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Securing your first graduate job can feel overwhelming, especially in a highly competitive job market. While some candidates may find success early on, many need a solid strategy to stand out and secure a role with a company they truly admire. The foundation of that strategy is preparation.
This guide is designed to support your job search with practical insights into nine common interview questions that employers often ask, which are:
You should also expect behavioural interview questions which seeks to evaluate whether you are fit for a specific role based on your past experiences and behaviours, such as:
How you approach these interviews, however, extends beyond your answers alone. From the moment you enter the room – or join the call – your professionalism, communication, and presence all play a part in shaping the impression you leave behind.
Related: How to confirm interview attendance via email
Interviews are as much about how you conduct yourself as they are about what you say. Observing professional etiquette demonstrates respect, self-awareness, and confidence – qualities employers value in any candidate.
Here are a few essentials to keep in mind:
Arriving a few minutes early signals reliability and respect for your interviewer’s time. For virtual interviews, ensure your tech setup is tested and ready at least 10 minutes beforehand.
Choose attire that aligns with the company’s culture while maintaining a polished, professional look. When in doubt, it is safe to go for a more formal look than a casual one.
Give your full attention to the interviewer. Nodding, maintaining eye contact, and avoiding interruptions reflect strong communication skills.
Sit upright, offer a firm (but not forceful) handshake if in person, and avoid fidgeting. Your non-verbal cues often speak louder than words.
A courteous “thank you” at the end of the interview – and a short follow-up email – goes a long way in leaving a professional impression.
With these etiquette basics in place, you're ready to focus on the questions that often define the outcome of an interview.
While not an exhaustive list, these are among the most common interview questions asked in graduate job interviews.
Some interviewers may choose to skip this question, particularly if they have already reviewed your resume thoroughly. However, it is still worthwhile to prepare a brief statement that links your recent experiences to the role you are pursuing.
This provides an opportunity to shape your narrative and explain what has led you to this point in your career. For example:
I developed an interest in events management during my second year of university while I was on the student events committee. I’d love to utilise my degree as well as the skills I picked up while coordinating events. This role seems perfect for that because...
This common job interview question requires a thorough research beforehand. Take this as an opportunity to show your potential employers that you have done your due diligence to understand their organisation and how your goals align with their vision and mission.
You are not expected to recite every detail from the company’s website to prove how much research you have done. Instead, focus on expressing a sincere interest in the organisation by highlighting specific aspects that resonate with you – whether it is the company’s values, mission, projects, culture, or reputation in the industry.
For instance:
I saw on your company blog that you partner with a lot of charities and organisations. Environmental issues are particularly close to my heart after taking a semester on it at a university that had a big focus on corporate waste. When I looked at your competitors, it’s clear that you are leading the way in your industry on this important topic.
Related: How to answer ‘Why do you want this job?’ in an interview (with examples)
When interviewers ask this question, they are assessing how you approach challenges and responsibilities based on real-life examples. In this case, the focus is on your ability to lead.
Consider group projects or university activities where you took initiative or guided others toward a shared goal. These moments highlight your capacity to make decisions, manage differing perspectives, and influence outcomes.
Ultimately, the interviewer wants to understand how you navigate these dynamics and the impact of your leadership.
For example:
I was a team leader for a four-week project at university. The role involved assessing my team’s skills and attributes and coming up with a plan that meant everyone involved had to do a task they were good at but also enjoyed. There were a few glitches along the way, but I’m glad it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have learnt how to deal with issues such as team conflict, tight deadlines and being put on the spot when a decision had to be made.
This might seem like a tricky question, but it is not meant to catch you off guard. Employers are interested in your level of self-awareness and your ability to reflect on areas for improvement—an important trait in any professional setting.
Example (Weakness):
Time management was a challenge for me during high school. But during my bachelor's degree, I learned how to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines. I continue to improve in this area as I prepare for full-time work.
Example (Strength):
One of my strengths is public speaking. I often volunteered to present in class and received positive feedback from both peers and lecturers.
Interviewers often ask this to understand your long-term interest in the company and how you envision growing within the team. It can be helpful to express that you are eager to become a valuable contributor, and eventually, someone who can support new team members through mentorship and shared experience.
If you are unsure of the exact path ahead, that is perfectly acceptable. Focus on the skills or responsibilities you hope to develop and how this role aligns with those goals.
I know I want to learn X and X skills, which is why I’m so excited about this role and this company – I think I’ll develop personally and professionally here. If I had to say exactly, I’d like to be in a position where I can make a positive change by contributing to decision-making, as well as leading and inspiring a team. So that might mean stepping into a team leader role before stepping into a senior management role.
Similar to when you describe your strengths, use the selection criteria for the role – your greatest achievement should align with key role requirements from the job ad. For example:
My team won a university sports challenge, despite one of us sustaining an injury on the day of the final game. I was really proud because we banded together and reworked our strategy, taking home the winning title, even though we were one person short. It showed resilience and teamwork in the best ways possible.
This is your chance to show the hiring manager why you are the right candidate. Emphasize how your strengths align with the role and how your skills can help the team meet its goals.
What I lack in years of experience, I make up for in my ability to learn quickly when I’m really passionate about something. When I saw your job ad, and from talking to you about the role today, I know this job is something I would be passionate about, and I’m confident I could add a lot of value to your team.
When you answer interview questions like this, it is important to show more than agreement. Hiring managers pose this question because most roles require teamwork skills during collaboration, and they want to know how you function in a team setting.
It is not necessary to claim you prefer teamwork over independent work—what matters is your ability to adapt to both. Refer to university group assignments, academic projects, volunteering activities, or part-time roles where you contributed to shared goals.
I like having the flexibility to handle multiple tasks alone as well as being part of a small or large team. I think the best part of teamwork is the inspiration element – there is always someone who has a great idea that you hadn’t thought of if you always worked solo.
If relevant, include how you used tools like Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams to stay organised and communicate clearly. This helps the interviewer see how you support others, manage tasks, and stay accountable in a team environment.
Even if the interviewer has covered everything you hoped to know, consider asking them to elaborate on something they mentioned earlier.
Focus on open-ended questions that show interest in the company’s strategy, team structure, or company culture. Salary and benefits are better discussed later in the process, particularly for entry-level roles, once an offer is made.
Use this stage to highlight how you can contribute to the organisation while demonstrating a professional mindset and a positive attitude towards the opportunity.
Behavioural interview questions assess candidates’ past experiences and behaviours to evaluate their skills, abilities, and fit for a specific role. They are particularly relevant for fresh graduates who can draw upon their academic and extracurricular activities to provide meaningful examples.
These questions seek specific instances where candidates have demonstrated skills or navigated challenging situations to give employers a realistic understanding of their approach to work.
Fresh grads can showcase their problem-solving abilities, teamwork skills, adaptability, time management, communication, motivation, and values by sharing stories from their experiences, such as academic projects, internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, or leadership roles in student organisations.
To prepare, fresh graduates should reflect on their experiences, identify relevant skills, and practice telling structured and concise stories highlighting their actions, challenges, and positive outcomes. By preparing specific examples, fresh grads can feel more confident and articulate during the interview process.
Click any of the questions below to jump to what you need in answering common behavioural interview questions, which include:
Related: 10 common behavioural job interview questions and sample answers
Sample answer:
I stay organised by using a combination of digital tools and traditional methods that helped me manage both academic responsibilities and extracurricular activities at university. I regularly used Google Calendar to plan deadlines, class schedules, and group project meetings. For task tracking, I created a shared Google Sheet with my teammates to assign responsibilities and monitor progress. This allowed us to stay on the same page and avoid last-minute issues. These tools helped me stay accountable and maintain a clear structure in my daily tasks.
In a previous internship, miscommunication between team members resulted in a delay in project completion. To resolve the situation, I took the initiative to organise a team meeting where we discussed the issue openly and clarified each team member’s responsibilities. I also suggested implementing a communication tool to streamline information sharing and improve collaboration. By addressing the miscommunication directly and proposing a solution, we rectified the error and successfully completed the project.
When faced with the need to make quick, tough decisions, I follow a structured approach. First, I gather all the relevant information and consider each option’s potential outcomes and consequences. Next, I prioritise the factors based on their importance and assess the risks involved. Finally, I make a decision based on a combination of logical reasoning and intuition. This approach allows me to make effective decisions even under time constraints.
During my university project, we encountered a technical issue that affected the performance of our software prototype. To address the problem, I took the initiative to conduct thorough research, exploring online resources and consulting with experts in the field. I identified a workaround solution that involved modifying the code structure, which significantly improved the performance of our prototype. By proactively identifying the problem and taking the necessary steps to find a solution, we overcame the challenge and achieved the desired outcome.
I maintain a calm and composed mindset when working under pressure. I prioritise tasks based on their urgency and importance, ensuring I allocate sufficient time for each. I also break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable subtasks to stay organised. I also utilise stress management techniques such as deep breathing and short breaks to rejuvenate myself. By adopting these strategies, I can effectively manage my workload and maintain productivity even in high-pressure situations.
Related: 10 tips for you to answer the interview question “What are your career aspirations?”
While you might come across an infinite number of tricky interview questions and their permutations during job interviews, the vast majority will fall into three main groups: past, people, and personal.
For each category, outline six examples of scenarios that demonstrate your ability in those areas. These examples should give you sufficient range of answers to tackle any tough interview questions that come your way.
Once you have prepared your examples, organise them using the S.T.A.R. method. This technique helps you deliver clear, structured answers that highlight your strengths without rambling.
Using the S.T.A.R. approach ensures your responses are focused, relevant, and demonstrate your ability to handle real workplace challenges.
When asked a question, decide whether it is predominantly related to your previous experience, influencing people or your personal attributes.
At times, the question may require you to overlap your answers – for example, how a personal trait helped to influence the people around you – so you would need to consider how some of your 18 examples can be related to each other.
Interview questions aside, overall job interview preparation for graduates is key to ensuring your first impression with a future employer is positive. Improve your chances of job interview success by keeping these three things in mind:
When preparing for an interview, research the company you will be interviewing with. This is a vital step towards showing your commitment.
Have a thorough look at their website and social channels, plus use a search engine to find any news articles they have appeared in. What is their mission or vision? How did they begin and when? What are some of their major operational responsibilities?
Knowing the answer to these questions and being able to refer to them in an interview will impress any prospective employer.
If you want to go a step further, research key competitors and see where this company falls in the job market.
The job description provided by the employer serves as a roadmap for the role. Review it thoroughly and memorise the key responsibilities and requirements.
During the interview, weave these elements into your answers, highlighting how your strengths, skills, and experience align with the role’s needs.
This not only reinforces your suitability for the job but also demonstrates to the interviewer that you have carefully considered the position and are serious about the opportunity.
Being able to reference specific aspects of the job description without prompting will help you stand out as a prepared and proactive candidate.
Once you are familiar with the job description, you can often gauge the kinds of questions that will come up during an interview.
Rehearse answers, use a friend to stand in for the interviewer if you can, and know the main points you want to make and the past experience you want to showcase.
During the interview, you may be thrown some curveball questions to test how you perform on your feet, but many of the questions will also be industry-based. So make sure to tie in the job description prerequisites with your experience in previous roles where you have performed said tasks.
Being able to confidently answer questions while tying them back to the job you are applying for is key to impressing those responsible for deciding whether you are the right individual for the job.
Read more:How to write a farewell email to your colleagues6 common job interview questions for contracting jobsWhy do I need to tell recruiters and employers my last-drawn salary?
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Michael Page is a leading professional recruitment consultancy specialising in the recruitment of permanent, contract and temporary positions on behalf of the world’s top employers. Our role is to work with employers and job seekers to facilitate a ...
