Securing an internship site is probably one of the most stressful, yet most important things you will do as a recent graduate. The competition is fierce- even though many of these positions do not pay! To help you, I have created this series of posts to give you tips and ideas.
General Interview Tips
- Research your site. Well in advance of your interview, research the issues addressed, the population served and if they follow a particular theoretical orientation. Remember, you do not want to ask any question during the interview process that you could have answered yourself with some Google searches.
- Dress professionally. If you own a suit, wear it. If not, then pull out your best dress pants (or skirt) and wear that. Do not wear excessive jewelry, perfume or makeup. Remember, conservative is better. Make sure your clothes are well-fitting and aren’t too tight. Do NOT wear jeans or flip-flops to your interview.
- Be professional. Make sure you are on time, in fact plan to arrive approximately 15 minutes early so that you can have some time to center yourself before you start the interview. If you’ve never been there before, either practice driving there they day prior, or leave extra early to allow plenty of time for traffic or other unforeseen delays, including getting lost.
Preparation
In addition to the above items, it is recommended you spend some time thinking about the common interview questions and what your responses might be. Then role-play with a friend so you can practice. However, don’t practice too much! You want to sound natural during your interview.
A really good general tip for preparation is to remember to LISTEN to the question the interviewer asks. I can’t tell you how many students I have interviewed for entry into our counseling program that have very poor listening skills. If you don’t understand the question, ask for clarification. It is much better to do that then to risk giving the impression that you aren’t listening. Also, try to limit your response. Think sentences, not paragraphs. Answer the question completely, but avoid story-telling or excessive details.
Here are some of the more common questions you may be asked:
- Why did you want to become a counselor?
- Why do you want to work at this agency?
- How do you think a friend or previous employer would describe you?
- Describe the relationship that should exist between supervisor and supervisee.
- Tell me about an ethical issue you have studied or had to deal with.
- What contributions could you make to this agency?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a clinician?
- What do you plan to do once you have finished your training?
- What is your theoretical orientation?
In my next post, I will discuss questions commonly asked of school counselors, as well as provide some links to websites where you can go to learn more!
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Dr. Barbara LoFrisco
