Interviews

How To Land Your Dream Job

Before:

• Research (company, news, what it does) culture and position responsibilities

• Practice with a mock interview

• Show up at least 15 minutes early

• Bring a copy of your resume/portfolio

• Wear appropriate attire

• “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have”

The Interview!

• Make eye contact and have good posture

• Take deep breaths and think about your answer before speaking

• Try your best to make the interview into a conversation

• Be prepared to clearly state how your experience matches with each of the job requirements

• Give specific examples!

Common Questions:

• Describe yourself.

• What are your strengths?

• What are your weaknesses?

• Do you work well under pressure?

• Why should we hire you?

• Why are you qualified for this position?

Common Mistakes

• Focusing on negative things

• Spin everything that you can into a positive, don’t bad mouth your last job

• Appearing uninterested

• Don’t touch your phone, get plenty of sleep the night before

• Don’t bring up salary or compensation

• Saying “I don’t know”

• Always ask for clarification or take time to consider before replying that you don’t know and then tell them how you would find the answer

Additional Hurdles

• Come with a list of questions to ask:• What are the most challenging & rewarding parts of this position?

• Can you describe a typical day in this position?

• Could you describe the company environment and culture?

• Differentiate yourself!

• Be prepared to demonstrate your skills

• Provide references if asked

After:

• Ask for their business card

• Leave behind any materials that you brought: resume, portfolio, writing samples

• Send a hand-written thank you note

• Follow up with a phone call

Good Luck!