Got an interview
Discussion
So after months of filling out applications getting nowhere I have finally been offered an interview for the position for Trainee Engineering Manager with Stagecoach!
Pretty excited about it, and from the description it sounds like a pretty awesome job.
Has anyone worked for these before? Any idea on the interview techniques/ questions etc? I've been through all the typical questions graduate employers like to ask as a starter.
Pretty excited about it, and from the description it sounds like a pretty awesome job.
Has anyone worked for these before? Any idea on the interview techniques/ questions etc? I've been through all the typical questions graduate employers like to ask as a starter.
Not wishing to teach you how to suck eggs and all that...
Get the basics right first off: dry clean the suit, polish the shoes etc.
Do the journey before hand so you don't get lost and know the timings. Get in the office about 10 mins before hand.
Good firm handshake always goes down well.
Make sure you know their web site as well as possible. You have to get over that you are interested in the job and have prepped well for it.
Have some pertinent questions ready. If there is a job description for the role then know it inside out and relate questions to it.
What recent news articles can you pick up. There are a few transport related websites that might have some info about them, recent stories etc...
If you demonstrate you are interested in the role then this really goes down well.
Sorry if some of this really is basic, but PPPPPP and all that.
Get the basics right first off: dry clean the suit, polish the shoes etc.
Do the journey before hand so you don't get lost and know the timings. Get in the office about 10 mins before hand.
Good firm handshake always goes down well.
Make sure you know their web site as well as possible. You have to get over that you are interested in the job and have prepped well for it.
Have some pertinent questions ready. If there is a job description for the role then know it inside out and relate questions to it.
What recent news articles can you pick up. There are a few transport related websites that might have some info about them, recent stories etc...
If you demonstrate you are interested in the role then this really goes down well.
Sorry if some of this really is basic, but PPPPPP and all that.
Thanks for that. Turns out it wasnt so much of an interview I was expecting.
Got there about 10 minutes early, nice firm handshake. Then had to do some verbal and numerical tests, the verbal one I found a bit confusing but got on ok with. The numerical one was much better. He asked which I found better and I said the numerical one, he scanned through the verbal one and said "well based on your results on this one I suspect the numerical one went very well."
Then we had about a 45 minute chat, was very informal, he talked me through the role and how I would fit in with the company and what was involved. Then he worked through my application talking about my education then my work experience, then went through my hands on experience.
It was a really relaxed interview which I think really helped.
Then he told me he had had about 80 applicants for the engineering role and had discarded 70 straight away! Said mine had really stood out as having both academic and very good hand on experience compared to most graduates.
They are having assessment days in april, they were looking to invite 18 applicants (not just for engineering roles) to these. Not sure how many just for the engineering role. Will find out end of this month whether I will be invited but he certainly seemed very impressed and was saying things like "when you come to the assessment centre" which seemed a bit weird and don't want to read to much into it but sound promising so fingers crossed for the time being.
Got there about 10 minutes early, nice firm handshake. Then had to do some verbal and numerical tests, the verbal one I found a bit confusing but got on ok with. The numerical one was much better. He asked which I found better and I said the numerical one, he scanned through the verbal one and said "well based on your results on this one I suspect the numerical one went very well."
Then we had about a 45 minute chat, was very informal, he talked me through the role and how I would fit in with the company and what was involved. Then he worked through my application talking about my education then my work experience, then went through my hands on experience.
It was a really relaxed interview which I think really helped.
Then he told me he had had about 80 applicants for the engineering role and had discarded 70 straight away! Said mine had really stood out as having both academic and very good hand on experience compared to most graduates.
They are having assessment days in april, they were looking to invite 18 applicants (not just for engineering roles) to these. Not sure how many just for the engineering role. Will find out end of this month whether I will be invited but he certainly seemed very impressed and was saying things like "when you come to the assessment centre" which seemed a bit weird and don't want to read to much into it but sound promising so fingers crossed for the time being.
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