Job Search & Interview Tips

Interview Tips

Ask for Business Cards

During group interviews, ask for each person’s business card and lay the cards out in front of you to help you remember everyone’s name.

-Barbara Safani
owner of Career Solvers and author of Happy About My Job Search

Be Prepared For the Question You Hope They Won’t Ask… But Will Ask.

Fired? Have a multi-year gap from being home? Lackluster company performance? Horrible boss? Whatever is challenging about your background, be thoroughly prepared to proactively discuss it in a diplomatic manner outlining what you learned from the situation. Do not hope the interviewer won’t ask you about it. They most certainly will. It is best to be ready!

-Barbara Safani
owner of Career Solvers and author of Happy About My Job Search

Be Prepared to Ask Questions

When on a job interview, you’re not the only one being interviewed. You’re there to determine if you’d like to work at the organization. So come prepared to ask questions. Ask questions about the structure of the organization, what a typical day would be like, what will be expected of you to accomplish early on, what are the best qualities of the top performers in the organization, how will you be evaluated, etc… Learning the answers to these questions will help you decide if the company is a good fit for you. Plus, interviewers like candidates that ask smart questions.

-John Scott
Career Advocate, Beyond.com

Reiterate Your Interest

College students or graduates should remember to assert a high or enhanced level of interest in the job at the end of an interview for an appealing position, prior to parting with the interviewer. This positive, last impression that you are a highly interested candidate can influence a recruiter to view your interview more favorably and make it more likely that you will be asked for a second interview or be issued a job offer. Everything else being roughly equal, the most motivated candidates for entry level jobs will often be the ones to get hired.

-Mike Profita
College Career Expert and About.com Guest Author

Tell Your Stories

Become a “talking resume” and tell stories about your experiences as they relate to your abilities to do the job at hand. This is not the time to be modest. But always be relevant. This is not bragging. This is selling in a most sincere manner. It’s solutions selling! Showcase your potential contributions. Sometimes you’ll be talking about previous experience in the same type of job, but sometimes you’ll need to make connections or “translations” between one job and another. “I took care of the budget as purchasing agent; I’m sure I could do it for call center operations.”

-Barb Poole
President, Hire Imaging LLC

Stay in Touch

If you don’t land the job, but know you were the #2 candidate, stay in contact with the company; many follow their “silver medalists” and recruit them later on.

-Barbara Safani
Owner of Career Solvers and author of Happy About My Job Search

Job Search Tips

1. Advertise you are looking for a job. Let friends, family, and those in your professional network know you are actively looking for a job. Make sure they know your skills and what positions interest you.
2. List your professional accomplishments. Write them in a script and memorize them for easy access during networking events or interviews.
3. Write your resume. Use keywords and the language which appears in the job posting. Tailor each resume to the position for which you are applying.
4. Read up on your industry. A quick web search can find a plethora of resources on industry trends and outlooks. Become the go-to expert.
5. Create and maintain social media profiles. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook could serve as platforms to discuss and showcase your professional accomplishments, as well as sharing thoughts on your industry or position. Don’t post anything on these sites you wouldn’t want an employer to find. They will Google you.
6. Apply, apply, apply. Cast a wide net when applying for positions. It’s best if you’re constantly interviewing. It sharpens your knowledge about your professional background and gives you better odds that you’ll land a position.
7. Set up informational interviews. The more people you meet, the better. If there are companies in your area that interest you, but don’t have any posted positions, meet with those in the department for which you would like to work. Get their professional opinions of their line of work and the company culture. They may remember you when something opens.
8. Meet with your network. Constantly meet with people you know and meet the people they know. With the hundreds to thousands of resumes hiring managers sift through, most jobs are gotten on recommendation.
9. Volunteer. Volunteer opportunities are great ways to expand your network doing something you love. It also looks great when filling in an employment gap on an application or resume. You will not only keep your current skills sharp, but you could also learn new ones.
10. Stay positive. Embarking on a job search is in and of itself a full time job with many setbacks and rejections. Know that you have desirable skills to offer and can be an asset to an employer. Hiring authorities want to hire happy people, and you cannot go into an interview defeated.
    -Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.