Tips for a Successful Interview
Interviewing is one of the scariest, yet totally inevitable, processes that every Newhouse student will have to endure at one point or another. Let’s be honest — most people are super terrified of the dreaded interview. However, there are some tips that ease the stress of that one-on-one conversation.
1. Stop going in with a plan. Go in with the intention of building a relationship.
One of the biggest reasons people hit a wall during interviews is because they go in with a plan. They try to plan out what they’re going to say and when and how they’re going to say it, and honestly, this can make you look and sound like a robot. Instead of doing this, go in with the intention of having a regular conversation. An interview should be less like a standardized test and more of a social interaction. Of course, it is important to be prepared and do research about the company or person you’re interviewing with, but let the conversation happen naturally. Trust me, employers can tell when it isn’t.
2. Learn the Art of Pivoting.
It is easy to go into an interview and talk all about yourself the entire time. As much as the interviewer is interested in your answers and what you have to say, they don’t want to hear you praise yourself for the entire hour. When answering questions try to talk about yourself and pivot. Pivoting is the act of answering a question about yourself that your interviewer has given you, but also adding something about the company or why you want to work for the company to your answer. For example, if the interviewer asks you what your dream job is, you can answer and say “I’d really like to be a development executive one day, but right now I’m really focused on having the opportunity to work at this company because…..”
3. Be Yourself.
This is probably the most important tip I can give. Of course we all want to shape ourselves into the ideal candidate that an employer looking for, but sometimes by doing this, we lose the unique, important characteristics that make us stand out. Don’t try to turn yourself into what you think the interviewer wants to see. Be yourself and give what you have to offer. Sometimes, it’s the little things about ourselves that about that resonate with other people. I heard a story about a girl who was very bubbly and smiling throughout her interview, and that was the reason she got hired. In other words, you never know what being yourself will bring to the table.
I hope these tips help you and point in the direction of a successful interview! Stay calm, be prepared and be yourself, and you’ll be on your way to your dream job.
-Kayla Skipper is a graduate student studying television, radio and film
