Students blog

With the beginning of a new semester comes everyone’s favorite season: recruitment. After applying for a job, sitting down for an interview can be nerve wracking. Whether you’ll be searching for a position for this school year or already looking ahead to next summer, I’m here to provide some insight on how to make this process easier and to help you land a quality job or internship.

Advance Preparations

Once you land an interview, there are some things you need to do ahead of time to be successful day of. These include:

1. Research. The best thing you can do as a job prospect is to research the company prior to an interview. Learn about what they do, what they care about, and how they help the community around them. This is absolutely key for showcasing your interest in the company, which is ultimately one of the first steps in building trust with your potential employer.
2. Prepare. Know your resume like the back of your hand. You will be asked about prior experiences and how they relate to the job you are applying for. Be sure you can answer this and elaborate on any other experiences listed.
3. Ask Questions. Do not be afraid to ask questions! Compile a list of questions in advance to respond to the ‘Do you have any questions for us?’ question. Ask the interviewer what they like about their company, what they would change. This kind of curiosity leads to ideas and eventually greater advancements.

Day-of-Interview Plan of Action

If your interview is in person, be sure to arrive on time and in the necessary attire. Make sure you have a reliable mode of transportation, a second (and third) copy of your resume, and more than enough time to get to your interview location.

If the interview is via video call, consider what will be in your background during the call. Find a spot around your home that looks organized and has minimal distractions. Or set up a virtual background if necessary. Minimize background noise. Check that your Wi-Fi is running, that your computer is functioning, and that you have the link readily available prior to the call. Have an internet outage contingency plan. Could you join by phone if your wi-fi suddenly goes down?

One last bit of advice - always, always, always thank the interviewer for taking the time to discuss your job opportunity. Follow-up with a thank-you email. Time is the most valuable asset in the world, yet it is most often overlooked. If you recognize and appreciate that somebody has taken the time out of their day to help you, it opens up many opportunities to form a quality relationship in the future.

If you are able to follow my advice, I promise you will have a great chance of getting the job!

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The interview process for jobs and internships is one of the most stressful things that a college student can experience. We have all had our fair share of automated rejection emails or just no response at all. Although the entire process is quite overwhelming and nerve-wracking, it is extremely rewarding once you finally get that offer. From making sure to be yourself to figuring out which questions to ask the interviewer, there are a few key things you should know before walking into your interview. Here are some tips and tricks that have worked for me to ace an interview!

Do your research

It is so important to research as much as you possibly can about the company before you have your interview. Not only should you understand what the company does, but you should also think about why you want to work there in the first place. By researching the company, you are able to understand what it is that they do and why, and whether it would be a good fit for you. Completing this research prepares you to answer that first question without hesitation: “Why are you interested in working here?”

Ask questions

I have been told time and time again from my mentors to ask questions during an interview, and it is excellent advice. Not only does it show that you are interested in the position, but it helps you understand the role better. An interview is not a one-way street; it goes both ways. You need to make sure that the role suits your own experiences and professional aspirations. When you ask questions, you can get a much better understanding of the opportunity that you are exploring.

When it comes to figuring out which questions to ask, I have found that preparing a few before the interview relieves some stress for me. Although it is important to have questions in your mind beforehand, you should ask questions throughout the entire interview based on what the interviewer is sharing with you.

Be yourself

I realized early on in my interviewing experience that it is vital that you stay true to yourself and avoid putting on a new face to impress your interviewer. They want to know who you are, not who you are pretending to be. Being straight-forward about your personality, skills and experiences is the only way to go. By being yourself and sharing what you can bring to the table, you will gain the respect of your interviewer in no time.

Believe me, I know interviews are stressful—especially when you want nothing more than to receive an offer. Don’t let the fear of interviewing hold you back from pursuing your professional endeavors because by following these tips, I promise you will be able to ace that interview.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

Finding a job in college can be a challenge — especially with everyone throwing different advice at you. Here are 4 places to keep in mind when job hunting on campus.

Your College’s Job Board

Your college job board has jobs that are actually possible for college students to do and these jobs don’t have the atrocious line of “5+ years’ experience necessary.” These jobs are catered towards college students so they may line up nicely with the kinds of classes you are taking. This makes these jobs more applicable to students because they can finally apply the things they learn into real-life situations. The jobs posted on the student job board are also more likely to work with a college student’s schedule.

Other Campus Resources

What if your college doesn’t have a job board? Interestingly enough, dropping by your college’s Career Center is another great place to find jobs. Most Career Centers have job listings for both current students and soon-to-be graduates. Plus it’s a great place to get your resume checked or do a mock interview! Take a walk through your college’s student union or student center. More often than not, you will see flyers featuring job openings around campus. Another idea is to walk through buildings where professor offices are located. Many of them may be looking for student assistants and will post information outside their office doors.

Student Organizations

As a member of the Society of Human Resource Management, I can fully advocate that joining clubs is a great way to find job opportunities. Some professional clubs often have their own exclusive job boards. Besides privatized job boards, clubs also have access to more resources than individuals do when they go job searching. Furthermore, you could discover job opportunities if you go on club-sponsored company tours or if you have the chance to meet professionals through a club networking event.

LinkedIn 

At some point you will probably hear the phrase “it’s not what you know — it’s who you know.” While you can easily find entry-level jobs on LinkedIn, it’s not probable that you will actually get that job for the sole reason that everyone can see that job. If you think finding a job on your college’s job board is difficult, imagine trying to compete against tens of thousands of applicants. It’s still possible to get a job via LinkedIn, but it’s not as likely — especially if the application says “easy LinkedIn apply”; that’s a good indication that there might really be tens of thousands of people applying for that position. Having said that, creating and maintaining a LinkedIn profile is important. Connecting with people will further your career later and may even help you discover a job that isn’t posted there, but offered directly to through someone you connect with.

Finding a job that fits into your schedule can be hard in college, but many places work to accommodate a student’s schedule. Taking time to look around your campus may help you find some hidden gems or point you in the right direction, so keep your eyes open, chin up, and don’t give up!