You worked hard to get into a good college. You have had a lot of fun during your 4 years of college and have somehow also managed to get good grades. Now it's time to leave college and enter the real world which means you have to get a full time job. But in order to get that great job you have to master the campus interview. Here are a few tips that I hope will help you to get some great job offers:
1. Do Your Homework
This should be a no-brainer. Read the company website, annual report, and anything else you can find. Google the company, the CEO, and corporate officers. If you can find out the names of your interviewers before your interview date you should Google them too. Also search for their names on ZoomInfo and LinkedIn. Any information you have about the company and your interviewers will make it look like you understand the value of disciplined preparation.
2. Be Aware of Current Events
Read local, national, and international news. Read CNN.com, MSNBC.com, and WSJ.com at a minimum. You don't have to read every article but you should skim the home page of each of those sites every day. Be prepared in case your interviewer asks you a question related to current events.
Are interviewing with a variety of companies across various industries such as: insurance companies, banks, and law firms? If so, don't tell your interviewer that. If you are interviewing with an insurance company, for example, you should be prepared to explain why you are passionate about a career in insurance. Don't mention that you are interviewing with companies in other industries.
You should understand that interviewers who are screening college students are generally looking for a reason NOT to hire you. There are so many sharp college students out there and most companies are hiring only a few. So if you seem to have lots of interests the interviewer may assume that you aren't all that interested in their particular company or industry. They may interpret your diverse interests and skills sets as a lack of focus and, instead, offer the job to someone who claims to have been dreaming of a career in their field since birth.
You should understand that interviewers who are screening college students are generally looking for a reason NOT to hire you. There are so many sharp college students out there and most companies are hiring only a few. So if you seem to have lots of interests the interviewer may assume that you aren't all that interested in their particular company or industry. They may interpret your diverse interests and skills sets as a lack of focus and, instead, offer the job to someone who claims to have been dreaming of a career in their field since birth.
Are you thinking of applying to law school in two years? Maybe you have always dreamed of taking some time off to join the Peace Corps in the future? If so, you don't have to announce that information to your interviewer. You should understand that employers are looking out for themselves and their business interests. If they think that your plans do not compliment their interests they may not consider you for a job.
For example, if you have an interview with a large bank which offers a great training program, do not mention that you may quit your job to go back to law school full time in a few years. If you offer that information, the employer will (rightly) be concerned about spending time and money to train you if you are already planning to leave the company. It is better to sell yourself as someone who can't wait to join the bank and start a long and meaningful career with this wonderful employer. You aren't lying to them so much as you are withholding information about some of your dreams. Anyway, you may love the job and change your mind about grad school in a year or so. I have seen that happen to many recent grads!
For example, if you have an interview with a large bank which offers a great training program, do not mention that you may quit your job to go back to law school full time in a few years. If you offer that information, the employer will (rightly) be concerned about spending time and money to train you if you are already planning to leave the company. It is better to sell yourself as someone who can't wait to join the bank and start a long and meaningful career with this wonderful employer. You aren't lying to them so much as you are withholding information about some of your dreams. Anyway, you may love the job and change your mind about grad school in a year or so. I have seen that happen to many recent grads!
Smile, make eye contact, and offer a firm handshake. Express your passion and enthusiasm for the company with which you are interviewing. Express your willingness to learn and your desire to learn everything you can about the company and the industry. Everyone likes to be around positive and enthusiastic people and interviewers are no different than anyone else!
Employers who hire recent college grads do so because they want to hire and train smart and energetic people. The classes you took in college and the internships you had during the summer have simply provided the foundation for the education your post-college employer will give you. I have talked to students who said things like, "Well, my experience is in accounting so I don't know if I could work for a advertising agency." That is crazy talk.
When you are just graduating from college you need to understand that from a 'real world' perspective you have no real experience. You only have potential. So be open to any job and any employer who has an interest in you. Be positive and enthusiastic about the training you will receive and be grateful to the employer who provides it to you.
When you are just graduating from college you need to understand that from a 'real world' perspective you have no real experience. You only have potential. So be open to any job and any employer who has an interest in you. Be positive and enthusiastic about the training you will receive and be grateful to the employer who provides it to you.
Liz Handlin, Ultimate Resumes LLC, © copyright 2007
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