Author: Tyler Spellman
There are many things you can do to prepare for an interview. This can involve researching the company you are interviewing for, practicing behavioral questions, and preparing questions to ask the interviewers. Something not spoken much about is how to prepare for the actual day of the interview. Interviews can seem extremely daunting, so being prepared the day of is essential for your success. I have listed a few tips below to help make your interviews less intimidating.
Plan for Travel Time
For my first interview, I had to travel to the company’s Boston office, which is a two-hour drive from the UMass campus. I also knew that rush hour traffic combined with the strict parking regulations would add an amplified amount of time to my travels. To account for this, I decided to drive home from UMass the night before and take the train into Boston. As a result, I avoided all traffic and took my time. I chose a train time two hours in advance to avoid any conflicts such as the train arriving late. The day of your interview, it is important to consider these aspects in order to give yourself enough time before the interview. It also shows a good first impression arriving a little bit early. If your interview is on campus, it is much easier to handle. However, it is still important to take these factors into consideration.
Pack a Small Bag
The day of your interview you may want to bring a few things with you, but it is a hassle to carry everything, especially dressed in business professional clothing. If you have a nice, small, neutral-colored bag, I recommend you bring it. You can place your phone, wallet, pens, and anything else you may want without filling your pockets. Some essentials for my interview bag are a small snack (usually a granola bar), water, and gum. If you are low on energy, it will benefit you to have a snack on hand. Also, chewing gum right before you walk in couldn’t hurt. Lastly, make sure you check the weather for rain. The day of my interview it was pouring out, so I made sure to bring an umbrella. I did not want my outfit getting rained on!
Bring a Padfolio
The most important item to bring to an interview is a padfolio. I wrote down 5-10 questions I had for the interviewers in my padfolio in case I needed to glance at them. I also put in several copies of my resume. In my padfolio I had a few notes about the company that I looked over before heading in. Bringing a padfolio is important because it gives you a place to take notes during the interview. These notes may come of great use to you in the future. Not to mention, it is also extremely professional.
Follow Up
Last but not least, don’t forget to follow up with the interviewers. Sending a personal thank you will leave a great, lasting impression. It may even make the difference between you and another candidate. Although this task is small, it goes a long way.
I hope that these tips that I used for my first interview help when you go for your interviews! Hopefully completing these small tasks will greatly reduce the stress that comes with interviewing as it did for me.