Summer is just around the corner, and that means we have all started our job search and the tedious application process. Whether you are applying for a summer internship or any other full-time summer position, you will most likely have to have a few interviews with potential employers. Whether they are in person or over the phone, it’s always a good idea to prepare ahead of time for a job interview. Here are a few tips that will ensure you make an awesome first impression that will help you nail that summer job!
1. Do Your Research
A successful job interview depends on proper preparation. This means that it’s extremely important to come prepared and do your research on the place where you are applying, your potential employer, and what your job position entails. Make sure to read about the company on their website as well as social media sites for more information on what they do, who their clients are, or information pertaining to their past and current projects.
Not to mention, a common question for many internship job interviews is, “What do you know about our company?” Even if they don’t ask this question, it looks good on your part if you know about the business that you are applying for. This shows that you are responsible and take applying for this job seriously enough to put in the extra work to do your research and arrive at the interview fully prepared. It also shows that you are truly interested in working for them! Also, knowing more about the particular job or company that you are applying for prompts you to focus on talking about particular skills and experience that you have that may be applicable to this job. In this way, you can better identify how you are well suited to a particular place of work.
2. Prepare (and Practice) Questions and Answers Ahead of Time
This is extremely important for nailing your interview. Make sure to prepare answers for some common interview questions beforehand. Some common interview questions tend to be:
- “Tell me a little bit about yourself.”
- “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
- “What interests you about this job?”
- “Why would you excel at this job?”
- “Why do you want to work here?”
- “What do you know about our company?”
- “What are your goals?”
- “How have you handled a difficult situation in your past job experience?”
- “What salary range are you looking for?”
From my experience, all jobs that I have been interviewed for (from customer service and retail to internships) generally start the interview process by asking me to tell them a little bit about myself. This question usually sets the mood for the interview and allows the employer to relate other questions in your interview to particular interests or experiences that you may have mentioned in your response. Make sure to talk about things such as your education, previous experience and involvement, as well as other personal qualities about yourself that will help the employer get to know you better.
3. Make Yourself Memorable
Making yourself memorable can provide a huge advantage to you during the hiring process. You may be memorable to your employer not only through your impressive qualifications, but also how you present yourself or through various unique qualities and interests of yours. For example, it may help to provide a specific anecdote or story about yourself, which will most likely stick in the employer’s mind. Showing your employer that you’re not only professional and qualified for the job, but also interesting, unique, and passionate will really help you stand out and be remembered. It will also provide an opportunity for your employer to get to know you and connect with you on a deeper level so that you’re remembered for more than just your resume.
4. Be Confident
Being confident and professional is key in all interviews because it provides a great and memorable first impression. There are a few ways to help you appear more confident as well as professional in interviews. One of which is proper body language. That means making eye contact, displaying good posture, and really listening to your interviewer. When you first introduce yourself to your interviewer, make sure to smile, confidently shake their hand, and introduce yourself. Asking how they are or making some kind of comment or small talk as you enter the room also helps to break the ice and may help you and your employer feel more comfortable, providing a positive environment for the interview.
5. Make a Good Impression at the Office
It’s also important to make a good first impression with the other employees in the office, not only your interviewer. You can do this by introducing yourself and striking up conversation with those around you, or simply by smiling and saying hello to employers who pass by you as you wait for your interview. Being friendly and making a good impression with other employers will help give you an edge because they may end up saying good things about you to you interviewer.
On the other hand, if you are unprofessional (perhaps by texting or coming off as unfriendly or overly shy to other employees) prior to your interview, there is a chance that these employees will mention something to your interviewer afterwards. Not to mention, you may be working with these employees, so you definitely want to be on their good side!
6. Arrive Early
This is a big part of being professional. Make sure to always arrive about 10 minutes early for an interview to show that you are punctual and organized. If you have an interview for an internship, there is a good chance that it is in an office building and that the room may be a little bit trickier to find. In these cases, you may want to arrive even earlier so that you have time to find out where your interview is taking place. It’s also important to map out how to get to your interview way ahead of time. This will help to ensure that you don’t get lost and that you know how much time you will need to set aside for travel in order to make it to your interview on time and stress-free.
7. Clean Up Your Social Media
There’s a good chance that your employer will (or already has done) a background check or quick Google search of you at some point. For this reason, it’s really important that you are proud of how you are portraying yourself on the internet. If you feel that your social media sites are not as professional as they should be (i.e. you’re tagged in too many drunk photos on Facebook), either un-tag or delete inappropriate photos and clean up your profiles so that they are more professional. You could also try changing your privacy settings so that employers can’t view your Facebook profile or other social media accounts. In addition to this, if you don’t have a Linkedin account already, make one!
7. Bring a Hard Copy of Your Resume
Always remember to bring a hard copy of your resume to an interview! In most cases, your interviewer will print off a copy of your resume to review during your interview, but if they were perhaps busy or forgot to do so, it always looks good to be extra prepared and organized. Having a hard copy of your resume not only looks professional, but it may also help you touch upon key points of your previous experience and job qualifications that you can refer to when you feel nervous or are blanking on particular questions.
8. Prepare Insightful Questions
ALWAYS come prepared with questions for your employer to answer at the end of your interview. Most interviewers wrap up the interview by asking if you have any questions for them. This is your chance to ask questions and learn more about the potential job that you may be fulfilling. Some good questions to ask your interviewer are, “What does a typical day as an intern look like?” or, “Tell me more about your company’s…” By asking questions, it shows that you are truly intrigued by this job or specific organization. It tends to look bad if you don’t have any questions for your interviewer, because you may appear as uninterested or unprepared.
9. Thank Your Interviewer
It may give you an edge to follow up and email your interviewer after your job interview. Simply thank them for the opportunity and tell them that it was a pleasure speaking with them. You could also reference something specific about the interviewer that you recall (i.e. wish them luck on a particular project, or tell them to enjoy their vacation coming up). This is another great way to be remembered and create a good connection with a potential employer.
Happy job search, collegiettes! Don’t forget to channel your inner Rachel Zane and show up to your interview in your most stylish and professional attire. HC is rooting for you!