We all know that no matter what age you are, you’re going to have to interview for something at some point. You’re going to have to answer the dreaded questions of, “Why should we choose you?” and “Tell us about yourself.” You’re always told to just “be yourself” and “be confident” but there’s so much more to interviews than that. I can’t say that I’m a pro, but after interviewing what seemed like a million times my senior year for the Lilly scholarship and Coca-Cola scholarship, I have a few valuable tips to give.
- Don’t Rephrase the Question
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Do not rephrase the question first thing in your answer. That’s what everyone does and with interview after interview, you’ll just blend in with the crowd. Start your answer like an essay with some attention grabber. For example, if the question is, “What problem do you see that faces society today?” you could start your answer by saying, “Narrow mindedness plagues our communities…” You don’t want to blend in with everyone else. Find a way to express yourself differently.
- If You Are Stuck, Ask For a Second to Think
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If you’re asked a tough question, ask for a second to think. When interviewers ask an off-the-wall questions, they’re not as concerned with your actual answer as they are the way you articulate your thoughts. Say, “That’s a very interesting question, can I think about that for a moment?” before you start answering if you don’t know what to say. Don’t take an abnormally long silence, but give yourself enough time to try to organize your thoughts.
- Prepare Answers Before Hand
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Prepare a guideline for answers to common questions. You’re always asked “tell us about yourself” and “why do you deserve this?” so just take the time to articulate a response so that those questions don’t throw you around. For the question about yourself, try to categorize three parts of your life you want to discuss. If you discuss the activities you’re involved in, do not list them. Rather, categorize them into groups based on their purpose. Put Key Club under volunteering activities and discuss why volunteering is important to you.
- Prepare A Question to Ask the Interviewer
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Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. The last thing every interviewer will do is ask if you have any questions.You need to have a question. It lets them know you’ve done your research. Ask how the position or scholarship has affected their lives or ask about the vision the company has for the future. Dig for some information that not every person knows.
- Don’t Hesitate to Ask If You Can Add to An Answer
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If you forget to say something, don’t hesitate to ask if you can add to your answer. In my Lilly interview, I totally forgot to talk about two really important projects, so I asked if I could go back and add to the question about if I had anything else to say. Most interviewers genuinely want to know more about you, so they’re not going to turn down an opportunity to hear more. The nerves are high in interviews, and the interviewers know that.
- Always Send a Thank You Card
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Always send a thank-you card. Whether or not you get the position or the scholarship, thank-you cards are essential. Take one with you to give to the interviewer afterwards or send one the next day. Gratitude shows and handwritten thank-you cards send a tremendously important message.