Thursday, May 19, 2011

Good Things Happen to Those Who Wait

                So it’s been a good two weeks since I’ve had an actual blog post, but you can’t blame me- I was busy with finals, packing, moving home and enjoying the first couple days of summer!

I thought this summer was going to consist of me just working, hanging out with friends and learning a new language (Rosetta Stone!), however; that’s not going to be happening. Instead I’m going to be taking summer school again and working at The MAC. Woohoo!   No seriously, I’m pretty excited for school. I don’t know what I’d do without it.

Honestly, I didn’t know what to write about today, but then I realized that my entire summer changed because I couldn’t find a proper job or internship in the field I wanted. Of course it’s going to take much longer to find something suitable, after all, good things happen to people who wait for them right? Ha. Anyways, to help my fellow peers I decided to compile a list of things people should do when going in for an interview!

1.       Always dress professionally! DUH! But in all seriousness, it doesn’t matter what kind of interview you’re going in for, when you are dressed professionally the interviewer will know you’re ready to get down to business.
2.       Pay attention to the interviewer’s body language. Make eye contact- if you’re not comfortable with eye contact look at their forehead (they won’t know the difference, unless there’s a huge zit there!) Also, try reflecting their movements- not to where you’re doing the same thing as them, but enough to let them know you’re paying attention.
3.       Always ask questions! People LOVE to talk about themselves (a friend of mine told me that!) Asking questions also lets the interviewer know that you are serious about learning more about your future role and about the company.
4.       This ties into #3- Do your research before you go in. Whether you have to Google the company or memorize their website, know your stuff!
5.       Try and relate to the person who is interviewing you. When you can relate to someone, the air is much easier to breathe and it may give you an upper-hand!
6.       Oh did I mention be on time? Seriously, if you even think about being late, don’t bother going in at all.
7.       Always carry an extra copy of your Resume, bring a notepad for notes and turn your cellular device off.
a.       Having an extra copy of your Resume is always great because if the interviewer happened to misplace it you can bring out your copy. This will definitely give you some points.
b.      Taking notes during an interview only depends on the field you are going into. Say if you were interviewing for a journalism job, if you don’t have a notepad, you will not be taken seriously.
c.       Cell phone off! I cannot stress how important this is. If the interviewer hears it vibrate or see’s it lighting up (when on silence) your interview will most likely go downhill from there. Actually, don’t even let them see your phone.
8.       Have an elevator introduction ready; this can be used anywhere you are. You never know where you’re going to meet someone. Basically an elevator introduction is ten seconds to sell yourself to the person. If you nail it, you may get the job on the spot.
9.       Smile. Smiling eases tension and allows the interviewer know that you can handle a stressful situation. Everyone knows how stressful interviews can be.
10.   Have a graceful exit. No matter how well or how terribly the interview went, the last impression on someone is always the one they’ll think of when and if they think of you. If you are able to compose yourself throughout all that and have a great exit strategy, who wouldn’t want to hire you?
11.   Remember you are not the only one they will be interviewing. When they ask questions like “what makes you better than the rest?” Tell them! Don’t hesitate about boasting about yourself. You know you best!

If you don’t hear back from a company, don’t be afraid to call them or email them asking about the job you interviewed. If anything they may offer you a different job because you called.

Got any tips of your own?


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