Spontaneity can be an asset during an interview, but it’s no substitute for being prepared. The more prepared you are, the more confidence you’ll project, and the more you’ll shine. Here are a few tips that can help improve you competitive edge and increase your chances for getting hired.

• Your school’s career center should have materials on successful interviewing techniques and common interview questions. Think through your responses and practice them out loud. Ask a friend or family member to roleplay and “interview” you.
• Do your homework on ConocoPhillips. Study our website and research recent industry news from external sources. Learning about our business reflects your interest and commitment.
• Be prepared to answer questions about your coursework, your role on projects and prior work experience. Also be ready with some examples that demonstrate your problem-solving skills.
• Dress appropriately. It will have a positive effect on your confidence and make a good first impression.
• Bring extra résumés and a way to take notes. Pen and paper are preferred over mobile devices.
• Leave your phone in your car or make sure it is turned off. You don’t want any distractions.
• Be punctual. It’s a fundamental sign of respect and will start your interview out on the right foot.
• Plan on arriving 10-15 minutes early. It will give you time to check on your appearance, review your notes, relax a bit and grab a glass of water (which is perfectly acceptable to bring into the interview).
• Know enough about us to ask relevant questions. Interviews are a two-way street. We enjoy being asked questions that show genuine interest in ConocoPhillips.

And finally:

• Send a thank you note via email as a professional courtesy. All candidates being equal, sincerely expressing your appreciation could tip the scales in your favor.

Hiring Process

We visit many universities and participate in student organization activities and career fairs on campus.

The majority of our university recruiting happens in the fall semester. Sometimes we recruit through the spring to accommodate spring career fairs and information sessions.

To learn more about potential job offer scams, see our job offer scam page.

Submit an Application: August – September

If you are interested in working with us, you can apply for an internship or a full-time job here. We typically post our job descriptions for summer internships in August, so be sure to check our careers website and your university career center’s website at that time. If we recruit onsite at your school, apply at both our website and your university career center website so your profile doesn’t get missed.

To check on your application status with us at any point, log on to your personal profile and refer to the Job Status for postings.

Schedule Your Interview: September – October

We review all applicants and select the candidates who best fit our available positions for interviews. If you are selected, you will receive a notification to choose an interview time when our recruiters will be at your school.

Our recruiters will reconvene after the interviews have been completed to determine internship and full-time offers.

Accept an Offer: November – December

If we’d like you to join ConocoPhillips after the interview process, you will receive a phone call and an email with an offer of employment.

All interviewed students will hear from us about their status within 6 weeks after their last interview.

Prepare to Join Our Company: January – May

Once the offer is accepted, you will complete a pre-employment process that includes a drug screen and a background check. We will initiate this process via email about 12 weeks prior to your first day.

After you clear the pre-employment process, you will be contacted with details about your start date, work location, and your job assignment. We look forward to welcoming you to ConocoPhillips!