Interview’s can be super scary and intimidating, no matter where you are or what level you are. Sure, the more you interview, the more comfortable you will become, but when you’re first starting out it can be hard to know exactly how to help yourself prepare in a way in which your not excessively overthinking situations beyond your control (some things just happen, so make sure you can roll with the punches!). I’ve learned a thing or two from my time and experiences in New York so per your request, here are my top 5 tips to help you combat those interview butterflies and make you feel confident and prepared.
Be Prepared. Look up where you’re going so you know what to look out for, including planning your route and estimating traffic. Do your research on the company, its values, role in the industry and what’s important to them, the people you’re interviewing with, and the job description/what the job entails. Make sure you have some “selling points” handy and definitely have plenty of copies of your resume. You can also write down questions you may have regarding your tasks and responsibilities.
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Dress for the part. When picking out your outfit, remember to keep it professional and simple. You want the focus to be on you, not your clothing. My go-to outfit consists of a blouse and dress pants, high heels, and classic jewelry, or a classic blazer and slacks (or jeans if its more casual). I also like to bring a simple purse and a portfolio to hold my papers.
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Be present. Make sure you practice good manners (including body language, this is HUGE, watch your posture and make sure you’re body language is “open” and you’re not closed off). Listening and ask questions about the position shows you are paying attention, so make sure you ask questions about the postion, the company and even the interviewer but remember to ALWAYS keep them professional
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Send a Thank You. Follow up post-interview and thank them for your time. Include a personal touch and remind them why you’re interested. Make sure to keep it in email form (just reply to the same email you were originally communicating on and keep it professional, as much as you hit it off in the interview, you’re not chatting with your friend!) and don’t wait to long to send, a quick note when you get home is perfect!
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Follow up if you don’t hear back. it shows initiative and shows interest on your part. Sometimes things get delayed so if you don’t hear back from when they said you should have, follow up and ask if there are any developments on the position as you are still interested! Keep in mind, its important to know your worth though. if you don’t hear back from a company after a few times, or if they seem like they’re stringing you along, you’re allowed ask for a straight up answer about where you stand with them (especially if you have other options that aren’t holding you up, you don’t want to make them wait). Take it from me, know your worth and respect your time, don’t let people take advantage of it or you.
Hope you guys found some of these tips helpful! Now go out there and kill it in the job hunt. You’re worth it and you got this, just show them why!! 🙂
