This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.
As summer is about to start, most college students find that it’s the appropriate time to start searching for internships, setting up interviews with future companies. I found 5 important tips that could help students as they go through the internship interview experience.
- Be on time– Plan to arrive, or if it’s online, make sure the application works at least 15 minutes before your interview appointment.
- Dress Professional– it’s important to dress appropriately when meeting your future employer. I would say dress in business professional or business casual. This gives the first impression to the recruiter that you are sincerely interested and will be professional in the future. Tip- consider picking your clothing ahead of time to reduce stress minutes before the interview.
- Make sure your background is clear– if your interview is online, having a clear background helps the recruiter notice you better. If your room is dark, dull, or does not have good lighting, employers won’t be able to see you very well and won’t be as interested in wanting to converse further. They will realize you didn’t fully prepare for the interview and just made a rash decision in your location.
- Research on the company– Learn about the company’s mission, vision, goals, and corporate culture. With this knowledge, it will help you answer the interviewer clearly, prepare thoughtful questions for them, and show actual genuine interest in the company.
- Smile– Be happy. If you look just sad or even unphased in the meeting, the employers have an impression that you wouldn’t be interested in working with them. Smiling and showing genuine interest would make employers or recruiters engage more and want to learn more about you and why you are interested in the company.