Students learned how to prepare to make an effective first impression at the Interviewing Techniques Workshop Thursday, Sept. 21.

Traci Ukita, career counselor, shared with students tips and skills to be prepared for an interview.

“An interview is the meeting between a candidate and a perspective employer; it’s really an opportunity for you as the potential job candidate to show the employer why you would be the best candidate for that job,” Ukita shared.

The two important steps to be prepared are:

• Knowing yourself – know why you want the job, what you can offer, experiences and skills, etc. (do not share an autobiography)
• Knowing the job/employer – get familiar with the job description

These two steps will allow you to know the main things they are looking for, and think about the times you have done those things (qualities, skills, experiences) that relate to what they are looking for.

“It’s a nerve-wracking experience, it’s not like you are meeting someone socially, this is possibly someone who could give you a job,” Ukita stated.

Prepare yourself with questions that might be asked, the STAR approach is useful to prepare concrete and straight-to-the-point answers:

S – Situation you were in

T – Tasks you have been asked to complete

A – Action(s) you took to complete a task or solve a situation

R – Results of your action

Also — know what type of interview you will be having because there are many types of interviews like phone, lunch, panel, etc.; the most common being group and the traditional one-on-one.

Simple things are also important like introducing yourself, remember first impression does matter.

During the workshop, Ukita had students shake hands with each other to practice what a firm handshake should be like.

She also demonstrated what a good posture and body language should look like.

Dressing for the occasion is also very important; you want to be “dressy” with good hygiene.

It is very important to turn off your cellphone during an interview, being on your phone portrays a lack of interest and it is rude.

After the interview, sending a thank you letter showa you appreciate the time and opportunity you were given.

Sothiva Kaen, business administration major, attended the workshop because she is planning to apply for an internship or job and wanted to learn how to have a successful interview.

“I learned how to behave in an interview, what to do or not to do, how and what to prepare for,” Kaen said.

Kseniia Prokopchuk, business major, said “I learned how to behave on an interview and how to speak with people.”

Alexey Prokopchuk, undecided major, has made some mistakes on previous interviews so the workshop helped him to be prepared for future interviews.

“I learned many interesting things; like you should prepare before an interview. I have made some mistakes like asking how much I’ll be getting payed or my behavior was not correct,” Prokopchuk said.