It is the final stretch. In a few more weeks, students will be going home to see family and take their final exams. If you are planning to get a job over winter break or obtaining an internship for the spring semester, this blog post is for you!
An essential part of obtaining a job or internship is the impression you make during your first interview with your potential employer. While interviews are being conducted primarily virtually due to the current environment we are in, the employer’s approach is still the same. They want to know whether or not you can be a credible and reliable employee. This blog post is meant to give you five tools to use during your interview to make an impression that will last.
- Come prepared. Read the job description and requirements for the job thoroughly and come up with possible questions the employer may ask you. Tie your answers to the questions to the job description and company’s mission. Creating answers to these questions will help you to rehearse before the interview and come prepared to answer all questions confidently.
- Ask questions. Have two questions planned that you can ask the employer. These questions should not be about salary or personal to the person who is interviewing you. They should be questions such as “How would you define someone as successful in this position?” or “What is the most important responsibility of this position?” These questions will help the employer see that you want to perform to the best of your ability if you are hired for the position.
- Pay attention to what the interviewer tells you. Have a notebook out so that you are able to take notes on anything the interviewer discloses to you at the beginning of the interview and especially when they answer the questions you have prepared for them. Taking notes on these answers shows that you genuinely want to know the answers to the questions and are not just asking the question because it is expected for you to ask questions.
- Minimize saying um, so and like. Rehearsing your practice answers before the interview will help with minimizing saying filler words such as like, so and um. These filler words can leave the impression that you are nervous, unconfident, and unprepared. Practice makes perfect. Take 10 minutes and practice your answers in front of a mirror. The more you practice the more comfortable you become with your answers.
- Send a follow-up email. After the interview, send a follow-up email thanking the interviewer for their time. Be sure to send this email within 24 hours of the interview. Keep it concise and professional.
The Career Center is always here to help if you need to practice for your interview in front of someone, use a room for an interview before going home or if you have any questions about interviews. In addition, check out some virtual interviewing tips in this
blog post when you are preparing for your interview. You can move mountains!
