7 Tips To Help You Prepare For Internship Interviews

Having jitters before an interview is normal, and probably even good. The only thing that could help to ace your interview and land you your dream internship or job is good preparation. Being ready will give you the confidence you need to speak, communicate, and showcase your fitment for the job. This article will guide you on how to prepare for your interview.

In any job interview, as ironic as it may sound, the recruiters are going to ask you questions about you.

Tips To Prepare For An Interview

As a rule of thumb, throw away the idea of possibly getting rejected and any negative self-talk when you enter the company premises. Remind yourself that you’ve researched the company, can add value to the organisation, and that the company called you for an interview because they liked something about your profile. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing for an interview:-

Be Mindful

During the interview, be precise and conscious in what you say, and do not take too much of somebody’s time. Know that the interviewers have more work to do and other interviewees to meet. Be mindful of what’s going on around you so that you can yourself create a more fulfilling interview experience.

Presentation Matters

The interview is about what will be said but also about the unsaid things – your body language, demeanour, attitude and how you present yourself. The company also wants to see if you will be a good fit to their culture as you will be an extension of what they believe and represent. You need to show you have compassion and enthusiasm towards the organisation’s mission and vision so that you can pitch for yourself as a promising team player.

Play The Role

The energy that you bring in the room will decide your fate at the company. So it’s important to show excitement for the role and be amicable with those taking the interview. Strike a conversation to build a connection with your future employer, team, and colleagues.

For example, if you have applied for the sales internship position, it's important for a salesperson to be confident, dynamic, charismatic and approachable.

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Research Thoroughly

Find out about the company and its people before you go for the interview.

Interviewers | First and foremost, ask the names and titles of those people who will be interviewing you. Check them on Linkedin, find out more about what they do, where they have worked previously, where they attended college and school. Get to know them and then find data points that could help you in the interview to establish a connection.

Company | Go to the company's website and read the mission, vision, and goals of the company. Understand the organisation's values. Find out who their clients are. Research the company’s social media profiles and develop a little familiarity. A good idea will also be to Google the company to get any latest information about them.

Former Employees | You could also go a step ahead and reach out to a school/college alumnus, family member, relative, or a former intern of the company you are interviewing in, get their view on the job, and some company-specific tips that would be advantageous for you in the selection process.

Find Out About The Company And Its People Before You Go For The Interview

Practice Q&A

There are few questions which are common to all interviews and you know will be asked – tell me about yourself; why should we hire you; what are your strengths and weaknesses; where do you see yourself in five years; or the most tricky – why did you choose to work for XYZ company.

All the questions should be answered in a way that they genuinely resonate with your beliefs and personality, and also highlight why you would make a good fit for the organisation. Being prepared with answers makes you a well-informed and desirable candidate.

There is also a possibility that there could be more than one person interviewing you. This means that questions will be coming to you much faster and thus, being ready and prepared with answers will be a wise call.

Do a mock interview, ask someone in your family or friends to help you prepare. You could also record yourself on camera while answering mock questions so you can see yourself, evaluate, and refine.

Also Read | Tips To Look For Internships In High School

Figure Out The Way

Look up the directions to your place of interview and find out the transit routes, preferably more than one. See the drive time, the best route for the metro or bus, whichever mode of transport you choose. Give yourself enough time to travel so that you have a buffer in case you get lost, or encounter excessive traffic on the day of the actual interview.

Dress The Part

If you want to be taken seriously, dress professionally. Pick out your outfit at least two days before so that it's wrinkle free and ready-to-go. Dressing well will boost your confidence and make you feel good about yourself which will, in turn, improve performance.

Gather The Documents

When you go for your interview, make sure the following documents are in place:-

• Have at least two to three copies of your resume and cover letter printed and kept safely in a file.
• Keep your photograph and ID also handy they can be shown if asked for at the gate, for entry into the company’s office.
• Keep a copy of the mail for the interview also printed or saved on your phone as this can be asked for at the entrance.
• Ask in advance if you need to carry your portfolio with you for the interview. If this is a digital one, carry your laptop with you so that you can demonstrate your work to them with ease.
• Make sure your laptop is charged and does not have a personal, funny, unprofessional desktop screen saver as you might be required to open your laptop during the interview. You could also save your work in a pen drive and carry it for the resume.
• Keep a notepad and pen with you to take notes of anything said during the interview.

A golden rule to keep in mind is that the interview is about the company and how you can fit in their culture, their processes, and what you can do for them. You need to tell your story in a way that appeals to them. Your story should fit theirs and make the audience, i.e. the recruiter happy.

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