Recently, I’ve had several interviews with potential jobs and internships and I’ve realized that it’s a whole new ball game. Which obviously means that we have to step up our game, we are interviewing for real jobs. We are making connections to start our careers, not beginning another mundane high school job at the local Panera Bread, not there is anything wrong with the food industry (I worked in it for several years), but come on. We are in college and we don’t want to be flipping burgers when we have a bachelor’s degree. Do we? No! So here’s my advice to you that I hope you utilized when preparing for your next interview.
It’s common sense that you need to dress professionally and look presentable. The last interview I went on I wore a simple black dress and flats, styled my hair, and had natural looking makeup on. When I arrived, I saw that the men were looking wonderful dressed in suits and the girls wore a wide array of clothing from dresses to skirts with blazers. I suddenly felt underdressed, but I told myself that it’s what’s in your head that matters not what’s on it. Wear what makes you feel comfortable as long as it is professional. Even though your potential boss will care how you present yourself they are more interested in what you’ll add to the company. Keep in mind Leslie Knope isn’t always right!
After figuring out the perfect ensemble, you need to make sure you know information about the business and position that you are interviewing for. Most of the time you’ll be asked, “why you should we hire for this position” so its helpful to know what it is you’ll be doing and why your skill set is a perfect match. Background knowledge about the company is always a plus because it shows that you are already well informed about the establishment and can give you a leg up in the hiring process. For my last interview I focused way too much on knowing everything about the company. I made flash cards about the date the company was founded, knew who everyone was and what their role was in the company, and tons of other useless information. Again, details like this are great to know, but don’t stress about knowing everything and everyone.
In addition to being knowledgeable about the company, know yourself. Be sure to know what your future career goals are and what you want out of the interview or job. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about your new workplace, interviewers often encourage questions. Be sure to know your strong suits and be vocal about your interests. Again, be professional here. Saying you love to eat Ben & Jerry’s in your underwear while rocking out to Taylor Swift is not something you should mention, unless you are interviewing for Ben & Jerry’s, or Fruit of the Loom, but even then its still weird.
My final tip is to practice! It’s always good to practice potential interview questions by yourself or even with a friend. Practicing what you are going to say helps you gather your thoughts. It can also alleviate pressure and those awkward ohs and ums. The glassdoor is a great site that lists numerous reviews of interviews people had. The posters share their interview experience and rate the toughness of the interview. The site has reviews on thousands of companies some of which list possible interview questions.
Let’s be honest the interviewing process is stressful, but if you take my advice you’ll have a few less things to worry about. To recap, dress professionally while reaming comfortable in your own skin, know about the company and your goals, and be sure to practice, practice, practice. Be you, be confident, and have fun!
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