Senior Emma Roddy (Jackie Jeffers | The Beacon)
By Megan Walsh, Staff Writer walsh15@up.edu
The process of getting a job can be intimidating and overwhelming, but since it is such an integral part of life, we put together a list of six steps in hopes of helping college students obtain their career goals.
1. Go
In order to stand out from the crowd, you must spend a significant amount of time perfecting your resume and cover letter. According to Ken Hallenius, associate director of alumni, a customized cover letter was crucial when he was choosing the students to be interviewed for his open positions at the Alumni Reunion.
Hallenius has heard numerous stories of students and adults who have sent out hundreds of resumes only to hear one flimsy call back. If that is the case, you should be revisiting what you are sending out, he said.
2. Look the part
No matter the interview, be it for acceptance into grad school, an office position, or a position pulling weeds with the Physical Plant, it is crucial to look professional.
"Dress nice, and that could be business casual all the way up to a tie," Hallenius said. "Make the positive first impression."
The interviewer only has a few things to go off of to decide if you're appropriate for the position - your resume, cover letter, answers, and physical presence. It is necessary to make sure each of these are in top notch condition.
"You want your dress to be appropriate," Kalchthaler said. "You don't ever want to smoke, you don't ever want to wear too much cologne or perfume, because what if that scent reminds the interviewer of his or her ex. You don't want those associations with you."
3. Research
"It's important that your cover letter really speaks to the specific job requirements," Hallenius said. "If you are just sending out the same generic cover letter to everyone, you are not showing any kind of excitement about this particular application."
An interview can be viewed as an exam, and just like with any exam that you want to ace, you must study beforehand.
According to Max Kalchthaler, career services employer relations and internship coordinator, not knowing about the company and the job being applied for is the biggest mistake an interviewee can make. You need to show the interviewer that you know what the company is looking for and how you are exactly that.
"You got the interview because you can do the job, the employer wants to know if you will fit with their company," Kalchthaler said.
4. Questions
Students like junior Jordan Anderson understand the necessity of asking questions at the end of an interview.
"It is important because it shows that you have done some research into whatever you're interviewing for and that you're genuinely interested," she said.
Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to give further examples that show you are perfect for the job. For example, if you ask what the position's biggest challenges are, you can respond to their answer with how you might face such challenges.
It is also very common for interviewees to be anxious post -interview - they are in a limbo of wondering whether or not they got the position, according to Kalchthaler.
"You head that off by asking, 'when should I expect to hear from you?' or 'what are the next steps in this process?' at the end of the interview," he said. "You need to make sure that you know what the timeline is."
5. Thank you
There is just one last step that must be taken to ensure you did everything physically possible to perfect this interview. It is time to write and send a thank you note.
"Only about 5-10% of candidates do that, and there are very few things in the world that are stupid, but not sending a thank you note is," Kalchthaler said.
Not only is a thank you note important because it is the polite thing to do, but it also puts your name into the mind of the person that is hiring. It could be the reason they are reminded of you, rather than hiring the person that they interviewed right after you.
"If I am interviewing ten people in a day, and I can't remember interviewer number five, but if interviewer number five is a person who sends me a note, that's going to pop them back up higher on my list," Hallenius said. "I may have a tough time picking them out in my stack of resumes, but if I've got an additional note expressing excitement about the job, that will put them back into my mind."
Other helpful tips
1. Wear a tie
2. Bring work samples
3. Wear business professional shoes
4. Wear a blouse that flatters
5. Pants should not be baggy
6. Wear shoes that are comfortable but stylish
Senior Michael Dildine (Jackie Jeffers | The Beacon)
