"What is your greatest weakness?"

 “What is your biggest weakness?” is a question that is starting to disappear from interviews, especially for graduate programmes, because it has become very cliché. However, there are still plenty of old school hiring managers out there who (some would argue out of laziness…) like to ask this question, in part because they know everyone absolutely hates answering this one.  Even Barack Obama faced it during his presidential campaign from several journalists!

The main stage I’ve heard it used at for graduates is in final stage partner/director interviews – which unfortunately makes it a question you definitely need to be prepared for because getting a ‘no’ at this stage of the process - even if you’ve done really well in a challenging assessment centre - is usually career-limiting.

In general respondents still use the approach of ‘I know you are asking for a weakness, but I am going to tell you something that you will actually see as a positive.’ Something like ‘I like to get into the detail of something because I like to make sure everything is done right’, or ‘I need to learn to say no – sometimes I get involved in too many things and get pulled in too many different directions.’ Or my favourite (!) ‘I’m a perfectionist’. Oh please – so boring, and doesn’t lead the conversation anywhere…

To be honest, as a recruiter, that trick is very old now. It is really dull when someone rolls out an answer such as these and in general it doesn’t inspire me to push them forward to the next stage.  I prefer to hear honesty about a development point and some evidence of how you’ve already started working on it:

 “At the end of my internship, I was given a lot of positive feedback but I also asked for development points as I was keen to make sure I learned from the experience. My manager told me that sometimes in meetings I needed to be more confident, because most of the time the points I raised with him after the meeting were spot on, and he wished I had said them in the meeting.  I knew this was something that I needed to work on, and I was trying to, but to have a manager I respected raise it with me really reinforced the point.

I reflected on the occasions where this had happened – where I had regretted not making my point in a meeting – and I realized that had I spoken up at the time, I would have been seen in a positive light by the directors at those meetings as I would have been making pertinent points and would probably have enhanced my prospects of advancement. I also realized that the worst thing that could happened would have been I made a point that wasn’t necessarily relevant and the meeting would probably have just moved on and no one would really have thought the worse of me except that I was trying to participate, which in general people appreciate rather than just sitting there quietly.

On my return to university, I was put in a project team with some more senior members of the faculty around whom I did feel quite intimidated. I set myself a challenge of making sure that I spoke up in the first team meeting at least once. I was very nervous, but I did it. After having made one point, which was picked up on and further discussed, I found that I made two and three more points and got more involved in the discussion as my confidence grew.

I still do get nervous in meetings, but I am working hard at it and feel that I am getting much better as I am exposed to more opportunities to participate. If I got this role, I would continue to work on this development point.”

This is broadly an answer that I had a couple of years ago and I thought it was a good, honest answer and demonstrated something who wasn’t playing games with the weaknesses question. I also liked that she was well-prepared as it was very articulately discussed.

I’m not saying that you don’t walk a fine line with some answers like this – if you take this approach, you have to have a finely-tuned answer about how you have worked to improve that development point / ‘weakness’ – but there is something very refreshing about someone who has been given some tough feedback and instead of ignoring it, or thinking the person giving the feedback is just wrong, has taken it onboard, analysed where they are going wrong, and then gone about correcting it in a methodical and conscious way.

As a line manager as well as a recruiter, the idea of training and developing someone who is open to feedback and really works on improving themselves as a result is quite exciting because it is possible to have proper, frank development conversations with someone like that and really bring them on quickly. Their prospects for advancement are much better than for others in my mind.

(As a slight aside, I would avoid actually using the word ‘weakness’ in your answer, even if they have said ‘weakness’ in the question. It is a word with such negative connotations. I prefer ‘development point’ or ‘areas for improvement’ – I would use that language instead of ‘weakness’ if I were you. They are also words that indicate more self-awareness and confidence.)

What’s your “weakness”? If you know, then you’re already half way to an answer because being conscious of it and knowing you need to do something about it is already more than many people.

GR

Conducting Useful Research for Interviews

Thanks for voting in the poll everyone... this was the winning article, so here it goes. I will try to get around to writing the other ones too in the weeks ahead as they all got quite a few votes.

Just to clarify before we kick off that this article is about research... but you also need to do preparation (competency answers, explaining everything on your CV, why you want the job, etc). Both are essential to be truly ready for an interview. I'll cover preparation in a future blog if it's of interest to you.

I'm going to have to start with the painful truth about conducting useful research for interviews... it's all about being organised and not just aimlessly surfing on the web (hands up who already knew this?...). We all do it (believe me, I procrastinate endlessly on Facebook/TSR/Twitter/Blogger/etc before I force myself to sit down and actually write these entries). You need to be really disciplined to really make the most of your valuable time. There is so much on the web these days that it is easy to waste a lot of time doing research for your interview without ever actually feeling like you are fully equipped. There is always the worry that something else obvious out there that you've missed that they will bring up at the interview.

The research approach you take will be slightly different depending on the industry and the company that you are applying to, but broadly speaking for "Top 100" type companies, there are 4 categories to consider:

1-the programme/role
2-the company
3-the industry
4-the current landscape/news

Let's take them one at a time:

The Programme/Role
You need to understand everything that is already on the website about the programme or role that you are applying to. This shows your high level of interest, but more important allows you to speak intelligently with your interviewers about the programme and make the right statements about why it is right for you. As an interviewer, if someone asks you a question to which the answer is readily available on the site, it is very off-putting. So, devour the grad website - everything on it.

The Company
You need to understand the company structure - the different departments/divisions/areas (everyone calls them something different). Understand their global structure - where was the company founded (geographically) and what is their presence now. Understand their make-up - there have been a lot of major mergers and divestments in the last couple of years - make sure you are aware of any that have happened affecting the company.

Make sure you understand how they are performing and where the profit is being generated in the company. Have a look at the communications / investor relations / news sections of the site - be aware of what the company is saying to the market about themselves and their work. If applicable, take a look at the high Exec Summary of the annual report. This will usually outline where the company is at (although beware how long it has been since the report was released.... if it was 11months ago, the picture could be significantly different now).

The Industry
Some of this information is quite 'fixed', so some people find it easier to read the information from a book, rather than the web (e.g. "All you need to know about the City" book). Research who their competitors are (and how they are performing relative to them.)

The Landscape
This is about demonstrating your knowledge of current affairs in the industry and that affect the industry. You also need to understand the current landscape of the industry - what is the current market for their products / offering? There is lots of readily-available information on this - blogs, Google News, the FT - but this is also one of the areas where it is easy to spend a lot of time surfing aimlessly. Try to undertake this type of research in careful 30min blocks. Pick a topic, and then research that and only that for that period. If something else springs to mind that you need to look into during that research, make a note on a piece of paper to add it to your plan, but don't go off on a tangent researching the new topic there and then (even if you think it might be more important.

Overall on this last one, it is not really something that you can research in a week before your interview - it is one that you need to be building your knowledge on over a period of weeks and months. Find the blogs / subscriptions that work for you and sign-up as soon as you can. RSS Feeds can also be useful from certain sites. It might even be worth setting up a separate email address rather than cluttering up your own personal address. Check out CNBC, MoneyWeek, Yahoo! Finance, hereisthecity, etc.

Keep all your notes well organised, and bookmark sites that you visit that are useful, storing them all in a folder.

I've put together a checklist for you if you are interviewing for an Investment Bank and are planning your research approach - it can be downloaded here. I'll try to put one together for Consulting too in the next few weeks - I've run out of time tonight - but it should not be that different to the IB one, just tailored slightly more towards that industry. 


Above all, be organised and be disciplined with your time. Ultimately it's unlikely that you'll go into an interview feeling 100% confident that you have everything covered, but if you've covered a reasonable spread of research across the above topics, you should be able to talk to a good amount of what might come up.

My Top 5 Interview Tips

Use "I" NOT "We"

All over the IB and Consultancy websites, you will see talk of the requirement to be a team player and be able to function well with working in groups. And that is 100% true.

BUT, and its a big BUT, during the application and interview process, you MUST get into the habit of using 'I' when speaking about your achievements. A lot of grads use "We did this... and we did that...." and the problem is that at the end of the answer, the interviewer is not clear on what you achieved versus what the team achieved - and that can result in them marking you as having 'failed' the question. So structure you answer by saying up front what the team structure was, what your role was (briefly) and from then on, use 'I' so that they are totally clear that the achievements were yours and no one elses.

Don't express doubt or uncertainty about your direction

We all know that a LOT of people are not sure about what job they want to do, what career they want, etc... However, when you are interviewing for a job, you have to play the game. Say that THAT is the job you want and have clear reasons why. No interviewer wants to hear "To be honest, I'm not sure, but I think this is the right move for me.".... or "I think I'll do this for 3-5years and the re-evaluate". Let's be very clear here, I know that loads of you will have these thoughts, but do NOT express them at interview. Every interviewer wants to believe that you want the job that they can offer you above all others. And you need to make them think that too.

Get your best stories out early

First impressions count. Even though your interview is supposed to be evenly weighted throughout, you want to get them on your side early. For that reason, be sure that you can spin your best experiences to answer a variety of competency-based questions - e.g. problem solving, team work, flexibility. If you can put your most impressive experiences out there early, they will be on your side from the outset.

Yes, you will be asked technical questions

At some point during the interview process you are likely to get a technical question of some sort. A technical question is one which tests your educational or technical skill that you have listed on your CV. So it might be something from one of your recent modules, something on a computer skill you have listed, etc. But it is highly possible that you will get challenged on something at some point in the process to make sure what you have on your CV is all legit.  Don't get all flustered about this, it's just one aspect and as long as you give it your best shot (the approach is often more important than the answer), you'll be fine..... a lot of grads seem to live in fear of "the technical question" and spend far too long studying for that part at the expense of other parts of the interview.

Questions

This old one is still true. Have a few good questions to ask at the end to make sure you leave them with a good impression. Have a few options incase some of the questions are already answered during the course of the interview.

Feedback most welcome! What do you want to hear? Email me at gradjobsuk@yahoo.co.uk. Thank you!

Competency questions - what else do you need to know?

As I've said before, I don't want to reinvent the wheel on this blog too much by providing information that you already know or guidance that is already well-documented on other graduate recruitment sites.  Thus, I am not doing to go into too much detail on answering competency-based questions, using the STAR model, making sure you address the question asked, etc.   Knowing how to answer a competency-based question is essential to success in securing a place on a graduate programme, so make sure you know how to answer them.

The challenge with competency-based interviews is that graduates are now so well-practiced and well-able to provide great answers, that even more questioning is needed to differentiate them in order to really try to identify the best for the roles available. In many ways this is causing a move back towards trying to ensure you have to think on your feet during the interview and therefore less scripted and formulaic questioning by the interviewers and their instead using what they have heard to determine what the next question is. Thus more and more the follow-up question to each competency scenario is becoming the differentiator.

What is the "follow-up question"?
This is the question that the interviewer might throw at you depending on the competency answer you have just provided. Some typical examples would be:

• What would you do differently next time?
• How would people in the team you managed say you did as project manager? What would they say you could improve on?
• Why did you/it succeed?
• Why did you/it fail?
• What could you have done to make it even better?
• What did you learn about yourself?
• Would you do it again? Why? Why not?

How do they decide what question to ask you?
They will usually ask a follow-up question on the part of your 'story' that sounded the least plausible to their ears. For example, if you say everything went well and there were no arguments or issues, then they might follow-up on that with "What was it that made the team work so well together? Were there any contentious issues or points of discussion?"  To be honest with a situation like that, you are best to have an example of something that was difficult in the team - generally in situations where you are working in a team - especially at Uni - realistically something probably did go wrong and it was difficult. It sounds more plausible to be upfront about them - and as long as you learned from it, then that's perfectly fine - and in fact, more reflective of the working world too.

"What would you do differently next time?" is probably the most common and the most generic question asked, so it's worth preparing an answer to that for most of your scenarios.  Don't say you would do nothing differently - come up with something. A good answer might be to plan a particular part of it more meticulously, or to set objectives for individuals within the team so that roles are clearer - something like that.

Think of the question that you would least like to be asked as a follow-up to the scenario you've explained... and then imagine that they have asked you it - what would you say? I promise, you won't regret it! Worse case scenario, they ask the question and you have an answer prepped. Best case scenario, they don't ask it, but you go into the interview more confident because you're more prepped.

Telephone interview tips

Telephone interviews are difficult. Very difficult. As a recruiter, I really sympathise with grads whose first interaction with the company is via a phone interview. Unfortunately for cost and time reasons, most companies use them now as a first filter for candidates. To be honest, I'd much rather get 5mins face-to-face with someone to ask 2-3 simple questions than 30mins on the phone. But I'll stop reminiscing too much as these are the times we live in now and we all have to figure out how to make it work.

Provide a landline if possible, it comes across better on both sides and is a lot less echo-y than a mobile. If you have no landline access in halls, sometimes careers services will give you access to a room with a phone at the time you need if you ask.

It's all about your voice
The main thing to remember with a phone interview is you have only one means of conveying what you want to say and who you are - your voice. In a face-to-face interview, you have hand gestures, head nodding or shaking, posture of your body, your clothes, your eyes, your smile, your laugh.  It is vitally important that you have that in mind before you start.

So, now that I've made you very self-conscious about your voice all of a sudden, how do you control it and what is it about the voice that can make or break the interview? One of the first and most difficult things is coming across enthusiastic and confident. i.e. not nervous to the point at which your voice goes unnaturally low / unnaturally high. Your voice will contain tones and enthusiasm if you try to speak as naturally as you can. Easier said than done, I know, but it's something worth thinking about. The last thing you should have in your mind before the phone rings is 'I am a strong candidate for this job - I would be happy to get it and they would be lucky to have me'. If you believe it, it will come across in your voice.  Some people even recommend standing up as they say it comes across stronger. I'm not too sure - I think it can also make you a bit less relaxed and you might even start pacing.. but it's worth considering if you think it might work for you.

Most large companies now have recruiters write down what is said at interview - sometimes in full. Keep that in mind when pacing yourself - it doesn't mean you should go slower than you normally do, but try not to go too fast as nerves can often cause that to happen and speak as clearly as you can. If there are any silences when you have finished your answer, they might well be finishing writing your answer down, so don't feel that you have to keep talking to fill the silence. If you have answered the question, stop. If they want you to give more detail they will say 'go on', or 'can you expand on that'.

Use of notes
Obviously being a telephone interview, you can have any notes or information you might need in front of you. My advice is keep it fairly minimal. If you have too much in front of you it is easy to get flustered looking for information to distract you from the phone call. I recommend having very well organised papers, laid out side-by-side, so that you aren't shuffling paper around whilst on the phone. I don't recommend writing answers verbatim down, because it is too easy to start reading them out and it comes across that that is what you are doing. Even worse, sometimes you might have an answer written down that you hope to use which is an answer to a question that is similar to a question they asked, but not the same - and so the temptation to use it will result in you not really answering the question at all. Write down key bullet points that help you tell the story and will help you ensure that you do not forget any major parts of it.

STAR model
It is very important that you stick to the "STAR" model, or something similar, when answering competency questions on the telephone (Situation, Task, Action, Result). It will keep you on track and make sure that you are addressing the question. Make sure that in closing, you link back to the exact question asked so that you leave them in no doubt that you have addressed what they asked you.

http://www.interview-skills.co.uk/competency-based-interviews-STAR.aspx

Checking in

To go back to my point about telephone interviews being tough.... most other recruiters I'm certain agree with this. It's tough for you, and its also tough for us. So during the telephone interview you should be prepared to ask a couple of questions as you go along about whether you are giving them what they are looking for. After you finish your first competency question ask "was that enough detail for you, would you like any further information about that?"; if you are unsure about whether an answer has fully addressed what they are looking for, you can ask "have I answered your question on that?".  Note, I'm not saying that you need to do that after every question, but for the first couple of competency questions where you are trying to figure out how much detail they want.

Companies ask a different number of questions in that 20-30min interview - anything from 3 questions to 15 questions. Obviously that will affect how long your answer is. It might be worth asking at the start for an indication of how many questions they want to go through in that time - you could say "could you give me an indication of the likely number of questions so that I know how much time to spend on each answer?" or something to that effect.

They will invite you to ask any questions at the end. Keep it to no more than 1-2 ( even if the recruiter keeps saying 'any more questions?').  Ask something that would help you at the next stage. There will be plenty of time to ask more questions if you get through, you dont need to ask them all now.

Incase they want to capture your availability for assessment centres - a possibility - make sure you have an awareness of any exam/holiday dates that you have coming up so that you can advise them.

In closing, having said it's all about your voice, I would caution against too much humour - jokes or sarcasm don't translate very well on the phone - especially with no body language to accompany them. I'm not saying don't build a rapport - definitely do this as best you can - but take care with sarcasm in particular.

'Tis the season for telephone interviews at the moment - good luck all

Other useful links:
http://www.gradfutures.com/blog/2010/10/22/agony-aunts-podcast-4-telephone-interviews

What's different for grad recruiting in the downturn that you should know about?....

... and I mean apart from the obvious unfortunate circumstance that numbers are likely to be reduced. What are the things that you should know if you want to get a role in a downturn?

Type of Graduate

All graduates looking for jobs in finance or banking should be Risk-aware and able to answer questions about Risk Management - and not just those applying for roles specifically in Risk. No matter what part of the company you want to work in, be aware of what the risks they have to deal with are, and how they are likely to manage risk. Try to have some examples of where you managed risk as part of a project. That's a pretty tricky question to be asked, but if you have something prepared, it comes across that you are prepared and therefore aware of the importance of risk... if you see what I mean! 

Recent history
Make sure you understand the journey of the company in the last 2-3 years in particular. Have they made a major divestment of business, or mergers with other business; what has their results profile looked for the last couple of years - what caused the peaks and troughs? What was the impact on the firm of the major events - e.g. Lehman collapse, etc.  This is one of the few areas of an interview where you really can get an answer right/wrong. I had one grad last year do really well, but when asked about where the profit was mainly coming from in our business (which was pretty readily available in the press, on our website, etc), he obviously didn't know and took a chance and said the completely wrong thing and quoted an area where we were bleeding cash! I felt really bad for him as he did such a good job for the rest of the day, but the two interviewers who heard this answer were adamant that they didn't want to hire him as it made them doubt all the rest of his knowledge... such a shame!  So beware and make sure you have these answers to hand.

Flexibility
Company structures, teams, ways of working and activities are changing more than ever as a result of the downturn. Cost-cutting, regulatory requirements, the aforementioned risk management, and the changing market means that change is continuous. The result of this is the work people are being asked to do is different. Sometimes different to what their expectations are and what their aspirations are. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. People are being asked to 'step up' and sometimes there is a lot more responsibility involved than they were initially intended to have.
This impacts graduate recruitment because of the need to recruit people who are likely to be open to this and 'roll with the punches' a bit more - someone flexible and adaptable; graduates who do not have an exact picture in their mind of what they want for the next five years and feel that they employer is obliged to ensure they get to do all that they want to do.

More Risk talk

In addition to Risk being a likely topic of conversation at interview, it's also a topic of conversation at assessment day wash-up sessions. When times are good, you hear "let's take a chance on him/her" more. When numbers are tight, then the business are less likely to take a risk on a grad. So, basically, it's not a time to go for anything 'quirky' in terms of your approach to answers, clothing, application forms, etc, and it is a time when you need to be very, very prepared for assessment centres.  Whilst you don't have to be perfect across all the activities, you do have to be at least very good in them all. In the past, I've seen someone do badly in one exercise, but if they did well in the others, they get the benefit of the doubt perhaps. This is happening less now. The business want to 'wait' for the perfect candidate to come along, rather than take one that is 'good enough'.

A good representative?
The City has never been under more scrutiny by the press, by the public and by the Government. We want graduates who are likely to represent the City and our company well; one who understand the concerns of the public and can articulate responses to the challenges they raise with regard to our business. We don't want to hire a graduate who is likely to attract too much attention for the wrong reasons in the press - it happens more regularly than you think. In a world of things 'going viral', no bank wants to be in the press for the wrong reasons and it doesn't take much. When you work for a company, you represent them all the time 24/7, 365 days. It might not be fair, but unfortunately it is the reality. So even something you do on a saturday night on your own time will be reported as "The man, a City banker,...." etc etc. Keep in mind everyone that works in the bank, (regardless of role!) is always "a City banker" in the press!

Be creative with your approach
Finally, the reduction in hiring permanent graduate positions does not mean there isn't still the work to do - if anything, there is more work, not less, because of the markets.  If you really want to work in IB, don't think that there is only one way in as a graduate (i.e. through the programmes).  Contracts and temp workers are often hired in greater numbers during a downturn, including at graduate level, when an employer does not want to commit to permanent staff. Agencies are usually the best way to these types of roles and its worth investigating.

Hope that helps; yes, it's tough out there, but it is by no means insurmountable. Really hope the Milkround season is well so far for my readers.

Don't forget... you're assessing us too

Many graduates find themselves nervous and in awe when attend an interview or assessment in a fast-paced office where dozens of people are employed. It is sometimes only when a job offer arrives and a decision has to be made that you may realise that the finer points of the experience have eluded you.

It is easy to slip into the mentality that an interview is a one-way assessment. The experience is harrowing enough without having to focus on what's going on in your surrounds. You should remember however, that this is one of the only opportunities you will have to decide whether this is a place of work that fits with your ideal, or even acceptable, working environment - and you should ensure you do not waste this opportunity by being aware of what you should be looking for. You are in a position where you can judge the company as much as they are judging you.

Most companies hold their interviews or assessment days on location - for example, IBM and Accenture both hold the majority of their graduate assessment centres at their base offices in London. If the opportunity to visit a company office arises, be prepared to observe as much as possible in order to decipher the kind of company they are - and occasionally this can be different to that is portrayed at interview or in company presentations. A visit to the location is often the only chance available to see the day-to-day inner workings of the company.

The Staff

Inevitably if the interview is held on company site, the staff who normally work there will be going about their work. Their demeanour is one of the most important clues as to the company culture. It is largely impossible for you to take everything in on the day of the interview, as focusing on the job at hand is of paramount importance, however trying to keep the following in mind will help to assess the culture:

-       Do the staff appear to be enjoying their work?

-       Is there a social atmosphere - are people chatting, or are any discussions very formal?

-       Do they smile at you and appear welcoming or do they avoid eye contact?

-       What is the dress code? Is it very formal, business casual or very casual - are people wearing jeans and t-shirts or wearing suits (be aware that sometimes companies have dress-down Fridays or 'Denim day' charity events)?

-       Look at the age ranges of the employees - are there many who look like they might be recent graduates? A large graduate intake may mean the company has a structured programme which will ensure that as a graduate you get the appropriate career guidance, training and support through your early years working in the industry.

-       Does there appear to be a hierarchy or is it difficult to tell the junior and senior staff apart?

-       If you have 'down time' between interviews, are any staff sent along to meet you for informal conversations?

The Logistics

Whilst the location, layout or office décor may not seem of great importance on the day of an interview, they can again reveal ways of working or indications about company culture to you. It is not always possible to observe everything, but looking at signs, layout maps and what staff are carrying can give some ideas about what facilities are in the building. 

-       How does the reception area look - is it imposing / welcoming / very modern and flashy? Does it have plasma screens promoting the company or posters and advertising campaigns?

-       Is the office open-plan or are there lots of smaller individual offices?

-       What type of facilities is on offer - are there a canteen / an outdoor area / a gym?

-       Do the chairs and desks look expensive? Do the desks have 21 inch monitors? This may imply a company looks after its staff - that their health, safety and comfort and efficiency at work is paramount, and that they are willing to pay extra to ensure this is the case.

-       Are there assigned desks or is 'hot-desking' in place? This implies there may be a degree of mobility involved in the work.

-       Are there a lot of branded folders, bags, and merchandise in view? This may imply that image and branding is of importance.

-       Do they reimburse any expenses you incurred travelling to/from the interview?

The Job

It is likely that there are a large number of job roles in view at any given time on a visit to a company site, there will always be indications which hint at the type of work the staff do on a day to day basis.

-       Do they have posters of their work or clients on the walls? Do you recognise any of the campaigns or customers?

-       Are there many meeting rooms with lots of meetings going on? This may imply lots of teamwork or client interaction.

-       Is the main entrance busy with people coming and going throughout the day? Do these people appear to be staff or visiting clients? Again, this may give an indication of the type of day to day work.

-       Can you see evidence of awards and achievements around the office? This is often a sign that the company invests in research & development, or recognises individual and team achievement amongst its staff.

-       Do staff work from fixed PCs or laptops? Again, laptops may imply that mobility is required.

-       Are there a lot of reference books and manuals on desks? This may be an indication of new development work, research, or an encouragement of on-the-job learning.

Some companies chose to do interviews at hotels or specialist conferencing facilities. Sometimes this is due to lack of office space, or the location of the interviewing staff, or sometimes it is because they want to put across a particular persona to the graduates being interviewed.  Whilst this type of interview does deny the opportunity to observe the company culture and staff in their native arena, there are still a number of indicators which can be taken into account.

-       What type of hotel or conference facility been booked? 

-       How are the staff dressed?

-       Is food, tea, coffee or drinks laid on for interviewees?

-       How many of the company's staff are on location to make sure that everything runs smoothly?

-       Is the time management good or are they constantly over-running and you find yourself waiting an hour for your interview?

-       Again, do they offer to pay any expenses you incur, if applicable?

Through these kinds of observations, you may be able to establish if the trip to undertake the graduate assessment is something which the staff approach with enthusiasm because they are rewarded by the company - with a nice hotel, reasonable travel arrangements and comfortable living whilst there.

The actual interview is also an opportunity to unearth something about company culture, but often the interviewers are well-trained and highly professional, so the image they portray may not always be representative of a typical person or personality in the company, depending on the type of interview which is in question. Take in everything they say and do, and then use that in combination with observations on the day, to make a decision about the kind of culture which appears to exist in the company. The culture is a very important part of the company and will be the driving factor of work hours, social activity and ways of working on a day to day basis.

Regardless of the marketing strategies or public perception of a company, what you should be most observant of during your time at interview is the opinions and attitudes of the employees and the atmosphere and ethic of the work place.

If, when that all important job offer arrives, you can see yourself in that place, with those colleagues, in that atmosphere, doing that work, then chances are, following that gut instinct is not something you will regret.