Best Practices for Interview Day

by , Feb 18, 2011

During the Interview

If you've done all your preparation, then the interview itself should run smoothly and flawlessly, right? Well, hopefully, but not necessarily. Interviewers are talented when it comes to throwing in a curve ball, asking you a question you simply are not prepared to answer. Also, the pressure of the big event can cause even the coolest of cucumbers to slip up, get tongue tied, and say something they will regret later.

Remember the following to ace your interview:

1. Use stories and specifics. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you'll have to come up with answers that distinguish you from the thousands of other interviewees competing for that single slot. Try and steer clear of generic answers in favor of more memorable ones. For example, compare "I like to think of myself as the type of person who unites different types of people from different backgrounds to execute a common goal. I do this by reminding everyone of our shared interests, despite our different backgrounds to "In my job as volunteer coordinator for Meals on Wheels, I created effective sub-committees for our major fundraiser by identifying each members interests and skills and matching these to the committees. Then, at weekly meetings, I kept us on track by checking in with each group and reminding everyone of our fundraising goals. The effort paid off: our fundraiser raised 25% more than we ever had. Same ideas, much more specific and memorable.

2. Don't rush. Your speed is not what's getting evaluated here. If you get a particularly difficult question that you haven't prepared for, don't just say something off the top of your head; instead, take a moment to think about the best answer possible. If you're really stumped, it's okay to say something like, "That's an interesting question. Let me think for a minute." The well-thought-out answer will generally impress more than the hasty one.

3. Be succinct. You don't want to bore your interviewer by droning on and on after the simplest of questions. Your answers should be focused, use specific examples, and be somewhat structured. Keep in mind the Challenge-Action-Results structure as you respond. Dont ramble on. If they want more information, they'll ask for it.

After the Interview

Phew! You finally made it. The big day has come and gone and there's nothing you can do but twiddle your thumbs nervously and wait, right? Wrong! Here are two post-interview tips to keep in mind:

1. Don't forget your manners. It's never too late to make a good impression, which is why you should send your interviewers a quick follow-up email thanking them for their time, pointing out one thing you learned, and noting that your interest in the program is even stronger now and that you look forward to hearing from them. Short and sweet.

2. Don't look back. In retrospect you'll most likely think of questions you could have answered better or information you wish you had shared. Dont sweat it. While you should take note of what you wish youd done better, so you can apply it to future interviews, now is not the time to obsess over "wouldas", "couldas", and "shouldas". At a certain point, you just need to accept the course of history and relax.

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