Hey MM
I saw your post on yesterday's thread and posted a reply there - but thought i would post here too in case you didnt check there. I saw this info on Harvard's website. I think it might help your son prepare for his interview Monday.... anyways, I know he will do great
-
(this is more geared to job interviews but iI changed it to make it applicable to your situation where I could...)
How to Prepare for Interviews
Before the Interview
Preparing well for your job interview is the best way to make a good impression and to avoid anxiety that can weaken your presentation. Interviews come in many formats. They may be driven by the interviewer's questions, or they may feel like a conversation you help to steer. They may be with one person or with several. They may be in person or by phone. Be ready for any of these types.
Seven Key Stages of Preparation for the Interview
1. Obtain information about interviewers, itinerary, and format if possible. Usually some information about the interview will be given to you. If it is not, ask for it. Ask also about receiving organizational literature.
2. Know the organization. If you have landed an interview, you probably did some research prior to applying. Include all of these elements:
Learn as much as you can about the organization.
Do an internet search on this organization as well as the person that will be interviewing you.
3. Know yourself. Think through the following questions thoroughly, and commit responses to memory. If you find yourself at a loss for words in response to some unanticipated questions, fall back on these responses, as you will find them very flexible.
What are you very good at? (3 verbs)
What are your most significant accomplishments? (3)
What types of problems are you best at solving? (3 types)
What qualities best describe you? (3 adjectives)
What skills do you have?
What best describes what you can do best? (1)
What are your weaknesses? (1)
How do you handle or work on this weakness?
Why do you want to go to Harvard?
4. Know what makes you a good match. During this stage, you should think very carefully about how your answers to stage 3 meet your findings from stage 2. In your answers, be as specific as possible, both about yourself and about the organization.
What makes you a good fit for this school?
What qualities make you stand out as a candidate for Harvard?
How did HIGH SCHOOL prepare you for Harvard?
How did your other experiences/education prepare you for this school?
5. Know additional information that you want to gain during the interview. The interview focuses largely on you, but should be a conversation. You are considering the organization as well. Good questions say a lot about you. Here are some examples:
Can you tell me more about your specific courses/facilties/resources/instructors?
What kinds of projects/community affairs will the school become involved with in coming years?
What opportunities might become available when i graduate?
How can I get involved in the school?
6. Have all logistics worked out ahead of time. Double-check travel times, and have key phone numbers so you can call if there is a problem. If possible, practice getting there.
7. Anticipate questions and practice responding to them. If you moved quickly over stages 3 or 4 of the interview preparation, go back because good answers to those questions will focus your response to almost all others, and they will be flexible enough to meet most questions you do not anticipate. Practice responses to these additional common questions. Keep answers fairly short, even if questions are very open-ended:
(a) Tell me about yourself.
Avoid a long narrative. Use some personal history, but not too much. Focus on key skills, strengths, traits, professional values, and achievements.
(b) Why do you want to go to our school?
Be careful of questions that set you up to focus on your own wants. Focus on the match between you and the school, not on what you will get out of it exclusively.
(c) Why should we accept you?
Discuss core requirements and desirable traits of candidates, but give considerable attention to qualifications that likely set you apart from other candidates.
(d) What are your strengths?
Name three related to succeeding at this institution.
(e) What do you know about our organization/schooletc.?
Be prepared to discuss this.
(f) Do you have more copies of your r?sum?/CV?
Yes. (Make sure your copies are of the same version you sent.)
The Day of the Interview
Keep all answers brief, but thorough. Offer the inquirer a chance to follow up.
Ask questions about the school. Also ask informed questions about the organization. Ask about the timeline for a decision, which will be helpful as you weigh options.
Follow-up
Send thank-you letters immediately. Use a professional format and friendly tone. If possible, send a personalized letter to everyone with whom you interviewed; if not, send one to the chair or point person. Include a few reminders of points that came up in the meeting, or if you have something would like to add now. You might also mention something you appreciated learning. Finally, remind the reader why you believe in the quality of the match between you and the organization.
__________________
I saw your post on yesterday's thread and posted a reply there - but thought i would post here too in case you didnt check there. I saw this info on Harvard's website. I think it might help your son prepare for his interview Monday.... anyways, I know he will do great
- (this is more geared to job interviews but iI changed it to make it applicable to your situation where I could...)
How to Prepare for Interviews
Before the Interview
Preparing well for your job interview is the best way to make a good impression and to avoid anxiety that can weaken your presentation. Interviews come in many formats. They may be driven by the interviewer's questions, or they may feel like a conversation you help to steer. They may be with one person or with several. They may be in person or by phone. Be ready for any of these types.
Seven Key Stages of Preparation for the Interview
1. Obtain information about interviewers, itinerary, and format if possible. Usually some information about the interview will be given to you. If it is not, ask for it. Ask also about receiving organizational literature.
2. Know the organization. If you have landed an interview, you probably did some research prior to applying. Include all of these elements:
Learn as much as you can about the organization.
Do an internet search on this organization as well as the person that will be interviewing you.
3. Know yourself. Think through the following questions thoroughly, and commit responses to memory. If you find yourself at a loss for words in response to some unanticipated questions, fall back on these responses, as you will find them very flexible.
What are you very good at? (3 verbs)
What are your most significant accomplishments? (3)
What types of problems are you best at solving? (3 types)
What qualities best describe you? (3 adjectives)
What skills do you have?
What best describes what you can do best? (1)
What are your weaknesses? (1)
How do you handle or work on this weakness?
Why do you want to go to Harvard?
4. Know what makes you a good match. During this stage, you should think very carefully about how your answers to stage 3 meet your findings from stage 2. In your answers, be as specific as possible, both about yourself and about the organization.
What makes you a good fit for this school?
What qualities make you stand out as a candidate for Harvard?
How did HIGH SCHOOL prepare you for Harvard?
How did your other experiences/education prepare you for this school?
5. Know additional information that you want to gain during the interview. The interview focuses largely on you, but should be a conversation. You are considering the organization as well. Good questions say a lot about you. Here are some examples:
Can you tell me more about your specific courses/facilties/resources/instructors?
What kinds of projects/community affairs will the school become involved with in coming years?
What opportunities might become available when i graduate?
How can I get involved in the school?
6. Have all logistics worked out ahead of time. Double-check travel times, and have key phone numbers so you can call if there is a problem. If possible, practice getting there.
7. Anticipate questions and practice responding to them. If you moved quickly over stages 3 or 4 of the interview preparation, go back because good answers to those questions will focus your response to almost all others, and they will be flexible enough to meet most questions you do not anticipate. Practice responses to these additional common questions. Keep answers fairly short, even if questions are very open-ended:
(a) Tell me about yourself.
Avoid a long narrative. Use some personal history, but not too much. Focus on key skills, strengths, traits, professional values, and achievements.
(b) Why do you want to go to our school?
Be careful of questions that set you up to focus on your own wants. Focus on the match between you and the school, not on what you will get out of it exclusively.
(c) Why should we accept you?
Discuss core requirements and desirable traits of candidates, but give considerable attention to qualifications that likely set you apart from other candidates.
(d) What are your strengths?
Name three related to succeeding at this institution.
(e) What do you know about our organization/schooletc.?
Be prepared to discuss this.
(f) Do you have more copies of your r?sum?/CV?
Yes. (Make sure your copies are of the same version you sent.)
The Day of the Interview
Keep all answers brief, but thorough. Offer the inquirer a chance to follow up.
Ask questions about the school. Also ask informed questions about the organization. Ask about the timeline for a decision, which will be helpful as you weigh options.
Follow-up
Send thank-you letters immediately. Use a professional format and friendly tone. If possible, send a personalized letter to everyone with whom you interviewed; if not, send one to the chair or point person. Include a few reminders of points that came up in the meeting, or if you have something would like to add now. You might also mention something you appreciated learning. Finally, remind the reader why you believe in the quality of the match between you and the organization.
__________________
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