Preparing for an interview can be intimidating. It can be hard putting yourself out there and asking for employment from someone you probably don’t know. If you are not well-prepared leading up to your interview, a variety of things could go wrong. SO, we have put together a list of 10 interview essentials to help you land your #dreamjob!
- Look up the time and location of your interview
What time is your interview? What building is your interview in? Which room or floor number? There are plenty of important details to prepare for before heading to your interview.
- Research the company you are interviewing with
What do they do? What goods do they produce? What services do they provide? What do they specialize in? Your interviewer may ask you why you chose to apply to their company, so it’s important to know why.
- Know the position you are interviewing for
Applying for an Internship? Looking for a full-time or part-time position? It’s important to know when you are preparing for your interview. You need to be able to identify how you would be good at this position and what you can contribute.
- Check who the interviewer is
It’s time to put your stalking skills to use! What is their position within the company? If the company’s website has pictures, it can be helpful to know what this person looks like so you can identify them more easily.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses
This is almost always asked in every interview. This is your chance to brag about yourself a little bit. Take your weaknesses and turn them into a positive thing. How can you grow in this position to overcome your weaknesses? How can your weaknesses actually help you in this position? How have you gotten past these weaknesses in similar positions or jobs at other companies?
- Review your resume
ALWAYS update your resume and reference list and bring it to the interview. Some interviewers like to review the hard-copy while sitting with you to go over your previous jobs and experiences.
- Prepare a couple questions to ask at the end of the interview
What are they looking for in a potential employee? What will you be doing in this position? What will you learn? Who will you be working with? It’s important to know these things!
- Arrive early
I would say 15 to 20 minutes, just to be on the safe side. This gives you time to find the building or room, go to the bathroom, allows for unplanned traffic, etc. You also want to show your interviewer that this interview and position matters to you. Just make sure you don’t get there too early so your interviewer won’t feel like they are forced to start early.
- Dress to impress
For an interview, business casual is recommended. For ladies, this means a blouse or sweater with a conservative skirt, dress pants, or a dress. For men, this means a dress shirt (probably button-down) with khakis or nice pants.
- After the interview: write and send a thank you note
Handwritten is preferred, but an email is fine too. This shows them how much the interview meant to you, allows you to express your gratitude, and keeps you in the back of their mind after the interview is over.
– Molly Little, Summer Marketing Intern