Monday, June 3, 2013

Congrats Class of 2013, Now Go Get a Job! - Part II

You've cleaned up your online persona, you've written a clear and succinct resume and customized a cover letter to each position you're applying for. You've been called by a prospective employer and you have an interview coming up. Now the real work begins!

Do some research - Google your prospective company. Make sure you understand their products and services and check out any news or industry rankings. develop some questions to ask about a specific thing you've seen during your research.

Be able to answer "easy" questions - You may think that "Tell me about yourself" is something you can answer very easily, but that really is a tough question. You could end up rambling or you could end up divulging too much of yourself that you didn't intend to. With every question you answer, make sure that you're giving them an insight to the personal and professional you; a balanced individual that is able to perform the tasks required for the job.

Leave your emotion at the door - I've been sitting in an interview when an interviewee is on the verge of tears because they feel they need a job so bad. Even if you've had a string of bad luck, don't let your emotions get in the way of nailing an interview. Interviewers want to see personality not your baggage. (Side note: the interviewee found employment shortly after with another company.)

Bring a copy of your resume and portfolio, if appropriate - They may have a print out, or they may not. Better play it safe and have multiple copies of whatever you have to highlight yourself. It's very easy to ask how many people will be in the interview so you can have an appropriate number of copies. If you have a portfolio, bring a copy of it on a flash drive that you can leave behind.

SEND A THANK YOU NOTE - Even though the parting handshake may be the last impression you leave with a future employer, you must send a thank you note. Typically an email thank you will suffice, especially if they say they'll be making a decision quickly. If you don't send one, it will be noticed; and not in a good way.

Last, but not least, take a deep breath and practice in front of a mirror, a spouse, a trusted friend, or even fido. Make sure you, and whomever you're practicing with, likes what you see.

Good luck!