Dos, Don’ts, and Extra Tips for your Interview 

By Sofia Novoa, Account Supervisor

Whether you are interviewing for an internship or for a post-grad job, it is always a good idea to prepare before the big day. 

I interviewed Nairi Norigian, the Vice President of Operations at O’Neill and Associates, New England’s largest PR and Lobbying firm, Esther Leonard, an Assistant Director of Career Education at Boston University’s Center for Career Development, and Patrick Nelson, Director of COM Career Services, on some dos and don’ts about the interview process. Here is what they had to say: 

Dos:

• Talk about your skills
  It may be hard sometimes to talk about yourself, it may almost feel like bragging, but it is important to let interviewers know that you are confident, prepared, and have the desire to learn. 

“Interviewees may not always have the experience of other jobs yet, but internships, relevant courses, and skills gained through extra-curricular activities are extremely valuable and should be highlighted.” – Nairi, O’Neill and Associates 

• Do a little — or a lot — of research
  Employers can tell when you are and when you are not prepared. Make sure to research the company you are applying to; look through their website and social media. Doing so will prepare you to discuss during the interview. 

“It is very obvious when someone has not prepared. Often it is in the way that they ask a question, or in the way that they respond to something I’ve said.” – Nairi, O’Neill and Associates

• Use the STAR technique when answering questions
  Using the STAR technique comes highly recommended when answering questions.
  S: Situation you’re describing
  T: Task you were assigned
  A: Action you took
  R: Result
  “Framing your answers with a STAR allows you to highlight your accomplishments and skills in a specific and thoughtful way.” – Esther, BU Center for Career Development

Don’ts

• Do not talk about other interviews or job offers

 When asked what her pet peeve was when interviewing candidates Nairi shared the following: 

“When they talk about other interviews or other companies they have applied to, it’s best to keep the focus on the interview and company at hand!” – Nairi, O’Neill and Associates 

• Do not interrupt

Do not interrupt when the interviewer is explaining something or asking you a question. It is important to listen carefully.

“Oftentimes students are nervous and they show nerves by talking too much or being very excited. It is important to have a conversation that both parties enjoy.” – Patrick Nelson, COM Career Services 

• Do not ask them about your salary, benefits or, vacation days

When you are interviewing for a job, make sure that you are focusing on the job, not on salary, benefits or vacation days. That type of conversation will come naturally as the interview process finishes, and you receive a potential offer.

“As you progress through your interviews, it begins to come less of an interview and more of a fundamental conversation, and when you are getting an offer you start talking to people who work at Human Resources who will talk to you about benefits and salary matters.” – Patrick Nelson, COM Career Services 

Additional tips:

• Be careful with answering the weakness question
  One of the most commonly asked questions in an interview is, “What is your biggest weakness?” Esther warns that interviewees should be careful when answering that question.

 “They (interviewees) should say one weakness and talk about how they have been improving with that weakness,” said Esther. She gives the example of a person whose weakness is presenting, “They can mention how anxious they get and how they focused on becoming less anxious by preparing in advance and doing breathing exercises right before a presentation.” – Esther, BU Center for Career Development

• Think of the interview as a conversation
  Don’t be nervous! Remember you are interviewing a company just as much as they are interviewing you. Ask thoughtful questions, and consider the conversation as a way of learning about each other. 

“Consider the interview a friendly conversation in which both sides want to learn more about each other.” – Nairi, O’Neill and Associates 

• Remember that the interview process starts before the interview
  Keep in mind that the preparation leading up to an interview is very important in order to have a successful interview. 

“The key to a successful interview begins well before the interview… there is a lot that goes into preparation. I think a student should think about the format of the interview, where is it going to take place? Will it be over the phone or in-person? They should take multiple copies of their resume, and remember to plan to be early. Early is on time.” – Patrick Nelson, COM career services