In-person interviewing tips to land your dream internship

Shawna Scott - 3/12/2021

 Though many internships went virtual during the worst of the pandemic, now that recovery is underway some companies are reopening their doors to in-person or hybrid internship opportunities. If this is the first time in a while you’ve ventured out into the professional world in-person, you might be a little rusty. But never fear! Put your mind at ease with these preparation tips.

1. Drive by the interview location the day before. This will help prevent you from getting lost and being late on the big day. Plus, you’ll be able to scout out a good parking spot.

2. If you don’t know what parking will be like, make sure you have some change in the car in case you have to feed a meter. Budget extra travel time to find a place to park and still arrive five minutes early.

3. If you want to feel extra prepared, you can pack an emergency kit to stash in your bag or car. This could include a stain stick, a spare shirt and/or tie, a water bottle, a granola bar, and even an extra pair of shoes in case you step in a puddle or break a heel.

4. Come with 3-4 questions prepared for when they ask you, “Do you have any questions for us?” at the end of the interview. You don’t need to actually ask all of them, but it’s good to have several in mind depending on what topics the interview covers. For example, if you ask your only prepared question, “What does a typical day look like in this position?” and they already covered that in the interview, it’ll sound like you haven’t been listening.

5. Take several copies of your resume, a small professional-looking notepad, and two pens or pencils (in case one stops working or breaks) in with you to your interview. When you sit down with your interviewers, offer them copies of your resume if they don’t already have them. Then set one out for yourself to refer to, along with your notebook for jotting down any important details.

6. If you get the “What do you consider your biggest weakness?” question, never say, “Well, I’m a bit of a perfectionist.” It’s a huge cliché and rings false. Instead, answer as if the question was, “What is a weakness you have identified in yourself and how have you since taken actionable steps to improve?” Stick to a non-offensive topic you have struggled with like time management, public speaking, etc. and focus on what you have learned/changed about yourself. Always end your answer on a positive note!

7. Finally, send a professional, spell-checked thank you email to the interviewers/hiring manager immediately after your interview. (Make sure to send it from the same email address that is on your resume and application, not from one of your random personal email addresses.)

Good luck!

Looking for virtual interviewing tips? Try these.