Got an Interview?
So you have been applying to internships or jobs and you got the call or e-mail you have been waiting for saying that you have been granted an interview. How exciting and nerve wracking! What do you wear? How do you prepare? What questions are they going to ask you? How do you stand out from the other candidates that will be interviewing for the same position?
Interviews can be stressful but the more prepared you are, the better you’ll perform. Below is a list of tips to help you prepare for your interview.
Dress Professionally:
Always remember when it comes to dressing for an interview, you want to dress to impress. This means wear professional attire - a suit! Even if the company is very casual, it doesn’t mean you should be yet. Remember, the people interviewing you have the job, you don’t. For detailed information on what to wear please refer to the Center for Career Services handouts titled Dress for Success – Men and Dress for Success – Women.
Do your homework:
Before you go for your interview you need to know about the company and their services and products. Two very popular interview questions are “Why do you want to work for this firm?” and, “What do you know about our company?” Start with perusing the organizations’ website but don’t stop there: read company press releases, identify their primary competitors, understand industry trends, etc. Not only will this help you gain critical knowledge about the company, but it will help you develop excellent questions for the interview. Another helpful resource includes FalconNet (www.bentley.edu/falconnet). Get connected today to learn the types of questions might you be asked in the interview, the day to day responsibilities of the job, and the culture of the organization. These are just a few of the ways you can utilize this great resource. For a better understanding of how you can thoroughly research employers please refer to our Researching Employers, Top Ten Things You Need to Know handout.
Know the position:
In addition to finding out all you can about the company, you also need to know about the position for which you are interviewing. You should be prepared to answer “Why do you want to be a ________?” If you are not able to articulate your interest in the position and why you are a great candidate, it will show! Some great resources to find out more about specific positions and industries include wetfeet.com and the occupational outlook handbook at www.bls.gov/oco.
Know where you are going:
For off campus interviews, create a realistic plan for how you are going to get there. Too many students show up late for interviews because they underestimate the time it will take to arrive at their destination. Whether your meeting is on campus or off, it is recommended that you arrive approximately 10 minutes early for an interview (unless otherwise stated by the employer).
Familiarize yourself with behavioral, resume and technical questions:
In most cases, you will get a combination of these three types of questions. Below is a quick definition of each, for more detailed information including sample questions, refer to the corresponding handout in our office or on our website.
Behavioral questions: This type of interviewing is one of the most common techniques used by employers. The basic premise is that “past behavior predicts future success”. Therefore, you will be asked to detail specific moments in which you demonstrated a particular skill or competency that they have deemed critical for success within their organization. For example, if a company is looking for a candidate who is a strong team player they may phrase the question as, “Give me an example of a time when you contributed to a teamwork environment?”
Resume questions: Resume based interviews are pretty self explanatory. The interviewer will take things right off your resume and ask you about it. For example, they may want to hear about your internship experience in your own words and not from reading the bullet points. An example would be, “Walk me through your internship at x company.”
Technical questions: Technical questions involve testing you on systems or processes necessary to be successful in the position. An example would be if you need to be proficient in a computer program. You will be asked about your proficiency with the software and how you have used it in the past.
Practice:
As with most things in life, practice makes perfect (or at least better). It is strongly recommended that you schedule a mock interview with a career services advisor today (to schedule an appointment call 781-891-2375). Don’t wait until you have been granted an interview by a firm because that could be too late! Another great way to practice is to create a list of the necessary skills or qualifications to perform the job well (this can often be taken directly from the job posting). Once you have created a complete list, consider three times in which you successfully demonstrated that skill.
Prepare well thought out, intelligent questions:
Another benefit of doing your company research is that it will help you develop some great questions for the interview. Usually, your interviewer will ask if you have any questions at the end of the interview. Always have questions (even if you asked intelligent questions throughout the interview)! We suggest preparing five questions and asking about three (use your best judgment). Keep in mind that the interview is also your time to learn about the position and company that you couldn’t get out of your research. You can also ask them to expand on something you found out during your research. One question to stay away from is salary. With the exception of sales positions, asking about salary is a turn off and makes you look only interested in the money and not the job.
Additional tips:
Now that you are dressed professionally, have a thorough knowledge of the company and position, have practiced responding to the many different types of questions you will get, and have created some intelligent questions to ask in return, you are ready to shine. Additional tips for what to do once you are there and after are below. Good luck!
During:
- Give a firm handshake to everyone you meet
- Maintain good eye contact
- Be able to make small talk about current events, the weather and sports
- Show enthusiasm for the company and position and confidence in yourself through body language and voice tone
- Close the interview by reiterating your interest in the position before walking out the door
After:
Follow up with a written thank you note to each person with whom you interviewed. If time is of the essence, a second choice would be to e-mail each interviewer.
