5 Tips to Help You Ace Your Interview

By Ian Acosta on October 18, 2016

It is that time of the year again (when is it not though, really?) to start applying for summer internships, co-ops, or even the dreaded full-time job after graduation. I am sure many of you know that this can be a long and trying process.

Before you start psyching yourself out about your big interview at a fancy corporate office in the city, or a quaint office out in the suburbs, here are some quick tips to help your preparation leading up to the big day and also before you step in the room.

1. Do your homework.

Not only from my personal experience, but from my friends as well, I, or someone I know, have always been asked the following at least once: “Tell me what you know about us.”

Here is your chance to show what you know and knock it out of the park. Whether you realize it or not, you are on company time as soon as you enter the room. Take advantage of this, and prove to them that they made a wise investment by choosing to spend time with you. Show that you took the time to get to know more about them. There is no better feeling than when you are able to confidently talk about what you know, and see a look of admiration on the face of your interviewer, as he or she continues your conversation.

Also, if you want to potentially have a career there, shouldn’t you take the time to research as much as you can anyway?

unsplash.com

2. Dress to impress.

I have been to interviews where my fellow interviewees were wearing jeans and a sweater while I was sitting beside them in a suit and tie. Would an outsider know we were there to interview for the same job?

Always assume the dress is business professional. There is a common phrase thrown around a lot in the professional world: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” In addition, dressing up nice puts a pep in your step and gives you that added boost of confidence you need to go into your interview and kill it.

3. Invest in a portfolio for your personal documents.

There is a general rule of thumb when going into any interview: always bring a copy of your resume. You might assume that they must have a copy of your resume already since they’re interviewing you, right? Take no chances. Always have a fresh copy of your resume inside a portfolio, ready to hand to your interviewer at a moment’s notice. It helps to keep at least a few extra copies with you as well.

Maybe you will be given a tour of the place and, on the off chance you meet an executive who asks for a copy of your resume, do you really want to be unprepared? This could be a separate tip in and of itself: Plan for absolutely anything to happen.

4. Expect the unexpected.

This tip might be a little tricky to prepare for because you never really know the potential of what’s going to happen. Nonetheless, put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and try to come up with some questions that they might ask you, and answers for how you’d respond. This really goes a long way in helping prepare for as many different types of questions as possible; it helps to attempt to view the interviewing process from the company’s perspective.

To research possible interview questions at a certain company, search on websites such as Glassdoor, which has a ton of information on both the interview process and company culture, and is written by people who were once in your same shoes.

5. Relax and be yourself.

This might sound cliché and probably something you have heard before, but you can’t go wrong here. A majority of your preparation will affect your attitude and mental state. If you have a negative mindset and gloomy attitude and constantly tell yourself you cannot do something, the end result will mirror that.

This does not just apply to interviewing, but to anything. Build up that confidence. Show off that swagger. You have gotten this far, so why not keep pushing and take that next step? Remember, all an interview boils down to is having a conversation. If you can hold a conversation and talk about yourself while asking some questions back, you have won half the battle.

Lastly, be yourself. People know when you are trying to be someone you are not and can smell it from a mile away. You are being interviewed because you bring something unique to the table. Don’t hide it! Flaunt it and show off those indistinguishable qualities that got you here!

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format