With some wordplay in mind, you can nail your co-op interview!
Living in our digital age, it can feel like our language has been reduced to a series of acronyms, from LOL and OMG to BRB and GTG. But these shorthand modes of communication do make conversation simpler and, in some ways, more efficient.
So who’s to say that acronyms should stop at the text message or email? If acronyms make things easier, why not use them to help you ace your job interview?
PAWS
When it comes to interview preparation, the first key is to know yourself. Easy-peasy, you say? Perhaps. The most common first question in a job interview is “Tell me about yourself,” but students often just don’t know what to say to that! Where do I even begin? Is this a trick question? How do I know if I’ve provided them with enough information? These are questions I hear from students all the time. The first interview acronym can help you focus and develop some talking points when you’re responding to this infamous question:
P = Personal. Tell them a little bit about your areas of interest, whether professional or personal. Discuss why you chose your major as your area of study. Describe personal characteristics that make you well-suited for the position. Talk about hobbies or activities you like to do in your spare time.
A = Academic. Tell them about your academic background. What is your major? Are you minoring in a program? Do you have any additional certificates or relevant projects worth briefly discussing?
W = Work/Volunteer Experience. Briefly summarize your related work or volunteer experience.
S = Skills. This may have been covered as you discussed your academic or work experience. However, be sure to touch on relevant transferable or technical skills that make you a strong candidate.
Keep in mind they’ve called you in for an interview because they want to see the personality behind your resumé or application. Think of this question as an ice-breaker for you to introduce yourself and ease into the interview conversation.
STAR
Second to knowing yourself is knowing what is required of the position and explaining how your skills and experience match those requirements. This comes from identifying key competencies in the job posting and then practising behavioural questions related to those competencies. Behavioural questions are the ones that start with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of a situation where…” When responding to behavioural interview questions, keep this star-studded interview acronym in mind:
S = Situation. Describe what happened.
T = Task. Describe what needed to be done.
A = Action. Describe what you did to respond to the situation. Be sure to incorporate relevant skills you utilized.
R = Result. Don’t leave your interviewer hanging and wondering, then what? Every story needs an ending, so don’t forget that positive result.
The best way to practise behavioural interview questions is to set up a practice interview with your co-op coordinator/advisor. Take advantage of this awesome co-op perk!
COMPANY/INDUSTRY ACRONYMS
These interview acronyms might take a little more research on your part. In addition to knowing yourself and knowing the position, the last key is knowing the company. Research, research, research, and be sure you’re familiar with any industry jargon or acronyms. If there are acronyms in the posting or on the company website you’re unfamiliar with, they’re definitely worth looking up. Check with your co-op advisor to see if your co-op program has any work reports from previous students who have worked in the position—they may provide you with insight into the position and any company lingo. This little bit of research can go a long way!
Last but definitely not least, now that you’ve prepared, walk in with confidence. Keep in mind that they invited you to the interview for a reason—based on your application, you have what they’re looking for in terms of skills and experience. Now all you have to do is be you.for more info, check out avant career
Living in our digital age, it can feel like our language has been reduced to a series of acronyms, from LOL and OMG to BRB and GTG. But these shorthand modes of communication do make conversation simpler and, in some ways, more efficient.
So who’s to say that acronyms should stop at the text message or email? If acronyms make things easier, why not use them to help you ace your job interview?
PAWS
When it comes to interview preparation, the first key is to know yourself. Easy-peasy, you say? Perhaps. The most common first question in a job interview is “Tell me about yourself,” but students often just don’t know what to say to that! Where do I even begin? Is this a trick question? How do I know if I’ve provided them with enough information? These are questions I hear from students all the time. The first interview acronym can help you focus and develop some talking points when you’re responding to this infamous question:
P = Personal. Tell them a little bit about your areas of interest, whether professional or personal. Discuss why you chose your major as your area of study. Describe personal characteristics that make you well-suited for the position. Talk about hobbies or activities you like to do in your spare time.
A = Academic. Tell them about your academic background. What is your major? Are you minoring in a program? Do you have any additional certificates or relevant projects worth briefly discussing?
W = Work/Volunteer Experience. Briefly summarize your related work or volunteer experience.
S = Skills. This may have been covered as you discussed your academic or work experience. However, be sure to touch on relevant transferable or technical skills that make you a strong candidate.
Keep in mind they’ve called you in for an interview because they want to see the personality behind your resumé or application. Think of this question as an ice-breaker for you to introduce yourself and ease into the interview conversation.
STAR
Second to knowing yourself is knowing what is required of the position and explaining how your skills and experience match those requirements. This comes from identifying key competencies in the job posting and then practising behavioural questions related to those competencies. Behavioural questions are the ones that start with “Tell me about a time when…” or “Give me an example of a situation where…” When responding to behavioural interview questions, keep this star-studded interview acronym in mind:
S = Situation. Describe what happened.
T = Task. Describe what needed to be done.
A = Action. Describe what you did to respond to the situation. Be sure to incorporate relevant skills you utilized.
R = Result. Don’t leave your interviewer hanging and wondering, then what? Every story needs an ending, so don’t forget that positive result.
The best way to practise behavioural interview questions is to set up a practice interview with your co-op coordinator/advisor. Take advantage of this awesome co-op perk!
COMPANY/INDUSTRY ACRONYMS
These interview acronyms might take a little more research on your part. In addition to knowing yourself and knowing the position, the last key is knowing the company. Research, research, research, and be sure you’re familiar with any industry jargon or acronyms. If there are acronyms in the posting or on the company website you’re unfamiliar with, they’re definitely worth looking up. Check with your co-op advisor to see if your co-op program has any work reports from previous students who have worked in the position—they may provide you with insight into the position and any company lingo. This little bit of research can go a long way!
Last but definitely not least, now that you’ve prepared, walk in with confidence. Keep in mind that they invited you to the interview for a reason—based on your application, you have what they’re looking for in terms of skills and experience. Now all you have to do is be you.for more info, check out avant career
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