Tag Archives: interview

The Secret to Standing Out

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When thinking back to your pre-college days, you probably remember college counselors explaining that the most successful college applications project a cohesive image of who you are as a person, not just as a student. In essence, the most successful college applications reveal your passion.

Applying to college and applying for jobs or internships isn’t as different as it may seem.

Both admissions officers and employers hope to accept or hire students with an enthusiasm for a subject that they hope to continue exploring. It is the most passionate people who have what it takes to change the world, or at least one small corner of it.

The message that you projected about yourself on your college application was successful enough to get you here. Now, you can use Scripps’ resources to continue developing your passion through clubs or even the classes you choose to take. When applying to jobs or internships remember the experiences you’ve had that excited you most and added to your growing passion(s).

When I applied for my summer job, I noticed that my soon-to-be manager had titled her notes for our interview not with my name, but with “The Feminist.” This was the identity that my resume had projected. And this was the identity that she was curious to learn about in the interview.

In our interview, my manager asked me about feminism right away. She was intrigued by my passion and my projects. She was excited to explain that the CEO of the company I was interviewing for was a woman. She elaborated and described how the company takes a lot of pride in being a company run by women and selling largely to female consumers.

Here at Scripps, my identity as a feminist is not as uniquely appreciated as it was in my high school or it was in my summer workplace. We are a community of intersectional feminists here at Scripps so it is my other passions, like writing, that are indicative of my identity in my communities here. Even within informal groups, like friendships, our passions can create our identities. When studying at the library, my friends will ask me questions relating to writing because they know I love to analyze literature. My identity has been formed by my passion for prose.

Applying to and becoming a CP&R blogger here at Scripps is a unique bullet point for my resume, as well as a small weekly commitment I enjoy. Together with my other commitments and scholarship related to English, being a CP&R blogger exemplifies my passion for writing. Perhaps at my next job interview, my employer will title their notes for me as “The Writer.”

So, whether you have one passion or five, nurture your interests inside and outside the classroom. You will be able to create a lasting impact on your interviewer and have an array of experiences to choose from when asked about your passion. After all, if a subject is truly your passion, cultivating it and investing in it should be an enjoyable way to develop your career. 🙂

Preparing for an Interview

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The interview is one of the best opportunities to impress a potential employer during the hiring process. Not only are they putting a face to your name, they’re pairing a personality to your accomplishments.

This past summer I interviewed and was hired to be a sales associate at a stationery store. I had interviewed for colleges before, but never for a job. I didn’t know what to expect but managed to impress my soon-to-be manager during the interview. Here are some key ways to turn the nerve-wracking interview process into the reason you get the job.

1.Ask friends and family:
Your friends and family know you better than anyone else and can give you an idea of how to answer questions like these…

  • What are three of your biggest strengths?
  • What is your biggest weakness?
  • What do you have to offer that other candidates don’t?

2.Search and practice common interview questions Hint: Check CP&R’s Services Guide and online interview resources. 

  • Tell me about yourself?
  • Why do you want this position?
  • Describe a situation in which you faced a challenge and how you overcame that challenge.
  • Why do you want to work for our organization?

3.Practice presentation:
Eye contact and a firm handshake are key elements of presenting yourself professionally. Also, do not underestimate the importance of presenting yourself as someone who is kind and thoughtful. Over the summer, when I was working with the manager who hired me for my summer job, she said to me proudly: “I hire nice people.” Essentially, consider that your interviewer is hiring you as a colleague. Show them why you are someone they should want to work with.

4.Summon your confidence:
This is your time to brag about yourself. Explain your accomplishments and experience in the depth that you weren’t able to go into on your resume. Most importantly, talk about the things that don’t neatly fit into the boxes on your resume that make you stand out. Consider what your most important commitment is and how it is (and isn’t!) represented on your resume.

5.Ask your own questions:
Being curious about the position that you are interviewing for will show your interviewer that you are invested in this opportunity. Prepare three questions to ask at the end of the interview, and take note of the response your interviewer gives you. Some potential questions could include…

  • What would my day-to-day responsibilities look like?
  • What do you like most about working here?
  • What does success look like?

Prepare questions that surround the position you are applying for specifically as well. Before your interview, research the company’s mission statement or values and ask about how your interviewer feels those values are manifested in the company. Ask about the position you’re applying for and how it contributes to the company as a whole.

6.Practice makes perfect:
You can practice with friends, but you can even prepare by heading to the CP&R office and scheduling a mock interview. By practicing with others you will be sure to be pushed to answer tougher questions. Get feedback on how to get the position of your dreams!

An Interview Nightmare

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An update from the depths of the semester: While I am still deep in the summer internship search I am thrilled to announce that I will be interning part-time at Activision/Blizzard Studios! I am incredibly excited about this opportunity and cannot wait to get to work. Even though I have the position secured I am still searching for a second opportunity to fill the rest of the week.  That brings me to what my blog topic for today: Interviewing.

I just had one of the most nerve wracking interviews of my life.  I got an email from a major studio recently requesting an interview and I couldn’t have been more excited!  It sounded like my perfect internship. I did everything you’re supposed to: I researched the company, I prepared points about my past positions, and I viewed my interviewer’s LinkedIn profile. 

I thought I was completely prepared when I sat down for the interview.  I found out a few minutes into the call something that pulled the rug out from under me.  Due to a communication issue, I believed that the position was for scripted TV Development (shows with pre-written scripts).  But the position was actually for an internship in unscripted TV (reality TV and game shows)!  I felt the blood drain from my face I was so shocked.  Everything I had prepared for the interview was useless.

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I thought on my feet as best as I could and still had a pleasant conversation but, needless to say, I didn’t get the position.  While disappointing, I’m trying not to be too hard on myself because I’m not sure the error could have been prevented.  I’m still searching for a second opportunity to fill out my week, but at least now though I have survived the worst and I know things will work out alright in the end.

Job Interview Tips

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Its that time of year again! Time for the stress that is job interviews! You’ve finally sent off a decent amount of applications and successfully gotten to the point where a company is interested in you.  Here are a few tips to nail that first impression!

Do Your Research

I can’t emphasize how important this is.  Make sure that you have done your research into the company by looking through their website and recent news articles on them.  Research not only the company itself but also your interviewers if you know who they are.  Knowing what their role at the company too shows you have done your work.  You can only control so much in an interview and knowing background information is something that you can be proactive about. 

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Breathe

Try to schedule some time before the interview to decompress.  Interviews can be very stressful! Remember, it is a conversation not an interrogation.  You are trying to see if this place is a fit for you as well. 

Breathe Jane The Virgin GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Be Prepared to Talk about Yourself

Come into the interview with a goal of conveying a few things about yourself.  You know your experiences well.  If you think there is a skill from an old position that makes you perfect for some aspect of this new role, touch on that at some point!

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Prepare Some Questions For Them

Don’t let it get to the end of the interview where they ask “Do you have any questions for us” and stare blankly.  Prepare some final questions about things that they may not touch on during the interview.  And they should not be things that can be easily googled! That is part of doing your research.  A standby of mine is asking about company culture or what they like about working there.  It can give valuable insight about what it is like to spend 5 days a week in one place.

Iron Man Question GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

I know interviews can be extremely intimidating but, armed with these tips, feel confident you can go forth and conquer!

First Job Interview

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I’ve always found it incredibly uncomfortable to brag, boast, or talk up myself. It’s something that I had been coached not to do, until I had to prepare for college and job interviews the past two years. With interviews, there are so many unknowns – the interviewer, the questions, the environment – that it feels impossible to prepare.

When I applied for my first job, I was so nervous. It was at the local library, a place I had been volunteering for year, and I wanted to step up and try for a paid shelving position. I had a friend that worked in the same job there, so I knew it was low-stress. It was the sort of job that you could wear whatever you want and listen to music on earbuds as you worked, and had relatively flexible hours. In short, the perfect high school job.

In preparation for the interview, I looked up practice questions online and spoke to my reflection, thinking about eye contact, body language, and tone (Tip #1: Scripps CP&R offers mock interviews http://www.scrippscollege.edu/careerplanning). Personally, I know I don’t always sit very still, so I tried to think about that as I practiced. (Anyone else a hand talker?)

Finally, the interview day rolled around, and I was still nervous, but a healthy amount so. I knew that I had done what I could to prepare, and I just had to get dressed and go. I knew that my work ‘uniform’ would just be street clothes and a name tag if I were hired, but I still dressed up in order to give a good first impression (Tip #2: Dress or overdress the part for the interview, aka always dress nicely)

When I got to the interview, I shook my interviewers’ hands (Tip #3: Have a firm handshake, not a limp hand or an aggressive grip) before we began to chat. I answered their questions honestly (Tip #4: Be real with your interviews, but also remember your audience) and worked in informational nuggets about my related experience and made sure to make myself shine (Tip #5: Show off yourself and why you’d be good at the position, but also try not to brag).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of the interview, I shook hands with my interviewers one last time and thanked them for their time. Afterward, I sent an email to follow up, nothing long, just reiterating my thanks and saying that I was looking forward to hearing back (Tip #6: ALWAYS say thank you, it shows your interest, and it’s a nice thing to do. If you send an email, keep it simple).

After what felt like years of waiting, I did hear back with a job offer from the library. I responded right away to confirm my interest and subsequently celebrated the good news with my family (Tip #7: Respond promptly whether or not you get the job, thanking the person for the offer/their time).

Funny enough, after all of that, I found myself working a different job my senior year. The library position fell through because of conflict of interest problems – as a member of the Library Board I couldn’t work at the library. I interviewed at Hy-Vee, a Midwestern grocery store chain (“Where there’s a helpful smile in every aisle”), as a prospective Courtesy Clerk (aka cart pusher and grocery bagger) and was hired as a worker in the floral department. Even though I didn’t end up with my first choice of job, I ended up somewhere where I was still very happy (Tip #8: Be optimistic). My coworkers are fantastic and fun to talk with, my managers are nice, and I’m surrounded by flowers (as well as Italian and Chinese food – we’re next to those departments) every time I work. It could easily be worse.

I wasn’t kidding about the ‘helpful smiles’ bit! It’s part of my job description.