Interview Tips & Tricks
Whether you’ve interviewed before or you are about to participate in your very first one, be sure to review the following words of advice when prepping for your next job interview.
Know What to Wear (and What Not to Wear)
First impressions are vitally important. From the moment you step inside the company’s
building, you’re making an impression with the clothes you choose to wear.
Here are some tips to consider from the experts at Career Builder:
- It’s better to overdress than underdress. Even if the company’s work environment is largely casual, it’s important to make a good, polished first impression.
- Wear blue! This color tops the list of employer-approved colors for interviews.
- Avoid wearing perfume, aftershave or cologne. Sometimes these scents can actually be more distracting in an interview than they are appealing.
- The details matter: avoid wearing clothes that are wrinkled, stained, ripped or don’t fit well. You should also make sure your hair is combed and teeth are brushed.
How to Answer Tough Interview Questions
Do Your Homework
Before your interview, make sure you have done your research. Learn about what jobs such as the one you’ll be interviewing for typically entail, what types of questions are commonly asked during interviews for this type of role and do some research on the background of the company as well.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Not only should you be well-prepared to answer questions, but it also is helpful to have a few questions of your own to ask at the end! Some of your questions might already be covered in conversation, so be sure to have a few options in case this occurs. Examples of questions you may want to ask during an interview include:
- What is the work environment like here?
- What do you like most about working here?
- What is the typical career path for someone in this position?
- How often does this company typically conduct performance reviews?
- What are the next steps in the interview process?
Practice Makes Perfect
Need help with polishing your interview skills? No worries! Head on over to Big Interview to practice your interview skills on different competencies and experience levels. Get feedback on vocabulary level, filler words, cadence and more. Explore over 7,000 sample interview questions and more!
Current Students: Click here to access Big Interview. Use your USF email address when creating your free account. If asked to provide an access code, please use 0475.
Alumni: Click here to access your version of Big interview and use access code 2088 when signing up for free alumni access.