An inevitable part of entering into the workforce or an internship is advocating for yourself at an interview, where the Human Resources team at the company assesses you as a potential match for their team. If you’ve made it to the next step in the internship interview process, or you’re thinking of applying for one, then you’re most likely looking for pointers on how you can ace that all important first impression. Internship interviews are more similar to ‘real life’ job interviews than you might realise, especially for prospective Human Resources interns.
Having interview skills is not only important for getting employment in the HR field, but also a necessary task to perform, as one of the most vital day-to-day responsibilities of HR managers is to discern candidates for vacant roles. Human Resources professionals take pride in their workers and put their effort into building a harmonious team and establishing a positive company culture.
Read Also: WHAT DOES A HR INTERN DO?
Being part of a robust team starts at the interview stage, so let’s go over some tips on how you can ace your interview for HR Internships in your city:
1. Do Your Research Beforehand About the Company
This is sound advice for anyone applying for a job or internship, but it’s especially prudent for aspiring HR professionals to do some background research. While you’re not expected to read up about the ins and outs of the company or business you’re interviewing for, going into an interview having more knowledge and insight than just a general overview will be advantageous. Two great questions you can ask an interviewer for a HR internship position are “what kind of worker thrives in this environment?” and “how would you describe the culture of the company?” These questions are both focused on the dynamics of the employees and management within the framework of the company, and demonstrate that you are thinking with a HR-mindset. If you show that you are already considering the workers, then that’s a great sign to a potential internship supervisor for a human resources placement!
2. Dress For the Job You Want
After researching about the position, what’s next to prepare for the big interview? In terms of physical presentation when interviewing for HR internships, it’s important that you put your best self forward. While you might be thinking “do I even need to dress up for those remote Zoom internship interviews?” the answer is an unequivocal yes. Think of it less as “dressing up” and more about presenting yourself in a positive light by looking, and therefore acting, professional. It shows the interviewer that you respect their time by taking the opportunity seriously. Think about it: if you were interviewing, would you think that someone who shows up in dirty, unwashed slacks takes the job seriously? Of course not. Preparing for the internship interview by presenting in a professional way does wonders for your confidence too. Studies have shown that there is a direct link between professional presentation and an increase in self-efficacy – the feeling that you believe you can accomplish something successfully. With all this in mind, it’s important to remember that presentation goes beyond just fashion. Being engaging can be achieved through open body language, that shows that you are confident and positive to be around. You’re a capable person, so present yourself for the professional success you deserve!
3. Prepare For a Question About Dealing with Conflict Management
While every workplace can strive to be a positive environment, sometimes conflict – even over small matters - is inevitable. Mediation is one of the soft skills necessary for a Human Resources management up and comer to develop, so it makes sense that this might come up in interviews for HR internships. If you’ve been in a situation where your mediator skills were required, then think of a response that follows the STAR method: Situation (what the problem was), Task (how you planned to resolve the issue), Action, and Result (the outcome of your actions). This allows you to structure your interview answers in a logical and succinct way, and to demonstrate your self-awareness. If things didn’t go according to plan, then include with hindsight what you could have done to improve the situation.
HR Internship programs are valuable for anyone who wants to enter into the industry, and an interview process for an internship is more similar to a real life HR job opportunity than you might think, so preparing for one can give you a head start. It’s important to show that you are diligent by doing prior research about the place you could potentially intern for. Presenting yourself in a professional manner will help increase your confidence levels to show that you don’t just take the opportunity seriously, that you take yourself seriously as an up-and-coming Human Resources professional! One day you might be the HR worker interviewing internship candidates who were in the same entry position as you are right now.If you are interested in learning more about HR internships near you, then check out the vacancies page or read more about tips to prepare for world of Human Resources management right here on the Premium Graduate Placements blog.
