How to Stand Out
What should you wear? What questions will you be asked? What questions should you ask? We’ll help you prepared and stand out during an interview.
On this page:
What to Bring
Being prepared is the number one way to impress during an interview, and that includes not showing up empty-handed. Here's a list of things you might want to bring to your interview.
- Copies of your resume/CV
- A pen
- A notepad
- List of references
- Notes with talking points/examples of your experiences
- A list of prepared questions to ask
- Portfolio (if you have one) or examples of your work
- Folder/Briefcase (optional)
- Business cards (optional)
- Directions and contact information
- Driver’s Licenses or Passport
- A smile and positive energy
Map Out Directions Ahead of Time
Take the time before your interview, to get directions and even practice finding your interview location. There's nothing worse than looking sharp but showing up late because you got lost on the way to the interview.
What to Wear
When it comes to dressing for an in-person or video interview, think trendy, but conservative. Choose a classic suit coat, dress, shirt and pants or skirt. Wear clothing that is clean, wrinkle-free and fits you properly. This will show that you mean business.
Business Professional
When dressing for business professional, choose a classic suit coat, dress shirt and coordinating pants or skirt. Keep the colors basic to black, blue, gray and white. Ties and jewelry should be simple and not busy patterns. Business professional is more of a conservative style that is commonly worn during interviews.
Jackets
Shirts
Pants/Skirts
Shoes
Bags and Belts
Business Casual
Business casual is a little less formal than business professional. It's still intended to give a professional and businesslike impression. This means... you don't have to wear a suit jacket. But it's not so casual to where you can wear jeans and a t-shirt.
Shirts
Pants
Shoes
Bags and Belts
A new suit isn't in your budget?
Try visiting local thrift stores for a slightly used one.
Tips on Tying a Tie
Following along with Bob as he shows you three different ways to tie a tie.
What to Say
What you talk about and how you say it can make or break your chances of getting hired. Here's how you can describe your skills and experiences.
What skills do you bring? No matter your field of study, it’s important to speak their language and demonstrate how your academic experiences translate to workplace performance.
Good news—you’ve likely already started to develop important soft skills that employers seek through your academic and extracurricular activities.
Based on nationally recognized criteria from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Skill Sets
Critical Thinking
Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.
How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills
- Interpreting data through an experiment or survey
- Identifying inconsistencies in presented arguments
- Performing textual analysis
- Learning a computer programming language
- Conceptualizing models from open literature
- Preparing a literature review
- Conducting archival research
- Organizing, interpreting, distributing, archiving and publishing research findings
How to Describe Your Critical Thinking Experiences
- Make decisions and solve problems using sound, inclusive reasoning and judgment.
- Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.
- Proactively anticipate needs and prioritize action steps.
- Accurately summarize and interpret data with an awareness of personal biases that may impact outcomes.
- Effectively communicate actions and rationale, recognizing the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of stakeholders.
- Multi-task well in a fast-paced environment.
Communication
Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.
How to Develop Communication Skills
- Writing research papers, reports, grants and proposals
- Presenting at local, regional and national venues (e.g., poster or conference sessions)
- Organizing, interpreting, distributing, archiving and publishing research findings
- Preparing a literature review
How to Describe Your Communication Experiences
- Understand the importance of and demonstrate verbal, written, and non-verbal/body language, abilities.
- Employ active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills.
- Communicate in a clear and organized manner so that others can effectively understand.
- Frame communication with respect to diversity of learning styles, varied individual communication abilities, and cultural differences.
- Ask appropriate questions for specific information from supervisors, specialists, and others.
- Promptly inform relevant others when needing guidance with assigned tasks.
Teamwork
Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
How to Develop Teamwork Skills
- Organizing, interpreting, distributing, archiving and publishing research findings
- Presenting at local, regional and national venues (e.g., poster or conference sessions)
- Take a personality assessment
How to Describe Your Teamwork Experiences
- Listen carefully to others, taking time to understand and ask appropriate questions without interrupting.
- Effectively manage conflict, interact with and respect diverse personalities, and meet ambiguity with resilience.
- Be accountable for individual and team responsibilities and deliverables.
- Employ personal strengths, knowledge, and talents to complement those of others.
- Exercise the ability to compromise and be agile.
- Collaborate with others to achieve common goals.
- Build strong, positive working relationships with supervisor and team members/coworkers.
Technology
Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.
How to Develop Technology Skills
- Learning a computer programming language
- Interpreting data through an experiment or survey
- Organizing, interpreting, distributing, archiving and publishing research findings
- Writing research papers, reports, grants and proposals
How to Describe Your Technology Experiences
- Navigate change and be open to learning new technologies.
- Use technology to improve efficiency and productivity of their work.
- Identify appropriate technology for completing specific tasks.
- Manage technology to integrate information to support relevant, effective, and timely decision-making.
- Quickly adapt to new or unfamiliar technologies.
- Manipulate information, construct ideas, and use technology to achieve strategic goals.
Leadership
Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.
How to Develop Leadership Skills
- Teaching as a TA, instructor, tutor, trainer or facilitator
- Leading a research project team
- Volunteering in student governance and professional associations
- Collaborating with different groups
- Leading and structuring research projects
- Organize a group of students to do a community service project
How to Describe Your Leadership Experiences
- Inspire, persuade, and motivate self and others under a shared vision.
- Seek out and leverage diverse resources and feedback from others to inform direction.
- Use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods.
- Serve as a role model to others by approaching tasks with confidence and a positive attitude.
- Motivate and inspire others by encouraging them and by building mutual trust.
- Plan, initiate, manage, complete and evaluate projects.
Professionalism
Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.
How to Develop Professionalism Skills
- Organizing and prioritizing study schedule
- Balancing academic and personal responsibilities
- Manage the workload of several courses
- Meeting deadlines
- Designing and executing surveys
- Leading and structuring research projects
How to Describe Your Professionalism Experiences
- Act equitably with integrity and accountability to self, others, and the organization.
- Maintain a positive personal brand in alignment with organization and personal career values.
- Be present and prepared.
- Demonstrate dependability (e.g., report consistently for work or meetings).
- Prioritize and complete tasks to accomplish organizational goals.
- Consistently meet or exceed goals and expectations.
- Have an attention to detail, resulting in few if any errors in their work.
- Show a high level of dedication toward doing a good job.
Career & Self-Development
Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.
How to Develop Career & Self-Development Skills
- Organizing and prioritizing study schedule
- Balancing academic and personal responsibilities
- Managing the workload of several courses
- Meeting deadlines
- Designing and executing surveys
- Leading and structuring research projects
- Teaching as a TA, instructor, tutor, trainer or facilitator
- Leading a research project team
- Volunteering in student governance and professional associations
- Collaborating with different groups
- Writing research papers, reports, grants and proposals
- Presenting at local, regional and national venues (e.g., poster or conference sessions)
- Organizing, interpreting, distributing, archiving and publishing research findings
- Take a strengths-based assessment
How to Describe Your Career & Self-Development Experiences
- Show an awareness of own strengths and areas for development.
- Identify areas for continual growth while pursuing and applying feedback.
- Develop plans and goals for one’s future career.
- Professionally advocate for oneself and others.
- Display curiosity; seek out opportunities to learn.
- Assume duties or positions that will help one progress professionally.
- Establish, maintain, and/or leverage relationships with people who can help one professionally.
- Seek and embrace development opportunities.
- Voluntarily participate in further education, training, or other events to support one’s career.
Equity & Inclusion
Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism.
How to Develop Equity & Inclusion Skills
- Presenting at local, regional, and national venues (e.g., poster or conference sessions)
- Volunteering in student governance and professional associations
- Collaborating with different groups
How to Describe Your Equity & Inclusion Experience
- Solicit and use feedback from multiple cultural perspectives to make inclusive and equity-minded decisions.
- Actively contribute to inclusive and equitable practices that influence individual and systemic change.
- Advocate for inclusion, equitable practices, justice, and empowerment for historically marginalized communities.
- Seek global cross-cultural interactions and experiences that enhance one’s understanding of people from different demographic groups and that leads to personal growth.
- Keep an open mind to diverse ideas and new ways of thinking.
- Identify resources and eliminate barriers resulting from individual and systemic racism, inequities, and biases.
- Demonstrate flexibility by adapting to diverse environments.
- Address systems of privilege that limit opportunities for members of historically marginalized communities.
What's Next
Shine like a star when you answer those experience questions.