Question 1

In-Person Interviews

Accepted Answer

Keys to success
 • Arrive 15-20 minutes early. Give yourself extra time to get there. You don’t want to feel frantic, rushing at the last minute.
 • Do NOT arrive late.
 • Dress appropriately. Unless you know otherwise, wear business casual clothes.(https://www.thebalancecareers.com/business-casual-dress-code-4051117)
 • Bring the following supplies:
    • Padfolio, folder, notebook, or paper to take notes.
    • Pen or pencil.
    • 3 extra printed resumes.
    • Written questions for the interviewer.
 • Keep your phone off. Or turn it to ‘Silent’ or ‘Airplane Mode’ before you walk in so nothing interrupts your interview.
 • Start strong! You immediately form an impression on the interviewer in the first 5 seconds.
    • Strong handshake. You immediately form an impression based on the strength of your handshake. Most people need to increase the firmness of their handshakes by 25%. Make it stronger than you think it should be.
    • Smile. Shake their hand, introduce yourself, and smile.
    • Small talk. The walk to the interviewing room and the first few minutes of the interview are filled with small talk. They are putting you at ease, but also seeing if you fit with their culture. Relax and engage with them. Review the small talk page for tips.
 • Maintain eye contact. In person, it’s important to hold eye contact with the interviewer both in giving your answers and when listening to them. If it feels jarring to you, look at their lower lashes.
 • Sit up straight. Then exhale and drop your shoulders. Cross your legs at the knee, ankles, or put them flat on the floor.
 • Give a strong handshake at the end. Stand up, thank them for the opportunity to interview, and give them a strong handshake.

Question 2

Phone Interviews

Accepted Answer

Keys to success
 • Choose a quiet place. Double check that you get a strong cell signal. Put a sign on the door telling people not to bother you. If your room isn’t an option, reserve a room in the library or student center.
 • Arrive early and set up. Schedule enough time to get to your quiet place and lay out all your materials. There have been plenty of horror stories of alums who showed up when the interview was supposed to start and the door was locked or there was another group in the room that they reserved or there phone didn’t work.
 • Lay out the following:
    • Resume
    • Pen, paper
    • Written out questions
    • Printed out star stories (you shouldn’t read them word for word, but can be a nice safety net)
 • Make sure your phone is charged!
 • Wear nice clothes (or whatever makes you feel most confident). This may sound silly, but you sit up straighter and project more confidence when you are in nice clothes vs. sweatpants.
Pro tip: Stand! You will project more confidence if you stand. Even better, strike a power pose.(https://youtu.be/phcDQ0H_LnY)

Question 3

Video Interviews

Accepted Answer

Keys to success
 • Dress nicely. At least from the waist up. It will boost your confidence and impress them.
 • Choose a quiet place.
    • Check the internet quality beforehand.
    • Reserve a room and get there early to make sure no one else is using it.
    • Put a sign on the door telling people not to bother you/that an interview is taking place.
    • Face the window or another light source so that they can see your face.
    • Double check that there is nothing embarrassing or distracting behind you. Ideally have a blank wall behind you.
 • Backup phone number, phone, cell service. Make sure that you have another way to reach the interviewer in case the video service doesn’t work.
 • Make sure your equipment is ready.
    • Download any software the DAY BEFORE. It always takes longer than expected to download.
    • Test your microphone, camera, etc.
    • Skype ALWAYS has updates. Log in to Skype at least 30 minutes before the interview to give yourself enough time to download and restart your computer.
 • Smile!
    • Make a mental note to smile just as you would in person.
    • Smiling is a proven way to help reduce nerve and stress levels, and a powerful way to convey enthusiasm.
 • Maintain eye contact. Look at the camera. Not their eyes.
 • Have notes. Lay out your resume, note cards, or sticky note reminders to yourself.

Question 4

Closing (All Types of Interviews)

Accepted Answer

Keys to success
 • Thank them for the opportunity to interview.
 • Re-state your interest. Tell them that you are really excited about the opportunity
 • Ask about next steps. If they don’t say what the next steps are, it’s fine to ask.

Question 5

FAQs

Accepted Answer

Q: What if the interviewer doesn’t call/video call me at the time of our interview?
A: Wait 5 minutes. They might just be running late. After 5-10 minutes, reach out to them by whatever means that you have their contact information (e.g. email or phone).
Video conference example:
Hi Peter,
 
I am ready for our interview at 1:30 and wanted to make sure that I was in the right place for our video conference. Please let me know if you cannot see me in the system or if I should reach out to you.
 
Thank you,
Joan
Phone call example:
Hi Peter,
 
I just wanted to check in to make sure that I wasn’t supposed to call you for our interview today at 1:30. I am ready when you are.
 
Best,
Joan
Q: What if my internet is bad, the program doesn’t launch, or X other technical difficulty when I’m trying to connect to the video call?
A: As soon as the clock reaches the start of your interview and you are experiencing a technical difficulty, you should message the interviewer. Reach out to them on all of the means of communication that you have (email, phone call, text). Note that the phone number you have for them might be a landline instead of a cell phone and therefore might not accept text messages.
Email example:
Hi Emily,
 
I am trying to log in to the video conference, but I’m having difficulty. I can talk on the phone right now instead, so we don’t lose time. My apologies and I’ll continue trying to log in. You can reach me at 555-555-1234.
 
Thank you,
Greg
If they don’t email you back right away, definitely call them.
Phone call example:
Recruiter: Hello, this is Emily.
 
You: Hi Emily, this is Greg. I am trying to log in to the video conference but I’m having technical difficulties. Do you want me to keep trying, or should we just talk on the phone?

Day of Your Interview