You have a job interview! How exciting for you! But that also sucks for you because job interviews can be horrifying and terrible and awkward and unpleasant and nerve-racking and embarrassing and THE WORST. But mostly they are really exciting and everything is going to be ok I think.
I had an interview today and it reminded me how much I hate interviewing because they make me act like an awkward fool, but I have had enough to be somewhat of an expert* on what helps make an interview a memorable one.
*not even a little bit of an expert about anything
The standard interview tips: prepare, research the company, dress well, etc. are all still in play, but I like to do a few other things to make myself really stand out. Here are 5 new ways to kill it at a job interview:
I had an interview today and it reminded me how much I hate interviewing because they make me act like an awkward fool, but I have had enough to be somewhat of an expert* on what helps make an interview a memorable one.
*not even a little bit of an expert about anything
The standard interview tips: prepare, research the company, dress well, etc. are all still in play, but I like to do a few other things to make myself really stand out. Here are 5 new ways to kill it at a job interview:
1. Listen to the 8 Mile Soundtrack On Your Way There
Because you only have one shot. One opportunity to seize everything you've ever wanted. One moment. Will you capture it? Or will you let it slip?
Your palms are sweaty. Knees weak, arms spaghetti. There's spaghetti on your sweater already. Mom's spaghetti. You're nervous but on the surface you look calm spaghetti.
ARE YOU FEELING PUMPED YET???
Your palms are sweaty. Knees weak, arms spaghetti. There's spaghetti on your sweater already. Mom's spaghetti. You're nervous but on the surface you look calm spaghetti.
ARE YOU FEELING PUMPED YET???
2. Bring Up Beyonce Whenever You Can
The best thing to do in an interview to ease your anxiety is to find common ground. There is one surefire way to do this: mention Beyonce.
Example:
Interviewer: So what are you planning to do after you graduate?
You: Go on tour with Beyonce, probably.
This will get a laugh, which is good. Also, everyone loves Beyonce in a very passionate way. They will be more than happy to talk to you about Beyonce for 30+ minutes. Now you're already best friends based on this one simple common love.
Example:
Interviewer: So what are you planning to do after you graduate?
You: Go on tour with Beyonce, probably.
This will get a laugh, which is good. Also, everyone loves Beyonce in a very passionate way. They will be more than happy to talk to you about Beyonce for 30+ minutes. Now you're already best friends based on this one simple common love.
3. DON'T Be Yourself
If you go into an interview as a lazy, Netflix-watching, sweatpant-wearing college student, you will not get hired. So you have to be yourself in a way, but you also have to be better than yourself.
Be the person your parents think you are. That'll get you hired.
Be the person your parents think you are. That'll get you hired.
4. Don't Forget Who You Are
The guaranteed first thing an interviewer is going to say to you is "So tell me about yourself."
And then you'll be like ".................... I'm [insert name here]" *awkward pause* *awkward pause* "I...uhh...like Beyonce?"
The only way to not answer this awkwardly is to think about it ahead of time. Think of all the interesting things about you and condense it all into a few sentences that describe you. These are the first words they are going to hear from you, so make them count.
If you don't think about it ahead of time, you will freeze up and forget who you are and everything you've ever done.
And then you'll be like ".................... I'm [insert name here]" *awkward pause* *awkward pause* "I...uhh...like Beyonce?"
The only way to not answer this awkwardly is to think about it ahead of time. Think of all the interesting things about you and condense it all into a few sentences that describe you. These are the first words they are going to hear from you, so make them count.
If you don't think about it ahead of time, you will freeze up and forget who you are and everything you've ever done.
5. Have Questions for Them
Interviewers ALWAYS end the interview by asking if you have any questions for them. You don't want to be the person that's like ".......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................[giggles shyly] .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................nope I think you answered everything!"
It is good to have questions about the job duties ready, but usually they give you a run down of all that during the interview, so you should have other questions ready too.
Examples:
"Was my handshake firm enough?"
"Want to be my best friend?"
"Where were you when 9/11 happened?"
"Can I get a water?"
It is good to have questions about the job duties ready, but usually they give you a run down of all that during the interview, so you should have other questions ready too.
Examples:
"Was my handshake firm enough?"
"Want to be my best friend?"
"Where were you when 9/11 happened?"
"Can I get a water?"