How to ace your Advising Call
Many people find interviews a daunting prospect – lots of questions, time pressure, and raking your brain for the best answer – all whilst sounding cool, calm and collected. At CRCC Asia, our “interviews” are known as “Advising Calls”, because it’s simply a way to find out more about your interest and motivations for applying to our Internship Program, whilst also giving you a chance to ask any questions you may have!
Written by Waverley Miller (Admissions Advisor at CRCC Asia)
Our Advising Calls are a really straight forward process, but you can definitely make your life easier by being well prepared! These are my top tips to preparing for a CRCC advising call:
- Do your research
We have lots of information on our website, so make sure you have a good look through everything before the Advising Call. Whether it is logistical information (locations, dates, prices) or FAQs or the application process, it can all be found in a click or two!
Other key areas I would advise reading are the testimonial and blog sections. What better way to find out about the Program than hearing from people that have already been through it! The interns have experienced the adventure you are about to embark on and can give you a better idea of what life in Asia or the UK is going to be like, as well as the type of work you will be doing.
- Write a list of questions you might get asked…and answers
Before the Advising Call, spend 30 minutes or so, thinking about the types of questions we might ask as well as how best to answer them. Because our calls are over the phone, you can always have some notes in front of you during the Advising Call.
Here are some hints:
Always have a strong answer as to why you have applied for the Program. It may be because you want to gain work experience in the sector/industry you have been studying at university. Or maybe you want to explore a new country or culture.
If you haven’t been to the country/city, maybe think about some initial challenges you may face and how you would overcome these.
And although you may be straight out of school, or just have started university, think about your longer term career goals – where do you see yourself in 5-10 years time?
- Have your own questions to ask
If you couldn’t find some information on the website, don’t be afraid to ask. Have some questions ready, whether it is about the logistics, payment or just what to expect on the Program – it shows that you are interested and want to find out more!
Some questions I have been asked in the past:
– Have you been to Asia/have you been on the Program?
– Tell me more about the Program? What should I expect my day-to-day lifestyle to be like?
– Do you have examples of the cultural activities?
- Show an interest in the program location
It is great to know a bit about the location that you have chosen and have some reasons why you picked it. Whether it is somewhere you have visited before, and loved, or somewhere completely new – think about why you want to go to this city/country. Maybe you are interested in the history? The culture? The language?
Whatever your reasoning, it should be easy to link to a couple of our 5 Learning Objectives. Cultural Agility, Increasing Global Connections and Gaining Country Specific Knowledge could all be reasons for your choice of location. It is great to show you have read up on the location and you are ready for the ups and downs of working in new surroundings.
- Lastly, enjoy yourself!
You are signing up for a trip of a lifetime! We are here to give you advice, answer any questions but most importantly, to get you excited for an unforgettable experience.
You have a range of locations to choose from: China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea or The UK…so there is only one thing left to do – follow my 5 tips and apply here now!
