me a time you had to juggle multiple responsibilities, how did you manage that?”

ANSWER: “During uni, I had to juggle multiple responsibilities regularly. I remember in my second year, I was working on a group project, revising for exams, and volunteering

My main aim was to find a balance between everything and ensure that I stayed committed to them. So,I decided to create a schedule. By prioritising and setting goals, I was able to use my time effectively. As well as making sure I was communicating with my group members and discussing ways to streamline our work, so we were all on the same page.

Through doing that, I was able to get through my exams, get a distinction in the group task and an award during my volunteering.”

Read our Guide to the STAR Technique to help you put it into practice.


Other very important questions

What are your salary expectations?

This might be an uncomfortable question for you, especially so early on in your career. However, it’s a question you’re going to hear a lot more as you progress.

The key thing to do here is to look at the salary that the job is offering or look at similar graduate roles in your chosen industry and find out what the starting salary is. If you’re unsure, you can always give the interviewer a range.

Don’t lowball yourself. It’s easy to think that because you’re starting you don’t deserve a high enough salary. Be confident.

Do you have any questions?

Always, always, always make sure you come to the interview with questions for the interviewer. There are likely 1001 things that you’d want to know before potentially accepting a role and even though there is always the opportunity to ask questions, the interview is the best place to get those answers.

Here are some types of questions you could ask.

  • What opportunities for professional development are available within the company?

  • How would you describe the company culture and work environment?

  • What are the long-term goals and vision for the company?

  • How does the company measure success and progress?

  • Can you tell me more about the team I would be working with?


It takes a bit of practice. But once you have it down, interviewing will become second nature. Wishing you all the luck!

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