Does the thought of an interview make your palms sweat and your stomach tie in knots? Don’t worry, you’re not alone; most people feel the same way. But an interview doesn’t have to be so stressful. Here are some tips to help make your next interview a successful one.
An interview should be a conversation.
You are not JUST answering questions. You are letting the interviewer get to know you. Think of it as a conversation with an old friend you are comfortable talking to, but pretend that your friend has just forgotten a few details about you and your accomplishments. All you have to do is refresh his or her memory.
Know how to properly shake hands.
Give a good firm shake while you look your interviewer in the eyes, introduce yourself and express what a pleasure it is to be invited to interview. If there is more than one person in the room, do the same for everyone in the room. If you walk into a room and everyone is seated around a table, I would suggest entering and taking a seat, introducing yourself to the group and making sure to make eye contact with everyone in the room.
Be prepared.
Before you go for your interview, prepare five questions to ask the interviewer and have five things in mind that you want the interviewer to know about you. Be ready to explain why you are considering the college/scholarship/job you are interviewing for. You should also be able to answer questions about things that appear on your resume.
Be articulate.
When you are asked a question, take time to respond; it makes you at least seem like you are thinking of something even if you are not. No matter how slowly you seem to be speaking in your head, I guarantee that it is much faster when others are listening. Taking time to think gives you time to organize your thoughts so your answer will be more coherent.
Be respectful.
When there is more than one interviewer, direct your response, at first to the person who asked you the question, but continue your response to the rest of the group by looking each one of them in the eye and finish up your response by once again speaking directly to the person who asked you the question.
