Getting a job or an internship requires being able to interview well, and here are five tips from BYU-Hawaii students on how to prepare yourself. 1. Before you go into your interview, learn the most you can about the company you will be meeting with. Knowing the background of the company will help you answer questions better during the interview and will help you better plead your case why you would be needed for the company. It will make you a better candidate if you seem interested in their company and come prepared.Tess Harris, an alumnae who studied in HTM and graduated last semester just started her job at the Waikiki Surf Rider Hotel. She said, “I had to go through a lot of job interviews to get my job. When I was preparing my presentations, I made sure to know everything about the company that I could. I think that was a main part in why I was able to get hired. I knew what they were looking for and tried to present my skills set in that way.”2. Dressing right for the interview is more important than one may estimate. It is your first impression that will set the tone of your interview and how you represent yourself. “I usually dress nicely, said John Pierce a junior majoring in buisness finance from Oregon. “I go all out. If I had a tuxedo, I would wear one. It puts the effort that you want to stand out and go above everyone else. If the employer doesn’t want to hire you because you wore a tux, it would not be a fun environment to work in because they wouldn’t get my sense of humor.” First find out what the dress code is for your job. If it is a professional setting where most people are in suits, it is better to stick with suits. It is good to stay with dark colors and conservative hairstyles. Also it is suggested that women to wear light, natural looking makeup. If you will be given a uniform for your job or if it is a business casual, you should dress in business casual. Stay away from jeans and wear nice shirts. Stay away from prints or loud designs on your clothes. Do not chew gum and remember to silence your phone and do not look at it.3. Appearing confident in yourself is another key in making a good impression. Body language is a key part in this. Make sure you are able to make eye contact with your interviewer and avoid bad posture. Do your best to be easy to talk to and friendly. Be attentive and seem invested in your interview. If you seem distracted, the interviewer may think you are not interested in the interview or in the potential job.“I always make sure I turn off my phone, go in and shake their hand and make eye contact and smile,” said Harris. 4. Be prepared to answer some questions. Although there is not one set of questions that every interviewer uses, there are common ones that are used. According to Forbes magazine in an article on how to ace your common interview, you should be well versed in some of these questions. They include: What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why are your interested in working for (insert company name here)? Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? Why did you leave your current company? What can you offer us that someone else cannot? What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?5. Discuss your educational background, Tell interviewers about an accomplishment you are proud of, tell about a mistake you made, tell about how you handled a difficult situation, and discuss your resume. “I practice what I am going to say before I go in. I usually get a friend to pretend they are interviewing me,” said Sam Spring, a junior studying ICS anthropology from San Deigo, Calif. “This helps me think on my feet and gain my confidence. I also go to random people and practice my introductory skills. This helps me get better at meeting new people and increases my confidence while making new friends.” Practice some good responses that would be appropriate for an interview and would showcase why you would be good for that job position. Avoid giving them too much personal information that has nothing to do how you would be a good employee to them.
Writer: Lisa Tuttle~Multimedia Journalist
