The exam season is upon us right now, however, soon it will be over and after a much-needed break, almost all of us will be back to the grind.
Usually, and this applies whether you are in your first year of college or last, but after exams and a vacation, students start to look for jobs and internships.
In my personal opinion, as far as internships go, students should do at least 1 or 2 before they graduate. This not only makes your resume look good, but you as an individual also learn how it is to work in a professional environment.
However, I am getting ahead of myself, and getting on track, internships usually mean an interview too.
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Now, in my short professional career, I have had the opportunity to not just witness but take a few interviews and based on that I have noticed some very common yet dangerous mistakes being committed by the interviewee.
These mistakes, can even sometimes override your glowing resume and make you lose out on your dream job.
So being the extremely generous person that I am, have decided to list out some mistakes that you all should definitely avoid making when giving an internship interview:
1. Research The Company Thoroughly:
Always, always research the company before going for an interview. Not only will you get brownie points for knowing about the company but you will also have an idea of what kind of organisation it is, the work they do and how successful they are.
2. Know Your Role:
This must not be done only when you are applying but even afterward. That is why research of the company is important. So that you can know where exactly you fit in the company, what contributions you can make and what you can gain from it.
3. Never Forget Your Resume
If you have forgotten your resume that would perhaps be the biggest blunder you can make. Because this is taken instantly as a major sign of irresponsibility and immaturity.
I have seen this being committed several times when observing interviews and just like that the person is written off.
4. Know Your Resume By Heart
Keeping your resume also has the objective of knowing it by heart. Not saying you must memorise everything there, but important stuff like achievements, past work experience, strong points and all must be ingrained in your memory.
At my previous workplace, the interviewer would do this sometimes, say something that was not on the resume or something incorrect, just to test how fast the interviewee would pick it up.
The faster you pick up such mistakes, the more you will impress the person taking the interview.
5. Know Your References By Heart
Now, references are not always asked, but it is still a good thing to have 2-3 people ready as references in case.
One time, my boss while taking an interview, said they would like to talk to the reference of the interviewee there and then.
Thankfully the person had a legit reference, however, for all you newbies, have a teacher or someone like that informed that they might be called on as reference.
6. Don’t Be A Smart-Ass
There is a big difference between knowing your strength and being a big know-it-all. While the former is appreciated by the interviewer, the latter is mainly seen as a form of disrespect.
Go with a seeking attitude and make sure you show that you are happy and willing to learn on the job. But absolutely don’t go into the interview with the brag mode on.
7. Keep The Slang Out The Door
This is very important and something I have seen a lot of freshers commit. Many think that since its a start-up and thus informal, that one can speak any way they want.
However, one must have a certain respect for authority and hierarchy and thus keep your language simple and respectful even if the interview is being conducted in an informal manner. There is no need to be over friendly.
8. Don’t Zone Out
Just don’t take any substance before the interview. But seriously, just don’t zone out or go blank.
There is nothing wrong with having confusion about a certain question or not understanding it right, however, there is a certain way to go about it.
And even if you are asking the interviewer to elaborate, show that you can pick it up quickly and understand without them having to explain too much.
So these were a few such mistakes that you should avoid, if you all have any more, make sure you tell here in the comments box below.
Image Credits: Google Images
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