What To Do During The Interview
• Make sure you smile.
• Maintain eye contact throughout the interview.
• Relax as best as you can. A good interviewer will work to help you relax during those initial questions. Ideally you and your interviewer will have a conversation that flows rather than a disjointed and strained Q&A session.
• Definitely don’t bring a cup of coffee with you.
• Try not to fidget.
• Take notes if it seems relevant – this shows that you are truly interested.
• Be yourself. You can’t reinvent yourself, but rather try to shine during the interview with your best qualities. That means:
◦ If you are animated and outgoing go right ahead and show it.
◦ If you are describing an experience that was particularly important to you, do show your passion.
◦ If you are shy that’s fine, but still try to find a connection with your interviewer.
• Present yourself honestly.
◦ If you are discussing a weak part of your record, own up to your mistakes and then stress your improvements. Don’t minimize your past, but try to move on to future positives.
◦ Be sincere, especially when talking about strengths and weaknesses. Confidence is fine but make sure you include a touch of humility.
◦ When answering questions about yourself think about what you really want the interviewer to know about you. What defines you? Make sure you share those traits. Show some level of self-reflection demonstrating a clear understanding of how you’ve gotten to this point.
◦ If you have had to come back from adversity share the experience. If you are one of the lucky ones who has not had many struggles in your life, then still think how to answer an adversity question. Adversity comes in many shades – physical, financial, personal and/or emotional. Each of us has had some degree of struggle.
Most importantly go into the interview with a clear vision of what you want the interviewer to know about you and do your very best to get those particular key points across.
What To Do After The Interview
As the interview day is nearing its end, you may find yourself with other applicants. Try not to engage in discussion about your interview in detail. These conversations only serve to increase anxiety and often lead to self doubt. Talking about the school or topics you may have discussed with current students is great, but steer clear of discussing the actual interview content with your fellow applicants.
In closing, make sure you follow-up your interview day with a personal thank you note to your interviewer. If you had a special experience with a student or student group and/or a non-interview faculty include that experience also in your note.
As you walk away from your interview day, take stock of all you’ve heard. Think about whether this school felt like home to you. Did it feel as if you could blend in with the current students? Did you connect with the faculty? Did you feel like there was a place waiting for you there – a place where you could grow both personally and professionally? If so, then all that’s left for you to do is wait patiently for an acceptance.