How to Ace an Interview: 5 Tips from a Harvard Career Advisor
Summary
TLDRThis video script offers comprehensive advice for interview preparation, emphasizing the importance of researching oneself, the position, the employer, and the industry. It suggests using the 'Show and Tell' method to convey personal experiences effectively. The script also provides tips for in-person and remote interviews, including making a strong first impression, being prepared for different interview types, and ensuring good communication. Finally, it advises on post-interview etiquette, such as sending a timely thank-you note to reiterate interest and qualifications.
Takeaways
- 🔍 Research yourself: Understand your qualifications and how you can meet the employer's needs.
- 📘 Research the position: Gain a clear understanding of the role's responsibilities and requirements.
- 🏢 Research the employer: Learn about the company's history, products, services, and competitors.
- 📖 Prepare stories: Use the 'Show and Tell' method to demonstrate your skills with relevant anecdotes.
- 🗣️ Practice responses: Rehearse answers to common interview questions in front of a mirror or with a career counselor.
- ⏰ Arrive early: Plan to be in the vicinity 30 minutes before and announce your arrival 10-15 minutes before the interview.
- 👀 First impressions: Make a positive impact with good eye contact, a firm handshake, and a confident demeanor.
- 🤝 Be authentic: Display genuine enthusiasm and energy, adjusting your natural demeanor to fit the interview context.
- 📞 Prepare for different interview types: Understand the differences between behavioral, technical, and case interviews.
- 📱 Telephone and Skype interviews: Ensure a quiet environment, charged devices, and proper lighting for video calls.
- 🔗 Establish next steps: Inquire about the follow-up process if not provided by the interviewer.
- 💌 Send a thank-you: Express gratitude and reiterate your interest within 24-48 hours post-interview.
Q & A
What are the three main areas one should research before an interview?
-The three main areas to research before an interview are: 1) Yourself, including a summary of your qualifications and how you can meet the employer's needs. 2) The position, to understand what the role entails and how you fit the requirements. 3) The employer, including information about the company's history, products, services, and competitors.
What is the 'Show and Tell' method mentioned in the script?
-The 'Show and Tell' method refers to preparing a series of short, relevant stories about yourself that demonstrate your skills and experiences, rather than just stating them. These stories should have a clear beginning, middle, and end to effectively illustrate your capabilities.
Why is practicing interview responses important?
-Practicing interview responses is important to ensure that you can articulate your thoughts and qualifications confidently and naturally. It helps you avoid sounding scripted and allows you to become comfortable with discussing your experiences and skills.
What is the recommended arrival time for an interview?
-It is recommended to arrive 30 minutes early in the vicinity of the interview location and about 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled time to announce yourself in the reception area.
How long does it take to form a first impression during an interview?
-Studies suggest that it takes about seven seconds to form a first impression during an interview.
What are the three types of interviews discussed in the script?
-The three types of interviews discussed are behavioral interviews, technical interviews, and case interviews.
What are some tips for a successful telephone interview?
-For a telephone interview, ensure you have a charged device, a quiet environment, and clear articulation. It's also important to pace yourself and maintain a professional tone throughout the call.
How should one prepare for a Skype interview?
-For a Skype interview, test your equipment, ensure you are well-dressed and visible on camera, and be mindful of your background. Look at the camera to maintain eye contact and ensure good lighting.
What should you do after an interview to show your continued interest?
-After an interview, it's recommended to send a thank-you note within 24 to 48 hours. This note should thank the interviewer for their time and reiterate your interest in the position and your qualifications.
Why is it important to ask about the next steps during an interview?
-Asking about the next steps in the interview process shows your proactive nature and genuine interest in the position. It also helps you understand the timeline and what to expect moving forward.
How can one demonstrate authenticity and positivity during an interview?
-To demonstrate authenticity and positivity during an interview, maintain good eye contact, offer a firm handshake, and exhibit a positive and confident demeanor. Be genuine in your responses and adjust your energy level to be slightly more upbeat than usual.
Outlines
📚 Interview Preparation Strategies
This paragraph emphasizes the importance of thorough research before an interview. It outlines three key areas to focus on: understanding oneself and one's qualifications, gaining clarity about the position, and researching the employer. It also suggests preparing short stories to demonstrate skills and experiences, practicing responses to common questions, and the importance of first impressions. Additionally, it advises arriving early, maintaining positive body language, and being prepared for different types of interviews, including behavioral, technical, and case interviews. It also covers the specifics of telephone and Skype interviews, including preparation tips and the importance of eye contact and background.
💌 Post-Interview Follow-Up
This paragraph focuses on the importance of sending a thank-you note within 24 to 48 hours after the interview. It highlights the need to express gratitude for the interviewer's time and to reiterate one's interest in the position and qualifications. The summary suggests that this follow-up can help leave a lasting positive impression and potentially influence the hiring decision.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Interview Preparation
💡Relevant Qualifications
💡Show and Tell Method
💡Mock Interview
💡First Impressions
💡Behavioral Interview
💡Technical Interview
💡Case Interview
💡Telephone Interview
💡Skype Interview
💡Thank-You Note
Highlights
Research yourself by summarizing your qualifications and how you can meet the employer's needs.
Understand the position by knowing what an XYZ does and how it meets the needs of the role.
Research the employer including the CEO, history, products, services, and competitors.
Prepare a series of short, relevant stories about yourself using the Show and Tell method.
Practice responses to common interview questions in front of a mirror to be conversational.
Set up a mock interview with a professional career counselor for practice.
Arrive 30 minutes early to the interview location and announce yourself 10-15 minutes before.
Make a good first impression with eye contact, a strong handshake, and a positive attitude.
Be authentic and genuine, but also energetic and slightly more 'on' than usual.
Prepare for behavioral interviews with questions starting with 'tell me about a time when...'
Be ready for technical interviews, especially if applying for software engineering roles.
Consulting firm interviews may involve case interviews, so practice case questions.
For telephone interviews, use a landline if possible and ensure you're in a quiet environment.
In a Skype interview, test your equipment, wear appropriate clothing, and be mindful of your background.
During a Skype interview, look at the camera to maintain eye contact.
Establish next steps and ask about them if the employer does not provide this information.
Have a closing statement to express your interest and suitability for the position.
Send a thank-you email within 24 to 48 hours after the interview.
In your thank-you note, reiterate your interest and qualifications for the role.
Transcripts
in order to prepare for an interview
it's important to research in three
areas first area that you want to
research is you you want to research
yourself basically a summary of your
qualifications your relevant
qualifications you want to ask yourself
how you can meet the employers needs
what you bring to the table and how you
can add value then you also want to make
sure that you research the position you
want to have a clear understanding of
what an XYZ does okay again meeting the
needs of the position you also want to
research the employer so they may say
why do you want to work for us what do
you know about us so who's the CEO
history products services competitors
etc and then finally I would say that
you want to research the industry as
well so you the position the
organization and the industry you want
to make sure that you've prepared a
series of short relevant stories okay
about yourself it's something called the
Show and Tell method so you don't just
want to say like these are my skills you
want to be able to demonstrate to have
short relevant stories that have a
beginning a middle and an end I would
recommend that you practice at the very
least lock yourself in a room with a
mirror and practice responses to
commonly asked questions you don't want
to script it you're not an actress you
want it to be conversational but you
want to hear yourself say these
responses out loud and if possible I
would recommend that you set up a mock
interview with a professional career
counselor you want to make sure that you
arrive on time I generally say arrive 30
minutes in the vicinity but about 10 to
15 minutes to announce yourself in the
reception area then once you meet your
interviewer first impressions matter and
studies say it takes about seven seconds
a prospective employer is immediately
sizing you up he or she is deciding do
they like you are you intelligent are
you kind okay you want to have good eye
contact you want to have a nice strong
handshake and
basically want to be positive confident
and upbeat so watch your energy level
you want to be authentic and genuine but
most people need to turn up the volume
slightly there are basically three types
of interviews some common interviews are
now behavioral interviews they begin
with questions like tell me about a time
when tell me about a time when you were
in a team and things went really well or
things didn't go so well you might have
a technical interview this might be
perhaps you're going for a software
engineering position you might walk into
the interview and they say don't sit
down and they direct you to a whiteboard
give you a marker and they want you to
solve some algorithms perhaps you will
have a case interview if you're
interviewing with consulting firms so
you want to be well-prepared for those
in terms of practicing case questions
telephone and Skype interviews are
becoming more and more common
particularly for initial interviews with
a telephone interview if you can get a
landline that's best if not make sure
everything is charged up you also want
to make sure that you're in a quiet
environment and that no one is going to
disturb you so the advantage is you
don't have to worry about what you're
wearing or what you look like and you
can have lots of notes but you want to
be organized you want to make sure that
you pace yourself the tone your
articulation that the energy comes forth
within the telephone call with a Skype
interview again you want to test your
equipment make sure everything is
working properly you need to think about
what you're wearing because you're going
to be on camera have something colorful
watch the whites the blacks the patterns
etc watch the lighting in terms of like
a fluorescent lighting with a Skype
interview and even though it might be
your natural inclination to look at the
screen it's important to look at the
camera that's how you'll be making eye
contact and then finally with a Skype
interview I would watch your background
be very much aware of your background so
at the end of the interview I would
recommend that you establish next step
some employers will tell you what the
next steps are but it
they don't it's perfectly fine to ask
what are the next steps I would also
recommend that you have a closing
statement at the end of the interview to
let the interviewer know that you're
very interested in the position and why
you would be a great fit and match then
in terms of once the interview is over
of course you want to send some type of
thank-you it's probably going to be an
email but depending upon your audience
could be a short thank-you note in your
thank-you you want to make sure of
course that you thank the interviewer
for their time but also it's an
opportunity to reiterate your interest
and your qualifications and I recommend
that you send the thank you within 24 to
48 hours
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