So you think you're ready to ace your interview? Maybe so, but
first try reviewing some of the toughest interview questions. How
would you answer the "How has your education prepared you for this
job" question? Need some help? Check out our one-minute-video tip:
- Job Search Tip of the Week, by Brian Krueger, author of "College Grad Job Hunter," the #1 book for entry level job search:
"After the Interview"
The Two Most Important Post-Interview Activities
There are two simple steps you can take to make a lasting
impression after your interview and greatly increase your odds of
success.
The first is to call the interviewer to thank them for their time.
If possible, you may want to add additional information which was
not discussed in the interview. An example would be: "I understand
from speaking with the receptionist that Microsoft Office is your
corporate software standard. I just wanted to mention that I'm also
fully proficient in each of the tools in the Office suite." This
phone call should ideally take place the same day. If you are
unable to reach the interviewer directly, leave a voicemail message.
The second activity is to immediately write the interviewer a short
note, thanking them for their time and re-emphasizing your interest
in the position. Then do your best to get it to them as quickly as
possible. E-mail it, fax it, hand-deliver it, messenger it, use
overnight mail, whatever. But be sure they have it before the end
of the following day. Ideally, you want to get it in their hands by
the end of the day of the interview or first thing the following
morning. Why? Because the quicker your letter arrives, the greater
the likelihood of affecting a positive outcome. Doesn't everyone
follow up like this? Hardly. Virtually no one calls after an
interview and only a few take the time to write a personalized
thank you letter. The simple gestures of a phone call and thank you
letter can make a big difference in separating you from your
competition.
And if you interviewed with multiple individuals, make sure each
thank you letter is unique. Common language is acceptable, but do
not simply change the name at the top of the letter. Your
application, resume, and other materials will likely be stored in a
single file, usually in the possession of the person guiding you
through the hiring process. Your thank you letters will eventually
find their way back to this central file. Yes, we do compare notes.
And what seemed to be a unique and original note can lose its
impact if there are two or three duplicates collected together in
your file. It has taken a great deal of effort to get this far.
Take the extra time to make this final impression a positive one.
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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:
The #1 entry level job search book ("College Grad Job Hunter").
It's free.
It's that simple. So don't buy the hype. Read the real information you need for FREE:
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 is being continually updated at CollegeGrad.com. So the most current version of the book is actually the online, free version.