Successful Interviewing Tips

For those of you trying to land an informatics job, here are some key points to securing your dream job. After numerous resume edits and phone interviews, you finally landed the face to face interview. Colleges and graduate schools do not fully prepare you for interviews. An interview is a two way street. Its your chance as the interviewee to see if you fit in the company and the interviewer is also doing the same. Some people learned their interviewing skills by going to actual interviews to see if they would be a good fit for the company. But to some people going an an actual interview to practice interviewing skills may be nerve wracking. So, I’ve compiled some tips that helped me. 1.) Smile and show your personality – some people may not smile enough or they have a personality of a wall. Even though you may have the skillset, being personable comes a long way. 2.) Ask good questions Some questions to ask may be about the organizational structure, department and the position. If the job you are applying is a lateral position, ask what your responsibilities would be on a day to day basis. Another question is how will I be successful in this position and company. 3.) Discussing your qualifications – this is your time to shine. This is not the time to be humble. If you are proud of something you did, tell them! 4.) Never discuss salary. 5.) Some people may think discussing advancement opportunities may not be a good idea for an interview. But, if this is important for you and want a growth opportunity, there is no harm in asking and expressing interest. 6.) Exiting the Interview – end the interview my expressing your gratitude for the interviewer’s time, asking for a card, ask if there is anything that was said that needs clarification, re-express your interest in the position, and end with a hand shake.