What should I wear?
Check out our special artical for tips on appropriate interview attire.
I am really nervous. What should I do?
Being nervous is normal and understandable. However, you must remind yourself that you have thoroughly prepared and are ready for the interview. Preparation is your greatest aid in preventing and dealing with any issues of nervousness.
How can I practice for an interview?
To become comfortable and confident you must practice interviewing. Practice and repetition will build the familiarity, mastery and confidence that will enable you to succeed in job interviews.
There are many ways to use practice interviews to improve your performance:
- Enlist the aid of friends, family and classmates to conduct mock interviews of you.
- Get together with your friends at school and take turns interviewing and being interviewed. Treat both practice roles seriously – playing the role of the interviewer will give you valuable insights into how interviewers think. If possible, bring a mirror, video camera, and/or tape recorder to these sessions so you can later review your performance to better understand your strengths and weaknesses.
- Take advantage of interview workshops if any are offered in your area.
- Watch television shows where professional interviewers interview people. Look for clues as to how professionals, such as politicians and actors, use body language to their advantage.
Does adequate preparation for a job interview really require much work?
Yes, absolutely, and to a large extent your effort in preparation will be directly related to the quality of your performance in the actual interviews to follow.
Where can I research companies?
- Go to the organization’s website and read up on their products, services and company values.
- Browse online for employee message boards to see how people inside the company feel about working there.
- Visit relevant trade group websites and read trade journals that discuss the company.
- Read as many business articles about the company you can find.
- If it’s a public company, find its investor relations information. An annual report will provide you with a wealth of information.
- Go to job fairs in which the company participates.
- Attend any expositions, conferences, training sessions, seminars and trade briefings the company conducts.
- Go to your university career center and read as much as you can about the company.
- Ask people you know and respect about the company and its reputation.
- Ask your professors and placement officers about the company.
What questions should I ask in an interview?
Ask probing, intelligent questions that show you are a thoughtful candidate. Above all else, ask questions to which you would sincerely like answers. And when you do ask your questions, make sure they don’t sound rehearsed.
How important is writing a thank you email or note/letter?
Thanking the interviewer for taking time to meet with you is very important and may give you that little push of increased visibility you need to get the job.
I was not given the interviewer’s business card and can’t remember their name. What should I do?
Be creative…but discreet. Call the receptionist and ask to confirm the spelling of the name of the person you met with. Ask friends who may have interviewed with the person. You could also try browsing the company website to see if they are mentioned.
I am not a big conversationalist. How should I get comfortable and connect with the interviewer at the start of my job interview?
Learn to love casual conversation. Use small talk at the beginning of the interview to become comfortable and turn the interview into a conversation. Practice talking with strangers whenever possible. The better you are at initiating conversation and being comfortable doing so, the better the impression you will make in the first five minutes of the interview.
When should I bring up or discuss salary?
It is generally best to defer talk of salary until you have a written offer, unless the interviewer asks you about it directly in the interview. If that happens, be honest and direct, but do not dwell on the issue of compensation.
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