Digesting EPP Part Three: Interviewing

For this week’s post, I will focus on the final vital aspect that I gathered as a result of my EPP experience: interviewing. In my first post, I mentioned speed interviewing as one of the workshops in this winter intensive put on by CP&R. Are you sweating just thinking about it?? I definitely was when I first read the program description. But throughout the week, we practiced certain skills that allowed me to go into the interviews feeling confident and prepared, leaving me with a great experience overall.

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Before we start, I want to highlight the importance of first impressions. Statistics show that when meeting new people, 55% of what we remember is the way someone dresses and acts and walks through the door, 38% is the quality of his/her voice, grammar and overall confidence, and 7% what he/she actually says. These startling statics reflect the importance of body language, confidence and other small, yet key factors that go into making a great first impression. Looking put together and professional when arrival is key to a great first impression, as is a great handshake and strong self-introduction. In one of Unknownthe CP&R professionals panels, we asked their opinions on the importance of first impressions. Every person re-iterated that making a quality first-impression goes a long way. But, they also added that if you do mess up (because at some point everyone might) there are ways to redeem yourself, and that effort can mean the world.

One aspect I struggled with prior to my EPP training was how to tackle tough interview questions or feeling unprepared when going into an interview. CP&R provided the cohort with a story bank, which is basically a chart that allows you to fill out specific experiences that are associated with certain skills. In an interview, hiring managers look for specific examples that demonstrate your unique skills. It’s one thing to mention your great communication skills, for example, but it’s a whole other thing to actually show them. Thus, having a prepared story bank to draw from when asked a behavioral question in an interview, which allows you to illustrate your skills in a personal and clear-cut way, is so valuable to being prepared and confident. Anther approach to the story bank would be the STAR method, which stands for “situation, task, action, result”. Using these steps when outlining a story in an interview is very helpful to not getting lost or jumbled. Some examples of behavioral interview questions are:

-Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and you were able to meet or achieve it.

-What is your typical way of dealing with conflict?

-Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.

Nerves often get the best of me, especially in an interview setting where the pressure to perform is high. I have often come out of an interview feeling like my nervous energy got the best of me, and the first impression that I gave them was not the best. Several things that we practiced were tips to relax and stay poised during an interview. For example, if a question catches you off guard, rather than launching directly into the question and getting rawflustered, or providing an answer that simply goes around the question, a good idea would be to respond, “That’s a great question, let me think about that for a minute”. Rather than giving a sub-par answer due to rushing, you have a few seconds to think clearly, take a deep breath and craft a better response. Speaking of breathing, don’t forget to do it! Taking a few deep breaths before and during the interview helps to release the pressure that seems to build up in our lungs and chest. Speaking slowly also allows for your brain to catch up with your stress-induced thoughts.

Next tip: ask questions. Something which was repeatedly mentioned is the importance of asking meaningful questions after the interview is over. Doing this exposes your eagerness to gain deeper insight on that specific company. Asking a well-crafted question that either refers to something your interviewer mentioned in the interview beforehand, or that shows you’ve done your research on the company is always great.

Finally, say thank you. The best thing you can do, needless to say, is to show your gratitude for the time the interviewer has taken to speak with you. A handwritten note that you can bring with you and fill out after the interview is over is a nice touch. Leaving the note with the receptionist or sending an email afterwards thanking them for their time and consideration is a bonus. In the email or note, mention something you found personally interesting or intriguing as this can help you stand out among the sea of other candidates.

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These are a few tricks that we practiced before heading into the speed interviewing rounds, and they definitely paid off!

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