Got my first interview!!!

Dr_Brian_Cocks

Graduated and now I have got my first interview for an internship.

Any tips? I haven't done an interview before so I'm nervous. It's in 6 days time.

Obviously know about the company, strengths and weaknesses of yourself etc.

How much knowledge is one supposed to know in an interview??

Tar.Aldarion

Well what is it in? look up sample questions. Brush up on your technical stuff, the company and the blah blah I'm great stuff.

Nelly1234

Congrats!!!! Make sure you know your basic computer q's! Sure you can google them online:) Hope you get it now!

Dr_Brian_Cocks

I'll let ye know!
Just wondering when do you usually find out if you get it or not?
I got a foreign call and didn't want to answer so let it ring out, and there was 2 more calls on house phone from unknown numbers so could have been them.

Emailed me then later on asking was I available for interview. I said yes although I didn't see the email 'til after 5. I hope I get the interview now as it'll be Monday before they see the email?

enviro

Know everything there is to know about the role you are applying for... for example anything that has been listed in advertisements about the position and match your strengths to the roles requirements as best you can.

Do a little bit of research about the company and be prepared for a "what do you know about us?" "what do we do?" type question.

Speak to the interview panel about the company and the role with a passionate tone and come across as having a positive attitude. Show them you are determined to get the position. This is an excellent opportunity to show off your communication skills; while not forgetting about the importance of maintaining eye contact and your body language

Identify individual strengths and skills that you possess that are relevant to the role and highlight them to the panel. If they focus on a negative or a skill/trait you don't have, be positive and declare that you relish the opportunity to develop new skills and develop yourself further. Use an example if possible, maybe something you were weak at previously but through hard work you became better at?

Don't have the panel trying to drag information out of you, be proactive in supplying it, let them be trying to get their questions in.

They want to give you the job so prove to them you are the right person for the job.

Consider an interview skills session if you think you may be nervous. That would include additional advice and a mock interview.

Shake hands with each panel member at the start of the interview and introduce yourself by the first name, eg: "hello I'm Tom pleased to meet you" remember their names and at the end shake hands with them all again saying eg: "thank you Mary", "thank you Peter" Remembering their names and maintaining eye contact here will ensure they remember you later when they are deciding on the various candidates.

Wear a suit.

Best of luck.

xprnc

Dr_Brian_Cocks wrote: »

Graduated and now I have got my first interview for an internship.

Any tips? I haven't done an interview before so I'm nervous. It's in 6 days time.

Obviously know about the company, strengths and weaknesses of yourself etc.

How much knowledge is one supposed to know in an interview??

Hi I interviewed a few prospects in the last weeks and I can tell you one very important thing! No matter what the internship is about, the "employer" is not looking (well... should not look) for previous experience in the chosen field.

All we're are looking for is: Motivation. Yes, motivation, with a capital "M". Say what your goals are, what job you want to have when you gain that experience, what company you want to start or with who you want to be working one day.

That's what I think - best of luck!

neaideabh

****SELL YOURSELF****

Don't be afraid to brag and be cheesy!

Also, take the water they offer and take your time answering questions and stop to take a drink! I declined the offer of a glass of water at the start of my first interview and 5 minutes into it, my mouth was as dry and I started to struggle and get nervous!

Dr_Brian_Cocks

Thanks for the replies!
I got this email saying what the format will be. I do not have any work experience on my CV so not sure what I can say? I can only talk about my college modules and project? Any further advice?

Interview format.

Job scope introduction - Interviewer
Review CV and question - Interviewe
Q&A - All

longhalloween

Know your CV back to front.

If you have a section on interests or achievements you should have a few small stories about each topic, e.g, if you won a competition in college you should be able to explain the challenge and what you did to win.

It's a good way to eat up some time and fleshes out your CV.

It's only an internship so I wouldn't get too worried, but see it as good interview experience.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

longhalloween wrote: »

Know your CV back to front.

If you have a section on interests or achievements you should have a few small stories about each topic, e.g, if you won a competition in college you should be able to explain the challenge and what you did to win.

It's a good way to eat up some time and fleshes out your CV.

It's only an internship so I wouldn't get too worried, but see it as good interview experience.

what's so bad about an internship? I can't really seem to find what an internship in Ireland is, all i see is jobsbridge stuff but this isn't jobsbridge.

MidMan25

Dr_Brian_Cocks wrote: »

what's so bad about an internship? I can't really seem to find what an internship in Ireland is, all i see is jobsbridge stuff but this isn't jobsbridge.

It's working for free enjoy

Dr_Brian_Cocks

MidMan25 wrote: »

It's working for free enjoy

Definitely for free?
It doesn't say anything on the ad about paid or unpaid?

MidMan25

Dr_Brian_Cocks wrote: »

Definitely for free?
It doesn't say anything on the ad about paid or unpaid?

If you PM me the employer name I might be able to hazard a fair guess! I did one last summer so i've a decent idea how these things work.

longhalloween

Internships are generally unpaid.

Some employers are decent and give you a stipend or some sort of benefits but most expect you to do your time and be happy with the experience.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

longhalloween wrote: »

Internships are generally unpaid.

Some employers are decent and give you a stipend or some sort of benefits but most expect you to do your time and be happy with the experience.

I would do that but I wouldn't be able afford it with relocating and that.

MidMan25

Dr_Brian_Cocks wrote: »

I would do that but I wouldn't be able afford it with relocating and that.

I'd say there is a fair chance it is unpaid. Your best bet would be to say nothing, go up there and do the interview, use it as practice, they'll more than likely bring up the fact that it is paid/unpaid in the interview.

Any interview experience you can get is invaluable so do the interview and worry afterwards about whether it is paid or not

When it comes to interviews it really is all about practice, I've had 4 in the last month, 3 for the same company and you really do improve after every one.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

It's a pretty big company. Market leaders in their field. That make a difference?

MidMan25

Dr_Brian_Cocks wrote: »

It's a pretty big company. Market leaders in their field. That make a difference?

Could do, but it just as easily might not make any difference.

VMware are leaders in cloud computing and they still do unpaid internships.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

FizzleSticks wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Wouldn't be able afford it. I'd have no problem doing it for free.

Unbeknownst

Internships in the top accountancy firms generally pay the same as an entry level employee, maybe €375 a week or so.

stevenmu

Not an expert but I thought unpaid internships were typically for people not yet qualified. Since you have graduated, I would have thought an internship should be paid, or at worst a short unpaid internship with a very realistic chance of paid employment at the end.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

Seems they're all coming at once!
Got an email from a dutch crowd saying I have been called for interview but it will be at short notice. Does this mean the company will pay for flights and accom?

Also another email on linkedin saying I might have on Friday. Do I let these know that I am doing other interviews?

kennryyr

Before the end of the interview Q&A section always, ALWAYS say that you really appreciated them taking the time out of their schedule to interview you and then tell them straight out "I really want this job". Shows great motivation and usually works a treat!

Good luck!

missingtime

Be enthusiastic.

In my experience so many people come in and don't show any enthusiasm for the role or even the industry.

Gatica

Dr_Brian_Cocks wrote: »

Seems they're all coming at once!
Got an email from a dutch crowd saying I have been called for interview but it will be at short notice. Does this mean the company will pay for flights and accom?

Also another email on linkedin saying I might have on Friday. Do I let these know that I am doing other interviews?

Ask them. Reply back and thank them for getting in touch, ask what arrangements they have in place for such an interview. Most big companies seeking the right people would pay for costs associated with hiring. However it's unusual to do that for an internship, as they're not getting benefits out of it that would be equivalent to a specialist in an area for example.
Be wary of random agents getting in touch through LinkedIn, very often there's little thought put on their part into an email that they fire off to hundreds of people that fit a particular search term.
When you're applying through an agency they will often ask if you've applied through anyone else, so they don't send your CV to the same crowd again.
What area/field did you graduate? Paid work experience is not uncommon in engineering.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

The guy from linkedin, I emailed him first and he kept me in mind.

The crowd in holland came through the college.

And I'm in energy/mechanical engineering area.

Dr_Brian_Cocks

I'm in a pickle. Dutch crowd have been ringing me several times telling me there's an interview on Monday. I said I'd leave it as my passport is out of date. Yer man said ya can get by that and that if ya go to the interview the job is yours. (There's another lad from the same college started there too). He'd offer me the job on Monday if I went.

But I'd prefer to stay in Ireland and would prefer the internship as it's a more interesting area.

Could end up without both though if things don't work out?

What to do what to do.

Gatica

well then you have to make a call, is it more important to you to stay in Ireland or to get a job?

If the first, then clearly discount any offers of foreign jobs.
If you'd rather get experience, even for 2 years and then return home, then make the calls based on that.
No point taking a job if you're gonna be miserable for a few months before quitting to come home. However, you may really love it...

mossy2390

Give us a bit more information,

what area did you graduate in? (i know you said energy/mechanical but what is your actual degree in, there are very few jobs here in energy but a good few in mechanical)

What areas do you/dont you want to work in?

what sector is the internship in?

what sector is the Dutch job in?

People cant really give you much advice to help you make your decision otherwise