Tips for Interviewing Success
General Tips
- Avoid caffeine.
- Be yourself.
- Do something routine before you start.
- Dress so that you look and feel good ... make yourself comfortable.
- Exercise your mouth muscles.
- Hold something.
- Know exactly how you will begin.
- Make the room your own.
- Meet and greet; make friends with audience members.
- Realize that your audience wants you to succeed.
- Realize you are the expert.
- Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse some more.
- Remember the first time is always the worst.
- Remember to breathe.
- Repeat or paraphrase questions.
- Show up early, assess the physical space, check equipment and sight lines.
- Start a conversation before you start your presentation.
Practice
- Have someone interview you using the questions that you anticipate being asked and the ones that you hope you won’t be asked.
- Ask colleagues and friends to watch the interview and take notes on things you did well and areas for improvement.
- If possible, video tape the practice interview so that you can replay it for you own analysis.
Self-Reflection (following Practice)
- How did you feel during the interview?
- What worked well?
- What could you have done better?
Feedback & Observation (from those who witnessed Practice)
- Did the person being interviewed stay on message?
- Did they have 3 talking points?
- Did they have a quotable quote?
- Did they keep their cool?
- How did the interviewee handle difficult questions?
- What was the interviewee’s main message?
- Was the message delivered clearly?
- What strategies did they use?
- Did they illustrate the impact of their program?
- Did they co-brand?
- How do you feel about the image and content of their program?
