The Top 5 Things To Avoid In An Internship Interview

By Alexandra Brown on November 21, 2014

This article is brought to you by Dream Careers, the largest global internship program for college students offering all-inclusive programs in 11 cities worldwide. To learn more about Dream Careers, please visit us at SummerInternships.com.

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As college students, we’re constantly studying for exams, working part-time while still trying to have some fun, but we’re also constantly worrying about the future.

A big part of being in college is taking the time to prepare for what is to come, and that means applying to internships, either for during the semester on campus, over the summer, or even for after graduation.

Interviewing for these internships can oftentimes be quite nerve-racking, as most interviews in general can be. Luckily, Ammar Shallal of Dream Careers, an internship program that pairs students up with various internships available throughout the country, provided us with some advice of what not to do in these interviews.

Here are five things to avoid when interviewing for an internship position:

1. Winging it

It should be common knowledge that doing research about the company you’re about to interview for beforehand is absolutely essential. You want to come off as a candidate that is genuinely interested in the work that the company does, and you want to seem prepared.

Coming in and interviewing with no prior knowledge is not only obvious to the interviewer, it makes it seem like you have no respect for their time.

According to Shallal, “you definitely don’t want to wing it. Do your research. Everything from the company, the industry, the position and even the person who’s interviewing you is of importance.”

“With all the resources available, like the company’s website, Google, LinkedIn, etc. there’s no excuse for being unprepared,” he said.

2. Not asking questions at the end of the interview

At the end of the interview, more often than not, employers will ask if you have any questions for them on any topic that wasn’t covered in the interview.

It is common for applicants to respond politely with a “no, thanks, you’ve answered all my questions.”

This is a problem because you don’t want to appear common. You want to stand out, seem interested, and show your potential employer that you are different from anyone else they have or will interview for the position.

Here is what Shallal said about asking questions at the end of interviews.

“If you are genuinely interested in the company and what they do you’ll likely have a bunch of questions for them. If you don’t ask questions, it’s effectively like you’re saying “no, thanks, I’m not actually that interested in what you guys do and I want to get out of here as soon as possible.”

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3. Being under-dressed

It is so important that you come to your interview dressed in business attire. You want to be perceived as professional, not as a college kid who doesn’t know how to dress for the real world.

Unfortunately, your outward, physical appearance is the first thing people see, so it is the first thing employers will most likely judge about you, and it is what they will most likely remember about you.

“Regarding dress code, it’s always better to be overdressed rather than underdressed. I’ve heard stories from my clients about interviewees walking in wearing flip-flops, shorts, and t-shirts. Needless to say, they weren’t hired,” Shallal said.

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4. Arriving late to the interview

You should make a conscious effort to be at least 10-15 minutes early to avoid showing up late. You never know what exterior factors could delay your arrival, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Arrive early, and make sure to account for rush hour, parking, missing a train and everything else,” Shallal said. ”If you can’t make it on time for the interview, how can they depend on you to show up to work on time every day of the internship?”

“Ideally, you should be checking in to the office about 10 minutes before the interview to show them that you’re early,” he added.

5. Being overly confident

In the interview, you don’t want to seem completely unaware or helpless, but you also don’t want to come off as entitled, or overly confident about being granted the position.

“It’s kind of like a first date; you don’t want to come off desperate but at the same time not too cocky either,” Shallal said.

However, confidence is the key that comes from thorough preparation, Shallal said, and you need to show that you’re interested in everything the internship entails.

It’s important to have strategic goals for your internship interviews, to find ones that you are actually excited about, rather than ones your parents referred you to, and to search for positions that will help you later.

The whole process of applying to internships is always stressful. It feels like you have enough on your plate with school as it is, but you won’t regret it.

Come time for the summer, you’ll hopefully have an internship that gets you closer to whatever goals you may have for your professional future.

What else were you going to spend your summer doing, anyway?

Looking for a top internship in an exciting city? Enroll in Dream Careers and guarantee yourself an internship and a fun summer in your choice of 11 cities globally. To visit our website, please click here.

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