Five Ways to Survive your First Interview

One of the most daunting tasks when looking for a job is preparing for an interview. When you’ve been to a lot of interviews it’s still stressful but, for the most part, one knows what to expect. Hiring managers aren’t there to scare you – they just need to know if you’re the best fit for the job.

After being on many interviews and reading many advice articles, I have developed some advice for you novices out there. Each interview is an experience. If you have difficulty at your first (or tenth!) interview, don’t panic. Most colleges do an inadequate job of preparing students for real-life interview situations. Mock interviews are great, but you may already know the interviewers or you might be asked standard questions that are unrelated to your industry. Don’t get me wrong, any preparation for an interview is great. However, you need to keep in mind that actual interviews can often be different from what you expect.

First, expect to have some hard questions that you won’t be able to answer right away. Remember, it’s acceptable (and quite normal) to think about your answers.  If you have an answer to everything as soon as you are asked a question, it often appears that your answers are prepared and that you haven’t put much thought into them during the questioning.

Secondly, when asked why you’re a good fit for a company, have a logical answer. For example, if the company is small and specializes in niche marketing and you had an internship that was similar, express how you truly enjoyed your previous experience and give a specific reason as to why. If you have not worked at a similar company, express how you are excited about a new experience.

My third tip is for people who grow nervous in pressure-filled situations. Even if you’re usually calm and collected, this is helpful for many people. If you’re going to an interview where you need to bring a portfolio or body of work, offer it up as a talking point. You should be an expert in the contents of your portfolio, so if your interviewer wants to question you on aspects of it you will feel at ease. If nobody takes the time to look at it, don’t be offended. Many times people don’t have time for this step during an interview.

Next, if you have a poor memory or get nervous, write down a few questions you have for your potential employer as well as some key words about yourself. (I still do this and I’ve been out of college seven years). For example, I usually write a few adjectives of my strengths and weaknesses, as well as past successes I’ve had. This is a great trick for those whose memories tend to lapse.

Lastly, learn how to handle ‘situation-based’ questions. Many times we prepare for things in generalities. The questions asked of you may be more general in scope but I’ve often encountered interviewers who give me a specific scenario. They then want to know how I would best handle the situation. If you’ve had no experience with the scenario, it will be glaringly obvious. You can decide to say, “If I was ever in that situation, I would…” The situations might have to do with deadlines, goals, or conflict. Be prepared.

What did you learn from your first interview? Let me know!

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