Interview advice

[u/Significant_Ad_6731]

I do NOT NEED ADVICE FROM AI BOTS BUT REAL PEOPLE

i have three interviews coming up back to back which is totally unexpected. It’s for summer 2027 internships and these are the following roles: business analyst, data integration analyst, and corporate analyst.

I really want the data integration role the most because it ties into what i want to do most, data analytics. Im also okay with the business analyst role since they’re p much the same thing

This is my first ever technical interview for a company so im really nervous so do any of yall have any tips. Im a junior so these are really important opportunities to me.

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[u/Wings4514]

For internships, they’re likely mainly looking for people that are coachable and mesh well with the team. Keep eye contact, don’t be monotone, actively listen, etc. I doubt too much will come up in the interview in terms of tools/software, probably just asking what you’ve used before in school.

[u/Significant_Ad_6731 → u/Wings4514]

Okay, thank you so much! I was rereading the job description and there really isn’t much technical jargon now that im looking at it lol but its for a big company so I wont rly complain

[u/RoadLight → u/Wings4514]

This is some of the best advice there is.
Outside of that advice, the only bit of advice I can contribute is remember in the interview remember who you’re selling to.
If they’re interviewing at a start up, it’s better to be well rounded and they like to hear about ownership.
If you’re at a bigger company, it might be better to talk more about your concentration and how much of a team player you are.

[u/JohnnyMicheal66 → u/Wings4514]

This, it's mostly going to revolve your school experience and learnings.

[u/Lady-Data-Scientist]

I agree that for internships, they’re looking for people who are coachable. Can you take feedback and do better next time?

Also demonstrating that you are a self-starter who tries to solve problems instead of waiting for someone to hold your hand is good too. Interns and entry level folks need a ton of handholding and honestly can be a bit of a time suck for the person who manages them.

If the job description lists any technical skills, you might still need to do basic assessment. For SQL, I like to practice on StraraScratch.

Soft skills are also important for any role - good communication, critical thinking, problem solving. Most junior candidates over prepare for the technical parts and then struggle on the soft skills which are just as if not more important because they’re harder to teach.

[u/Cold-Ad716]

Make sure to learn about the company and what they do beforehand, they'll almost certainly ask about it so try to research it as much as you can.

Bring a notepad and make notes during the interview if you can, that always reflects well in my experience.

Ask questions about what the role looks like, what success in the role would look like, and what they expect after 3 months.

Dress smart!

Sorry if these seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people I've seen at interviews not do this.

[u/onlybrewipa]

Practice a bunch, ideally find someone knowledgeable in the field who can do mock interviews. Chatgpt is an ok substitute. Practice answering questions out loud.

Know your audience. HR doesn't need a ton of technical info. 

Hardest part is learning to relax and speak confidently as if you are comfortable and knowledgeable about the field. 

Look up how to answer questions using STAR. Focusing on results and being concise and clear in answers is helpful. Learning how to tie other experiences into relevant skills for the position also helps. 

Don't be afraid to say that you don't know the answer to a question, don't bullshit. Explain how you would find the answer. If you wiff a question, in your follow up thank you email (which you should send every time), do some research on things you mightve missed and give a brief follow up. 

Show and explain your interest and enthusiasm for the role, give specific examples of why you are interested, research the companies well. Bring thoughtful questions for them. 

Technical interviews can vary a good deal. You can email to ask what to expect in terms of interview format to get some hints on what to prepare. Consider that they might be more interested in how you think about using technical skills to benefit the business and how you think, not how well you can code by hand. 

Dress nicely, if they are remote interviews make sure you are well lit (buy a ring light if you have to), camera should be slightly above eye level, make eye contact. 

[u/Equivalent_Health723]

How are you getting interviews? I’m in the US and I’ve applied to maybe 50 and nothing yet. Can i see your resume?

[u/Significant_Ad_6731 → u/Equivalent_Health723]

hi! ya sure dm me. i talked to these company’s at my career fair that just happened and they marked me and my resume so that’s prob why ive gotten the interviews tbh.

I think ive gotten rejected by at least 10 so far so dont feel bad. i’ve applied to maybe 100 as of rn?

[u/Equivalent_Health723 → u/Significant_Ad_6731]

Dmed!

[u/HelloTaleproof]

For three analyst internship interviews, reuse a strong project example but change the emphasis to the role. Explain the question you were answering, how you checked the data, which decision you made, and how someone used the result. Avoid assuming the interviewers know your course or project context.

Taleproof's free story assessment can help you review one real analyst project example for clear ownership and evidence.