How to prepare for success!

If successful in your application, it is probable that the firm in question will request that you attend a preliminary interview; either in person or over the telephone so please ensure that your contact details are correct.

If you have not reviewed the firm prior to making your application, we strongly recommend that you do so prior to the interview. In addition, it is prudent to review their history, organisational structure, the requirements of the position itself, their competitors, and the current market conditions in which they operate. 

The Interview

It is crucial to the chances of your success that you are both prompt and presentable. We advise that you ensure that you are certain of the location of the interview prior to setting off and take a record of the firm’s contact details so that you can inform them should you be unexpectedly delayed.

We recommend that you research the company in question to make yourself aware of their activities, their recent development, their corporate ethos and their competitors. This will enable you to discuss issues relevant to the firm and how your skills are applicable.

We believe that you should also prepare yourself for the interview by questioning yourself on your characteristics and attributes; what makes you special from the other candidates being interviewed and how can you convey this to the prospective employers.

Ask questions! If you have done your research, you must have questions to ask your interviewer. Questions show that you have done prior preparation and it will ensure that there is more of a ‘flow’ to the interview. If an awkward silence develops, ask one of your pre-prepared questions; it shows preparation and it will allow you to compose yourself. A few suggestions may be based around staff turnover, the evidence of training schemes and the progression of the interview themselves within the company.

Finally, be positive. If you have carried out your research and can adapt this to the Interview then you should head to it in a confident mood.

The Placement

Prior to commencing the placement, it is a good idea to review what exactly you want to gain from it. Write down some clearly defined objectives, such as the attributes that you hope to develop and experience. You can then discuss these with your employer, if suitable, and analyse how these have been met following the completion of the placement.

When attending the first day of your placement, please ensure that you are prompt. It is likely that the firm will have provided you with a mentor, at least for the initial part of your assignment, and it is vital that you are on time to benefit from this opportunity.

It is also important to your success that you approach each task with a positive “can do” attitude. If you are presented with derivative tasks, approach these with enthusiasm. It will highlight that you are professional, attentive and willing; all attractive attributes to employers. A negative attitude in the workplace is likely to make you feel isolated from the rest of your colleagues.

In order to review how successful you are being in supporting the firm’s objectives, question your supervisor about how you are undertaking the work being assigned to you. It is important to choose the right moment, so as not to detract from the supervisor’s own work, but also to be both honest and attentive. Possibly the most important factor in having a successful placement is to ask suitable questions to ensure that your work is both productive to the firm and useful to your development.