How to Ace an Interview: 5 Tips from a Harvard Career Advisor

Summary

This 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

00:00

📚 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.

05:01

💌 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.

Keywords

💡Interview Preparation

Interview preparation refers to the process of researching and practicing to perform well in a job interview. It is central to the video's theme as it lays the groundwork for a successful interview experience. The script emphasizes researching oneself, the position, and the employer to demonstrate how one can meet the employer's needs and add value.

💡Relevant Qualifications

Relevant qualifications are the skills, experiences, and education that make a candidate suitable for a particular job. In the context of the video, understanding and articulating one's relevant qualifications is crucial for showcasing how one can fulfill the role's requirements and contribute to the company's success.

💡Show and Tell Method

The Show and Tell method is a technique where candidates use short, relevant stories to illustrate their skills and experiences during an interview. The video suggests using this method to demonstrate capabilities rather than merely stating them, making the candidate's qualifications more tangible and memorable to the interviewer.

💡Mock Interview

A mock interview is a practice session that simulates a real interview, often conducted with a career counselor or mentor. The video recommends setting up a mock interview to gain experience and improve interview skills, which can lead to increased confidence and better performance in actual interviews.

💡First Impressions

First impressions are the initial judgments formed within seconds of meeting someone, which can significantly impact the interviewer's perception of a candidate. The video highlights the importance of making a positive first impression through appearance, body language, and demeanor.

💡Behavioral Interview

A behavioral interview is a type of interview that focuses on past behaviors as indicators of future performance. The video mentions that such interviews often begin with questions like 'Tell me about a time when...' to assess how candidates handle various situations.

💡Technical Interview

A technical interview assesses a candidate's technical skills and knowledge relevant to the job. The video gives an example of a software engineering position where candidates might be asked to solve algorithms on a whiteboard, demonstrating their technical proficiency.

💡Case Interview

A case interview is a method used by consulting firms to evaluate a candidate's problem-solving and analytical skills. The video suggests that candidates should practice case questions to be well-prepared for this type of interview, which often involves analyzing a business scenario and proposing solutions.

💡Telephone Interview

A telephone interview is a preliminary interview conducted over the phone to screen candidates. The video advises ensuring a quiet environment and being prepared with notes, while also emphasizing the importance of pacing, tone, and energy in verbal communication.

💡Skype Interview

A Skype interview is a video interview conducted over the internet, allowing for face-to-face interaction without the need for physical presence. The video provides tips for Skype interviews, such as testing equipment, dressing appropriately, and maintaining good eye contact by looking at the camera.

💡Thank-You Note

A thank-you note is a message sent to an interviewer after an interview to express gratitude for the opportunity and to reiterate interest in the position. The video recommends sending a thank-you note within 24 to 48 hours to leave a positive lasting impression and reinforce the candidate's qualifications.

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