Hey everyone,
I just got a call from Congressman Gutierrez (IL-4) about setting up an interview for this Thursday. I'm extremely anxious! I was just wondering if there's any pointers you all have that could help me out.
Relax; be confident; think ahead to the kind of questions an interviewer might ask and think of your answers to them.
Be yourself! Don't try to be what you think they are looking for. People can usually tell if someone is faking it. If you are a joker then dial it back but don't abandon the core of who you are. If you are usually extremely serious then try to be serious while still being pleasant and engaging.
Hey everyone,
I just got a call from Congressman Gutierrez (IL-4) about setting up an interview for this Thursday. I'm extremely anxious! I was just wondering if there's any pointers you all have that could help me out.
The moment you walk into the room, when they first set their eyes on you, have a confident smile on your face. That will be their first impression of you.
You wouldn't be at this point in the process unless you were an intelligent, articulate person. Just don't pull a Miss Teen South Carolina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww
Shake your interviewer's hands. Be confident. Get there 20+ minutes early. Bring a padfolio with a pen and an extra copy of your resume. Dress well. Be genuine. Show some emotion. I met a fellow candidate in a waiting room between interviews who was an absolute robot. Don't be. Smile, laugh, maintain seriousness, be yourself. You'll do great!
Also, make sure you prepare for the standard starting question: "Tell us about yourself?" That really stumped me during my first interview to be honest.
If you get a chance before the interview - do a practice interview with an adult that knows about the military and is not Super familiar with you.
My DD practiced with a friend of my husband that was retired Air Force. They knew each other but had never spent one on one time together.
I would provide them with some sample questions (there are tons of examples all over the forum thread) Do the mock interview and then ask for their genuine feedback.
The one question that my DD struggled with during her "mock" interview was "what would you do if your best friend was cheating" - it's interesting because she got that exact same question during her MOC interview and was much better prepared for it.