<p>I am currently writing an interview report for the students I interviewed and I realize that there should be some basic tips for interviewing. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Please smile and be enthusiastic. I can not stress that enough. I finished interviewing three students last week and I am currently writing up the report. I find that I am having trouble with one student because, in comparison to the other applicants, he was not as enthusiastic. I had trouble gauging his "true self". If you just smile and seem enthusiastic regardless of whether you want to attend, it makes the interviewer write a better report. </p></li>
<li><p>Do some research and prepare one question that the interviewer doesn't know the answer to. I found that when I had to do a bit of research (for example, on programs offered that I was not familiar with), it created a favorable impression on me.</p></li>
<li><p>Bring your resume! I don't write notes when I conduct the interview because this is supposed to be informal but I have a really bad memory so a resume always jogs my memory and is nice to have. It can also serve as an ice-breaker. The best interviews so far have been from students who have brought resumes. </p></li>
<li><p>Send a thank-you email or phone call. You will have to do it in the future when interviewing for jobs so you might as well start now. It is also basic courtesy. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I'll probably write a few others but I wanted to put this out first. The students who did the above made the diff between an OK interview to a stellar interview.</p>
<p>EDIT: I would like to add that I made a previous post in 2009 about not bringing your resume but after doing interviews for several years, I have changed my mind and I actually think it is a good thing. I was worried about creating an unequal interview where the interviewer appears to be the authority and judge over the student. However, with the resume it made my conversations so much easier and smoother. It really makes things convenient for me!</p>
<hr>
<p>I noticed that some interviewers specifically request the student to not give them their resume. If they specifically state that, don’t give it to them! But in all other cases, I still think it is safe to have.</p>
<p>Also, please don’t state your GPA or SAT unless you absolutely think it helps (it can be on the resume)- the admissions office has the score already. The point of the interview is to learn information about the applicant that can add to his/her application. I hope the interviewers don’t ask the students that question because it is sort of…pretentious and it gives the wrong signal that the interviewer has a certain type of authority- they don’t.</p>
<p>One other thing, follow up your stated interests with questions related to Princeton. If you like reading fiction, follow it up by asking if Princeton has a book club or a writing club. Or if you like playing a sport in high school, ask about ways to continue it at Princeton. Basically connect your interests to Princeton, get it? If you just say I like to read, and say what authors or books you like, that doesn’t “hit home” as well as when you say, I like to read, these are the authors I like, and I would love join a book club at Princeton, etc…</p>
<p>PS
In regards to interests and hobbies, it looks better if you give the impression that you have gone beyond what a normal student would have done.
What I mean is that you can talk about your interests and appear well-rounded but if there is no depth behind it, it isn’t as impressive. For example, I can say my interests are jewelery-making, designing clothes, and painting. And then I can add, I’ve had friends buy my jewelery or I’ve submitted my paintings in contests, etc… That shows depths versus just stating your interests.</p>
<p>And here is where interviews can be so very subjective: I interview for Princeton and I think the applicant should be the one who looks up information. Demonstrate some real interest in Princeton to me by showing me you have done some in-depth research into your interests at Princeton by at least looking over the departments you can major in or the list of topics you can get a certificate in. If you tell me you are interested in neuroscience but don’t know we offer a certificate in that, I’m not going to take you as seriously as someone who actually read up on our website. Don’t make <em>me</em> do your research for you. That counts against you in my book!</p>
<p>While it’s naturaly for interviewers to want to connect with the students, students should know that the interviewers’ role is not necessarily to be your advocate but to serve as an objective examiner for the school. They might end up advocating for you (if you give them something to fight for), but that’s not their first responsibility. Their first responsibility is to the school – to write an honest and objective report. I’ve gone complete interview seasons (10+ interviews) without writing a single glowing report. And I have no problem with that. I don’t consider myself a “hard” interviewer but report honestly what I encounter.</p>
<p>(I don’t interview for Pton but one of its competitors but our guidelines and objects are similar, BTW)</p>
<p>I’m a bit confused by the question. As an interviewer, I bring a list of general questions, which I’ve frankly memorized by this point, and a pad of paper and a pen. I’m not sure what else I’d bring. . .</p>
<p>Please please please do your homework. If you can go to campus, please do. If you can’t, please go to the website and spend some time there. Know which majors interest you, and why. Know which clubs and extra-curriculars you’re interested in, and why. Don’t just tell me that you want to work on the newspaper, tell me why you want to work on the Prince.</p>
<p>And write a thank you note. I’ve given up expecting them, but your future employers haven’t.</p>
<p>I just want to echo all of these. Please do all of them–they’ll make your interview better and your interviewer like you more. Relax, it’s a conversation and not the end of the world. But there are also things that you can do to make it work in your favor.</p>
<p>I’ve got an interview coming up right before Valentine’s Day at a Starbucks. Are there any things that I could bring that could keep me on her mind even after the interview like for example my essays?</p>
<p>I’ve read a lot of interview-related threads on CC - a lot of them written by interviewers themselves, and I’ve found a huge difference in whether or not they want you to bring extra documents, such as resume’s and essays. I have actually asked my interviewers whether or not they’d like me to bring such documents, because I did not want to force them upon them or forget them when the interviewer might need them. Until now, none of my interviewers have asked me to bring documents - in truth, two have told me specifically not to. My advice would be to ask your interviewer whether or not he’d like you to bring them - you never know what his preferences might be. Good luck with your interview!</p>
<p>My interviewer wants to do afternoon on a school day. If I come straight from school is it alright if I show up wearing school clothes (e.g. shorts and a t-shirt)?</p>
<p>^No. Dress up to school or bring a change of clothes. Tbh, what you wear isn’t a big deal, but you want to make the best impression that you can. And this is an easy way to start to giving a positive impression.</p>
<p>Frankly? No. For some interviewers (myself included), it won’t be a big deal. For others, they’ll take offense. It’s an easy thing to fix–bring a change of clothes to school in a bag and change before you leave. It’s not worth risking potential disappointment because you don’t show up looking like you take it seriously. For any type of interview, there’s no reason to risk something that you can otherwise control.</p>
<p>Just reading a few posts above, interviewers are so different in their expectations. One says bring a resume, another no unless you are thick between your ears, some say dress up another Seriuosly, no. Do you have any tips for students how to tell which type of an interviewer they are getting so that they can prepare accordingly?</p>
<p>For the resume, the best way to know would be just to ask your interviewer whether or not you should bring any supplemental materials (that’s what I did with my interviewers). As to dressing, you should consider the place you are meeting (law firm vs Starbucks), and, if you’re really clueless, just go for business casual.</p>
