Fashion Merchandising
Interviewing
Preparing properly for your interview is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure that you are presenting yourself well and doing your best to appeal to target employers. There are several ways you should prepare for an interview:
First, do your research.
It is important to research a company before your interview so that you are able to demonstrate your interest and commitment to the company's goals and strategies. Researching a company ahead of time also allows you to investigate the company culture, assess if the company is a good fit prior to committing to an interview, and more.
It is also a good idea to research the person (or people) who will be interviewing you so you know who they are, what their role is in the company, and can gather any pertinent background information before meeting them. Try searching for them online or on social media or check out the following resources:
Second, prepare answers and practice.
It is usually a good idea to prepare your answers to some of the most common interview questions ahead of time. This will help you be ready to answer tough questions in a clear and professional manner. Additionally, practicing answering questions in the mirror or with a friend can help you examine your body language and tone to make sure you are giving off the correct impression during your interview. Take a look at the following resources for more information!
Third, bring your best.
Consider bringing several crisp and clean copies of your resume, a cover letter, references, transcripts or other pertinent documentation, a brief portfolio with examples of your work and accomplishments, directions to and from the place where you will be interviewing, breath mints, a list of questions to ask your interviewers, etc. to an interview. The resources below can give you some ideas!
Phone / Video Interviews
It is not uncommon to have a telephone interview or an interview that involves videoconferencing software like Skype or WebEx. Needless to say, you should prepare as you would for an in person interview. However, you will want to take steps to ensure you avoid any technical problems such as a computer not working, needing to download plug-ins, etc. You will also want to ensure you have a quiet place to participate in the interview. Plan to do a trial run a day or two before the interview. Set up your camera and any headset or microphone as if you were going to do the actual interview. The below articles offer practical advice for a video interview as well as feedback from recruiters: