Job Hunting and Interview Tips

It’s official, summer is here. And with that comes the search for a summer job to occupy your time and hopefully add to the stash of money you have hidden away in your closet. Or maybe you’re looking for a summer internship or even a full time job after graduation. Whatever your search entails, here are some tips to help you land that interview and job. It doesn't matter if you are a teenager looking for your first job or a college graduate in search of full time work, everyone could use a reference on improving your job hunting skills.

1.      Start looking now. The best time to look for a job is today. Well, let me amend that statement; it is good to stay alert and be cognizant of potential job opportunities. You never know when your shot will come so you need to stay ready for it. If you are in high school looking for a summer job it is good to start looking about a month or two before the semester ends. If you are a soon to be graduate looking for a full time professional position the best time to start seriously looking and getting interviews is around October. First, this shows companies that you are serious about your job search and that you are forward thinking if you start your job search that early in the game. This also gives you enough time before graduation to scope out companies and do your research to find the right fit for you, which leads us to the next tip.

2.      Do your research. This is crucial to landing not just a job, but the right job.  Whether you are looking for part time summer work, an internship, or a full time position, researching the companies and positions that interest you will go a long way.  Companies want to know that you care, not just about finding a job but doing a good job and one way to display that is by putting the work in to conduct worthwhile research. Researching a company and having the ability to display your knowledge of the company and position you are applying for is a great way to show initiative, which is looked at highly favorably. It shows that you have the ability to think and to make decisions on your own.

3.      Get the word out. More people you inform of your job search the more opportunities for networking you create. Networking is not a bad word, or it doesn’t have to be. I will admit, I used to associate a negative connotation of selfishness and self-serving attitudes to the concept of networking but when you really understand it, it is actually a whole different animal.  Networking is nothing more than a connection that mutually benefits both sides. Clear cut, I know. Let’s use an example, for instance, if you are in a college club and they pay for the students to go to a banquet for a professional association. This would be a perfect opportunity for the students attending to connect with the professionals also in attendance to learn more about companies in a specific industry and gain contacts. These contacts could then lead to future job opportunities. On the other side, another example of networking is your mom introducing you to the spouse of one of her coworkers who is looking to fill a position in a field that you happen to be interested in.. See? It’s not all bad. Also make sure to take advantage of your school's Career Services center if you are in college. That is one of the best ways to connect with companies to find the right job for you.

4.      Dress like you mean it.  When you finally receive that interview, you should walk in as professionally dressed as the occasion calls for.  Usually this means a suit and tie (or blouse for ladies) and nice shoes.  If you are a teenager applying for a summer job that option is probably not necessary, (unless you just really want to impress them…) dress slacks and a nice shirt and tie for guys and a business skirt or pants and blouse for ladies are good options. If you are applying for a full time position or internship, your best bet is a suit. However if you do not have the suit and cannot afford to buy one, the option of dress slacks and tie or blouse is still applicable. Here are some examples: 

Bottom line: do not, under ANY circumstances walk in to an interview wearing jeans, t-shirt, or tennis shoes, even if you have to borrow clothes from a friend. But you already knew that, right?

5.      Be prepared. Review your resume and make sure it is up to date. Also, make sure to familiarize yourself with what is on your resume and be prepared to give detailed accounts on some of the activities and roles included in your resume.  You should also practice. Practice practice practice. I can’t say that enough. We’ve all heard the saying practice makes perfect. Well, in this case, practice makes better, which is what we are going for.  Mock interviewing and practicing your interviewing skills will be an immense help when you finally have to face the real deal. You will already be rehearsed on how to approach some of the potential questions thrown at you and because you already got most of your jitters out with the mock interviews. That isn’t to say you should come to your interview with some rehearsed script that you spit out to the hiring manager but practicing will help you come in to the interview much more relaxed and will allow you to be yourself.

6.      Show off. Not in the arrogant, “I’m all that” kind of way; but it is perfectly fine to play up your strengths in an interview. I think it is pretty much expected. While a hiring manager doesn’t want to hire some arrogant know-it-all, they do want to see that you have confidence in your abilities and can speak on leadership roles you have assumed.  Leadership roles can be found in a number of places, whether it’s past employment positions, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, holding a position in a club on campus or organizing events on campus or at school. These are all highlights you can point to in your interview to display your dedication, hard work and responsibility.

7.      Be yourself.  Don’t walk into that interview room trying to be someone you think they want to see. Employers want to know what they are getting so transparency is key. I’m not saying to start throwing all of your flaws on the table for everyone to see but it is important to remember that hiring managers are not dumb.  Fabrication can be seen from a mile away so it is best to be yourself and if they like you, great! If not, you probably wouldn’t have liked working in an environment where you didn’t fit in anyway. Their loss.

8.      Follow up. After your interview it never hurts to pass along a letter thanking your interviewer for the interviewing opportunity. In this time you can also reiterate some of your strengths and why you would be the ideal fit for the position.  This helps to keep you on the employer’s mind after the interview and lets them know that you care enough to take the time to thank them.

I hope these tips help. If you are a teenager looking for a job click here for a video talking about some of these tips. If you are a college student or graduate, click here for interview tips.

Stay cool kids,

xoxo