How to prepare for a job / admission interview

The time of the year is there to apply for summer internships, summer jobs, college programs and so on. Usually, interviews will be part of the admission procedure, regardless of what you apply for. This post will mainly be about preparing yourself for the contents of the interview and not so much about your appearance during the interview because although your appearance is important, the contents may be more important.

First thing to do is to find which person(s) within the organization is/are going to interview you. Knowing this is useful so that you can search for this/these person(s) on the Internet to get an idea of his/her/their interests and activities. Once you know this, you can tailor your interests to fit his/hers/theirs. It may also make you less nervous to know who sits opposite of you. 

The second thing to do is find out what you can add to (a department) the organization. For an employer or university, it is important to know what you can add to their organization so that they can see whether your needs match theirs. If they have a certain need and you happen to be able to bring them that need, there is a perfect match between their needs and yours. During the interview, knowing what you can add also gives fuel to a discussion about which person(s) within the organization can help you add your knowledge and skills to the organization.

And of course, the things mentioned above can be found on the  Internet.

Thirdly, you may want to print stuff. Your motivational letter and résumé you submitted are the documents they go by when preparing the interview with you, so you will look more prepared if you printed your own stuff compared to "excuse me, may I take a look at the letter you have there?" Your printed documents may also serve as a reminder during the interview.

Fourth, now that you have taken a look at the documents you have submitted, put yourself in the shoes of those who are going to interview you and consider what they might ask based upon those documents. Which things may require further explanation? Are there things unclear in your letter or résumé? Be prepared to answer this kind of questions, because they will be asked. 

Potentially other relevant documents for me.

Fifth, after printing the documents you have submitted, also take other possibly relevant documents with you.  Diplomas and certificates are evidence for what you have written down on your résumé or in your letter. They may also serve as another reminder of things they may ask about. It may, for example, be helpful to have a list of your study results with you in case questions arise about it during the interview. Seeing the course name and the grade your teacher gave you may also help you remind how you obtained that grade.

The last thing to do seems like a no-brainer, but take notes of everything you might be asked about as you are preparing yourself for the interview. Write down key-words that just must be used in your answers and also take notes of the questions that arise from your side as you are getting ready. One reason for doing this is that you will definitely forget some of the things you wanted to say/ask as you sit there. The nerves will grab you, empty your brain, and make you lose some of your memory. The other reason is, again, that you come across prepared. Coming across prepared is always a plus, because in your work and study, you will also have to be prepared for tasks. Being prepared also shows interest in the function/position and the organization. 

These are my tips for preparing for the contents of a job/application interview. Have you ever been so nervous during an interview that you forgot what you wanted to say/ask? Have you done some of the above for interviews or maybe you have never even had an interview yet in your life? Let me know! 

The last day of summer

Tomorrow will be my last day of the summer! Monday morning, my alarm will beep and wake me up. I am probably not the only one. You can sit down and be melancholic and reflect on your summer, but you can also try to make the most of that last day of freedom and I can tell you how to do it. 

Of course, it depends on what type of person you are, but the most important thing is that you enjoy this last day. 

So, for the sporty people: maybe your sports club or team has a match to play on a kind of summer tournament. Make it fun by not just playing the match and say 'goodbye, see ya at the next training' , but propose to your team to go out after the match and make some fun! If you have no matches to play (or if you are involved with individual sports), you might as well work out a bit on your own. I personally love to go hike in a nearby forest or ride my bike around my town and its surroundings. Running is another good thing to do, although not so much my cup of tea. 

For the creative people: you might be enrolled in a more or less creative college course like Photography or Conservatory. In this case, there is no reason to worry about lack of assignments through which you can let your creativity speak, but if you are creative and enrolled in a non-creative college course, this last day should definitely be used to make something out of it! Go paint, draw, take pictures, sing, write, whatever your creative mind tells you to do and have fun with it! 

For the fashionistas: you do not want to look like everyone else in class, so you need to fix some outfits for the new year in college. Go experiment with whatever you have in your wardrobe, and - even though it might still be hot where you live - try out some outfits for colder days as well, as autumn is knocking on your door and maybe even peeking around the corner already. If you feel your wardrobe is not satisfactory, go out for some shopping. 

For those who just want to relax: if the weather is nice, just go outside wherever you want to and with whomever you want to. Sitting down in a park with a book and some nice snacks and drinks can be very relaxing, but your backyard might do too. Maybe this is also a day to invite one or more of your friends for girls'/guys' afternoon of catching up with each other's lives. Just do whatever makes you feel calm, ready and steady for the new year in college. I am a fan of reading; what do you like to do? 

For those who have to work: whether it is volunteer work, a job, or an internship - work is work. Since it is unlikely that you will have to work from 7 AM through 10 PM, look at your timetable and plan some nice things around your work schedule (see tips above). You can also use the last day of summer as an excuse to go out with colleagues, if they are nice, or just have some extra fun at work by bringing cupcakes or something. 

I am one of the people who has to work, although it is technically not a job, but I am just going to make the most of it. I'll head to the city early, have a nice lunch there, go to work and then have a nice dinner afterwards (my mother is a very good companion for such things as she really likes going to shop!)

So, what type of person are you? What type of activity suits you? Or are you one of the lucky ducks who has one or two more weeks of holidays ahead? Let me know!