The Search For a Job

Okay, if you're trying to get a spring/summer internship/job, you might know what I'm going through right now. It's torture.

Right now, I feel as if I'm applying to 25-plus magazines and papers for the summer. Of course, there are some I want more than others, but as my EIC over at Capital News Service told me, "You don't even know if you will be offered the job, so save your no for when you actually have an offer!"

In the course of shoving my resume in the faces of recruiter after recruiter, bragging about even the most minor achievements in my life and xeroxing clips of my writing, I have gone through tons of interviews, not including the ones during the journalism job fair.

So, I thought in the spirit of piggy-backing on all of our professors, parents, bosses, etc. I would give you my personal tips on how to make yourself stand out during an interview, without the typical dress appropriate, be on time, etc.:

1. Highlight what you think is the best part of your resume, don't let the interviewer dictate what's important. If you decide what the best part of your resume is, then you will be passionate about that experience/job/award/whatever it is when you are talking, and the interviewer will pick up on that enthusiasm.

2. Wear something colorful. It's so easy to fall into the black, whites and greys when you're getting dressed up in your business attire, but guess what? Everyone else is wearing those mundane colors too. It's as simple as girls putting on a pink scarf or flowery blouse. Guys, replace that navy tie with a nice orange or green one. I'm not saying go crazy flashy, just make it memorable, so when the interviewer is going through all 200 resumes on his desk, he has something to remember you by, because lets be honest, in the jungle of college students we can all blend together.

3. Look interested. It's very easy to fall into an interviewer's trap, most of them will try to ease you into a conversation and you will become relaxed... which is great, BUT! Don't get too relaxed. Never slouch, never look at your watch, never twitch. Sit on the edge of your seat and lean forward. Keep your hands on the desk/table in front of you or in your lap so you don't fidget.

4. Smile. Even if you're shaking and stuttering out of nerves, a simple smile can help you win the heart of an interviewer. It shows your a human being, not just another robot going through the motions to get a job.

5. Find some common ground. If you are talking about an experience you had an the interviewer seems interested, or mentions that he's done something similar, don't just brush over it with an "oh really?" Ask him about their experience. Everyone has egos, and people want to talk about themselves, especially if they share a bond with you, so let them talk, it will help you relax and give you a starting place to work from. For example, if you travelled over the summer, ask if they've ever been to where you went, or what they did for a summer vacation. Not everything in an interview has to be 100% about business.

6. Ask questions. The only guaranteed question I have had in every interview, ever, is "Do you have any questions for me?" As much as you would love to say "NOPE" and get the heck out of there, DO have something to ask. I'm not saying ask what your starting salary would be, that's getting a little ahead of yourself, but something as simple as "what would you say is the best part of working with your company?" or "how do you think the role of interns in your office has changed with new technology coming into the work place?" will be simple enough. Asking questions proves you're actually interested in the job and not just applying to earn some summer cash. It means you want to be informed, no matter how much you already know about the company.

7. Be grateful. Interviewers don't have to take their time to talk to you, so make sure you thank them properly. Give them a parting handshake and a "It was great meeting and talking with you today" or "Thank you for talking to me today" before you bolt out of there. AND make sure you follow up with a thank you note. Try to make it a real letter rather than an e-mail, but you can always do an immediate follow-up e-mail, just to show you are that interested.

8. Follow-up. If the interviewer doesn't call you in the timeline he/she gave you, call them. Of course, make sure you give the company at least a week, or however long they told you it would take to make a decision. Really, it's OK. I know most people are afraid to seem too needy, but guess what, that's what they want! They want someone who is so interested in getting the job they will take the gutsy move to call and say "hey, have you made a decision yet?"

These are just a few tips I've picked up along the way. Everyone has their own interview technique, but the most important is to show you, not some robot give-me-a-job version of you. Let your personality shine through in an interview. That's the best tip I can give you.

-Allyson