Job Hunter Newsletter
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On-campus Interviewing Prep

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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:

"On-campus Interviewing Prep"

Know your competition for on-campus interviews. They are sitting in class with you. They will also be sitting in the interview waiting room or shaking hands with the interviewer in the time slot just before (and after) yours. All those students with whom you have been competing for grades are now your direct competition for jobs. These students are the same ones who blew the top end of the curve on the last test. But keep in mind that this is not the chemistry final. It is not how much you know, but how well you communicate in the interview. The 4.0 student who cannot interact well with people will actually have more difficulty finding a job than others.

Know your competition and what they have to offer. Know yourself and what you have to offer. Be ready to differentiate and sell yourself based upon your unique value proposition.

Yourself, (well rested, well groomed, well dressed) your 9" x 12" writing portfolio, two copies of your resume, copies of your top three letters of recommendation, any company information you have gathered, and a portfolio filled with show-and-tell information you may want to use (but it better be outstanding, or leave it home). Nothing more, nothing less. And do not take notes unless you are specifically asked to take an action that you need to record for memory. Remember who is interviewing whom.

The on-campus interviewing waiting room is your initial face-to-face connection point with your potential employer. Use this waiting room area as the preparation location for your interview. Always, always, always arrive at least ten to fifteen minutes early. This will give you the time necessary to do a quick final review before the actual interview. Get a drink of water on the way there, to avoid the cotton mouth syndrome.

When you arrive at the waiting room, check in with the administrator. If you do not already know the name of the interviewer, find out and write it down. Ask how long the interview is scheduled to take, so you know how much time is reserved. Ask if there is anyone on the schedule before you. If not, or if that person canceled, be prepared for a potential early start. This can work strongly to your advantage, since it gives both you and the interviewer additional time. While waiting for the interviewer, take out your resume and review it one last time. Know it front to back. Visualize and mentally rehearse some of the standard answers. Think through some of your compelling stories and examples to utilize in your behavioral answers.

I may be drinking coffee or water and sometimes will ask you if you want some. Refuse my offer. You will need your hands and mouth free to accomplish the task at hand. I am merely being polite. And avoid candy and gum, or you may be marked off my list even before we enter the interviewing room.

As you wait for the interviewer to greet you in the waiting room, prepare to make your very best initial impression. Choose a seat that is facing the door or hallway where the interviewer(s) will approach. There will likely be several companies interviewing concurrently for a variety of different positions, so there may be several other anxious students seated in the waiting area. Be constantly conscious of the entryway, and when you see an interviewer approaching, make immediate eye contact and smile. A smiling face can work wonders with a weary interviewer.

Anticipate each interviewer as if he or she is the one who will be interviewing you. The interviewer will normally walk into the waiting room and announce the name of the next interviewee, or possibly check with the receptionist. Even though you may end up making eye contact with several interviewers from other companies who will be interviewing someone else, treat each one as if they are your interviewer. By anticipating this initial contact, you will be sharp and alert when you do make your connection. And their first impression of you will be of someone who has a high level of anticipation and readiness.

Next newsletter: "Acing Your On-Campus Interview"

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Job Search Links:

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- 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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