This is a short post about something that I wish someone had told me to do during Making History! My life as a final-year student would certainly have been much easier.

A group project presents lots of challenges, and this is something you’ll come across not just at university, but also in your professional life. Employers know this. Therefore, during job interviews, you’ll often be asked questions about how you acted in scenarios involving teamwork.

Examples of such questions might include:

“Tell me about a time where you worked well as part of a team.”

“What skills do you bring to a team?”

“Tell me about a rewarding team experience.”

“How did you give feedback to team members?”

“What strategies would you use to motivate your team?”

As you work with your group over the next few weeks, it will definitely be useful to jot down some notable experiences, whether they are positive or negative.

Try to structure your answers using the ‘STAR’ method (the preferred method amongst employers for answering interview questions):

Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example.

Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.

Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.

Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

Taking these notes (and storing them in a safe place!) will help you not just in future interviews, but also help you to reflect on your experiences and try to improve your team’s work in real-time. It also means you’ll be fully prepared when you’re attending an interview for an internship or job in a year or two!