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This guideline provides VET students with specific suggestions on how to participate in internships. It is advisable that VET trainers analyse the contents together with the students since the first steps of the organisation of the internship. The guideline covers topic such as: selection of the company; writing of the CV; behaviour rules in a company.
Table of Contents
1.3 Job Interview
1.3.3 How to Get Ready and Prepare for a Job Interview

Preparing for a job interview is more than just practicing common interview questions and choosing the right outfit. Mary Lorenz suggests the key things you should find out about a company before the job interview (See: What to research before a job):

What does the company do?
Hiring managers almost always ask what you know about the company in order to gauge your interest level and industry knowledge

What will the job entail?
You should try to understand as much as you can about the role prior to the interview. This will give you a chance to find out where you can contribute and prepare to discuss why you would be the ideal person for this role.

What are the company values?
It is not enough to know what the company does, but also why they do it. You will also see how it aligns with your own values and further assess whether or not this is the right company for you.

Who are the clients?
Who uses the company’s products and services? Showing you understand the company’s customers and their needs will further set you apart as a knowledgeable and enthusiastic candidate.

What is new and noteworthy?
Take the time to find out what the company has been up to lately, and you will get a better understanding of where the company is going and its place in the industry.

Who are the leaders?
Depending on the size of the company and the position for which you are interviewed, you may find yourself meeting with one of the leaders in person.

Who is your interviewer?
Get the name and title of the person with whom you’ll be interviewing, You can do some internet research. Google your interviewer and look for shared interests that can help you build a rapport.

Where to research?
The company website: “About Us” page, “Careers” section, and Press Room; the company press room on social media; company review sites and Google news.


Online Resource

Tell Me About Yourself - A Good Answer to This Interview Question
Tips what to tell and what not to tell the interviewer about yoursel.

25 Most Common Job Interview Questions And How To Answer Them
A video that gives the most common interview questions and tips how to answer them.

Hints and Tips
Tips are given in the EURES website how to prepare for interviews and what documents have to be brought with you.

What to research before a job interview
Online article by Mary Lorenz gives advice how to prepare for a job interview and how to research the company.

Common Job Interview Questions and Best Answers
In this article, you'll see a comprehensive list of the most common job interview questions and a guide to answering them right.

Operative Tools

What to say at your job interview (all my BEST phrases and tips!)
A video that presents oral and written small talk and job interview phrases and parts of sentences to be used in a job interview

Simulation of a Face-to-face Job Interview
The interviewer’s part is presented. He puts questions, and pauses follows during which the candidate has to give his/her answers.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.