Job Hunter Newsletter
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Acing Your On-Campus Interview

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Contents

- Job Search Tip of the Week, by Brian Krueger, author of "College Grad Job Hunter," the #1 book for entry level job search:

"Acing Your On-Campus Interview"

After the initial introductions are made, there is usually a long, silent walk back to the interview room. It may be a short period of time, but it can often feel like a death march. Instead of walking silently behind the interviewer, take the opportunity to establish a basic level of rapport. As you begin "the walk," whether it is 5 feet or 500 feet, comment to the interviewer, "I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you today." Wait for a response, then prompt with a well-selected bragging point about the interviewer’s company, showing that you have done your research. A bragging point is something the employees of the company would be particularly proud to note. It can usually be found in the President's letter to the shareholders in the company’s annual report. An example would be: "I understand that your company has been growing at over 30 percent per year for the last five years. It must be an exciting time to be working for XYZ." Always choose what you feel will be the number one bragging point for the company. Turn the tables and look at it from the employer's point of view. What would be their selling point in attracting new employees to work for their company? When you show that you have detailed knowledge of the company in one area, it will be assumed that you have even greater knowledge about the company in general. Set up this bragging point as an opener on your way to the interview room and you will not only show your knowledge of the company, you will also set a level of rapport that will guide you through the course of the interview.

If you have done your job well in researching the company, carry the company information with you to the interviewâ€not packed away in your folder, but out where it can be seen. Most recruiters will notice immediately that you have an advanced edition of what they may have been giving to others at the end of the interview. It shows that you have done your homework.

Where to get this information? The Career Center usually has a company folder with materials gathered from past visits. Don't worry if the information is six months or a year out of date, since it will give the recruiter the opportunity to update you on the latest.

Make sure you know the information inside and out. This is not just a prop for show, since you will be expected to have read the full contents if you are carrying it. Be ready and willing to demonstrate your basic understanding of the company when asked. Good preparation will always impress an on-campus recruiter, whose day often consists of explaining, over and over, what their company does for a living. Finally, someone who understands in advance. You have made an instant connection.

Do not take your on-campus interview lightly. Although it was "free" to you and easier to come by than direct contact with the company, the competition is intense.

To ace your on-campus interview, you will need to read (and study) all of the information contained in the Interviewing Success section of this book. All of the preparation. All of the questions. All of the techniques. All of the strategies. Be prepared in advance.

If you treat every interview as if it were your last (in both a positive and a negative sense), you will be more focused on affecting the end result.

On-campus interviewing is a gift. Treat it with high value.

Next newsletter: "Securing the Company-Site Interview"

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Do you know of someone who can benefit from the information in this newsletter? Simply forward this e-mail to them and tell them to subscribe at http://www.CollegeGrad.com/newsletter. Thanks for spreading the good word!

Contents

Job Search Links:

Contents

- Job Search Book Online

There are at least two other entry level Web sites that offer books on job searching, proclaming that they will tell you everything you need to know about entry level job search.

However, there is a very important point about these books they don't mention up front: they cost money.

At CollegeGrad.com, we give you two things they don't:

1. The #1 entry level job search book ("College Grad Job Hunter").
2. It's free.

It's that simple. So don't buy the hype. Read the real information you need for FREE:

http://www.CollegeGrad.com/book

Don't ever pay for books or reports or resources of lower quality when you can access the very best quality information for free.

P.S. Yes, you can buy "College Grad Job Hunter" in hardcopy format as well at Amazon.com for $15 (actually, 30% off that price), but the online version is better. Why? Because the version at Amazon.com (the 2003 edition) is being continually updated at CollegeGrad.com. So the most current version of the book is actually the online, free version.


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