Ace Your Interview!

Once you get into college, interviews start to become a real thing. And for a lot of it, it’s a real stressful thing. There’s all kinds of interviews: interviews for scholarships, interviews for internships, interviews for jobs, interviews for volunteer positions, interviews for everything you can think of! So it’s great to be able to be prepared for whatever kind of interview you’ll go into.

Here are some tips on how to ACE YOUR INTERVIEW!

1. Know who you are and what you want. Almost always, in some form or another, you’ll get asked “tell me about yourself?”. Being prepared with an answer for this is a great way to show the interviewers that you’re confident, prepared, and know what’s going on with yourself. It’s a great idea to prepare an answer in advance!

2. Learn about the position.

Knowing information about the company, position, who you’d be working with/for, and what they want/need is a great tool to have in your back pocket. If you know more about the position than any average Joe, then you’ll be able to formulate your answers to better suit what you know they’re looking for and you’ll be more prepared to answer any questions related to what they actually do.

1. Practice your interview. Preparing for your interview and going through mock interviews are SO beneficial to how you’ll perform in an interview. The Career Services Center at UNCG offers interview prep and mock interviews where they’ll go through an interview with you just as an employer would and then give you feedback on how to improve and wheat you did well on!

2. Ask Questions. Something I’ve always heard on how to make your interview memorable is to ask questions. Now, don’t keep asking questions the whole interview, but at the end before they let you go (when they always ask “do you have any questions?”) ask a question like “Was there anything about my resume that concerned you?”, “What’s the expected date that’ll hear a decision by?”. Asking questions shows that there’s a mutual respect between you and the interviewer and that you’re comfortable asking for help or answers when you need them!

Some basic interview tips include:

Eye contact- Don’t be scared to look your interviewer in the eye to show that you’re confident!

Hand shake- A good handshake speaks 1,000 words! So practice your handshake and be sure to offer one before, after, or before AND after your interview!

Dress for success! - They always say, dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Be sure to come dressed appropriately for the interview.

Arrive early- Always arrive 10-15 minutes early for an interview. This gives you time to prepare yourself and it shows the interviewer that you know how to manage your time and won’t be late in the future!

SMILE! - Let them know you’re excited to have the interview and that you’re confident!

• Never be afraid to talk to the Career Services Center about any interview, resume, or career concerns or questions you have. They’re a fantastic resource for everything career related!