2021 HBCU Careers Magazine

HBCU Careers Magazine

Nailing the Interview By Sean Lynott, MBA, CDR

You’re only a few weeks away from wrapping up your degree, congrats! Maybe you’ve already finished school, equally impressive. You might be asking yourself, what now? How do I land that all important first job? While there are many important factors to consider, I’m going to focus on one critical piece today: the interview. We’re going to look at how to prepare, types of interviews, and what to do after interviewing

Preparation The best way to prepare for any interview is to do your homework. Research the company (when was it founded, who is the CEO, what are their values, etc.). Mock interview: leverage your career services team, a trusted friend, or a family member. Have them ask you questions and then critique your answers. The important thing is to not take any criticism personally and be open to feedback. Types of Interviews There are threemain types of interviews employers like to use: phone, video, and in-person. The important thing is to treat all of these interviews the same. It may sound silly but dress up for your interviews. This puts you in the right frame of mind and helps in regard to the approach. Research the company to get a feel for what the dress code is like and try to match it. If you’re not sure, ask the recruiter or person you’ve been speaking with at the organization. Phone: find a quiet place and make sure that you’re not distracted. Smile when you talk, interviewers can tell! Remember to breath and take your time answering questions. It’s alright to pause while you think of a response. It’s also alright to ask clarifying questions if you’re not sure what they’re asking. Even if you don’t know the answer, try to flip it around. “I’m not super familiar with that, but this is how I would approach it.” Video: This is relatively new, but more employers are utilizing this approach. Similar to the phone interview, make sure that you’re in a quiet area and not bothered by anything. Many of these systems let candidates use mobile devices or laptops. You’ll want to make sure the lighting is good and that your camera isn’t moving around too much. Make good eye contact but don’t stare at the camera. Depending on the employer you’ll either answer pre-recorded questions or interact with the interviewer via Zoom (or similar).

In-person: Still the standard for most employers. Make sure that you know where the location is and arrive early. If you can, scout out the location the day before so that you know exactly where you’re going. If you get there super early wait outside until 15 minutes before. Employers are not fans of candidates

64