A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #5

"The Thank You Card"

The handwritten thank you card is a lost art. We have become so dependent on technology that a quick email feels like it is good enough. I’m not a recruiter, or an interviewer making hiring decisions, but I truly believe that my handwritten thank you notes have made a difference. Like I mentioned in my second post, I left last year’s recruiting event with 3 companies in mind. And each person from those three companies got a handwritten note. After my on campus interviews, each of my interviewers also got a thank you card. There’s a lot of good templates on various websites of basic patterns to follow. Because there are so many other resources out there, I’m not going to tell you what to put in your thank you card, but I will share how to master the lost art of the handwritten thank you.

• First and foremost get some nice stationary. Blank cards, with a very basic design or ones that simply say "thank you" on the outside in a nice font. I found my favorite set of cards at Target last year. Of course office supply stores have some basic stuff as well. If you’re design savvy and have a nice printer, consider making up some nice custom cards on thick paper instead!
• Practice, practice, practice! You just spent money on nice cards, and you should be writing them in black or blue ink. Write out your entire thank you card on some loose-leaf. Then very slowly, copy your message over. If you mess up, don’t cross through it or white it out. Start over.
• Make sure you are properly addressing them. If the firm has multiple offices, make sure it is going to the one that your interviewer is actually at. Clear handwriting is key! The outside of this envelope is the first thing they’ll see. Again, if you’re design savvy or have a nice printer, make some nice labels!
• Now this part, might just be my own personal belief. But the stamp you use matters! Go to the nearest post office and buy a sheet of nice stamps. Don’t use stamps with cartoons or celebrities on it. Avoid ones with political connotations. Last year I used a nice set of stamps with bonsai trees because it matches the color scheme of most of my cards. Simple stamps with a nature image or a simplistic design are the best.

P.S. Now I said that those notes from the interview would come in handy… use that info here. Reference your previous conversations.

~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern)

A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #4

"The Second Date"

Like I said in my last post, these recruiting events are like first dates. If things go well, and you don’t forget to apply for the on campus interview (like I did once), you’ll hopefully get invited to interview! This past recruitment season, I was invited to a few on campus interviews, and one phone interview. Obviously, if you’ve made it this far, you’ve made a great impression. On campus interviews, at least at UofL, are held in the career center. My first on campus interview was a total flop! And I will openly admit to it. I kind of knew what to expect… but not really. I didn’t have the best questions to ask the interviewer. But it was good practice. If your career center offers mock interviews, do it! Not taking advantage of that opportunity has been a big regret of mine. Tying back to my previous post, showing how you are different and making sure you stand out is crucial. At this point, the playing field has been narrowed. Chances are there is somewhere between 6 to 12 students per university being interviewed. Okay, so that is still a lot of competition, but now is your time to shine. Once you get invited to interview, do some more research! Yeah you might have skimmed their website before the previous recruiting event, but how much do you really know? Go see if you can find news articles about the firm. If you know who your interviewer will be, research them too! Being a very knowledgeable candidate is any easy way to make yourself stand out. Professional appearance and prepared questions are another two ways to show yourself off.

Bring copies of your resume with you. Granted, they will probably have a copy of it already from recruiting or from your application but showing that you are prepared for anything reflects very well on you! Make sure you have somewhere you can take notes. Don’t carry in a notebook with tattered edges, or the huge 3-ring binder you’ve been lugging around for 2 or 3 years. Go invest in a nice portfolio. Campus bookstores usually sell them, or you can find them at most office supply stores. It might cost a bit more than you’d like to spend, but remember it is an investment towards your professional future. Guys, if you’re wearing a black suit, with a black belt and black shoes, do not get a tan leather portfolio! It is always best to get something that is versatile. Personally I chose a blue leather portfolio, my nicest suit is navy and I like wearing blue tops a lot because it brings out my eyes. Yeah it sounds a little conceited, but I look put together and the blue is different! Inside this portfolio, stash away a few copies of your resume, as well as a legal notepad. On this legal notepad, jot down some ideas and questions you want to ask. A lot of these questions will get answered by your interviewer during the course of the conversation. Don’t forget to take notes, if not during then stop somewhere immediately after and jot down your thoughts. This will come in handy later. At the end they always ask if you have any questions, and even if they already answered the ones you prepared, make sure you ask them something! Of course I’m not going to share my personal favorite end-of-interview question… But there’s some pretty great articles out there. But a good thing to ask about is the follow up procedure or what their next step is. Some companies will email you within a week inviting you to a second interview or gently letting you know they’ve found other candidates. Others have weeks left of on campus interviews and won’t be making a decision for a month or so. Knowing a company’s follow up procedure takes the guess work out of waiting. If they say they’re going to make a decision by October 20th, just chill out until the 20th!
 

P.S. My pre-interview ritual consists of Googling "Job Interview Tips" and reading a random article from a reputable source. You might learn something new at the last minute, and it will push some good ideas towards the front of your mind. That’s how I found my favorite question to ask, minutes before walking into my interview for Monroe Shine.

~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern)