The Interview Survival Guide – Real Advice That Actually Works.

If there’s one thing students hate almost as much as exams, it’s interviews. Whether they’re for internships, placements, or grad roles, the process feels like a mini boss fight. Interviews are one of those things everyone pretends to be fine about, but secretly hate. You sit there, quietly sweating, while a stranger asks questions like, “Tell me about a time you worked under pressure”, and suddenly every single memory you’ve ever had disappears from your brain. 

So when I had the opportunity to visit the Bank of England and got to speak to the person who literally oversees student interviews, I made sure I paid attention. And honestly, her advice wasn’t scary or complicated, it was practical, realistic, and something us students can actually use.

Her first tip was painfully simple: pick a specific time each week to apply, not “I’ll do it when I’m in the mood.” Interview preparation shouldn’t depend on vibes. Schedule it like a workout, a seminar, or your weekly ASDA run. Because when you do it regularly, you don’t suddenly end up submitting a 500-word personal statement at 3AM that reads like a hostage letter. You also won’t forget about deadlines, and it will instead feel like a routine rather than a stress monster. 

Now, after applying comes the most dreadful part of the process: video Interviews. This is basically the part where you talk to your laptop, hoping no one walks in. It feels awkward. Hence, she recommended writing down answers, but not as scripts. Scripts make you sound robotic, and if you freeze, you get lost because you’re trying to remember every word. Instead, she suggested mapping out key points, examples, and a general structure so that you sound like you and not ChatGPT in interview mode. Equally, record yourself. Watch it back, learn from your mistakes, and repeat until you feel confident enough to do the actual interview. 

Another gem she dropped was to use tools that already exist. We all know they’re out there, but most students don’t actually use them. Glassdoor, graduate job sites, and even psychometric practice websites are full of past interview questions, role descriptions, and practice tests, which means you can walk in already knowing what to expect. 

Then came the part everyone whispers about in corridors: assessment centres. This is where a lot of students think they need to become the loudest person in the room to prove they’re “leadership material.” However, recruiters hate that. She made it really clear: don’t be dominating in the groups and don’t be a brash leader. It’s not a “look at me” competition. They’re not checking how fast you can talk or how aggressively you take control; they’re watching how you collaborate. Are you someone who listens? Are you approachable? Do you help bring quieter voices into the conversation? That’s what real teamwork looks like, and that’s the kind of person they want to hire.

The last tip that she gave that sounds tiny but might actually save your whole application: before any live interview or assessment, make sure that you have the email of the hiring manager or whoever is hosting it. Why? Technical issues happen. Wi-Fi dies, cameras glitch, microphones suddenly decide to go on strike. If you don’t have a contact, you’ll sit there panicking while the clock ticks, and it looks like you’ve ghosted them. But if you have the email, you can message them calmly and professionally, and they’ll either reschedule or slot you back in. No meltdown necessary.

So yeah, interviews aren’t some secret talent that only confident people are born with. They’re a skill, and like any other skill, you get better simply by doing it. The more you practice, the less awkward it feels and the more you start sounding like yourself instead of someone trying to impress a stranger. It won’t suddenly become easy or fun, but it will stop feeling like a monster you’re constantly running from. And the moment you realise you can handle it, that’s when everything starts to change.