Tag Archives: Interviews

The Interview

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Like the college application process, interviews are the only way an applicant can really show off their personality. If you have an interview for a job, congrats! You are really in a great position – you know that the employer thinks you have the credentials, work experience, and skill set needed for the position. Interviews are for confirming that you would fit in, that you’d be a positive addition to the workforce, and that you’re able to communicate clearly. Below is a list of websites that talk about what interviewers look for, as well as my responses to them. I draw on my experiences interviewing both in person and on the phone.

Positivity is a must – though interviewers want to see that you take the job seriously, speaking with anything but a smile is not going to win over your interviewer. Smiling also reinstates how confident you are and how excited you are about the job opportunity. Maturity is also needed, especially when you are up against other college-aged candidates because it will set you apart. I tend to speak really fast and use abbreviations/slang/”like” so I always watch myself and make sure I speak slowly during interviews. I have been interviewed by people who are young and seem buddy-buddy, and I’ve been tempted to disclose fun stories and start using slang. One interviewer started talking about concerts, and while I could have talked all about my concert-going experiences, I caught myself because it was not work-related. Also, appearance is the first thing interviewers register when they see you. There’s no “magic” outfit that will get you the job so anything goes as long as you look neat, clean, and professional.  I always wear a dress, blazer, black shoes, and no jewelry with my hair pulled back.

There are important qualities on this list that interviewers look for, though it is hard to get these qualities across sometimes. A common question in an interview is “tell me about your previous job”. I always have a 2-minute response prepared that shows I am a hard worker [I worked 40 hours a week in my last job], a team player [I explain a school project I worked on and what my role was in it], and a problem solver/prepared/detail-oriented [I explain a problem that arose during this group project and the steps I took to fix it]. When prepping for this interview question, I always think “ok, what qualities of mine do I want them to know I have,” then I memorize a few work/school experiences that show these qualities.

Do. your. research. Citing a recent article/news event that is relevant to the company, or even a study conducted by the organization, will show you are already invested in the job and that you have respect for the organization. I  do this when the hiring manager asks “how did you find out about us?” Speaking enthusiastically about what you learned so far about the company gives the hiring manager confidence that you will be a positive contributor. Also be prepared with a copy of your resume, references, transcript, and cover letter. One time I did not bring these materials in because I assumed they would already have them from my application – turns out they were somewhat disorganized and lost my materials, so when it was time for them to choose an intern, they did not have my cover letter, resume, or references.

If you stumble over words, forget the name of your old boss, or mispronounce something, don’t freak out! In my experience, it’s the overall impression from the interview that is important i.e. how you carry yourself. Interviews are inherently nerve-wracking, but have the confidence that you’ve made it this far, read up on the organization, and look sharp!

Networking in College

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I’ve heard talks about how to network with recruiters and working professionals during networking events, interviews, and job fairs. Shaking hands with a firm grasp? Making eye contact? Asking for business cards? That’s all important. But this blog post is about the power of networking with your peers.

Last summer, a few entering first-years organized a Southern California beach social for everyone to meet and get to know each other before the school year started. (Side note: one of the organizers of the event later became one of my roommates!) After hanging out at the beach, a few girls and I decided to go to the 626 Night Market, so we all carpooled. During the car ride, I was talking to a girl I had met that afternoon about our interests, one of which included wanting to go to law school. She mentioned that her father was a partner at a law firm that he started with a few other people. A few days later, I asked the girl if I could send her father my resume for him to look in case he was interested in hiring an unpaid intern. She agreed, but I never got a response. Fortunately, the following weekend, the Scripps Association of Families hosted an event for incoming students. The girl I had spoken to the previous weekend was there, and she introduced me to her father. We spoke for a bit about what he did at his firm and what work I would be doing if I were hired, and he ended up giving me business card and asking me to call him the following day. When I did, he offered me a paid position and I agreed to start working the next morning. I worked at this firm for five weeks and had an exceptional experience.

To my amazing friend who helped me get this job: Thank you.

Last week, my friends and I were getting ready to go to a party and one of my friends mentioned to me that she was looking for a job. I remembered that my uncle had asked me to work at his health clinic a few weeks earlier, but that I declined because I was too busy with schoolwork this semester. I proceeded to call him to set up a meeting with my friend during Spring Break. This morning, my friend told me that she was offered a position and starts training tomorrow.

Networking doesn’t always need to occur when you’re dressed in your most professional attire. This may sound frivolous, but you can be in a bikini or party dress and still network. It works, trust me.

Scripps at Huntington Beach, July 2013

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That Moment When You Don’t Actually Know Spanish…

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Hi! My name is Jennifer, and I’ll be blogging for CP&R this semester. I’m really excited to share my experiences with you all, and I hope you find my good (and not so good) experiences helpful. I’m new to blogging, so if you have any feedback for me, I’d love to hear what you have to say!

One of the most important lessons I learned about the internship application process came a few months ago with a phone interview. I wanted to intern at a Spanish-speaking non-profit organization in the law-related field so I used Claremont Connect to find any openings. To my surprise, I found a Spanish-speaking organization in Los Angeles that provided free legal service to survivors of domestic violence. It was the perfect internship. Having taken Spanish in high school, I was confident that I was good e-n-o-u-g-h in Spanish to pass as being fluent. I wrote “fluent Spanish” on my resume, though I knew I might be overstating how much I actually knew. I expected that my interview might be conducted in Spanish and was prepared to practice for it extensively if I was selected for one. A few weeks after I submitted my application, I received a phone call from a woman from the organization who wanted to set up the interview. After thanking her for the opportunity, she paused and asked, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to start speaking to you in Spanish to assess how well you can hold a conversation in Spanish.” The interview quickly went downhill. Despite the fact that I understood what she was saying, I had extreme difficulty responding to her and demonstrating my “fluent Spanish.” It was a total nightmare. I reiterated, “I really do know Spanish. I just wrote a research paper in Spanish. I’m hoping this internship will help build my fluency.” To this, she responded, “We expect our interns to have a solid grasp of the Spanish language.” She had a good point. After a few more minutes of a desperate attempt to save my reputation, she concluded, “I’m going to speak to my boss to see if we want to continue with this interview.” Two months later, I still have not received that call. I don’t think I ever will.

Applying to intern at a Spanish-speaking organization with my limited speaking capabilities wasn’t exactly a smart choice. I could have easily avoided that situation had I stated how much Spanish I actually knew. Note to self: ¡Don’t overstate your resume if you know you might be asked about what you wrote down!

5 Tips for Phone Interviews

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Over the past few weeks, I have had the enormous pleasure (and stress) of going through at least three phone interviews for summer internships, and multiple phone conversations with previous or current employees at these companies (connections are so important). As a result, I have a few tips that I found work well. That being said, I haven’t actually been offered an internship yet, so I can only assume these are good tips.

  1. Always have at least two questions for the interviewer. If you’re stuck on questions, it’s always good to ask why the interviewer likes to work there or what the workplace culture is like. This type of question really gets at the core of the company you are interviewing for. It will help you figure out not only if the company is right for you, but also if the working environment will work for you.
  2. Interviews are just as much for you as they are for the employers. Often we are so focused on figuring out the right questions to answer so that we can put our best foot forward, that we overlook the fact that that aspect of the interview is only half the story. The other just as important feature is that it can help you decide if it’s the right fit for your needs, desires, etc. During an interview I had a few weeks ago for a small start-up in L.A., the interviewer I had didn’t have very many questions for me, and then basically told me that what I did last summer is exactly what they do and what I would be doing this summer. This comment made me realize that I didn’t want to end up at this company because I wanted new experience, not the exact same stuff I had already spent three months doing last summer. Another example is that a week later I had an interview with a media company. Every single question they asked me was well thought out and really got to the heart of who they were and what they wanted from me. If I were in the interview position, these were the questions I would have asked. Because of that, this is now my top choice for an internship. Interviews help you as much as they help the interviewer.
  3. Phone interviews are often super scary and don’t go as well as in-person ones. I always prefer in-person interviews, but you don’t always have that luxury. Don’t forget to be animated. Sometimes your voice can be monotone over the phone, and it’s important for the person on the other end to know that you are excited about the opportunity and how you can contribute; make sure that your voice parallels those feelings.
  4. Have your resume in front of you when you’re interviewing that way you can bring in specific details about certain experiences you have had that help articulate and embellish your answers.
  5. Just because you’re on the phone and they can’t see you doesn’t mean you should be in pajamas sitting on your bed. Even if you’re not dressed in completely professional attire, it really gets you in the mood and mindset to be somewhat well dressed and sitting at a desk. That means no beanbag chairs or couches, and especially not tucked under those comfy covers.

The Illusion of Anonymity

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My junior year at Scripps I interviewed for the position of Admissions Intern. After a summer of working with the Office of Admission, I wanted to return my senior year to work with AAT leadership responsible for prospective student events, in addition to a number of special projects for the office.

I interviewed from abroad via Skype. I had commandeered my host-family’s kitchen, brushed my hair, put on lipstick and a nice button-up shirt. I went in confident. I felt good, and I knew my interviewers personally. I had worked with them all before.

I had prepared for the questions I knew were coming. Why was I applying for this position? What could I bring to the table? How would I balance the significant commitment of this job with my classes and thesis?

I answered the questions. I asked some of my own. We laughed and caught up a little bit. Everything was going as expected, until a question that caught me completely by surprise.

I was Skyping with an Admissions Officer and two of the AAT student staff whose shoes I would be trying to fill. I knew something was up towards the end of the interview, when one student turned to the other and said, “should we ask her?”

There was a pause.

I was on the edge of my seat.

Part of the job, the student explained, is keeping tabs on Scripps’ online presence, including college forums like College Confidential. “Are you [user_name] on College Confidential?”

College Confidential– a forum that allows students and parents to ask questions about specific colleges, majors, internships, study abroad and generally obsess over the admissions process.

I could feel my face go bright red. I laughed nervously and admitted that yes, that’s me.

There was laughter and quiet cheering on the other end of the Skype call. Someone said, “I knew it!”

I racked my brain to think of all the things I’d posted under that username recently. I certainly hadn’t posted any of it with my job interview in mind, but I had never tried to stay particularly anonymous. I was never shy about sharing details like my hometown, my major, my classes or on-campus jobs. It was all about helping prospies, and in my experience, the more specific detail the better. Although I never deliberately kept them separate, I never expected my online identity to be revealed as part of a job interview. The illusion of any sort of online anonymity had been shattered.

When the interviewer made the comment, “I feel like we should already be paying you!” I knew things were still ok. My online forum presence actually turned out to be a positive thing, in this instance. Answering questions online was something I had been doing to procrastinate homework and feel as if I’m helping people… and it helped me get the job where I could continue answering questions online for parents and prospective students.

I was lucky. What if I had lost my patience and cussed out a forum troll?  I’ve been tempted, I’ll admit, but this interview was a good reminder that online behavior, even under an “anonymous” user name can have very real consequences, good and bad.