Catherine Armitage, a Campus Club ambassador at the University of Waterloo in Canada, shares her step-by-step method for preparing strong interview answers before the big day.
Interviews can be scary. Preparing for them can feel like a daunting task. When I first started interviewing, I spent so much time trying to prepare for any interview question I could find on Google.
Now, I know this method does not work for me, so I have developed a much more efficient method for myself. I thought I would use this blog post to share my process in preparing responses to interview questions before the interview.
Interviews can be scary. Preparing for them can feel like a daunting task.
Start With Your Resume
First, I like to go through my resume and make sure I can explain all of my experiences (a quick refresher on what I have done). When asked about your experience in an interview, your ability to thoroughly explain your experiences shows recruiters the sincerity of your contribution to the experience. I then develop my "tell me about yourself" answer to highlight my background at the start of the interview.
Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Next, I choose 5+ experiences to apply to behavioural questions. I like to choose at least one where I showcased problem-solving skills, one where I took initiative, one where I showed leadership, one where I demonstrated communication skills, and one where I demonstrated adaptability.
Most behavioural questions lead back to one of these pillars (communication, adaptability, and so on). Preparing strong examples that demonstrate how I have applied these skills in real situations ensures that I am confident and ready to respond effectively when these scenarios are brought up during an interview.
Having extra examples that can be applied to many different scenarios is good, too. For example, you may be asked two slightly different questions in an interview about one particular skill.
Preparing strong examples of my experiences ensures that I am confident and ready to respond effectively.
Get Ready for Career-Specific Questions
Finally, I prepare career-specific questions. For actuarial roles, I like to look at different pricing factors, emerging trends in the industry, and concepts from past exams I have taken to make sure I can nail the technical questions I may be asked.
Now, it's on to the practice stage. Best of luck preparing for your interviews!
Time to Practice
Now, it's on to the practice stage. Best of luck preparing for your interviews!
About the Author
Catherine Armitage is a second-year student in actuarial science and statistics at the University of Waterloo in Canada, where she serves as a Campus Club ambassador for Coaching Actuaries. She has passed Exam P and Exam FM, using Coaching Actuaries to prepare for both. Outside of school, Catherine enjoys hiking and listening to music.