In our college careers we will all go through at least a couple of job interviews, and it’s no secret that the interviewing process requires practice, and a few tries to really get it down. Being a senior now who has gone through a few interviews myself, there’s a few main takeaways I have from my own experiences and those around me. Hopefully, these tips will help you be able to avoid some of the growing pains of those first few interviews and hit the ground running!

I’d like to begin by sharing my first interview experience to give you some perspective. I was going to interview for a job in Chicago’s Wrigley Field. It was a position I never expected to get (that does not mean I shouldn’t have prepared). I threw on a dress shirt and pants, and took the train into the city, nervously awaiting the interview. When I arrived, I sat in a waiting room surrounded by other candidates. Finally, my name was called, and I went into the office. I stuttered, my mind blanked, and I forgot every question I had planned to ask. Needless to say, it was a mess.

Lucky for me, this ended up being much less of an interview, and more of a meeting to ask for my availability, because I had already been hired. I will say if this was a more formal interview though, I likely would not have gotten the position.Over time though, things began to come together, and those mistakes came about less and less. Here’s the most important things I’ve learned:

1. Research

You’d be surprised how many people go into an interview blind. This is probably the worst thing you can do. For every job you are interviewing for there is almost always going to be multiple candidates and even more people who applied and didn’t get to the interview stage. A good way you can separate yourself from the pack is to do your research.

There are lots of things that qualify as research and all of them will benefit you in some way. An example could be searching the values of a company and what they stand for. This way you could find some overlap between your own personal values and experiences and be able to present this to the hiring team. Knowing more about where you are interviewing will lead into the next part of research, and that is gathering some questions you have about the company or position.

During every job interview you will ever have, they will ask you if you have any questions. No matter what, you should always have questions. If nothing else, asking a question shows you are interested in the company, the position, and the people. Not having anything to say at the end of an interview can come off as slightly rude, and it can give the impression that you aren’t fully engaged or excited about the opportunity of joining the team.

Utilizing social media apps like LinkedIn can also be extremely beneficial for learning about where you are interviewing. I highly recommend keeping an updated and full profile or creating one if you don’t already have an account. If a recruiter happens to be doing their research on you, you want to make sure you’re giving them a good picture of you.

2. Be yourself

As mentioned, one thing you can and should do before every interview is research the company you are applying for. A lot of these sites and resources will tell you what a company is looking for in a candidate. Of course, you will want to take note of this information but be careful. A common mistake a lot of students make is “faking” a personality to match exactly what a job wants.

You want to work somewhere that is a good fit for you, and it’s never a good idea to fake something as big of a deal as your personality. You are who you are, and there’s certainly going to be a way for you to fit into a role just the way you are. I like to look at it this way. I’ll go into an interview and show them exactly who I am, because if I get hired, that’s the me they are going to be getting every single day. If I show them the best version of me and they think I might not be a fit, then they probably have a good reason for their thought process. Doing this will assure that you end up in a spot where you are valued and fit in with the existing team members. It will absolutely benefit you in the long run.

3. Reach out to people

This is one of my favorite tips on the list because a lot of times it really can be the difference maker between getting the job and coming in second. Reaching out to people helps put a face and personality to the resume. The average recruiter takes about 6-8 second to look through your resume, so anything you can do to stick out will be a huge benefit. As mentioned before, tools like LinkedIn are your best friend. Don’t be afraid to reach out to some alumni or people who work or have worked at the company you are applying for. Most people have gotten some help in the past, and a lot of people appreciate the opportunity to pay it forward.

There are other ways to reach out besides LinkedIn too. Multiple career fairs happen year-round, and there are professional events happening all the time on campus. It can be an intimidating thing at first, but the more you put yourself out there, the easier it becomes. A great thing about the career fairs at Illinois is their inclusivity. Whether the theme of a career fair is business, engineering, or agriculture, students from every part of the university can find something for them.

A common factor between a lot of people’s first job or internship is that they had someone get them in the door. It could be a friend, family member, or even someone you met at the grocery store. The point is, the more people you talk to, the more doors you open for yourself. You never know what could happen, so being friendly and approachable can take you far.

To end I want to say you should cut yourself some slack. It is nearly impossible to avoid nitpicking every little thing about your interview. Inevitably, you are going to be analyzing everything from your question answers to your tone of voice. While I know it’s difficult, just take a step back. Do something that makes you relax, spend time with friends and family, take a moment to breathe. Once that interview is complete, you have done everything in your power to get that position. Waiting can be tough, but it is important to realize when things are out of your control. You may just get that positive call back and even if you don’t, you have just gained invaluable experience going through another interview.

Good luck, and I’m confident every one of you will do great things!