Interview DOs and DON'Ts

Hey Badgers! We know that students are looking for summer jobs and getting an interview is part of the process. Interviews can be nerve-wracking but we want to help remove some of those nerves by giving you some dos and don'ts when in an interview. 

10 INTERVIEW DOs and DON'Ts 

DO research the company. Interviewers might ask you company-related questions and it is a bad look to know nothing about the place you are hoping to work at. Questions most likely will not be super specific but make sure to know what their values, mission statement and goals are.

DON’T answer questions with generic answers. Make your answers specific to your qualifications and experiences and try to connect them to the requirements of the position.

DO practice for your interview. Prepare yourself for weird, unusual questions and watch yourself in the mirror to see if you fidget, say “um” or like a lot, etc. Try InterviewStream, a website that allows you to record yourself answering interview questions so you can look back and analyze how you did: https://brocku.interviewstream.com/

DON’T interrupt the person or people interviewing you. Even if you think you know what they are going to say, it is polite to let them finish their sentence.

DO dress professionally. Ensure that your clothing is clean and proper and avoid wearing ‘extreme’ clothing or casual garments.
DON’T be late. You should be at least ten minutes early to any interview but if you are going to be late because of uncontrollable circumstances, make sure to call and let your potential employer know.

DO ask questions at the end of the interview. This is a good place to show that you did research on the company or prepared for the interview.

DON’T use slang or jargon in your answers. Speak professionally to present your best self.

DO answer questions fully. Yes or no questions should be followed up with proper reasoning and explanation. Using examples from prior experiences always helps.

DON’T brag. Talk about your accomplishments and why you would be a good candidate for the position but do so humbly. 

If you have an interview coming up and you'd like to do a mock interview, book an appointment with our Career Consultant Kristen Wall on careerzone.brocku.ca or through email at kwall2@brocku.ca. There are also interview resources available on careerzone.brocku.ca under 'Resources'. CareerZone is open Monday-Friday from 8:30AM-4:30PM (Tuesdays until 6:30PM), drop in and talk to a Career Assistant about any job-related questions!