NYBTI.com | New York Business Training Institute

The first step for your job or internship interview is the most important: PREPARATION! You can maximize your interview success with advance planning, personal self assessment and interview practice. Interview preparation is similar to an athlete who trains months before a long distance race, or an actor who rehearses their part in a play before theater season begins, or a musician who rehearses hundreds of hours before a recital. Create a check list of 10 planning activities before you "go live" with your first job or internship interview!

• Knowledge of yourself: you must know yourself in terms of skills, interests, values, future aspirations, etc.
• Career direction: well defined goals, confidence in pursuing a chosen field of interest, realistic plans for advancement
• Communication skills: ability to deliver ideas, clear and concise answers, verbal animation, articulation, appropriate vocabulary
• Qualifications: similar to knowing yourself, be aware of specific academic training, leadership experience, critical thinking skills, extracurricular involvement
• Maturity: demonstrated by poise, optimism, appearance, tone of voice
• Professionalism: communicate a strong work ethic, high moral values, integrity
• Execute a game plan: prepare yourself to sell you in terms of relating your interests, skills and goals to the employer and the career opportunity available
• Conduct a video taped mock practice interview with a recruiter, career counselor, former employer, or even a friend — this is the key to success!
• Do not memorize answers, but know how to communicate the contents of your resume and your top reasons for pursuing the job
• Write down 25 words that describe you prior to the interview — become familiar with these self descriptors and feel comfortable in delivering them in the interview: "I am: motivated, ambitious, confident, dedicated, loyal, friendly, a problem solver, a team player, tenacious, perseverant, ethical, energetic, etc."