How to Prepare For an Internship Interview
While an internship can be a great way to break into the professional world, it’s also an opportunity to learn valuable skills. Here’s how to prepare for your interview, including avoiding cliche answers and creating an elevator speech. Also, don’t forget to follow up after the interview. Practicing these skills will help you succeed! Listed below are tips to help you make the most of your internship.
Avoiding cliche answers
If you want to land that dream internship, there are some things you should do to avoid cliche answers during an internship interview. First of all, you should always prepare stories that you can use as answers to questions that may be asked. This way, you can show the interviewer why you are the right candidate for the position. Cliche questions are often the first ones that an interviewer will ask you. However, you can make them work in your favor if you can come up with unique answers to them.
Next, you should avoid cliche answers. It’s vital to show your personality, so don’t give the same answers to as many questions as possible. For example, instead of asking yourself how long you have been studying, you should state what year you graduated, the subject of your degree, and what your career goal is. Finally, you should state your hobbies and interests in a manner that is not too general or incompatible with the internship.
Preparing an elevator speech
Whether you’re attending an internship interview or are applying for a new job, an elevator speech can help you land the position. A well-crafted elevator speech can land you a job and help you network with your colleagues on your first day. This short speech can also help you make an impact at a job fair, in networking events, and in your LinkedIn summary or Twitter bio. A good elevator speech will give you confidence as you introduce yourself to hiring managers.
When preparing your elevator speech, start with a single sentence describing your background, your most impressive achievements, and your reasons for wanting to join their organization. You can even include extracurricular activities that set you apart from other applicants. After your pitch, conclude by asking for the listener’s contact information and include your resume and a business card. Ensure that your pitch is crafted in such a way that the listener is drawn to you.
Before you give your elevator speech, make sure to practice it several times. The more you practice, the more natural it will sound. Try to practice on a friend or a family member so that you can make sure it sounds natural. Practice also makes it easier to keep time and make sure your message is coherent and concise. In the end, it will make you feel more confident and prepared for your internship interview. You should practice until you feel comfortable giving your elevator pitch.
Your elevator pitch must sound natural and make your audience want to know more about you. Avoid using industry-specific terms and acronyms. Make your pitch easy to understand and will set the stage for your follow-up questions. Moreover, it should not cannibalize the answers to other questions in the interview. It should be interesting and impactful without boring the listener. And, always remember to bring along your business card.
A successful elevator pitch should include a personal introduction and your resume. Make sure that you use your elevator pitch to emphasize your key skills. Your pitch should include the main purpose of the event, how it will benefit the listener, and what you want to accomplish in the future. If you’re trying to land an internship, an elevator pitch is an excellent way to make an impact on those listening to your elevator speech.
Answering competency questions
When answering competency questions in an internship interview, you should keep in mind that you may be asked about your activities in school, college, university, and other activities. This is because you will be asked to show examples of these competencies. Try to avoid using vague terms or using your imagination – try to use specific situations and describe what you did. You may be surprised to learn that you were already tested for some of these skills before!
It is important, to be honest when answering these interview questions. They will allow you to demonstrate your true character. Choosing your words wisely will help you avoid making a mistake and revealing a part of your personality that doesn’t fit in. In general, it is better, to tell the truth than to hide behind a false front. As long as you can give a true example, this should be okay.
One of the most common mistakes made by applicants during internship interviews is hiding their weaknesses. While this is understandable, the interviewer will be looking for your strengths and motivation. Identifying weaknesses, however, can be tricky as it may reveal your negative traits. Rather than hiding behind your negative traits, it is better to highlight your strengths. However, do not sugarcoat your mistakes because this goes against the purpose of the interview question.
It is advisable to prepare your answer to these interview questions beforehand, especially when they are asked during the internship interview. Some interviewers ask these questions to see if you are serious about the job and the company. It is better to answer these questions by relating your background to what the company is looking for. However, it is a good idea to avoid giving long answers and give your responses in less than two minutes.
The interviewer wants to see how confident you are in your abilities and what makes you different from other applicants. It is important to discuss your motivations, your studies, and your experiences and show how your internship can help you in your future endeavors. So make sure to think quickly and concisely! There are many ways to answer these questions, but the best approach is to prepare beforehand and practice answering these questions at your internship interview.
Following up after the interview
Follow-up after an internship interview is an effective way to keep the conversation going. If you don’t hear back immediately from an interviewer, you may want to wait a few days before following up again. Reach out to other employees at the company to see if they can offer you any helpful insight. But don’t send more than one email – some companies are terrible at providing feedback. You should remain proactive and avoid appearing desperate if they don’t respond after two or three days.
If an employer has been in touch with you, mention any new information you learned about the company. Share with them a particular need they might have, or mention a TV show you love. In a way, you’re reminding them of your presence without seeming overbearing. Don’t forget to thank them for their time, too. In addition to sending a thank-you note, you should also mention if you’ve made a connection on LinkedIn.
If you’ve already met with the hiring manager, follow up with a personal email or letter. You should include a business card. Lastly, you should follow up by email to the person who asked you to follow up. If you can’t follow up in person, you should send a quick note via USPS. If an interviewer doesn’t respond in a timely manner, you may have lost your chance for the internship.
If you are accepted into the internship, express your thanks in writing. If you were not selected, use the experience as a learning opportunity. Contact the person who interviewed you to thank them for their time and interest in your career path. Ask for their feedback about your application and leave a preferred method of contact. You never know, you might end up landing an internship after all. And you never know, it might be the perfect opportunity you’re looking for!
Waiting too long before following up after an internship interview is a huge mistake. In general, it is best to wait until at least one business day after the interview date. Sending an email ahead of time can come across as impatient, aggressive, or rude. If you wait more than two weeks, you can increase your chances of landing the internship. Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to show the hiring manager that you’re interested and haven’t given up on the opportunity.