10 best tips to prepare for an internship interview in Nigeria.
Getting an internship position in an establishment can be sometimes difficult for a lot of people who intend to get such positions.
It doesn’t just end with sending in your resume and cover letter to the company inviting you over for an interview.
Showing up takes preparation, and how you go about the interview also matters in boosting your chances of getting such positions.
If you wish to learn how to prepare for an internship interview, this guide will help. In this article, I will be showing you how to prepare for an internship interview.
Tips To Prepare For An Internship Interview In Nigeria
Below are some tips that would guide you to prepare for an Internship interview in Nigeria.
1. Preparation
Preparing yourself for the internship interview involves picking the right outfit that is befitting for the interview.
You can also make appropriate research about the establishment and try running through a list of possible questions while you prepare.
Come along with a hard copy of your properly written Resume to the interview just in case the employer requests it during the interview.
Boost your confidence by creating the right mindset about the interview and maintain a friendly outlook.
You should also understand why you are interested in this internship position because that is the key thing that would drive your hunger for that position.
If you have not come to terms with why you want the internship job, then you be able to exert much confidence during the internship interview.
2. First Impression
Another tips to prepare for an internship interview in Nigeria is to see the interview as a great opportunity to sell yourself.
This is so important because it is the impression the employer gets of you that would keep him engaged to know more about you.
The employer has gone through your Resume and has a mental picture of you, it is now left for you to match his expectations in person.
On reaching the interview, it is in your own interest to create a great impression of yourself by being punctual, being yourself, maintaining eye contact, and matching a firm handshake with the employer when he/she extends a handshake.
Try to ease the mood by creating a friendly rapport with the employer. Be relaxed and show a great deal of confidence when interacting with the employer.
Approaching your internship interview in arrogance or pride would only end up ruining your chances of getting that internship position.
Humility is a key ingredient that employers seek in applicants because it shows how they can cope with instructions and be led.
3. Lay Out Your Skills And Achievements
Another tip on how to prepare for an internship interview is to pay attention to your skills and achievements with reference to positions held back in school and how well you performed.
Also, the selfless activities that you have engaged in, including volunteer activities, your computer knowledge, and other various skills you picked up along the way should not be ignored.
Also, emphasize previous internship experiences you’ve acquired and how well you work as a team player.
It is also important to point out your problem-solving abilities and creativity at your previous employment.
4. Provide Examples Of Your Skill
At certain points in the internship interview, the employer may create a random scenario and ask how you would perform under such circumstances.
This is done to know how well you can work under pressure or under certain unfavorable conditions.
Provide the employer with scenarios where you had to think fast and solve certain problems.
Also, make him/her understand how you applied your skill in fixing certain situations or unfavorable conditions.
Make the employer see you as a selfless applicant and a person that is willing to put personal interest aside to work for the growth of the establishment.
5. Don’t Answer Any Question In A Hurry
Ensure that you understand the questions before answering. If you don’t understand or hear any part of the question, it is okay to ask the employer to repeat the question or make you understand the question.
Don’t answer a question wrongly because of pride or being shy to ask the employer for clarity.
Understand what the interviewer wants to hear and answer in confidence.
6. Don’t Be Too Forward
Avoiding being too straightforward is another notable tip on how to prepare for an internship interview.
Answer every question as straight to the point as possible and try as much as possible to follow the lead of the interviewer.
Allow the interviewer to start up a conversation and follow up with a polite and respectful response because you will not want to create an impression in the employer that you are difficult to lead or direct.
No matter how vast your experience or skill is, try as much as possible to stay humble and polite in your statements.
7. Emphasize Strength And Weaknesses
When asked by your interviewer about your strength and weaknesses, focus on the positive aspects.
Point out your strengths and then mention your weaknesses with reference to how you have worked on it and improved on it.
Give examples of how you have applied your strengths in solving problems and also scenarios where you got better at your weaknesses.
Make the employer see you as someone who knows his/her weaknesses and is willing to grow with the establishment.
8. Provide Samples Of Your Work
It is also an added advantage to come along with samples of your previous works.
This would make the employer see your abilities and give him/her the confidence that you know what you are doing.
It doesn’t just end with bringing those work samples, be prepared for any question that might be thrown at you by the interviewer with respect to the presented works.
9. Round-Up In Confidence
During an interview, how you start and how you finish is very vital in guaranteeing a successful interview.
Conclude the interview in confidence like you have already gotten the job and make the interviewer want to see you again.
10. Finalize Your Internship Interview With A Thank You
Extend your thanks to the employer for his/her time and politely ask when you should expect to hear from them.
Getting a job can be so tricky when it comes to preparing for an internship interview because you would want to create the best impression in the employer about yourself and for that reason, a lot of job seekers end up overdoing it and then appear desperate.
That’s all on how to prepare for an internship interview. If you followed the above steps and guides, you will surely come out successful.
I hope this guide on how to prepare for an internship interview in Nigeria helps.