Although students often get used to winging that “easy A” exam or making up that COMS 111 speech, just winging it in a job interview may not succeed.

When asked in an interview, “What is your greatest weakness?” are you going to be able to just wing that question successfully?

When I think about my interviewing experience, I realize how unprepared I am for job interviews in the real world.

My first “interview” happened while I was eating breakfast with my parents at a restaurant in my hometown.

In between talking to my parents about the unusually nice weather, the owner of the restaurant asked me if I wanted to start the next day as a table busser. Somehow I don’t think my first real job interview will occur in between bites of bacon and eggs.

In college, it’s important to begin thinking about that real world that’s waiting on the other side of Campanile Hill after the graduation walk.

A part of that real world is finding a job and thus participating in a job interview.

Many of us with little interviewing experience have only a vague sense of the basics behind successful interviewing. Usually this idea begins and ends with dressing appropriately. After we have dusted off the dress pants and successfully clad ourselves in the appropriate business-casual attire, those of us with a lack of interviewing experience have no idea how to proceed.

If from this point you plan on heading to the interview and just winging it, even an Armani suit may not help you land the job.

Sure, you know yourself better than anyone, but it can be difficult to put those ideas you have of yourself into charismatic responses to nerve-racking interview questions.

Just saying “I’m a people person” is not going to cut it.

Does that mean you have good social skills or does that mean you’re going to be making out in the break room with a different intern every week?

There is a certain point to which you’re going to have to wing it; every question can’t be anticipated. Therefore, preparation is an important step of the interviewing process. According to the University Career Center, preparing includes seriously analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, studying prospective employers and planning your attire. Generating questions to ask your interviewer beforehand is also helpful because asking questions makes you appear interested and eager, good qualities in a potential employee.

KU understands the importance for students to obtain effective interview skills.

The School of Business has named February “Business Career Month,” offering 11 events, such as resume-building to prepare students for future careers. Two of these events, a behavioral interview workshop and mock interviews, are devoted specifically to helping students succeed in future job interviews.

In addition, today the University Career Center is holding a “Dynamic Interviewing Skills” workshop at the Burge Union from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The workshop teaches students how to prepare for an interview, what employers expect from interviewees and how to effectively sell your skills and abilities.

Also, on its Web site, the University Career Center offers a tool called “Perfect Interview.” This tool, offered exclusively to students, faculty and alumni, simulates a job interview by asking challenging questions to which you must respond. The tool allows you to repeat questions, see sample answers and has a built in “Interview Coach” to offer help.

Rather than just winging it, with these resources and some effort you could successfully answer even the most bizarre interview question, including “If you were a salad, what dressing would you be?

Then again, maybe you’re on your own with that one.

Hudson is a Wichita junior in journalism and business.