By Christopher Varano, Peer Career Consultant

Mindset
Reframe the interview as a conversation, rather than an interrogation. This will allow one to be more confident in communicating to the interviewer why they are the best candidate.

Preparation
Prepare for an interview. This will vary depending on the position and organization. There are common question types and strategies that most candidates can follow.

Direct Questions: Interviewers want to learn about the candidate. Therefore, it is important to review…

• All experiences and accomplishments
• Resume content in relation to the position description and company
• Your potential contributions to the company

Behavioral Questions: These questions are designed to find out who you are in a work context:

• “Tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership skills.”
• “Describe a situation where you had to make an unpopular decision.”
• “Talk a little bit about a time when you collaborated with a team to overcome a challenge.”

Case Studies: These types of interviews involve an organizational or client problem that the interviewee will analyze and provide their best advice to solve the problem.

Practice
Now, it’s time to begin drafting your answers to potential questions. A general rule of thumb is to frame your answer so that there is a clear introduction, body, and conclusion to your response. Once you have formulated your responses, practice speaking your answers out loud in a clear and confident voice.

Takeaways
Interviewing should be fun! It is a conversation between two or more people who do not know each other…yet. Enjoy talking about your accomplishments and experiences. You deserve to shine. Visit the Big Interview site for more guidance and visit Handshake to schedule a counseling session with the Career Center team.