My First Interview

Well, not my first interview ever - I gained some experience interviewing for internships last summer, and a few part-time positions here and there. But this is my first interview as a graduating senior, looking to begin a full-time job after leaving 'Nova in May.

To start, I'll discuss what I did to prepare myself for the interview. Hands down: research is key. Not only should you read (and reread) the job description you have applied for, but take some time to research the company. The more information you know about the company you are interviewing for, the better impression you have the ability to make. First and foremost, explore the company's website: read background information and "Who We Are" pages, as well as information about their partners, clients, etc. A great place to learn about current and recent developments in the organization is to read the "News" and Press Releases section of a company's website. These features will provide you with many of the basic facts you should be aware of. Researching the company's website will also help you to come up with questions to ask the employer during your interview. Note: I'm not just saying all of this because it's what I have read or been told to do - all of the above is what I did to prepare myself for my interview the other night! I probably spent a good two to three hours on the company's website, trying to gain an understanding of the organization as best as I could. It definitely helped me to come up with some great questions to ask during my interview as well.

Next, practice practice practice. The more familiar you become with frequently asked interview questions, the more comfortable you will be when those questions are asked during a real interview. How can you practice? There are lots of ways! For one, you can set up a "Practice Interview" with a Career Counselor in the Career Services Office (to make an appointment, call 610-519-4060). You can also take advantage of Mock Interview Days, like the one coming up tomorrow - Friday, January 29th! Sign up on GoNOVA to participate in a mock interview with a real live employer, from companies such as ING Financial and Northwestern Mutual. I did a practice interview in Career Services last spring while I was preparing to interview for some summer internships. I admit that it felt a little bit silly/awkward to be videotaped during the interview and than watch it back afterwards. But it really REALLY does help and make a difference! It gives you a chance to see what you're doing wrong (and right of course) during an interview and helps you take active steps to change the "bad" things. For example, I realized how much I could not sit still - in the video I watched myself twisting back and forth in the chair! Now I know to make a concious effort to sit still and be calm and collected during an interview.

Want to know what else to do to prepare yourself for an interview? And how my interview actually went? Keep an eye out for my next post to read more!