So I just got an interview and it's my first one (sadly summer job and not coop but better than nothing). Flipping through all the pages on google and wanted to ask if any people had any tips from their past experiences (or also what people look for if they interviewed other people). And yes I did look through the old threads on MI

I don't know what sort of job you're being interviewed for (retail, office, camp counselor, etc) but simple things such as not crossing your arms, eye contact, and a well-projected voice will go a long way for pretty much any job interview. It's good to know a thing or two about the company as well. Good luck!

I've never gotten any job/position/school acceptance that I've interviewed for (unless you count summer ER volunteering!), so you probably don't want any advice from me...

Originally Posted by Zebedee

I've never gotten any job/position/school acceptance that I've interviewed for (unless you count summer ER volunteering!), so you probably don't want any advice from me...

Im sure this will help the OP a lot in his interview

And to you the OP, if this is just a retail or food and beverage industry sort of job, no real background research is necessary, they will likely ask you to give examples from your past experiences of a time when you worked in a group or had to overcome an obstacle, provide leadership, etc.
If it is more of a coop like job than a part time job that highschool kids apply for, some research on the companies website would be a good starting place for you. Just to get an idea of the company's mission statement, see the work that they are currently doing, etc. Ive had interviews before where I was asked what research i had done on the company.
Hope this helps!

There are always these questions :

1. Tell me about yourself?
2. Why do you think you will be best for so-and-so job offer
3. one thing you're good at and one thing you're bad at

Also before going to an interview, research a bit about the company/organization; latest projects (if any).

Not sure where your job is, but these are pretty standard questions.

1. Walk me through your resume/tell me about yourself.
2. Why do you want to work here?
3. Greatest strengths/weaknesses
4. Time you've worked in a team, conflicts you've had, leadership roles you've had
5. Why hire you/ accomplishments you've had?

Eye contact, confidence, practice. 80% of the interview is preparation to be honest.

The school offers resume critique and mock interview sessions. Those are worth a try..

When asked about your weaknesses, don't do that cliche shit where you try and make your weakness into a strength like "oh ya im a perfectionist lols" or "sometimes i work too hard herpderp".
Instead, you should actually identify your weaknesses and the ways that you work around it or are trying to improve it. Being able to admit faults is an essential skill in self-improvement.

Originally Posted by Freija

When asked about your weaknesses, don't do that cliche shit where you try and make your weakness into a strength like "oh ya im a perfectionist lols" or "sometimes i work too hard herpderp".
Instead, you should actually identify your weaknesses and the ways that you work around it or are trying to improve it. Being able to admit faults is an essential skill in self-improvement.

Yep. The interviewer knows you're human and you're not perfect so don't claim you are. At the same time, try not to give them a weakness that is really unattractive such as "I sleep in often and usually make it to my appointments late".

Dont focus on those typical crap "personal" questions. Come up with an answer ahead of time for all of them so you are not stumped and look bad. The key is not to come up with good answers for these type of questions but instead to find something that makes you uniquely qualified for the position. You are an engineer correct? Engineering interviews usually have 2+ ppl interviewing you, one from HR, and one a team lead engineer. The HR person asks you those typical questions and its basically pass/fail. Then the real interview starts with the Lead Engineer. You have to impress this person. If you have a really good project capstone you worked on that directly applies or solid coop experiences then its time to pull those out.

I find engineering positions care more about job qualifications and less about the person. The interview and selection process mirror this, unlike most other positions.

Things to highlight:
-past experiences -> If you don't have any significant past job experience, you're very likely going to look bad. How do you gain experience if most jobs require experience? Volunteer. Do projects. Get involved in clubs. Do random stuff.

-personable -> Try not to just sit there and answer their questions. Try to do a bit of small talk, make a random comment about something in the room (i.e. their office?) and just give your answers flow and elabouration. Not many people are good at spontaneously adding flair to their answers, so it's alright to practice; use a friend or family member.. even if you make up the questions yourself.

-practice/trial+error -> Most likely the first interview you ever have will be a flopping disaster, so use that to make the next one better. OSCARplus has things like interview tips and round-table practice sessions, so take advantage of those -- just having one of these event attendances under your belt could save you from your fail.

-handshake/attire -> Make sure you have a strong, firm, confident handshake.. don't let it catch you off guard and try to look the person in the face while you do it. It's a tacky typical interview advice, but the impressions we form about people are based on the silliest, smallest things, and simply not starting off on a neutral footing could put you at a disadvantage. Also dress appropriately for the interview. Suits typically always win, but don't overdress for a non-overly-professional job.. like fast food, but don't under-dress. Logos, profanity, statements, or overly 'unique' clothing is best avoided. Best bet is to wear something nice, use deodorant, but don't overdo it. It's also important to be very neutral in your dress; when they see you in the interview, they'll be imagining this look being put into their work environment (managing a till, sitting in an office interacting with coworkers, or doing physical labour..)

-have an answer for most generic things ->Strengths/weaknesses, example of how you succeeded in a team environment, and how you dealt with a conflict some time in the past are all typical questions that are meant to gauge your reaction as well as how you'd do in the interviewed position.

-don't underembellish but don't lie -> Never lie about important things like major knowledge or things that could come into play... you might agree or suggest something that is untrue because of nervousness, which is alright, but keep it to a minimum. At the same time, being completely objective about yourself isn't going to market yourself well. Your past manager might have given you a small additional responsiblity, or you might have gone out of your way on some school project when you didn't have to... don't sell yourself short.

-show up on time -> Be 100% sure you know where the job interview location is, especially if it's in a large complex; go really early, or even a day before to check it out if you must.

Visit the Centre for Business Career Development office in DeGroote and grab the interview booklet on the wall. Its a better resource than I've found anywhere online and is actually identical to what we pay for in the Commerce Internship Program.

Originally Posted by RyanC

Things to highlight:
-show up on time -> Be 100% sure you know where the job interview location is, especially if it's in a large complex; go really early, or even a day before to check it out if you must.

Yes, this is key. First year, I decided to turn up to an interview 30 minutes early, only only to find there was no room where I thought it was. Needless to say, I didn't get the job.

Be personable. Most people would prefer to hire a person who is slightly less competent but keen to learn new things and is personal over some arrogant dbag who thinks they're the shit. You'd think this is common sense, but the number of people who are terrible interviewees ...

Learn about the company. Be able to answer tough questions regarding conflicts, weaknesses without coming across as a jerk. Shower.