When you’re looking for that golden golf internship prepared to be faced with adult challenges that take you out of the classroom and into the budding stages of a career.
You’re competing against other qualified candidates for a coveted position, so it’s imperative to bring your A game, especially during an interview.
The interview is where you meet your potential employer face-to-face. It’s your moment to shine, make a phenomenal first impression and show what makes you different from the rest.
An interview can be nerve-wracking, but even if you don’t know what to expect, you can still be prepared to avoid certain rookie mistakes. Here are 4 big ones to dodge with stealth.
How to dress for an interview
Rolling out of bed, throwing on a pair of jeans and heading to your interview won’t make the best first impression. It’s always a huge plus to present yourself as clean and well-put together. Business casual is recommended. If necessary, get a hair trim beforehand and don’t overdo it with the perfume or cologne!
Arrive on time
One of the biggest no no’s is arriving late for an interview. Play it safe and instead, opt to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled time. Those who arrive late demonstrate poor time management skills in the eyes of the employer, which isn’t savvy for exemplary work behavior. Take traffic and routes into consideration. If you’ve never been to the location before, a test drive beforehand will smooth any risks of getting lost the day of the interview. Set an alarm and make sure your car has enough gasoline in the tank.
Leave your phone in the car
Smartphones are attached to the hip nowadays, so it’s second nature to bring it with you everywhere without another thought. For an interview, you want to tread lightly with this one. Make sure your phone is turned off before you go in or better yet, tuck it safely inside the glove department of your car. The last thing you want is for the ringtone to go off during the big moment.
Know the company
One mistake you want to avoid is going in without knowing anything about the company. Sure, you might’ve Googled the most commonly asked interview questions, but it makes sense that you should know about the company you wish to work for, right? Pull up their website and read everything! What’s their mission statement? When did the company form and why? Who runs the company? Knowing about the unique persona of a business can help you shape ideal questions and answers that show how you can benefit them specifically and how they can benefit your career as a solid match.
