Practice Interviewing

Rehearse your responses to potential interview questions to become more comfortable with explicitly communicating your value to the interviewer. Create a list of your individual strengths, accomplishments and relevant experiences that indicate your potential to succeed in the position. Be sure to support your top strengths and qualities with specific examples and anecdotes. When responding to interview questions, clearly answer each part of the question. In evaluating your responses, ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I keeping in mind the organization's needs rather than my own?
• Do my responses emphasize my unique strengths and value?
• Is it clear to the interviewer how my skills and experiences align with the organization's needs?
• Is it clear to the interviewer how my personality, values and interests are a strong match with the culture and values of the department and organization?

Analyze and enhance your non-verbal communication skills, as they can be just as important as your verbal communication skills during the interview. Practice the following non-verbal communication techniques to improve your overall interview performance:

• Provide a firm handshake to make a favorable first impression and demonstrate your confidence. Maintain steady eye contact with each of your interviewers.
• Use a relaxed tone of voice, facial expression and posture while expressing a high level of engagement and enthusiasm for the position.
• Identify and eliminate nervous mannerisms that could be distracting to both you and the interviewer.
• Engage in active listening to convey your interest in the position and establish rapport with the interviewer.
• Use pauses effectively if you need a moment to prepare your response to any questions or strategize your next move.

Begin rehearsing commonly asked interview questions. Schedule a mock interview with the an industry specialist in the career center, an industry professional in your network, or even a professor with knowledge of the industry. You can also use PeppConnect to identify alumni who may offer mock interview assistance.