"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)
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