Seminar gives tips on acing job interviews

The Department of Career Services and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are collaborating to hold events for students seeking more information and advice with regards to exploring career options, networking with employers or preparing for an internship or interview. On Thursday, an event titled “Acing the Interview” was held to provide students with information on what they should expect or do to prepare for a successful interview.

The seminar began by making a clear distinction between a résumé and an interview in terms of the job process. The resume is not the key to being hired – the résumé opens the door to an interview, which is the key to becoming employed.

To adequately prepare for an interview, it is crucial to keep in mind that the interview process extends beyond the interview itself. There are requisite measures that must be taken with regards to prepping for the interview, conducting oneself properly during the interview and going the extra distance after the interview to demonstrate interest. It is key to remember throughout the completion of these processes that marketing oneself is important, but being personable and not overly pretentious to the extent of coming off as impersonal is a balance that must be maintained. By keeping this balance, the prospect of leaving your interviewer with an ambiguous perception is avoided.

Before the interview it is necessary to stay calm. The easiest way to stay calm is to not leave the more particular tasks to the last minute. A strong resume should be ready for delivery, appropriate attire should be chosen and a good night’s sleep should be had to show up at the top of one’s game.

During the interview it is key to be polite, respectful and unassuming. An interviewer will view these qualities as a reflection of high self-confidence, which is a desirable quality to have as a job applicant. It is always in an applicant’s best interest to ask questions and be as interactive as possible to exhibit interest and enthusiasm for the company or organization’s infrastructure and processes.

Subsequent to a successful interview, sending a thank you note is essential. Only about ten percent of job applicants send thank you notes following their interviews, so by doing so, odds are that this will help in terms of distinguishing a specific applicant from the many applicants.

Considering the difficulty of the job market, mastering the intricate pieces of the employment process that seem inessential might just be the little thing that make the difference.