Academics? Membership? General financial livelihood? If your life is intertwined with any of these future situations, they are all points in life where you could be faced with an interview of one sort or another. Sometimes it’s quick, a mere informality, but that doesn’t mean that if you show up late or ill-prepared it will be okay with the institution or business you are pitching yourself to. Whether you’re an introvert of sorts or not, sooner or later you will be participating in this classic, polite conversation where you have to pitch yourself like a brand new novel to a critical publisher. No matter what situation you’re facing, here are some key things to remember:

1.Be on time, but NOT too early – obviously, you know you need to arrive at least a few minutes before your appointment, but ask ahead to see if there is paperwork that needs to be filled out ahead of time, and make room for it. This shows forethought and good planning. However, if you show up more than 20 minutes early, that is a bit inconsiderate. Many times your interviewer could have earlier candidates right ahead of you, or have their own daily meetings to deal with. Having to worry about having you there before they planned to can sometimes be an inconvenience.

2.Research! – know the history (and some interesting facts) of the school or business to which you are applying. Having some info to bring up in the conversation and showing genuine interest is a point on your side and makes the interviewer see you are a person that cares about showing up with their ducks in a row. This is invaluable in professional and academic circles.

3. Memorize your resume carefully. You may encounter an interviewer who asks about something listed on your resume. Be ready to talk about any experience you include, even if it is minor. If you list an activity, make sure you can explain it and share at least one meaningful detail about it.

4.Practice – interviewing with a friend or in front of a mirror. Even if your friend or classmate treats it casually, it can still help you prepare. You can turn a fun or joke question into a thoughtful answer and learn how to respond confidently to unexpected questions.

5.Ask questions – always. About the company/school, it’s work and projects, what it is like working there. Whether you pepper them in through the body of the interview or you save them for the end where during the wrap-up they will say “Great. Do you have any questions for us about the program?” – the answer is always “Yes…”