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Top Five Tips to Prepare for Your Internship Interview
During your hunt for an internship, you may have to undergo several interviews, depending on how many companies you apply to and how many of them decide to follow up on your application. The interviewing process can be an intimidating one -- many people in the workforce have reported staying for years in jobs they dislike simply because they could not overcome their dread of the interviewing process.
Nonetheless, if you have properly prepared yourself, you may well be able to use your anxiety to your advantage. Many actors and other performers report that a little nervousness can actually help them stay alert and perform their best Here are the top five tips for your interview.
Be Prepared
Like a Boy Scout, you should always prepare before you actually do something improtant. Even if it is your very first interview and you feel completely clueless about what you're facing, there are several things that you can do beforehand that will give you a competitive advantage.
Above all, you should treat your internship interview just as if it were an interview for a permanent full-time job. Do not give in to the temptation to treat it as something trivial that you can breeze through.
Know Your Company
Just as you researched the company before you applied so that you could fit your answers on your application to the company's mission and goals, you will want to research further before the actual interview. Get a firm grasp on what the company is about so that you can demonstrate how you will fit not only into your specific job, but into the larger picture. Employers really appreciate seeing applicants who understand that it's not all about them.
Be Ready to Ask Questions
You should also prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview to your employer. Most employers like to see their interviewee display an active interest on the whole interview process and the position itself. Deliberate on the questions that you want to ask. Make sure they are not only relevant to the job, but reflect well upon your competences.
Be Lively
Nobody likes the feeling of as if talking to a corpse or the wall. Take an active part in the interview. Speak up at appropriate times. Always keep your questions or statements simple and to the point. Vague responses that go in circles will make your interviewer wonder if you really know what you are talking about or if you are trying to fake competences you really don't possess.
Remember, this is an interview, meaning it is a two-way communication for you and your interviewer Be alert and heed everything that your interviewer is saying, as well as pauses and significant omissions. If he or she asks you something, answer it as clearly as possible that you can. If he or she avoids mentioning something, consider whether you want to bring it up, or if this is an indication of a problem that you may want to avoid.
If you are the type of person who has a hard time maintaining a conversation with another for a long time, or tend feel conscious with one-on-one interviews, practice with a trusted friend or mentor beforehand. Someone who has gone through interviews in the past and has a good idea of the questions that are typically asked will be able to walk you through the process so that it is no longer such a frightening unknown.
Know Where You Are Going
A few days before your interview you should drive by the area and look for the building where you will be having the interview. Be sure that you know where exactly you are supposed to go and what time you should be there. You will want to anticipate your travel time so that you can arrive on time even if traffic is bad or you get turned around in directions.
Few things damage the first impression that you leave worse than arriving late for an interview. Barring an unforeseeable crisis such as a severe accident, there is no excuse for tardiness. Lastly, be sure that you have and know the name of the person whom you will be asking for. Knowing which department he or she is from can be helpful too. You do not want to give the impression that you are lost and confused.
