4 answers
Ian
Student
Conway, South Carolina
2
Questions
Updated
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What are a few of the best steps to follow in order to leave a good impression during a job interview.?
I am currently pursuing a degree in physical education, and am looking to be as prepared as possible for job interviews after graduation.
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4 answers
Paul Rogers
Solutions Engineer | Technical Consultant | Leadership Mentor
18
Answers
Tacoma, Washington
Updated
Paul’s Answer
Hi Ian,
Great question — being intentional about how you show up in interviews will set you apart immediately!
Here are a few proven steps to leave a great first impression:
Research the organization: Know their mission, values, and recent news. Being prepared shows respect and interest.
Practice your intro: Be ready to confidently answer "Tell me about yourself" in 60 seconds or less — highlight your passion and goals.
Use professional body language: Eye contact, a firm (but not aggressive) handshake, good posture, and an enthusiastic tone make a huge difference.
Answer with real examples: When you talk about your skills, tie them to specific stories or results — it makes you memorable.
Always end strong: Thank the interviewer, restate your enthusiasm for the role, and ask a thoughtful question about the team or company.
Final tip:
Preparation builds confidence — and confidence creates great impressions.
You're already way ahead just by asking this — keep practicing and sharpening these skills now, and you'll walk into interviews ready to shine.
Practice mock interviews with a friend or mentor before the real ones.
Create a "story bank" of 3–5 examples (school projects, teamwork moments, challenges) you can use in interviews.
Send a thank-you email after every interview — few people do this, and it stands out!
Great question — being intentional about how you show up in interviews will set you apart immediately!
Here are a few proven steps to leave a great first impression:
Research the organization: Know their mission, values, and recent news. Being prepared shows respect and interest.
Practice your intro: Be ready to confidently answer "Tell me about yourself" in 60 seconds or less — highlight your passion and goals.
Use professional body language: Eye contact, a firm (but not aggressive) handshake, good posture, and an enthusiastic tone make a huge difference.
Answer with real examples: When you talk about your skills, tie them to specific stories or results — it makes you memorable.
Always end strong: Thank the interviewer, restate your enthusiasm for the role, and ask a thoughtful question about the team or company.
Final tip:
Preparation builds confidence — and confidence creates great impressions.
You're already way ahead just by asking this — keep practicing and sharpening these skills now, and you'll walk into interviews ready to shine.
Paul recommends the following next steps:
Vilmer Badilla
Customer Support
5
Answers
San Ramon, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Updated
Vilmer’s Answer
Hello Ian,
Embrace who you are and practice as much as you can, especially in front of a mirror, because your body language speaks volumes. Believe in what you know, and your confidence will shine through to your audience. Take time to learn about the company and the role you're applying for. Also, think of some questions to ask your interviewers, like seeking their recommendations if you get selected for the position.
In a nutshell, show your enthusiasm and genuine interest, listen carefully, engage thoughtfully, be yourself, do your homework, and remember to ask a few questions. You've got this!
Embrace who you are and practice as much as you can, especially in front of a mirror, because your body language speaks volumes. Believe in what you know, and your confidence will shine through to your audience. Take time to learn about the company and the role you're applying for. Also, think of some questions to ask your interviewers, like seeking their recommendations if you get selected for the position.
In a nutshell, show your enthusiasm and genuine interest, listen carefully, engage thoughtfully, be yourself, do your homework, and remember to ask a few questions. You've got this!
Jeremy Brown
Manager
2
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Jeremy’s Answer
Hey Ian,
I would start with knowing the school and district as well as possible. Knowing what type of funding/materials you have for the class could help inform your approach to the curriculum. Do they have a pre-determined curriculum? Are there any concerns in the community with certain things being taught? There are a lot of factors that could directly impact your teaching, and the more you know the better you will be able to address any questions that come up about it. That could also be a great closing question to show your research. "In learning about the school, I discovered XYZ. Has that impacted the way students view physical education at the school?"
Be aware of your strengths so you can highlight them and your weakness to be able to discuss how you overcome them. Then, have examples for those situations. In your research, if you find that they've had several incidents of extreme behavior issues, how have you dealt with those types of issues before? Do you have a story about having a breakthrough with a student that hated class but now is on the basketball team? Having examples where you can quickly but thoroughly show how you've had a direct impact/success will be highly beneficial.
Be prepared. Know your resume. Have examples ready. Research the school, district and interviewers the best you can. Do mock interviews if possible to get comfortable with the process. Preparation builds comfort. The more comfortable you are, the more you can be engaged in the conversation as opposed to focusing on your nerves. And generally, let your excitement for the role show through. Why do you want to teach PE? What does it mean to you? Interviewers want to see that you're invested and that this really means something to you.
You've got this!
I would start with knowing the school and district as well as possible. Knowing what type of funding/materials you have for the class could help inform your approach to the curriculum. Do they have a pre-determined curriculum? Are there any concerns in the community with certain things being taught? There are a lot of factors that could directly impact your teaching, and the more you know the better you will be able to address any questions that come up about it. That could also be a great closing question to show your research. "In learning about the school, I discovered XYZ. Has that impacted the way students view physical education at the school?"
Be aware of your strengths so you can highlight them and your weakness to be able to discuss how you overcome them. Then, have examples for those situations. In your research, if you find that they've had several incidents of extreme behavior issues, how have you dealt with those types of issues before? Do you have a story about having a breakthrough with a student that hated class but now is on the basketball team? Having examples where you can quickly but thoroughly show how you've had a direct impact/success will be highly beneficial.
Be prepared. Know your resume. Have examples ready. Research the school, district and interviewers the best you can. Do mock interviews if possible to get comfortable with the process. Preparation builds comfort. The more comfortable you are, the more you can be engaged in the conversation as opposed to focusing on your nerves. And generally, let your excitement for the role show through. Why do you want to teach PE? What does it mean to you? Interviewers want to see that you're invested and that this really means something to you.
You've got this!
Michael McNally
IT Director
3
Answers
New Haven, Connecticut
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Something that I think often goes overlooked is to come prepared with a series of solid questions to ask the interviewer about both the organization itself but also the interviewer. This helps show your interest in the organization specifically and not just the fact that you want a job. I have always tried to come prepared with more questions than I'd be able to fit in the interview to allow myself to pick and choose the most appropriate questions to ask based on how the conversation has gone and what the interviewer may have already covered.
These include more generic questions about the position itself (i.e. what would an average day in the position look like? why is the position open? what are some potential challenges the role could pose that I should be prepared for on day 1?), to questions about the organization itself (i.e. how many people are in the department in which I'd be working and who would i be working with on a weekly basis? how does the organization focus on growing its employees? does the organization focus on promoting from within?), to more specific questions about the interview themselves (i.e. how long have you been with the organization, what do you like most about it, and what has kept you here? how would you describe the organization's culture? what qualities would your ideal candidate possess? what advice would you give to someone for their first week in the role?). Doing some research on the organization itself to ask more specific questions will go a long way with the interviewer as well.
In short, good questions go a long way in any interview and a good interviewer should allow the interview candidate to ask at least a few at some point during the interview process. Always come prepared with questions and don't be afraid to ask if the interviewer doesn't give you the opportunity. Remember, an interview is as much about the organization you're meeting with as it is about you.
These include more generic questions about the position itself (i.e. what would an average day in the position look like? why is the position open? what are some potential challenges the role could pose that I should be prepared for on day 1?), to questions about the organization itself (i.e. how many people are in the department in which I'd be working and who would i be working with on a weekly basis? how does the organization focus on growing its employees? does the organization focus on promoting from within?), to more specific questions about the interview themselves (i.e. how long have you been with the organization, what do you like most about it, and what has kept you here? how would you describe the organization's culture? what qualities would your ideal candidate possess? what advice would you give to someone for their first week in the role?). Doing some research on the organization itself to ask more specific questions will go a long way with the interviewer as well.
In short, good questions go a long way in any interview and a good interviewer should allow the interview candidate to ask at least a few at some point during the interview process. Always come prepared with questions and don't be afraid to ask if the interviewer doesn't give you the opportunity. Remember, an interview is as much about the organization you're meeting with as it is about you.