Interviews for university “
Certain courses will almost always invite students to interview before offering a place
Read the instructions! One design course leader at a university reports that interviewees frequently don’t bring along anything that demonstrates their suitability for the course she runs – even though the interview guidelines clearly request they do so. Worse still, she says, is when an interviewee opens their portfolio and says, self-deprecatingly: “This isn’t very good.” (Don’t do that!) Another said that drama students who are instructed
to perform a particular piece from a choice of three, but select something else entirely because “I’m better at this one” were automatically disqualifying themselves. “It’s not that they shouldn’t make an attempt to stand out from the crowd – we get that, and I appreciate that we encourage individualism – but if they cannot or will not follow fairly simple and mandatory instructions, it’s not a good sign of things to come!” As with a job interview, it shows you’re engaged if,
at the end of the session, you have questions for the interviewer. (These really shouldn’t be basic things that you can find out on the website, since that not only shows that you haven’t done their research but also wastes the time of the tutor.) The kind of things you could ask about are: What qualities do you value when considering which students to offer course places to? What’s expected of a student in the first year and what will contribute the most to a student’s successful completion of the course (apart from good, old-fashioned hard work)?
Niche areas: can you study or focus on a related topic as part of the course?
What sort of professions and roles do graduates go on to fill?
This is a two-way street, and by asking questions, the college or institution also has the opportunity to gauge how you will be a good fit.
To recap Before the interview: Check the date, time and place. Be on time for the requested appointment and don’t request rescheduling unless absolutely necessary
Check carefully the requirements of the interview (or audition) and any other details – are you expected to show work or sit a test?
Be prepared... Research the route and plan! Some campuses do not have widely available parking facilities. Accommodate travel disruption or delays owing to public transport
Practise with a mock interview.
On the day: Make sure you have everything you need to take with you (and perhaps go over any notes)
Smarten up! We like to think we don’t judge a book by its cover, but first impressions are important. While a suit is not always essential, it’s important to dress appropriately. Everyone knows what students look like, and if the course they are applying for is ‘creative’, ie in fashion, art, design or media, a more relaxed or individual appearance is acceptable. For highly corporate professions such as law, it may be wise to dress at the very least ‘smart casual’
Turn up on time – preferably 15 minutes early Smile! Be engaged and passionate about your chosen subject
Have some questions about the course prepared, and... thank the interviewer! l
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