Photo by Brooke Lynn Photography
One of my internships ended recently and I was in the process of searching for my next opportunity. I worked on making connections, applying to various positions that I felt I would do well in and would be beneficial to my career, and looking into different career options. Eventually, I got a few phone calls from interested recruiters and scheduled a couple of interviews. With these fresh interviews on my mind, I wanted to share a few of the things that I learned with you.
- Be yourself – Yes, you should always come to an interview dressing and acting professionally, but it’s also important to be honest and let your personality show. In coming as yourself, you can see how you actually fit within the company and with the people you could end up working with and vice versa.
- Research the company before the interview – This is critical. In one of my interviews, the hiring manager asked me to explain what their company did. Luckily, I had done my research and was able to give a knowledgeable answer. If I hadn’t, it would have been very embarrassing for me. Also, it would have shown the manager that I wasn’t prepared and didn’t really care about the position.
- Know your career goals – During my interviews, I was asked to share where I envisioned myself to be five years down the road. This, and questions similar to this, are popular interview questions, so it is crucial that you know how you are going to respond and what you are going to say.
- Come prepared with questions – Having a couple of good questions prepared beforehand shows your interest in the position and allows you to get a feel for how you would fit in that company and with that role. For more information about good questions to ask, read the article below.
- Always show appreciation for everyone involved in the interview process – It takes a lot to organize an interview and for people to take time out of their busy work schedules to meet with you. For one of my past jobs, I acted as a recruiter and interviewed people who could fill a particular role. Even something as simple as a sincere “thank you” had me feeling great about myself and like the other person a little more.
What are some of your interview tips?
Related articles
- Interview tips (applyvietlabo.wordpress.com)
- Questions to Ask at Interview (graduate-rescue-blog.com)
- Top 10 Interview “Dont’s”. (whatdoesitreallytake.wordpress.com)
Melanie Hansen 