During the winter of my senior year in high school, I received emails from very reputable schools asking for an interview. I was understandably nervous and was not sure how to approach the interview. I spent several weeks watching YouTube videos about how to perform an interview, and what to say. It is very important, in my opinion, to spend a lot of time researching specific details about the college in order to stand out from other interviewees. Additionally, this is a great way to see if you will be a match for the school and you could discuss these points during the interview. I wish I had spent some more time researching these details, but in the end the interviews went well. I also wish I did not stress as much over these interviews. Once they are over, you will see that it is just a laid-back way for the schools to learn more about certain applicants—but still be professional (just don’t stress too much). Overall, I found that the interview is a great way to showcase your personality and life outside of the classroom to colleges. This blog post is meant to provide an outline of the essential steps to take before, during, and after your interview. The tips I have compiled below is what I followed during this process, so hopefully it helps you too. Good luck!
How to prepare for interviews By Tzu-Yuan Hsu
I used to stress a lot about interviews since coming from Asia, English is not my first language. While I wanted to show my strength as a competent applicant instead of my weakness, having a perfectionist mentality always made me anxious. I’d spend a long time rehearsing possible prompts with my friends just to ace the interview. However, these repetitive practices only made me even more anxious during the actual interview, afraid that I would not recite all the ideas I thought of in the preparation stage. What I feared the most finally happened one day. I had a stress disorder due to anxiety and even forgot my mentors’ names in one of my medical club interview, which ultimately cost me the position. It was truly devastating for me then, but it helped me realize that a prepared script is unnecessary for an interview. What matters the most is confidence. There is no need to exaggerate or be shy; the key is to stay true to your character. Since then, I treat all the interviews like a day-to-day conversation with my friends, making the process less tedious but more fruitful. Here, I would like to end my personal experience with a token of wisdom: There is no need to stress about an interview because every single experience is just another lesson to learn and improve.
Common Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself.
What makes you stand out from the rest of the applicants?
Why are you interested in our program or club?
What can I tell you about our program?
What will you contribute to our program?
Tell me about a challenge that you overcame.
What can our program offer you that another program can't?
Tell me about your community service. (This is usually for medical clubs)
What do you do for fun in your free time?
What suggestions do you have for our club after browsing through the websites?Prepare answers for common interview questions. While you shouldn’t have a “script,” you should have a good idea about how you are going to answer certain questions and what you want to say. Practice verbally answering questions out loud to give yourself an idea of how your responses sound.
Tips and tricks that will help you nail the interviews
I would recommend arriving 15 minutes early in case you are unfamiliar with places. Interviews could be stressful, so you definitely do not want to let any external factors to influence your mental state.
Follow the dress code if it is specified in the e-mail. If not, please do wear semi-formal attire or formal business attire.
Never hesitate to contact the interviewers through email if you have any questions. It would save you a lot of time, and it could never go wrong.
Make sure you are familiar with the program or club you are applying for to tie your response to the program’s main interest. Add on to the club’s preexisting events and perhaps elaborate on it: how you could contribute to that specific event.
Do your background research! You should spend a significant amount of time learning about what you are applying for. Prepare a few questions to ask at the end of the interview. Make sure the answers to your questions can’t be found on their website.
Good question: What does a typical day look like for you in this program?
Bad question: What is the mission of your program? (you should know this!)
Always bring a copy of your CV with you, even if the interviewers do not require that. Although it is not recommended to read out from your CV, it might come in handy if the interviewers want to know more about the extracurricular or past experiences mentioned in it.
Silence is okay! Do not feel pressured to answer questions right away. Take a moment to think rather than blurt out the first thing on your mind. Interviewers have told me that brief silences show them you are actually thinking about the question, and not just reciting something you memorized beforehand.
Do not burst out an answer without thinking! Think before you act as it helps you organize your idea and presents your thoughts in a more logical manner. Pondering is totally allowed as long as you do not act nervous and stutter.
Sit straight and look into the eyes of the interviewers. It is perfectly acceptable to have a certain amount of hand gestures to enrich your statement, but do not overdo it.
Send a thank-you email to the interviewer a few hours after the interview and mention a few things discussed in the interview that truly enlightens you. This gives the interviewer a good impression of you.
Send an email to the interviewer after the interview results come out. Regardless of their decision, be thankful to the interviewers or ask them how you can improve if it turns out you’re rejected.
If you get rejected, look for ways to improve yourself so that you can be a stronger applicant next time around.
Interviews Infographic By Anita
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A guide to informational interviews By Cathy
An informational interview is a great opportunity to learn about various careers and industries first-hand from professionals. These interviews can help you make decisions about your future career path. An informational interview is a brief (20-30 min) in-person, phone, or online meeting with someone who is in a career or industry that you are interested in pursuing. It gives you a chance to gain knowledge, first-hand information, and advice that are specific to your interests and circumstances. Although it may seem intimidating, professionals are often very willing to help students with career development.
1. How to find someone to speak to? Brainstorm what occupations or majors you would like to know more about and start asking people you already know for referrals: family, friends, teachers, etc. You can also contact businesses and organizations that hire the types of professionals you wish to learn about. Another resource is online networking sites such as LinkedIn where you can directly message professionals.
2. What should I write in my request for an interview? Be sure to address the professional correctly. Introduce yourself and explain who you are which could include your education status and interests. You may also include how you learned about them and their work. Express why you are interested in speaking with them and what you are interested in learning about (career path, research, the industry, types of jobs, etc.). Conclude the email or request with your available times and your contact information. Lastly, thank the professional for their time and consideration.
3. How do I prepare for the interview? Research the career or industry you are interested in and learn as much as you can about them. Be prepared to dress professionally as you would for a job interview. You will give off a good impression and be taken more seriously. Next, formulate some questions you can ask the professional. Here are some possible questions you can ask:
How do you spend a typical workday/week? What tasks do you typically do?
Is this industry changing? How?
Can you describe your own career path?
Can you give me advice on how to break into this field?
Can you suggest anyone else I could ask for information?
You could end the interview by asking: “Is there anything else you want to highlight or you think is important for me to know?” Opportunities might arise from the meeting but refrain from asking for a job as the interview is for informational purposes.
4. What do I do after the interview? Always send a thank you to the people you interview. Sending a thank you gives the person a good lasting impression of you and may open the door to opportunities. Keep the thank you short and professional, but customize your email by including specific details from the conversation that have stuck with you. Make sure your email expresses your gratitude for their time and guidance. Do some self-reflection with the information you received from the professional. Is this career something you are interested in pursuing? What are some steps you have to take next in your career path? Possible majors, experiences, internships? What are some questions you still have and who can you ask? The most important part of this interview is to apply the received information and advice to your own life. Conducting an informational interview may seem daunting at first but please be encouraged by the fact that many professionals are eager to guide students through their career path. It is certainly worth the effort because you are able to gain knowledge about the field and establish a network of contacts you can later on utilize. You are not alone in your journey to discover your career path so please do not be afraid to ask for guidance.