Preparing for your China Internship Interview

Time for your China internship interview? You’re almost there! You’ve passed the preliminary stages and had your CV approved by HR, tested your online video software and ensured that everything works. You’ve prepared your interview outfit, background, and lighting. Now, all that’s left is to complete that interview—right?

Wrong. The most important part of your china internship interview is how you project yourself to your potential employer.  In order to present yourself in the best light, you must do your homework. At China Internship Placements, we’ve compiled a list of things you can arm yourself with (by studying) before your China internship interview:

Review Your Internship Job Description

Study the job description you had applied for.  How did the employer present their company? What is the job title? Do you understand the Job Description? What does the position entail? Do you understand your day-to-day tasks and are you confident that you can accomplish them? What is their ideal candidate? Do you meet all their requirements? Which ones do you meet? Which ones do you fall short at? How can you overcome your weaknesses? Are they trainable skills? Can you learn between now and then? How confident are you?

Company Description

Visit the company website, Linkedin, Facebook, and other social media channels. Understand what they are about, what they pride themselves in, what their mission statement is, and what their values are. What are their new projects for the year? Where are they expanding? What services do they provide, if any? What is their product? Are you familiar with their service or product? Do you like it? What do you like about it?

Company Industry

Knowing the industry of the company you’re applying for is a good start, but also how it relates to your major, career plans, and life goals.  Research the trends in said industry, both in your home country with examples of companies in similar fields, and in China.  What are the recent trends? In which countries and what companies? What companies are most similar to the one you’re applying for? Which company is their aspiration? Which companies are their direct competitors, and how are they doing in comparison? Be prepared with similar questions for your interviewer to answer.

China Practices for China Internship Interview

Large or multinational companies will often have offices both in China and other locations, such as the west, so just because you’re familiar with the company back home, doesn’t mean you’ll be prepared for the china internship interview or the job in China. Read up on the differences between their business practices in China and the west, and prepare related questions to get a full understanding of how your China experience will benefit you after the internship.

Ask Questions During Your China Internship Interview

When the interviewer finishes his or her list of questions, the dreaded, “Do you have any questions?” question arises.  Here, you’re supposed to show that you’ve done your due diligence, analyzed the company role and how you might fit in it, and listened carefully to the interviewer in their introduction and explanation.  So what are questions you could ask? And what do the questions reflect about you?

• What is the value of my role to the company? – You want to know how your position fits into the larger processes in the company, which means you want a challenging internship and not just a stamp in your resume.
• What can I do to hit the ground running? – You want to show that you’re quick learner who wants to shorten the learning curve as much as possible and get the best out of your internship.
• How do you measure success for this position? – You don’t just want to learn and perform, but you want to be a high performer who succeeds!
• What are the possible challenges in this role? – You expect challenges and not an easy internship because you’re here to learn!
• Do you have any questions or concerns about my abilities? – Not only do you know you’re not perfect and that you have rooms for improvement, but you’re even open to feedback.

Summarize

Now that you know everything you could possibly know about your potential employer, be ready to conclude the China Internship interview with an apt description of what you bring to the table.  Sometimes, the employer will ask you directly, and other times, you’re given a window to state “your last words”. Here’s your chance to shine by summarizing all the skill requirements you meet (per the job description and what was discussed in the interview), and the different knowledge or perspective that only you can bring to the company.  Think about what it is that you know already that can be applied to the company, and be sure to support your assertions with either past examples or a way to apply your knowledge to the employer’s business model.  Make yourself indispensable from the beginning—a must hire! Click here for more information and tips about internships abroad