University Writing

Tips for a Successful Interview
Since interpersonal skills are so important to successful tutoring, we interview each applicant. This meeting is very important to our selection process. The following tips will help you demonstrate your strong qualifications to the two interviewers.

• Dress to impress: Although your attire won't be the interviewers' primary consideration, it affects how you are perceived. Look well-groomed and professional.
• Remain Professional: Your interviewers may be students, but don't let that affect the self that you project. Overly cavalier students rarely impress.
• Prepare to teach a skill: In teaching the skill to the interviewers, clarity is more important than creativity. Your interviewers are most interested in your ability to succinctly and coherently teach them a non-academic skill. Choose something to teach that allows for interactive teaching, not just lecture or demonstration. Remember you only have 5 minutes to teach the skill. Don't get too complicated!
  • Suggested topics: How to sink a putt, line dance, or scoop ice cream. Choose anything that will allow you to explain principles while coaching our performance in the skill. Interactive lessons are best; get us up and dancing (if that is what you are teaching).
  • Discouraged topics: How to fold origami, tie a tie,  or how to conjugate Latin verbs. Projects such as these do not allow for interactive coaching.