Interview Tips

The process of applying for and acquiring an internship or job will most likely include one or more interviews to give the employer a better understanding of your capabilities, personality and level of maturity. This will also give the applicant an impression of what type of work environment they will be in, what will be asked of them and how the position can relate to their major, interests and strengths.

Below are tips to take into consideration before going to an interview:

1. Be prepared. Research the company or organization so you can show the interviewer that you’re knowledgeable about their business and interested in becoming a part of it. Bring extra copies of your resume and examples of your work that you can leave behind for them to review. Whether you have art samples, case studies or even research papers, giving them something that you’ve done that relates to what will be asked of you will show them that you are knowledgeable about what will be asked of you, that you care about getting the position and that you are a responsible and well prepared individual.
    
2. Ask questions. Make sure that you prepare several questions to ask the interviewer about the organization. This will show them that you’re interested in their business and have been paying attention to what they’ve told you.
    
3. Be relaxed. It’s imperative to be respectful of the interviewer, but don’t let yourself be intimidated by them. Set up a mock interview at the Career Counseling office on campus or in the Equine Scholars Center to allow yourself to practice and work through what you should do in an actual interview.
    
4. Have the answers. Research the top ten most asked interview questions and practice before hand how you will answer them. This will allow you to come across more articulately and help you to avoid being caught at a loss for words.
    
5. Dress the part. Make sure you dress appropriately for the interview. The rule of thumb is to dress one level above what is acceptable work attire for that environment. If you don’t know what acceptable work attire is, there’s no harm in asking the receptionist or even your contact at the organization – it will just show that you care about the impression you make and that’s never a bad thing
    
6. Talk to people who have been there. Whether you talk to someone in the Career Counseling Center, the Equine Scholars Program or someone you admire in the industry, get advice on the best tactics and strategies to use from someone who has been successful in interviews or who has been successful in the business sector in which you want to obtain an internship or job.