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Congratulations; now is your chance to really impress. Preparation ahead of time will help you keep it together and perform at your very best:. What are their current projects? Have they been in the news? Who are their clients? Who will be interviewing you? Showing you know what the organisation is up to will look good to your interviewers.
When you do finally walk into the office's waiting room, remember to be nice to the receptionist, security guards, or whoever greets you. Sit in a power pose while waiting to go in for your job interview.
Observe what the office environment feels like, what's on the walls, and what mementos are in the reception area. It's always a good idea to bring along some water with you.
The receptionist will usually ask you if you would like some prior to your interview, but bringing your own is always a safe call. Having a sip of water will cool you down and soothe your voice before you begin telling the hiring coordinator about all of your accomplishments. Plus, if you do need water during the interview, you don't want to have to interrupt it in order to get some from out of the room!
You should already have a couple of questions ready to ask your interviewer at the end of your time together. However, before you go into the interview, see if you can think of any others that come up.
It could be as simple as asking about the resources available in the office and how that plays into the company culture i. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.
Good Subscriber Account active since Shortcuts. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. Question : Jenna, what was your biggest contribution to the company you interned with last summer?
Answer : Throughout the summer, we had approximately five to six team meetings where the entire staff of ten engineers and their direct reports were present to discuss the major goal of the summer: the construction of a new courthouse. I was tasked with drafting the agenda of these meetings and the agenda notes, which verified all that was discussed and agreed upon.
The agendas directed complex meetings, and the agenda notes served as key documents that verified and clarified what was discussed and agreed upon during the meetings. My first draft of the first agenda was much too broad, but with feedback from my manager, I ensured it included all the details necessary to hold a productive and effective meeting and created the structure for the agenda notes document.
The agenda notes were typically three to five pages long, and by the second meeting, I was drafting the agenda and publishing the notes without any revisions from my manager. I received exceptional feedback from several department heads because, in many instances, the notes saved countless hours of work. For example, during the third meeting, we reversed course on a previously agreed-upon strategy for the front columns of the courthouse.
One of the key assistant engineers was not at the meeting, and when her peer brought her up to speed, he forgot to mention that the columns were changed from the Roman style columns to the Grecian columns, which needed a more intricate support system from the roof to the courthouse steps. It also kept everyone on track regarding the completion date, which is June Notice it had a middle that allowed you to understand how things were working:.
Positive momentum was built throughout the answer, and Jenna shared the positive results of her work:. Never misrepresent anything about yourself during the interview:. Interviewers have a way of discovering any misrepresentations, so save yourself misery and humiliation by being authentic and honest. This important step in the interview process is relatively easy and can be done in advance of the actual interview.
Table 8. Remember to do two things when preparing your questions for the interview:. Your final interview question should pertain to the next steps you should take so you will know how to follow up. Be certain your last question accomplishes the following:. You can take definite steps after an interview to improve your chances of being called back for a second round or getting an offer for the position.
Four steps increase your odds:. E-mail, versus a handwritten note, is preferred for many reasons:. Some individuals believe a handwritten note distinguishes you from others; while that may be true, you never know if it arrived.
Using a high-quality, professional notepaper or stationery is recommended. Figure 8. It will mostly likely be shared with others, so take great care when writing any note to a company representative. If the company representative said you will be contacted in a week, mark that on your calendar. After that, maintain consistent communication to help produce positive results. Different ways to keep in touch include the following:. You should be working on no fewer than ten targets to ensure you have activity because some targets will get cold , while others get hot.
The recruiting process is, to a large extent, a numbers game. Having more companies in play increases your chances of success. Sometimes no matter how well you prepare, something still goes wrong. The following strategies will help you manage when things go amiss:. Help Creative Commons. Creative Commons supports free culture from music to education. Their licenses helped make this book available to you. Help a Public School. Previous Section.
Table of Contents. Next Section. Understand that creating routines can improve your chances of success. Learn effective follow-up skills that are critical to the interview process. Before What happens before an interview will help you succeed.
This includes taking the following steps: Assess To estimate the value of something. Know Your Likes and Dislikes A huge difference exists between spending your entire workday interacting with people versus sitting in front of a computer screen analyzing data all day.
Prepare Preparation is key to succeeding in the interview process. The following steps will help you get a second round of interviews: Research the industry, the company, the competitors, and the interviewer if possible.
Practice answering interview questions. Have a full dress rehearsal three days before the interview. Know where you are going in advance, and get there thirty to forty-five minutes early. Have a routine the day of the interview. Know the Industry, the Company, the Competitors, and the Interviewer Completing the research step ensures that you have fully researched the company, the industry, and the competition.
For now, before you practice actual questions, you can do four things: Check with your career services department. Do they have an interview guide? Do they hold interview workshops? We often hear from employers that candidates do not know enough about their companies when they interview.
Employers gauge how interested you are by how much you know about their organization. This research is an easy way to improve your interview skills. It is important to have a purpose in mind and communicate it to the employer.
While the main goal of the interview is for an employer to evaluate you as a candidate, it is also one of your few chances to learn more about them. There are many aspects of a job that you can only uncover by speaking with the employer. While organizing your thoughts on paper is helpful, the best practice is done verbally, alone, with a friend, mentor, or career counselor.
You can schedule a practice interview with a career counselor to get feedback on your interview style, presentation, and body language. We also host a Practice Interview Program that allows you to practice and get feedback from a Columbia alum. For independent practice in a virtual format, we recommend Big Interview , which you have access to for free through our office.
You can practice answering interview questions by industry or job function, record yourself, and use their tool for self-assessment or share any video with a mentor for feedback. Your posture, eye contact, and hand gestures all contribute to the impression you make on the interviewer.
Schedule a minute appointment with one of our counselors to prepare for your interview. Preparation is the key to interview success. You are here Home Career Resources. Preparing for Your Interview Research the company and industry We often hear from employers that candidates do not know enough about their companies when they interview. Find out as much as you can about the position, company, and industry.
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