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Science Student Exchange Programme

Interview Preparation

Prepared for Your Interview

As a prospective exchange student, you may need to attend a selection interview. Your performance during the interview will have a direct impact on your Composite Score, so it is in your best interest to be both mentally and physically prepared before you walk into the interview room. On this page, you will find a series of articles giving you advice for excelling at interviews. Note that attending an interview to compete for a chance to study abroad is quite similar to going to interviews to compete for a job or a scholarship. Interviewers want to – within a very short amount of time – to get to know you and evaluate whether you are an excellent candidate for the position you are competing for. Quota for exchange is very limited, and the selection committee wants to ensure that they are choosing the best candidate, not just a suitable candidate. Please take some time to prepare yourself for a chance to impress the selection committee and be rewarded with an opportunity to study abroad.

"Some advices on Interview" by Prof. Chu Ming-chung

Tips on Interview by Professor Chu Ming-chung (PDF format)

Sample interview questions:

We have collected a number of interview questions from past science exchange candidates. Try to answer these yourself to see how you might perform during your selection interview.

  1. Please introduce yourself.?
  2. Why did you choose this designated country/university?
  3. How would you prepare for the exchange?
  4. Have you done any research on the courses that you can choose during exchange?
  5. How will going on exchange help you in your future career?
  6. As an exchange student from the CUHK, you are representing the University and Hong Kong. How will you introduce Hong Kong to the local people?
  7. Many local students will go home during holidays. How will you overcome the loneliness when you don’t have others around?
  8. How will you finance your expenses abroad?
  9. What do you hope to achieve by going on exchange?

 

Links of Interest:

OSA – Career Planning and Development Centre: Interview Skillsreveals the types of interview questions that are commonly asked in an interview, the basic interview techniques, as well as showcases the typical rundown of an assessment centre. As a wrap-up section for the “Interview Skills” module; the?“It’s Your Job”?online career research portal givesyou an in-depth analysis on the struggles that students usually face in an interview, such as “Handling Difficult Questions”, “Surviving Psychometric Tests’, “Perform in Group Discussion”, etc. The portal features over 30 short video clips in which employers share the do’s & don’ts, as well as very useful job hunting tips!

勞工處互動就業服務?–?求職公事包之參加面試面試是雙向的過程。對求職人士來說，面試是一個在僱主面前表現自己、推銷自己、爭取受聘的好機會。僱主會在面試中觀察及評估求職人士是否有能力及誠意擔任有關職位、以至是否適合在該公司工作。同時，求職人士亦可透過面試去了解所應徵職位的職責，僱主的要求及公司文化，評估自己能否勝任及職位是否配合自己的工作期望。

獲邀參加面試，表示你的條件初步能符合公司的要求及職位的需要。因此，你應好好把握機會，積極準備，在面試時盡量表現自己，令面試主考人認定你是最適合的人選。

Ming Pao 2 May 2009 -
「城大邀面試?半數高考生沒覆?到場考生怨人多：要等幾耐？」城大商學院的市場營銷學、中國企業管理、營銷資訊管理，每年邀請4000名高考生面試，競逐3個學系下約120個學位。譚桂常自1998年開始為學系作收生面試，2000年起任收生主任，「閱考生無數」。他提醒考生勿以為面試環節才計分，因整個大學範圍都充斥着隱形考官。

他舉例，面試前會向各考生舉行一場約1小時的簡介會，約有200至300人，有考生看到人數眾多，向在場工作人員埋怨「咁多人，面試要等幾耐？」譚桂常指出，工作人員會認得考生編號，再向他報告。他說﹕「考生不應有抱怨、埋怨的態度，最終吃虧的會是自己。」

Ming Pao 2 May 2009 -
「表現欠佳個案﹕寫電郵「u」代「you」?面試穿網狀絲襪」考生致電大學查詢面試事宜只留言說﹕「我是JUPAS學生，我有問題，請回覆我。」亦有學生用電郵查詢時，沒有上款、署名，使用網絡語言撰寫電郵，如以u代替you、coz代替because

建議﹕考生查詢時應留下姓名、聯絡電話，以及考生編號等資料，大學方面才有途徑回覆。若透過電郵查詢，應用正規格式及語法，因這是基本禮貌

Scholarship Preparations -
You’re a Finalist! How to Finish First in the Interview Once you have prepared yourself for the questions, make sure you are prepared for the actual interview day. It is always a good idea to make a “dry run” to the interview site if you are not already familiar with its location. Know where to go, where to park and what room to meet the judging panel in. Plan on arriving a few minutes early to allow for traffic or other delays. Eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast and dress in clean, appropriate clothing.?

Scholarship Preparations -
The Dreaded Scholarship Interview No one likes interviewing. Not professionals. Not kids getting their first job. Certainly not college students trying to convince the “powers that be” to give them a scholarship. Unfortunately, to be considered for many scholarships requires going through an interview. Not fun, I know, but it doesn’t have to traumatic either. The key to “acing” a scholarship interview is adequate preparation. Why? Because if you are prepared, you will be more confident. And if you are more confident, you will do the best job of representing yourself. So, let’s get you prepared!

©2011 Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong