Five Factors For An Invigorating Interview
The college experience. What exactly is it? That answer will depend on who you are talking to. For some, it will be centered about relationships. For others, it will be about partying. Or, it could be about involvement. It honestly depends on the person. But the universal answer is an experience. That may seem like a cop-out, but there is real truth to this statement. We, as college students, will not be young forever. Eventually we will have to face the “real world” one day, if we are not already. Interview skills become instrumental tools to life post college. Some college students may already have interview experience, whether it be for an internship, on or off campus job, or an executive board for an organization. Nonetheless, reviewing the following tips or learning them for the first time can prove to be instrumental in acquiring that opportunity you are looking for.
1. Do your homework
Starting at a young age, we were taught to do our homework. But over the years, the lines between actually doing our homework (learning from it) and doing our homework (saving it until the last minute and not really caring) became blurred. The increase or decrease of the effort may depend on the subject of the homework. But this is your future we are talking about. Put effort into doing your homework by researching the company. Find out what the company is doing and what improvements could benefit. But it is also important to research the employees within the company. They have put their information online, which is open to the public and should not be a problem, whatsoever. If the people you are researching find it a problem, it may be the way you went about researching them or asking an overly personal question, but it is the 21st Century. I suggest utilizing Google, Twitter, and LinkedIn. As for Twitter and LinkedIn, it is up to your discretion on whether or not to follow and connect to them. Personally, I would not connect with them via LinkedIn until I knew them or the interview went successfully.
2. Stay calm
Do not have any expectations going in to this interview. Have an open mind. The people who are interview can take it in whatever direction they see fit. Certain companies have different procedures and a process for their interviews; no two interviews will ever be the same. You are there for a reason. They saw potential in you and want to know more about your history, experiences, and insight. Feel free to voice that throughout your interview.
3. Dress for success
It is proven that when you dress for success, it has an effect on your personality, confidence, and tone. When you feel good about your appearance, you feel good about yourself. Confidence can make a noticeable difference in how you hold yourself and present yourself in front of others. There is the saying some find to be true: “Don’t dress for the job you have, but dress for the job you want”.
4. Communication
Authentic, genuine communication, and listening have become a trending topic of discussion. Now, more than ever, it is important to be consistent throughout all aspects of your life. Also, while communication is very important, one must not forget about nonverbal communication (facial expressions, posture, gestures, eye contact, etc.). This can make or break an interview.
5. Thank you
Always follow up with the people and company that interviewed you. Thank them for the opportunity that you were given. Make it personal. Seth Deitchman, former career coach and financial advisor to The Mercury Group at Morgan Stanley, "Mention something that the interviewer spoke about personally that was important to them (fishing, golf, kids, etc.) and possibly some of the business initiatives that they brought up. It makes the note more meaningful."
