That great step before a job offer, interviewing is the strength of some and the “how-the-heck-am-I-gonna-get-through-this” of others. Here, we’d like to throw out some tips for doing your best and getting that job!
Preparation
- Do a little research and try to have an idea or some guess as to the direction of the company
- Arrive 5-10 minutes early, but not too early, and definitely not late. You want to be responsible, without pressuring your interviewer for time.
- Come in well-dressed and confident while exuding confidence and passion. Basically, look good, act like you look good and that you want to do good!
Qualification
- Review any material you think might come up in the interview.
- Prep a portfolio for easy consumption, either on a screen, or on paper. If you want something to demonstrate, you don’t want to fiddle around loading up a program or something, be prepared to present it within seconds of discussing it!
Depiction
- Be concise and thoughtful in your conversation. You might take one minute to answer a question, though you can certainly stretch it to five minutes if they seem genuinely interested!
- I’d encourage you to come up with 3 stories you can tell to illustrate the following traits [or come up with traits more relevant to your position!]
- Problem solving approach
- Leadership/teamwork
- Escalating issues and interactions with Supervisors
Question: “Do you in fact have any questions for me?
- What is your typical working day like?
- What does success look like in this role?
- What’s the toughest part of this role?
- “Is there anything about my resume or interview that concerns you about my doing this job?”
Finally, follow up! Send a friendly email a few days after the fact, and if you’re lucky, you might get a call answering the question: “When do I start?”