Top 6 Interviewing Tips # 13863
By Harvard Career Advisor – Linda Spencer
Do your Homework
Before you have the interview
- Research yourself. What are your qualifications and how will you add value to a company.
- Research the position. What are the expected tasks for such a position?
- Research the employer. What does the company do? What is the history, the products and who are their competitors?
- Research the industry. What are the current and evolving trends in the industry?
The interviewer will be impressed if you know about the company.
Prepare your Stories
Prepare a series of stories about yourself demonstrating your skills. The stories should be short and have a beginning and an end. Like show and tell.
Practice your Responses
Practice your responses to commonly asked questions. Talk to yourself in a mirror or set up a mock interview with a professional.
First Impressions Matter
- Be sure to dress in proper attire, wear a necktie. Are your shoes shined, hands clean, and fingernails clean?
- Arrive early. Come a half hour early and announce yourself in the reception area 10 – 15 minutes early.
- Within 7 seconds your interviewer will notice your general appearance and will size you up. They will decide if they like you, if are you intelligent and if are you kind. Maintain good eye contact, have a nice strong hand shake, keep positive, upbeat, authentic, and speak in a clear resonating voice.
A Word to Yeshiva & Bais Yaakov Students
Most gentile interviewers do not realize that a yeshiva is also a college. They usually know a yeshivas are high schools, but are not used to a college yeshiva. The interviewer may ask “What subjects or courses did you study at your college yeshiva?” You can respond by saying that the curriculum is basically a liberal arts or humanities degree. The courses were, in addition to religious studies: History, Philosophy, Ethics, Logic, Law, Literature, Research, Debate, Languages – both Hebrew and Aramaic. Aramaic will be impressive to the interviewer because he or she never met anyone who knows Aramaic. Speaking of the “he or she”, if a woman/man is your interviewer, explain that you are not allowed to touch any woman/man, except your wife/husband. They need to know that this is not personal, and it applies to all women/men. During the interview be sure to maintain eye contact. Failure to do so may be interpreted as not truly interested in this conversation or that you are hiding something. After the discussion of the yeshiva courses or sometime later mention that your courses centered on analytical thinking, critical analysis and problem solving. Let the interviewer know that you enjoy problem solving and you enjoy learning. You learned to learn long ago.
Phone and Skype
It is very common for an initial interview to be over the phone or skype.
- Make sure be near a landline. If you need to use your cell phone make sure it is fully charged and ready.
- Make sure to speak in quiet room and not to get disturbed.
- Speak articulately,in a pleasant tone and with energy.
Skype
- Prepare your computer and make sure it’s fully charged and functioning properly.
- Dress nicely.
- Make sure that room has good lighting.
- Look at your computer’s camera to make eye contact, not the screen.
- Have a nice background.
After the Interview
- Make sure to know what are the next steps. If they did not tell you, it’s perfectly fine to ask.
- Prepare a closing statement. Let the interviewer know that you are very interested in the position and explain why you would be a great fit.
- After the interview, thank them by sending an email or a short thank you note. In the note you can reiterate your interest and qualifications. Send the thank you within 24 – 48 hours.
