Landing That Elusive Graduate Job

A Guide to Graduate Interviewing

Oracle Campus Recruitment Team

Table of Contents
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Introduction
Where to Start?
Where should you go to look for Graduate Opportunities?
Opening the interview door? Preparing a Great Resume
Interview Preparation: Getting Ready for the Interview
Interviews: You have your Foot in the Door, What now?
1. Telephone Interview
2. Behavioral Interviews
3. Group interviews
4. Technical Interviews
Your Work Has Paid Off. Being Offered the Role
You have accepted the Job, What now?

Introduction
For many students, the final year of their studies is a very busy time. The
coursework is demanding and you want to make sure you are ready for final exams
so you can finish your University Career on a high note.
While focusing on your studies and enjoying your University lifestyle, Graduates
also need to start thinking about making that transition to life after University.
With so many different areas taking up Graduates time (school, career choice,
family and friends, etc.) some forward planning and organising may help Graduates
work out what it is they want to do after University and work out the best way to get
there.
We have put together a brief How to Interview Guide for Graduate
Opportunities to help you make that transition from University to Corporate
life. We hope this helps and wish you the best of luck in your future career
(potentially with Oracle).

Where to Start?

The first thing you need

to work out before you
start applying for a
Graduate opportunity is
to answer the question:
What do I want to do?

Every person has

different career
ambitions.
What is it you enjoy
doing in your
University studies?
Do you enjoy Java
programming or your
Economics classes?
Once you work out what
it is you enjoy you can
then start to look for and
search for Graduate
opportunities that will
take you where you want
to go.

There are numerous

Graduate opportunities
available. Once you
know what you want to
do you can target
Graduate opportunities
that apply to you. For
example, if your
objective is to be a Java
Programmer applying for
a Business Graduate
Program may not be the
best program for you to
apply for. The thinking
that it is best to apply for
everything and anything
out there may not make
best use of your time.

So now you know you

want to be a
Programmer, Banker,
Lawyer, etc. The next
thing to consider is:
Where should you go
to look for Graduate
Opportunities?

Where should you go to look for Graduate Opportunities?

There are two schools of thought on searching for Graduate Programs:
1. The traditional way
2. Utilising information online through search and social networking.
Both of these ways work and utilising both means of search together will likely return the best result for you.
1. Traditional Graduate Job Searching involves: includes looking for jobs on your Campus Job Board or
website, talking to you your career counselors, going to Campus Talks when companies visit Universities, etc.
Also Internships are a good way students can use for learning business and about career opportunities.
All of these are great ways to find out about Graduate Programs and Companies who are hiring. This is a tried
and tested way for Graduates to find a Graduate Job opportunity.
2. With the explosion of information available on the internet many companies now broadcast
information about their Graduate Roles and Programs online. This can be done through a company website,
Facebook page, Twitter Account, BBS System, Online Forums, etc.
A Google search using the right keywords can give you fantastic results and all from the comfort of your
home. Companies want to be found online and they will share information about their Graduate Program and
hiring plans it is often a case of if you search for it, you will find it. There could be numerous companies hiring
Graduate Programmers in your city it is a case of searching them out and connecting with them.
Add to all the above, the Social and Professional Networking sites that are most relevant in your country.

Opening the Interview Door? Preparing a Great Resume

A good resume is a key which
can open the interview door for
you.
Research yourself

How do you convince an

employer to interview you in 30
seconds?

What should you

do before you
write a resume?

A good resume needs to summarize your basic information, job

objective, education background,
experience, skills and abilities.

Research the position

Research the organization

Opening the Interview Door? Preparing a Great Resume

Basic Information
Make it stand out
Name
Phone number
E-mail address
Street address
City, State, Zip

Education
Name of University
Type of Degree
Major
Date of Graduation
GPA* (if 3.5 or above)
Relevant coursework
Academic honors

Experience
Employers name
City and state of employer
Employment dates
Job title
Tasks and accomplishments

100%
Skills and Abilities
Both technical and
non-technical
Job Objective
What do you want to do?
What can you do?
Think twice.

*GPA is for the students and graduates in the Asia-Pacific region.

Target the skills / experience

listed in the position that
is advertised

Interview Preparation: Getting Ready for the Interview

The first impression can be a lasting impression. Considering this, it is important to pay enough attention to
this essential fact. It takes a few seconds for the interviewer to evaluate you based on your body language, your
appearance, your mannerisms and how you are dressed.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Research the company,

find out about the
company (what do they
do, their products, their
culture, their people).

Dress appropriately:
Find out what is the best
way to dress depending
on the country, culture
and weather. For
example in some
locations, companies
may expect students in
formal wear, including a
tie, where this may not
make sense in all
countries or locations.

Formal or Casual?
Talk to your Recruiter and
find out. If the company
has specified the dress
code, it would be best to
adhere. Regardless of
the type of clothes make
sure you wear clean and
comfortable clothes.

Be well groomed and

presentable, remember
first impressions count.

Interview Preparation: Getting Ready for the Interview

E.

F.

G.

Rest well and be relaxed: A

good nights sleep before your
interview will allow you to
begin your day in the right
frame of mind and with all the
energy you will need.

Depending on the type of

interview you may want to
bring with you: Place 2 copies
of the resume, extra writing
paper and a pen as well as all
relevant documents in a folder.
Carry a few copies of the
passport size photos. If
possible, place a glue-stick and
a mini stapler in your folder.
Just before the interview,
remember to switch off your
mobile or to keep it on silent
mode.

Eat a good breakfast this

will help fuel you through the
day. If possible carry a bottle
of water and a snack, just in
case your interview is
delayed. Many students, in
their enthusiasm to appear for
the interview, skip their meal,
which may not leave you at
your best.

Read more on our article about how to get prepared for an interview
https://blogs.oracle.com/campusrecruitment/entry/competency_based_interviews_ho

Interviews: You have your Foot in the Door, What now?

You have sent in your resume, you have answered any online aptitude tests and now it is time for interviewing.
You havent interviewed before but dont stress, the main thing to remember is to be yourself companies want
to hire YOU the person that you are, so be yourself.
There are a number of different types of interviews that companies may put you through. Some technical,
some behavioral remember companies are looking to hire people who not only can do the job they have open
but they also are looking for Graduates who will fit into that companys culture and ethic.
A. Telephone Interview
Just because this is taking place on the phone, do not take
this interview lightly. It is still an interview and the person
talking to you will be assessing you based on your
discussion with them.
Telephone interviews tend to be pre-screening type
interviews that can last for anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes.
Employers are likely looking for information to ensure you
meet their criteria whether it is technical fit or why you want
to work with them.
For more information about phone interviews
http://blogs.oracle.com/campusrecruitment/entry/how_to_pr
epare_for_a_telephone

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Interviews: You have your Foot in the Door, What now?

B. Behavioral Interviews
The thinking behind behavioral interviews is that the best predictor of future performance is past
performance. In behavioral interviews companies link behaviors that you exhibited to core
competencies. An example of a behavioral question could be: "Describe a time when you had to
deal with a difficult co-worker or customer?"
Behavioral questions tend to follow the STAR Format:
Situation: Tell us a time when you ...
Task:
How did you go about completing your task / project?
Action:
Step us through how you went about completing the task / project.
Result:
What was the outcome?
Companies are looking for how well you articulate your answer through the 4 phases listed
above.
To prepare, write out some questions and rehearse the answers to either a friend or family
member. Go through your resume to refresh your memory about your school history. You can
use experiences outside work/school as well such as community work or sports if it
demonstrates your point. With the proper preparation you will be ready for this type of interview.
For more information about this type of interviews read on this article
https://blogs.oracle.com/campusrecruitment/entry/competency_based_interviews_ho

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Interviews: You have your Foot in the Door, What now?

C. Technical Interviews

D. Group Interviews

Technical interviews can be completed online or

in person. They are many ways for companies to
measure and assess your technical aptitude or
competence in a given technical skill set.

Candidates may be required to participate in

group exercises. These can take the form of group
problem-solving sessions where each candidate's
contributions and participation is noted. During these
exercises the interviewers watch and listen to the
candidates to see how they interact with others,
work in a team to assess candidates against a set of
competencies.

Interviewers are not trying to trick you; they likely

want to what your thought process involved to come
to a solution. Remember in a Graduate Program,
companies will invest the time and effort to teach
you the technology they use. They are likely
assessing if you have the capability to learn and
work with that technology.
In software development roles it is all about problem
solving. Software Development is a wide and varied
field. Even the best developers get stuck. Successful
developers know how to create answers to technical
problems or find ways around road blocks.

The competencies/skills that may be observed may

include communication and interpersonal skills, the
ability to influence others, leadership, organisational
skills and the ability to work as a team-member.
Other behaviors that interviewers may be looking for
may include the ability to handle stress, to deal with
feedback and to analyse and problem-solve.

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Your Work Has Paid Off: Being Offered the Role

This landing a Graduate Job process is probably longer and more involved than you first thought.
Companies want to make sure they hire the right people who could become future leaders of the
company. It is not a decision taken lightly.
When the Company contacts you to inform you of their decision, take the opportunity to ask any
outstanding questions you may have. You want to make an informed decision.
This is an exciting time, make sure to celebrate your success - but stay focused on completing your
studies and your University career on a strong note.

With many Graduate Programs you may be offered a graduate role before you even complete your
studies and you may not start for 3-6 months after you actually receive your formal Letter of Offer.
Some Graduates will be wondering what all they can do after receiving a call from the company
congratulating them that they have been offered a role in their Graduate Development Program.

11

You Have Accepted the Job, What Now?

Graduates may be wondering what all they can do after receiving a call from the company congratulating
them that they have been offered a role in their Graduate Development Program.
If you are still completing your studies, buckle down and finish your studies on a strong note. The last
thing you want to do is have to turn down your dream opportunity because you didnt complete all your
subjects.
While you are waiting to start your new role you can take this opportunity to read up more about the
company. Read about the history and services products so that you will get a better understanding of the
environment and culture. Find out what is the company you will be joining will really be about.
If you havent looked already many companies have blogs or Facebook pages where you can get some
great information and insight into the company you are joining.
A good idea is to talk to some of your peers who already are in the workforce and ask them how life has
been different for them since they finished University. Its Welcome to working life. Its probably still waking
up in the morning but to go to work instead of attending lectures at school.
You will also want to start stocking up on business attire that is needed for work with a few basic safe
colors to match for a start and slowly add on to your closet. What you wore in University may not
necessarily be appropriate in a corporate environment.
If you have time, get involved in volunteer work and keep yourself occupied. You will find yourself happier
after giving back to the society to those who much needed the help.

Visit the Online Campus for Opportunities

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facebook.com/CampusAtOracle
twitter.com/CampusAtOracle
blogs.oracle.com/campusrecruitment/