Internship interviews are just as important as any job interview. They should be approached with the same level of preparation and enthusiasm. As many college students and recent graduates are on the hunt for a summer internship position, I thought it would be a great time to share some solid tips for acing that internship interview.
1) Come prepared. This covers a lot! Bring a portfolio of your work from classes and previous internships if you have them. This will allow you to get specific about the experience you have and your writing skills by showing the work as you discuss it with the interviewer.
Research the company. You should have an idea of who the clients are, the number of people working at the company, who you will be meeting with, etc. Nothing screams “I’m half-hearted about this internship” more than someone who hasn’t even Googled the place they’re interviewing for.
You will be asked about previous work, school, club, volunteer and internship experience. Mentally prep yourself before the interview to know the important points you want to make. Simply saying that you built a media list at your last internship doesn’t give me a good indication of your skill set. Tell me what you built that list for, what type of media you were researching, how you helped the account person, and the ultimate result. What did you learn?
2) Dress appropriately. Come to the interview in business dress. First impressions are a big deal and you want the interviewer to pay attention to what you have to say, not what you are wearing. Dressing the part shows that you are taking the opportunity seriously. You should also steer clear of loud jewelry and flashy makeup. I heard a story of a candidate who had bangle bracelets on that kept banging on the desk in front of her, and all the interviewer could remember from the interview was the bracelets.
3) Be yourself. Nerves can get the best of us. We can speak too quickly, stutter and ramble if we get nervous in an interview. Take a deep breath before you get to the office so that you can best represent yourself in a calm and collected manner. Public relations is a high-stress job, and showing that you can remain cool under pressure will set you apart from other candidates.
Being yourself is also paramount so the interviewer can pair you with the appropriate supervisor. Supervisors want to know who they will be working with and how their direct report works best. If a candidate acts one way in an interview, and completely different while on the job, it’s not doing anyone any good. Interns aren’t expected to know everything or be “perfect” at public relations (no one is!), so admitting your struggles and what you want to learn is OK. That’s why we have internships – so you can improve your skill set and eventually apply it in your career.
4) Write a thank you note. This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised. Write a thank you note or email to everyone you interviewed with, and make it something personal and different for each person. A template thank you note doesn’t show a lot of originality or that you put a lot of effort into it.
We’d love to hear your internship interview tips as well! Feel free to leave a comment below.
And best of luck to all those on the internship hunt!
I have always had a passion for travel, which is why I knew an internship at Q&C would be perfect! At Q&C, I am a member of the travel team, where my opinions and ideas matter, and when it comes to travel I have so many ideas! All interns are invited to join company-wide brainstorm sessions, where we are encouraged to voice our creative ideas for clients. As an intern, I was initially hesitant to speak up, and then I remembered that I am a part of the team. I shared ideas and was so happy that I did! In addition to overcoming my shyness, my ideas were pitched and are now part of the client’s PR plan! I never knew how rewarding it could be to potentially see an idea come to life in an industry that I’m so passionate about.
