By Imogène Taveau, Year 13
University applications are just around the corner for many of us, and that often comes hand-in-hand with a big, scary interview, or so it seems. When you take a moment to step back and actually think about it, interviews are a pretty formulaic process, whether it be for University, a job, or even a naturalisation. If you make sure you check all the boxes, you’ll be crushing your interviews in no time! Here are a few tips to get you started.
- The importance of a good handshake
Probably the first thing you’ll do in your interview is shake hands with your interviewer(s). This step may seem frivolous, but it is crucial in getting the interview off to a good start; this is, after all, the first impression your interviewer(s) gets of you. First of all, don’t grip too hard, you don’t want to crush the poor person’s hand in some vague attempt to assert confidence or dominance. You might think it makes you look like you know exactly what you’re doing and that you are absolutely going to crush this interview because you’re the best candidate ever, but no. Just don’t do it, ok? Don’t go too weak on your handshake either, no one wants to shake someone’s hand and feel like they’re flopping about a dead fish. Just walk up and take a firm (but not too firm!) grip. I recommend one to two shakes, but not more, you don’t want to stand there wrecking the poor interviewer’s arm. Find a friend, teacher or parent to practice with. Also, make sure to always maintain eye-contact as you shake the interviewer’s hand. Walk in, eye-contact, shake hands (two shakes per person), and introduce yourself at the same time (hello, my name is…); simple!
- Body language
On the subject of eye-contact, which you should aim to maintain throughout the interview, this brings us on to our second tip; body language. You don’t want to be too laid back, make sure you sit up straight and don’t slouch, but don’t be too stiff at the same time. You’re not going to look like a particularly appealing candidate if you look like you’re on the verge of popping a blood vessel. Sit up straight, smile, imagine you’re having to stay calm and presentable on the red carpet if it helps (I personally like to imagine that I’m Meryl Streep, always helps to feel a little bit more sophisticated). Don’t fidget too much either, just stay focused and collected.
- Speech
Don’t speak too fast. Please. I have sat through far too many a presentation where someone has taken a deep breath and then hurled out information at an astonishing speed. I sometimes worry about their lack of oxygen (if you’re reading this, breathe a little, ok?). Remember Meryl Streep (or similar), breathe, and talk at a calm, steady pace. Also, please remember to enunciate your words, no one wants to listen to garbled nonsense.
- Sell yourself
At the end of the day, your interview is a pitch for the latest product on the market, and that product is you. Don’t be too humble, you don’t want to come across as depressing and self-deprecating, but you also don’t want to be the “arrogant candidate”. Be enthusiastic, try to sound intelligent without being too over the top (no need to show off your impeccable vocabulary), and be engaging with your interviewer(s).
- Come informed
This goes for all interviews. Doing an interview for Swiss naturalisation? Read up on the current socio-political issues in your canton and some basic Swiss history. Getting interviewed by a University? Read up on your course and how it’s used after university. You don’t want to turn up for, say, a medical school interview knowing nothing about the healthcare system or medical ethics. Same goes for a job interview, you need to read up on the company; what are their current goals, what are their current projects, what are some of their main past projects, what exactly do they look for in an employer? If you come prepared, you’ll be fine.
- Be prepared to answer difficult or uncomfortable questions
A classic example of this is “what would you say is your biggest weakness?”. It’s a difficult question to answer, especially since the whole point of the interview is to sell yourself, but there are a few traps you should avoid. DO NOT say “I work too hard” or “I don’t think I have any weaknesses” because it is clearly not the case. Everyone has faults and being able to acknowledge that shows both honesty and self-awareness. What you should do, however, is give an example of how you are working to improve said weakness. For example, “my biggest weakness is that I have a quick temper and therefore have a tendency to overreact, however I’ve been working on becoming more level-headed by taking up running, which I find to be very meditative”. Boom, done. Self-awareness, honesty, and then you’ve also showed that you are adaptable and open to improving yourself.
So, to summarize, have a firm handshake, maintain eye contact, come prepared and stay calm.
Those were a few tips for your interview, I hope you find them useful and that you crush your interview when it comes to it!
