7 Tips for a Top-Notch Interview

Written by Bianca Kroening

Co-Op MBA, Marketing, 2019

So, you’ve written your resume, had it critiqued, written it over, sat for a few hours at your laptop and sent out what feels like one application for every single office in New York. Or close to that, at least.

Then you wait.

And wait.

And finally, one fateful email pops up! One of those hundred companies would like to interview YOU!

For a second, you celebrate – maybe in your head or out loud!

Now what?

Interviewing can be a scary process. As a first year MBA student with a couple of completed internships (meaning, some interviews that went well!) under her belt, I still get pretty nervous before meeting a possible employer.

If you get nervous too, try to channel your nerves, acknowledge them, and use your nerves productively – you’ll be better prepared!

Once the interview is scheduled, I will reread the job description, print it out, and circle good story points that I find. Hopefully you’ll have had some experience with some or most of the job qualifications. Recall any stories you can tell that relate to those points and share them during your interview.

Something else that I always do is research the company you’re interviewing with. Open Google and find any information that’s relevant to the job you’ve applied to. While your interviewer won’t expect that you are completely knowledgeable of their company, you can make a great impression if you do your homework on the company and show it to your interviewer in your conversation.

Last week I had an interview with a huge New York City performing arts organization and mentioned what I knew about some of their community engagement initiatives (a huge aspect of the available job) into our conversation, and my interviewer seemed pleased that I took the initiative!

Still, no matter how prepped you are, recruiters can throw at least one curveball!

Some difficult questions that I’m often asked are “Tell me the biggest weakness you have” or “Tell me a time you’ve screwed up at work.” These definitely aren’t easy questions to take on, and seem counter-intuitive since the whole reason you’re there is to tell the employer all of the good reasons why they should hire you! They ask these questions to determine your level of self-awareness as well as evaluate your problem-solving skills.  So find a way to turn your negative into a positive or show that you’ve improved upon your weakness.

An answer that I use for a weakness is my memory. I can forget someone’s name the instant they tell me. To compensate, I’ve learned to take thorough notes throughout my workday. It’s helped me keep a record of tasks, boost my productivity, and improve my memory a lot more.

Think about challenges you may have (maybe it’s arriving on time, or paying attention in class) and think of how you overcome them so you’re ready to share.

 My favorite question that I was ever asked by a recruiter was for my CSR internship with Disney, and it motivates me to this day:

What are you working on now to prepare yourself for this internship?

If you’re still in school, this is an easy one, but even then, are you learning a new language, or teaching yourself a new skill on the side? It’s good to make progress on anything – even if it’s slow and steady – to demonstrate your drive for self-improvement and growth.

So go out there and ace that interview! Show that manager who you are, what you can do, and hopefully you’ll have an offer letter in your inbox in no time.


Check out our webinar, Acing the Interview with Chaundra Daniels, tomorrow! Register via Handshake to attend!



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