Interviewing for an internship or job opening can be a daunting and nerve-racking task. Meeting someone who can decide your future is something everyone of us has gone through and interviewing is a key part of the process to landing a job or internship. How you perform in the interview is important but so is the preparation.
Most hiring managers want candidates that can be well-prepared and willing to go the extra mile even if it is just in the interview stages. Those who take the time to show the hiring manager that he or she can prepare can always use that to stand out from other candidates. It shows commitment, dedication and a willingness to learn, which are all traits most hiring managers desire in candidates.
When speaking with most hiring managers, it is surprising how many stories each one has about candidates who simply do not prepare much for the interview. During my time in the broadcast industry, I came across several managers who interviewed internship candidates who knew nothing about the radio or television station he or she worked at. When talking with these hiring managers, I usually garnered at least one or two stories about someone who didn't know who the morning show hosts were, who was on the air during the afternoon or would mention people who were no longer affiliated with the station as on-air personalities. In all of these cases, this showed a lack of effort on the part of the person being interviewed.
Before going into an interview, make sure to ask yourself this question:
"What do I need to know about this company to prove to the hiring manager I can grow his or her business?"
By asking yourself this question, you should be able to come up with several areas for research. With the help of the Internet, it is easy to find out information about the company and in most cases, most of the information you need will be through the company web-site. By taking the time to do your homework, you will have the information needed to prove to the hiring manager you can grow his or her business and be the candidate that person will need for the position.
