Are you interviewing for an entry level job? Relax They don’t expect you to know anything — well sort of.
Companies know that entry level hires will require training and support when they are brought on board. Regardless of how extensive your academic background is, or how advanced your degree, or even how many internships you’ve had, your first full time position is a new chapter in life. Many companies or hiring managers prefer to hire people with no previous experience because they like to shape their new employees work habits and styles.
Your resume conveys the basics; what you have studied, what internships you’ve had and some of your interests. Companies are much more interested to know if you are responsible, able to communicate, an active listener, capable of learning, follow and last but not least, excited to contribute to them.
In large part, the interview process is designed to assess what you are capable of learning, how you approach problem resolution, whether you are aligned with the culture and goals, and if you are a fit for the team and the organization.
That said, when interviewing, it is more important to present what you do know rather than what you don’t know. If you are an English major you don’t need to tell them that you don’t have skills in statistics or Java programming. If they need statistics or Java, they will ask. And most times if they need it and it’s not on your resume, you wouldn’t have been invited to interview. On the other hand, if you are a Java programmer, you don’t need to talk about your lack of experience with finance or economics. If that was a requirement of the position, you probably wouldn’t be there to begin with either.
The most important things to bring to an entry level interview are energy and a positive attitude. Essentially, your #1 priority is to convey “Hire me, tell me what to do, and I will get it done!” Always do your homework and be well prepared. But once you’ve done all you can to prepare, don’t overthink the rest.
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