Sharing the Love: Interviewing

They want to know your story. Come prepared.

Interviews are the time to craft your story. You don’t have to repeat typical, generic responses – the interviewer wants to get to know you, so produce answers that are true to yourself.

Every question is an opportunity for you to tie in your experiences. Even if you haven’t held many professional roles, you probably have some firsthand experience that gave you skills the interviewer is looking for. Think back to your internships, volunteer work or part-time jobs! Dig deep.

Below is our advice on how to nail the interview and let yourself shine. You’ll also find The Real Deal: audio recordings reenacting real interviews that we’ve done, so you can master the art of answering tough questions.

TIP #1

Know your stories.

Be prepared. Think of all of your experiences and turn them into stories that will clearly represent your skills. The same work experience can be used for examples of leadership, teamwork or organization. Use your stories to meet the Movie in the Mind of the interviewer.

EXAMPLE

If the job description says they are looking for someone with strong attention to detail, look at your experience and prepare an example ahead of time that shows how you used this skill to do your job and make a real difference.

TIP #2

Don’t fake it.

If an interviewer asks you if you know how to do something that you never learned, you may find yourself in a tricky situation. It could be tempting to be untruthful and just say you know how, but our best advice is to resist that temptation. Instead, be genuine and turn your response into something positive – this will set you up to succeed if you are offered the job.

EXAMPLE

If an interviewer asks you if you know how to do something that you never learned, you may find yourself in a tricky situation. It could be tempting to be untruthful and just say you know how, but our best advice is to resist that temptation. Instead, be genuine and turn your response into something positive – this will set you up to succeed if you are offered the job.

TIP #3

Showcase your strengths.

You don’t have to wait to be asked directly about a certain skill or experience you want to share. You can control the narrative of your interview – find a way to work these stories into your answers.

EXAMPLE

If you are especially proud of your copywriting skills, look for ways to bring this up even in questions that may seem unrelated. For example, if you’re asked about a different skill, find a way to answer it in the context of a copywriting project.

TIP #4

Go above and beyond.

Be proactive. No one is going to hand you a job for doing the bare minimum of showing up, unprepared. You should definitely research the company before you interview. Chances are, they’ll ask you how much you know about them and the work they do. Showing that you’ve done your homework displays your research skills and attention to detail, while also showing the employer that you truly want to work there.

EXAMPLE

While researching a company you have an interview with, you notice their core values are emphasized on their website and social media. You review them and make sure that you are able to reference them in your interview.