Congratulations on making it to the next stage of the application process! Are you nervous? Excited? Both? I remember feeling a sense of adrenaline (and dread) when I read emails notifying me of interview details. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the roles I applied for, but it is the levels of vulnerability and uncertainty it entailed that made me sweat.
Overtime, I’ve learnt how to overcome my fears around it and the ways that have worked best for me in terms of preparation. To help you with your preparation, I’ve compiled 5 common mistakes that students often make when preparing for internship and job interviews, and some tips on what to do instead.
Mistake #1: Not Knowing Who Will Be Interviewing You
Depending on the type of interview, your preparation might differ. Will the hiring manager or Human Resources be there? How many interviewers (and interviewees) will be present in total? What are their roles in the company? If possible, clarify this with the person who’ve contacted you about the interview. This information will come in handy in anticipating the kind of questions that would be posed, and crafting the type of questions you would ask at the end.
Being aware of your audience will not only allow you to mentally prepare yourself, but also to contact them after the interview. If you have their contact details, it would be easier for you to send a Thank You message without unnecessary delays.
Mistake #2: Insufficient Practice
The first thing that often pops into your mind is to google the company’s website and look for tips on how to ace your interview. Next, you spend hours reading articles and watching YouTube videos on how to answer common interview questions. You took plenty of notes and even wrote a few thoughts about what you’ll say for a few of them.
It is very tempting to stop here and declare that you are done with your preparation. (I am guilty of this!) However, just knowing what to say and internalising your approach without rehearsing your actual answers is often insufficient.
I know it can be very troublesome and time-consuming to practice your answers aloud, but the effort is worth it. (It’s better to mess up during rehearsal than the actual one, right?) You can ask a family member or friend (or me) to role-play as your interviewer and rehearse your answers. If not, standing in front of the mirror or just sitting at your desk facing the wall also works. You will likely stumble the first few times, but with enough practice, your train of thought and answers will flow smoothly.
Mistake #3: Preparing Your Answers Exactly to the Common Questions Asked
If a question is phrased slightly different from the one you have prepared for, you might immediately bring up the answers you have (painstakingly) prepared beforehand. You try your best to recall your script and recite it as much as you can remember. Halfway through, you realise that you have gone out of point, or worse still, the interviewer interrupted you. Awkward…
Instead of preparing your answers word-for-word, remember the key points and general message you’d like to convey. Don’t (casually) forget to prepare for the questions you’d like to avoid too.
During the interview, when a question is posed, take a deep breath and listen. It is fine to ask them to repeat it. Pause for a few seconds. Think of the question behind the question. Recall the main points and link them to the role as much as possible. If you are unsure of how to answer the question, state your assumptions or clarify with the interviewer. They could just be curious about your approach to answering the question, and not so much your final answers.
Mistake #4: Over-Preparing Answers and Not Preparing Your Mindset
Afraid of being unprepared, you spend days researching all you can about the company and practicing your answers until you “perfect them”. Yes, this might seem like a logical strategy, but it might backfire.
Firstly, there are an infinite number of questions that could be posed, and you probably would not be able to cover all of them. Secondly, if you over-prepare, you are over-protecting yourself from harm – emotional harm and humiliation. This hinders you from being vulnerable and present in the interview. If you are not fully present in the interview, you tend to be anxious and your mind would be racing too much, which may result in a less-than-satisfied outcome.
So how do you know when you’ve prepared enough? When you feel relaxed during the interview. Now I’m not saying to “wing it”, but to have your answers be just within reach of your mind so you can easily access them if you need to.
“Shift from what you’ll say to how you’ll say it.”
Amy Cuddy
Amy Cuddy wrote in her book, Presence, that warmth and trust are usually established first, before competence. You can have the best stories and ideas but if you don’t convey them in an appropriate tone, it would be like listening to a boring lecture and not remembering anything that was said afterwards.
To increase your chances of speaking in an appropriate tone, you have to prepare your mindset. For instance, accept that your answers and stories are what they are. If the interviewers do not like your answers for some reason despite you staying true to it, then the company or job is not the right fit for you.
Once your mindset is prepped, your personality and enthusiasm will show naturally. You do not need to try so hard to impress them because you let your passion speak for itself.
Mistake #5: Not Acknowledging Your Thoughts, Feelings and Fears Around It
Yes, you might be feeling anxious and that’s okay. After all, if the job matters a lot to you, it is understandable to feel the pressure of acing the interview.
I highly encourage you to write them down with pen and paper (not just thinking them in your head). This allows you to figure out why you are feeling nervous and address the root causes of it. You might be surprised at how your brain makes certain conclusions, but at least you now know why you are feeling this way.
Are you worried about messing it up? What are the consequences if you didn’t get the offer? What is the worst-case scenario?
Once you’ve uncovered your beliefs and stories around interviews, you might realise that you are actually capable of handling any possible outcome that might happen. This makes it easier to take the pressure off yourself.
The outcome of the interview is not a reflection of your self-worth.
Can you relate to any of these 5 mistakes?
Well, you are not alone – my peers, clients and even myself are guilty of making them at some point. This doesn’t mean that we are all doomed to fail at interviews. Remember, each interview is independent. The outcome of one interview does not affect the next one. It is always another opportunity to start afresh.
Now that you know how to avoid these common pitfalls, how will you prepare for your next interview? Comment them below!
If you are a student who is currently feeling stressed, discouraged, or stuck and need help with your internship search, download my Get Hired Handbook for introverts. I’d love to help you navigate your internship journey with ease and without burning out.
