Week 35: Last minute interview tips

Week 35: January 18, 2025

Last minute interview tips

Andrea,

Congratulations to those of you who already have internships secured - the process is moving earlier and earlier each year! For those of you who are heading into the traditional interview cycle, we wanted you to consider these last-minute tips as you dive into your interviews.

The 100 Week Sprint team

To-do's this week

Got 5 minutes? If interview slots have already been made available to you, try to book the time that seems most likely to generate positive returns!

Does the early bird get the worm?

It appears that the answer is often yes! If you want to get the proverbial "worm," schedule your interview slots earlier in the day.

Among the insights surrounding the psychology around the timing of interviews, we found an interesting point from a study at Wharton:

Interviewers feel compelled to create an even score distribution as they are rating job candidates. Therefore, even if you perform just as well as (or even better than) those students who went before you, your interviewers may subconsciously bump your score down to smooth out the average!

Which day of the week is best (if you have a choice)?

Don't assume that interviewing early in the week provides the same benefits as interviewing early in the day - Mondays are not ideal. Here are some reasons to avoid the bookends of a week:

Monday: Though their energy level is often the highest, interviewers are usually catching up on outstanding items from the weekend.
Friday: at the end of the week, interviewers might be wrapping up their work before the weekend, which may cut your interview time short.

The on-campus interview process will be a little different this year given COVID, but the basic principles remain: if the company is offering interview slots Tuesday - Thursday, shoot for Wednesday, when interviewers will be in the interview zone and less distracted by other work.

Before your interview starts

We all know that first impressions are vital. These interview tips were written for in-person interviews, but are still applicable for video ones. This article from HBS has helpful tips that could help you prepare for your next virtual interview.

Missed a week or two? Click here for our article archives.

Having trouble viewing this email? Open it in a new window.

Explore more on 100weeksprint.com