With summer fast approaching, internships and jobs are being posted every day. We thought it would be a great idea to share our favorite interview tips that will help you be successful.
Dress for Success
Always dress professionally and appropriate for the job you’ve applied to. You should do research to see what the employees at the company wear so you can dress accordingly. However, this does not mean you can wear jeans or casual clothes if you noticed the company has a relaxed dress code. You should always dress professionally because this tells the interviewer that you are serious about the job.
Be Prepared
If you want to feel confident in an interview, do some research and be prepared. This means looking up past interview questions and practicing your answers. Websites like Glassdoor or Indeed are great sources to read about the company, learn about the interview process and review questions that were asked. This information can help you prepare your responses. The only thing you’ll have to do is practice. Practicing will help feel prepared and confident in your answers.
Research the Company
What do you know about the company? Learning a few facts about the company such as the services or products they offer, when they were founded, who their customers/competitors are and any other facts you can find on their website is a great answer to this question. It shows the interviewer that you are excited about the position and the opportunity to work for the company. Just make sure that the information you are saying is accurate. It’s better to know a few facts very well than to give the interviewer a bunch of incorrect information.
Arrive Early to the Interview
You should always arrive at least 10 minutes early to your interview. Do not make a bad first impression by having the interviewer wait. You should always be considerate of the time they took out of their busy schedule to meet with you. Plus, arriving early allows you to gather your thoughts and get a feel for the workplace before you go into your interview. However, if you are running late, call or send an email as soon as possible to let them know.
Bring your Resume
Always bring multiple copies of your resume to the interview. It helps to remind the interviewer who you are and why they brought you in. You don’t want to rely on them having a printed copy because you never know what they were doing prior to the interview. Being able to hand over your resume, shows that you are prepared and reliable.
Shake Hands and Maintain Eye Contact
It’s important to maintain eye contact during the interview and shake hands before and after. It exhibits confidence, respect, and professionalism. By doing this, you tell the interviewer that you believe in your abilities and skills to do the job and they will believe in you as well. People who show those three attributes are more likely to receive the job than someone who doesn’t.
Ask Questions
When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, always have questions ready to ask. This is your chance to learn more about the position, the company, the interviewer, and the type of candidate they’re looking for. Asking questions reiterates your interest in the position and company and shows you’ve done your research. Plus, it will help you make an informed decision if the job offer is extended to you.
Send a Thank You Email after the Interview
Within the 24 hours after the interview, send an email thanking the people who interviewed you. Make sure to thank them for their time and express your appreciation of them meeting with you. You can highlight some of the key points of why you make a great candidate for the job and reiterate what you can bring to specific tasks that were discussed. Just make sure to keep it short and to the point. It will help you stand out from other candidates who did not do this and shows your interest for the job.
Now that you’re ready for an interview, head on over to our careers page to see what internships and jobs we have available.