How Should I Prepare for an Internship Interview?

Sabine,

I agree with Rebecca Several, it is a job interview. Dress your best (if female, be modest, most companies have sexual harassment policies and training, and an immodestly dressed person will feel out of place), research interview questions on the internet and bring hard copies of your resume.

You need to have a 60 to 90 second description of who you are and the value you bring, so when they say, 'tell me a little about yourself', you can clearly and concisely let them know they are talking to someone they want to hire.

You want several SARA statements that show how you have worked in the past.

Example: Tell about a time when you had to make a tough decision, or meet a deadline that seemed too soon, or when you showed leadership.
SARA
Situation description
Action you took to address the situation
Result of your action (obviously good result, use numbers if possible (saved $10,000, trained 70 people, and that kind of thing)
Applicability - how you can apply your experience to the situation they have.

SARA statements should be less than 2 minutes long.
Prepare a set of follow up questions to ask them, so the interview is a dialog, not an interrogation.
these can be questions like
how will my performance be evaluated?
What are you expecting me to get accomplished during the time I am there? (create or revise a document, take x amount of training courses, lead x meetings, )
Who would be my main point of contact with the company and how frequently will we communicate?
What kind of reference or recommendation will you be able to give me when completed? (just a 'yes he or she worked here as an intern', or some kind of positive or negative feedback to me personally, or something I can show to my future employers.)
Will I need to work over time or on weekends or evenings?
Is any travel involved?

You want to communicate that you CAN do the job, that you WILL do the job, and that you FIT the group (you won't cause more problems than what they have already).

While I have never had an internship interview, I have worked with a few interns and it seems to me that the companies want to know how they will help you with your goals.
Is it a good fit between what the department in the company does and what you want to do?
Is it a good fit between what the hiring manager wants you to do and what your career goals are?

So do what you can to communicate that your internship is a win-win between you and the company.

Write the answers to these questions down and practice them until they come out smoothly and naturally.
Ask someone to do a practice interview for you. video record it (use the video camera on a phone if you have one that will transfer to the PC so you can view it clearly).
Edit, revise and practice again.
The more practice you have answering questions, the better you will be at it.

Good luck!

Hi Sabine,
Treat every interview, including internships like a real job interview. You can google what are common interview questions to the applicant and also what you should ask as well. Dress professional (a little more dressed up is always better then a little less) and don't forget to bring hard copies of your resume. Good luck!

Hi Sabine;
A couple of things that I would suggest. First understand that any interview is two-sided. Not only are they learning about you, but you're also getting a sense if the internship is a good fit for you. Feel free to ask any questions to help you understand that, without being demanding.

Also, it's important for you to ask the interviewer(s) how you can best help them. Ask what are they looking for in an intern and then respond to that as to how you are able to meet those criteria. You want to help solve their challenges.

Have a positive, can-do attitude, with a desire to continually learn.

Good luck!

For creative types, it is o.k. not to dress as conservatively as some other professions. You don't want to be too casual either though. A suit isn't necessary, but a pair of dress slacks or skirt and a nice blouse is best. A solid color blouse with your jewelry and shoes as accents is a good start. Your clothes don't have to be expensive; they should fit you well though and be free of wrinkles.Likewise, go easy on the make-up, hair and nails. Nothing too flashy. If you are comfortable, you will look better and be more confident.