After you’ve sent a carefully-worded resume and cover letter out, you have another obstacle to deal with: the interview. Just like with the resume and cover letter, the resources you use are important.
“There’s some really good information when you go to the Career Center on interviewing,” said Wayne Stark, director of Workforce Development. “There are some podcasts, slideshows that can help students with mock interviewing and information on researching companies.”
Researching the companies you are applying to is a key aspect of looking for a job.
It’s important to know as much as you can about the organization and how you connect with it. Not knowing anything apart from the mission statement shows a lack of interest on your part.
OhioMeansJobs is a lesser known but extremely helpful resource. There’s an entire section for college students, which include resources like career exploration sources and practice interview tips.
“There’s even mock interviews you can do here with live people who will work with you to help you with your interview,” said Stark.
The most important thing is understanding what the employer is looking for so you know how to describe yourself as a good fit for the job.
For Wright State students, a career advisor can walk you through the basics like keeping a positive attitude, making sure you are prepared and different types of interviews you might encounter; screening, telephone and on-sight interviews are a few examples.
“Bottom line, employers want to know how valuable you’re going to be,” said Stark.
Truth is, you can do all the interview prep you can, rehearse all your answers until your friends are sick of hearing them and still be anxious. First impressions can’t be changed, after all. So, take a moment to remind yourself that you deserve the opportunity, and give yourself a boost of confidence.
