Interns- Interviewing with Confidence

Goals:

• Know critical steps in preparing for an interview
• Know which questions to be prepared for
• Understand strategies for offering complete responses
• Know which loose ends to keep in mind

Our culture rewards self-deprecation, not talking about oneself positively. This can be really hard habit to break in interviews.

What activities do you do when?

• Research the Organization
• Google General Interview Questions
• Practice Answering Questions for the Interviewer(s)
• Prepare Location and Confirm Transportations
• Choose Clothes and Outfit
• Personal Grooming and Hygiene
• It doesn’t matter the order you do these, as long as you do all of them

Preparation Tips:

Research

• Website (Mission, Values)
• Social Media (this gives you a current look at what they are doing)

Clothes

• Feel Professional? You’re good.
• Being overdressed isn’t an issue but being under is

Google & Practice

• Work place or project stories for examples
• Go through the job description

Prepare Questions

• You’re interviewing them too!
• Prepare thoughtful questions with answers you couldn’t find elsewhere
• Focus on things you can’t find in the job description or the website
• The goal is to stump them

Tips for Practice

• Record yourself—watch out for verbal fillers (like, um, and stuff)
• Write out responses
• Practice responses in the mirror
• Schedule a Mock Interview

Don’t forget the details…

• Map the location
• Have a spare resume in a folder

I’m Here…Now What?

Tell me about yourself? The hardest easy question in the game

What I think they mean:

• Where I’m from/my childhood
• How old I am
• My hobbies (could maybe include work related hobbies)

They really mean:

• What you studied
• Why you applied and what gets you excited about the position
• Skillsets you can apply to the position (Why this is the right job for you now)

What are your strengths/weaknesses:

Strengths:

• Focus on good experiences
• Things you did well
• Things your proud of
• Don’t self-deprecate

Weaknesses:

• Make sure your weakness is not a core function of the job
• Spin as a work in progress
• Have tangible improvement strategies

Tell Me About a Time When…

• Conflict with a colleague
• Multiple projects, too little time
• Worked as part of a team to achieve a goal

Use the STAR method:

Focus on yourself, what you did, your role…

• S: Explain the Situation
• T: Describe your role or Task
• A: The Action you took
• R: The Results of your action

Think about accountability and be very thoughtful about how you talk about colleagues and supervisors.

How to Show Up

• Bring yourself to the interview
• They’ll notice if you’re anyone else
• Be early and keep your phone out of sight
• Make them laugh, have a conversation
• Have a ritual that will help you relax