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Interviews don’t have to be intimidating, in fact, they can be fun. Today’s guest, Kim Duckworth, has both given and trained teens for interviews for over a decade. She gives advice on how students can nail an interview through practice and preparation.
Key Takeaways:
- College can be a culture shock in terms of the expectations of students. The college environment encourages self-regulation and independent thinking.
- Parents should have a conversation prior to a student leaving for college as that can help with the shift in expectations.
- Practice interview questions well before the actual interview to make sure you know how to articulate your answers
- Walk into an interview with confidence and SMILE! Make eye contact, and, if appropriate, shake the interviewer’s hand.
- Dress to impress. It should be clear just by your appearance that you care about the interview.
- When in an interview, repeat the question back to give yourself to give yourself a few seconds to think about the answer. If you cannot think of an answer, you can always ask to circle back to it at the end of the interview.
- Do your research before an interview. Be specific if they ask you questions about why you want to go to school or work there.
- Prepare about three questions to ask the interviewee when the interview is done. These questions can include asking about their own experiences or even if there are any concerns they have about your ability to succeed at the college or company.
Important Resources and Links:
Email: kim@parentsareyouready.com
Facebook: @parentsareyouready
Instagram: @kpduckworth
Twitter: @KimDuckworth12
Meet Kim Duckworth
Kim Duckworth is a graduate of Stanford University, where she received her B.A. in Communications-Journalism. She was the first woman in her family to attend college. She worked in Sales and Marketing for IBM in Silicon Valley and White Plains, NY for over 10 years. She has called Arizona her home for the last 25 years.
Currently, Kim is an independent college admissions coach and member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. She personally consulted with over 7,500 high school families as the co-owner of Scottsdale Education Center (a college preparatory center) for over 12 years. She’s been married 36 years, has three daughters and three grandchildren. She enjoys hiking, Labrador retrievers, travel, and Telluride, Colorado.
Thank you Kim for taking the time to provide helpful tips for students as they prepare for their interviews. Get a game plan, conduct due diligence on each school or company, specific majors or internship programs, and of course, read up on current events prior to an interview. Walking into an interview with a sense of confidence and a smile increases your chances of nailing that interview whether it is a college interview or an interview for an internship or job. Knowing how to handle those tough questions ahead of time with the techniques Kim provided is crucial.
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