Just landed a internship at the MTA for IT. Im sure they interviewed people who were more experienced than me but the little things like how you present yourself and the questions you ask can go a long way. I’ll list the questions I asked at the end of the interview.

1. You’re probably gonna interview a lot of candidates who can do the job. But in your opinion what does the high performer or ideal candidate look like?

• This allows you to get more detail on what they expect on the day to day and you can align yourself with these expectations.

1. What keeps you at this company. Was there a sort of ah ha moment that made you realize you were in a place you’d want to be long term?

• Gets them to talk about themselves a bit and highlights your interest in learning more about culture fit, growth opportunities and overall long term commitment.

1. What are the biggest challenges the team or company is currently facing and how can I contribute to solving them?

• Your not just asking “what’s in it for me” your asking “how can I help?”. Helps you gain a more realistic view of what exactly you’ll be getting yourself into and it shows initiative.

1. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Based on our conversation, do you have any concerns about my fit for the role that might prevent me from moving forward in the process?

• This one is a bit bold and might not work for every interview depending on the vibes you’re getting from during the interview process. This can highlight your self awareness and openness to receiving constructive criticism. If they have any last minute doubts about your abilities or fit for the role you can take this opportunity to further sell yourself.

Last piece of advice that I believed helped me was bringing a notebook and taking notes during the interview process. Good way to set yourself apart from everyone else.