Quick Recommendations for Interviewing Skills

In the past, through several extra-curricular activities I did in college, I received professional training to perfect my interviewing skills. Additionally, I had the privilege of being supervised by a Career and Employment Specialist whom I learned a lot from to the point where I trained others on their interviewing skills. 
 
Here is a quick read and some minor tips to help improve your interviewing skills and quality.

Interview setting and background: As a result of the pandemic, most interviews are now conducted via video or phone calls. At the start of the pandemic, I purchased two equipment pieces to help with the mechanical aspects – A light ring and a phone holder. I realized that I performed better at interviews where I felt my appearance was clear, and I didn’t have to worry about my phone slipping at some point or the weather changing the lightning. I also recommend sitting upright on a chair – not your sofa and having a good background like your curtains or a plain wall at least. Lastly, I sat in an area where family members won’t be of disturbance.
 
Read the job description aloud 10-minutes before the interview: Reading the job description aloud before the interviews allowed me to feel more confident approaching the interview. As a result, I could tailor my experiences to my responses during the interview.
 
Research the interviewer(s) before the interview: I learn about every interviewer before the interview, even if it was a group interview. I used LinkedIn and the company’s website to identify the following information:

• Their academic background – where they went and what they studied
• Their role and advancements within the organization
• Their past work experience relative to their current role at the organization
• With this research, I was able to develop interesting questions for the interviewers

 
Write questions you’ll ask the interviewer: Always have at least 3-5 questions to ask an interviewer at the end of your discussion. Here is my guide for curating the questions. Ask:

• A question about the interviewer’s academic history or work experience
• A question about their experience in the organization
• A question about the job position you are interviewing for
• A question about your interviewing skills and performance
• A question about the next steps or when to expect a response from them

 
How to answer your interview questions effectively: I have helped train many people, some of whom have been extremely nervous about their interviewing skills. Here are some tips I have found helpful in responding to interview questions and calming one’s self.
Except if a concise answer is required, aim to say at least 7 sentences when responding to a question. Sometimes, being nervous can make you limit your answers. However, if you keep in mind to say about 7-10 sentences to respond to a question, or even count your fingers underneath the table, it can help keep you calm. So, for example, if someone says, tell me about yourself, here are 7 prompt lines for your response:

• My name is…
• I have a degree in/I am currently studying and at…
• I pursued that degree because…
• I have x years of experience working in y…
• I am very passionate about…
• In my spare time, I enjoy doing…
• I am currently looking for work experience in x because of y…
• I am applying for this opportunity because…

 
If someone asks, what are your goals, here are some prompt lines for your response:

• I have divided my goals into three sections.
• My career goal is…
• I chose that career goal because…
• My academic goal is…
• What I have done so far to accomplish my academic goal is…
• My personal goal is to improve my skills such as…
• Working at your organization will help me accomplish these goals because… 

 
Pause if needed. When you are asked a question, if you need to take 10 seconds, say “hmm, let me think for a second” or take a sip of water to stalk briefly but not too long.
 
After the interview, what should you do? Always send a thank you email to your interviewer within 24hrs. In your email:

• Thank the interviewer for their time.
• Say something that interested you or excited you about the job which you/the interviewer spoke about during the interview.
• Say what you are curious to know more about or ask if there is any feedback about your performance they will love to provide.
• Say you hope to hear back from them soon.

 
I hope you find these tips useful.