Making a Good First Impression
“What should I do to impress the interviewer?”
This is usually the first question that comes to a candidate’s mind before an
interview. Your CV has already impressed the company and the following is a
guideline to help you to prepare for the interview.
Preparation before the interview
Research the company and industry background:
- Key people in the organization
- Major products or services
- Size in terms of sales and employees
- Locations other than your community
- Organization of the company including the corporate mission or vision statement
- Major competitors
- Latest news reports on the company
Determine the company’s address and the transportation information.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early. In hot weather, allow time to cool off
and relax (if possible!) before the interview.
Use the internet to search for the latest market news and trends.Review campus recruitment presentations done by the company. If possible, talk to people who have first-hand experience in this role.
Bring another copy of your resume with a list of your references and any samples of your work. These should be in a neat folder or portfolio with a pad of paper and a nice pen (should you need to take any notes).
Dress conservatively and pay attention to your grooming.
Be prepared to introduce yourself. Think about how to precisely answer if asked some typical interview questions such as:
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your strongest (weakest) personal qualities?
- Why did you choose your major?
- What are some of your activities and interests outside work and school?
- Why did you elect to interview with us?
- What are your long-term goals?
Be ready to ask the interview some questions. Examples can be found
in the section, “At the end of the interview”.
And right before the interview
Turn off your phone. Never answer your phone during an interview.
During the interview
- Give a warm greeting to the interviewer, with a firm handshake and good eye contact.
- Don’t interrupt when the interviewer is speaking. When asked a question, it is fine to pause and think about an answer.
- Don’t be afraid to show your personality and passion for the potential job.
Answering questions – The Dialogue
Make sure your answers are focused
Present yourself as a candidate with a good combination of technical
skills and competencies that will add value to the company.
Some interviews will try to understand your skill set and experience by
asking questions that require you to describe a situation. The question
might be “Tell me about a challenge you overcame during the last year
at work or in school.”
You may want to compose your answer using the STAR methodology.
- Situation, background information about the challenge (What triggered the situation?)
- Task, the mission that you had to work on and the position you were in
- Action, how you handled this task and actions you took to solve any problem arose
- Result of the action you took, any improvement needed? What you have learned from this experience
Finally, using the right tone and attitude for the interview plays a
crucial role for the success of your interview. Stay positive and
enthusiastic, and maintain a balance between confidence and modesty.
At the end of the interview
You may be offered the opportunity to ask questions that will give you
better understanding of the company. From the list below there may
be some questions that would be appropriate for you, the candidate,
to ask at an interview.
- Would you describe your own concept of the ideal employee?
- What specific qualifications are you looking for in filling this position?
- What are some of the more demanding aspects of doing this job well?
- Management philosophy. How much supervision would I receive if hired for this position?
- Internal structure of the company or teams
- Career path of the role
- The interviewer’s perspective on major challenges in the role
- What does the interviewer’s perspective on major challenges in the role
- What does the interviewer like best about the company
- Are there any additional educational programmes to prepare me to assume additional responsibilities?
- Ask for potential next step and follow up.
- Make sure to thank the interviewer for his/her time.
After the interview
Send a brief thank you letter via email within 24 hours
We wish you all the best in your career!