Things I Wish I Had Remembered Before the Interview

By Caroline Heafey, FCLC Junior

References: Maybe I just spaced here, but be sure to clear your references before your interview. Especially if you are hoping to list a professor as a reference, contact him or her ahead of time and ask for the best contact information that he or she feels comfortable giving you. While I did eventually get my references together, I was running around last minute, and it would have been far less stressful if I had checked them ahead of time because I was asked for them in my one of interviews. It is best to bring your list of references along with your resume to the interview. It also looks professional if your list of references has the same header as your resume. 

Bring Your Resume: I was so focused on preparing for my interviews mentally that I forgot to print my resume until the morning of my first interview. It is far less stressful (especially if you don’t have a printer in your dorm and need to send it to Staples Print and Copy at 1755 Broadway for it to be printed on nice resume paper) to make sure to have your resume printed and ready the night before your interview. (Note from Career Services - you may also print your resume on resume paper at our office!) Further, it is not a bad idea to bring a copy of your cover letter that you submitted with you for the employer’s reference in case they ask for it – and as mentioned above, bring references!

Don’t Worry So Much: Easier said than done right? Chances are, if you’re reading this blog you are probably taking the right steps to prepare for the interview process. The best thing you can do is prepare and relax. Take some time for yourself the day before. Maybe go to a Yoga class, hit the gym, or indulge in some pampering at home. Whatever you do to relax, you won’t deliver your best self if you are too nervous to speak articulately right? Have confidence that you are selling your best self and that will shine through to your employer.

Be Comfortable: You should absolutely dress professionally, but also try to dress somewhat comfortably. Ladies, this could mean wearing flats and ducking into a Starbucks to change into your new professional pumps when you are near the office. Guys, tighten your tie when you get there, and if it’s hot, wait to throw on your jacket. The key is to arrive looking put together and professional. In New York, sometimes it is easy to leave your apartment looking your best, but by the time you step out of the subway or a cab, you’re not looking just as you did when you left your dorm or apartment. Make sure you check your appearance before you enter your interview. Remember, if you are not worrying about your appearance, and you feel comfortably professional, you will have more thought to devote to the questions in your interview.

Say Hello: When entering a new environment, you never know who is who. Smile pleasantly and introduce yourself to each person you meet. The office coordinator could be the person who gives you the okay or the thumbs down to the person who is actually interviewing you. Don’t forget the doorman either!

About the Author:

Caroline Heafey is a junior at FCLC. She is double majoring in English and French Language and Literature and minoring in Irish Studies. She is also currently interning at Continuum Publishing.