Whether it’s a 7-minute speed date at the Sefa Company Fair or a final-round panel at a top employer, the fundamentals are the same: know yourself, know the company, and know how to tell your story.
1The STAR Method
Behavioural questions — the “Tell me about a time when…” ones — appear in almost every interview. STAR is the most widely-used framework to answer them clearly and convincingly.
Set the scene in 2–3 sentences. Just enough context.
What was your specific responsibility or goal?
The detailed steps you took. Use “I”, not “we”.
The outcome — quantify wherever possible.
Worked example — “Tell me about a time you led a team under pressure”
S: During my second-year Marketing course, I was assigned to lead a five-person group project worth 40% of our grade. With three weeks until submission, two members dropped the course.
T: I needed to redistribute the workload, keep morale up, and still deliver a high-quality strategy report on time.
A: I called an urgent meeting, mapped every remaining task to a clear owner, and introduced two-day check-ins on Notion. I personally took over the consumer research section, conducted 12 short interviews in one weekend, and rebuilt the analysis.
R: We submitted on time and received a 9/10 — the highest in the cohort. Our professor used our framework as the example in the next year’s course.
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2Know the Format You’re Walking Into
Screening / HR call
15–30 min, often by phone or video. Focus on motivation, basic fit, and availability.
- A polished 90-second self-introduction
- Clear answers to “Why this company?” and “Why this role?”
- Knowledge of practical details (start date, salary range if asked)
Behavioural / competency interview
45–60 min, usually with a hiring manager. STAR-heavy.
- Story bank covering 6–8 competencies
- Concrete numbers and outcomes
- Questions about team, projects, growth
Case interview
Common in consulting, strategy, and some finance/tech roles.
- Market sizing, profitability, and growth-strategy frameworks
- Practice 8–10 cases with a peer before a serious application
- Mental maths fluency
Assessment day
Full or half-day mix of group exercise, presentation, case, and 1:1 interviews. Common at Unilever, ING, Deloitte, EY.
- Contribute in group exercises without dominating
- Keep energy up across the whole day
- Treat lunch and breaks as part of the assessment
3Questions You’ll Be Asked
Classics — prepare these, then rehearse until they sound natural
Behavioural — practice 2–3 STAR stories for each
- Tell me about a time you led a team.
- Describe a time you failed. What did you learn?
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone.
- Describe a situation where you had to meet a tight deadline.
- Tell me about a time you took initiative without being asked.
- Tell me about a time you received difficult feedback.
4Questions You Should Ask
- “What does success look like after six months?”
- “How does the team support learning?”
- “What are typical career paths from this role?”
- “What does a typical week look like?”
- “What are the most interesting projects right now?”
- “What’s the hardest part not obvious from outside?”
- “How would you describe the team’s working style?”
- “How does the team give and receive feedback?”
- “What has the team changed or improved recently?”
- “What made you join, and what’s kept you here?”
- “What’s surprised you most about working here?”
- “What advice would you give someone in my position?”
5The Preparation Timeline
One week beforeRead the job description twice and underline the five most important keywords. Map a STAR story to each.
Five days beforeResearch the company: latest annual report, three recent news items, the team you’d join, and one or two people on LinkedIn.
Three days beforeRun a mock interview with a friend or record yourself answering five questions aloud. Watch it back — most people speak faster than they think.
The day beforeConfirm location, route, and timing. Lay out your outfit. Re-read your CV — make sure you can speak to every bullet.
The morning ofEat properly. Arrive 10 minutes early — not earlier, not later. Smile at reception; they sometimes pass on impressions.
Within 24 hours afterSend a short thank-you message referencing one specific thing from the conversation. Update your tracker with next steps.
6On the Day
Firm handshake, eye contact, smile. Wait to be invited to sit. Match the formality the interviewer sets.
Pause briefly before answering — it shows you’re thinking, not panicking. It’s fine to say “let me think for a moment”.
Honesty beats bluffing. Walk through how you’d approach finding the answer. Interviewers test reasoning more than recall.
7After the Interview
Reflect — even if you don’t get the role
- What three questions caught you off guard? Add STAR answers to your story bank.
- What three questions did you answer well? Note what made them work.
- If rejected, ask for feedback politely — many companies will share it, and it compounds across applications.
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